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Thiangtrongjit T, Adisakwattana P, Limpanont Y, Nguitragool W, Chusongsang P, Chusongsang Y, Kiangkoo N, Reamtong O. Exploring urinary proteomics and peptidomics biomarkers for the diagnosis of mekong schistosomiasis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35439. [PMID: 39170131 PMCID: PMC11336616 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mekongi is one of the causative agents of human blood fluke infection in the lower Mekong River. Traditionally, the detection of egg morphology in stool samples has served as the prevailing method for diagnosing Schistosoma infection. Nonetheless, this approach exhibits low sensitivity, particularly in early infection detection. Urine has been extensively studied as a noninvasive clinical sample for diagnosing infectious diseases. Despite this, urine proteomic analysis of S. mekongi infection has been less investigated. This study aimed to characterize proteins and peptides present in mouse urine infected with S. mekongi both before infection and at intervals of 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-infection using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Proteomics analysis revealed 13 up- and only one down-regulated mouse protein consistently found across all time points. Additionally, two S. mekongi uncharacterized proteins were detected throughout the infection period. Using a peptidomics approach, we consistently identified two peptide sequences corresponding to S. mekongi collagen alpha-1(V) in mouse urine across all time points. These findings highlight the potential of these unique proteins, particularly the S. mekongi uncharacterized proteins and collagen alpha-1(V), as potential biomarkers for early detection of S. mekongi infection. Such insights could significantly advance diagnostic strategies for human Mekong schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tipparat Thiangtrongjit
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yanin Limpanont
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phiraphol Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yupa Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nuttapohn Kiangkoo
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Zhu P, Wu K, Zhang C, Batool SS, Li A, Yu Z, Huang J. Advances in new target molecules against schistosomiasis: A comprehensive discussion of physiological structure and nutrient intake. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011498. [PMID: 37498810 PMCID: PMC10374103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a severe parasitic disease, is primarily caused by Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma japonicum, or Schistosoma haematobium. Currently, praziquantel is the only recommended drug for human schistosome infection. However, the lack of efficacy of praziquantel against juvenile worms and concerns about the emergence of drug resistance are driving forces behind the research for an alternative medication. Schistosomes are obligatory parasites that survive on nutrients obtained from their host. The ability of nutrient uptake depends on their physiological structure. In short, the formation and maintenance of the structure and nutrient supply are mutually reinforcing and interdependent. In this review, we focus on the structural features of the tegument, esophagus, and intestine of schistosomes and their roles in nutrient acquisition. Moreover, we introduce the significance and modes of glucose, lipids, proteins, and amino acids intake in schistosomes. We linked the schistosome structure and nutrient supply, introduced the currently emerging targets, and analyzed the current bottlenecks in the research and development of drugs and vaccines, in the hope of providing new strategies for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Kaijuan Wu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chaobin Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Syeda Sundas Batool
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Anqiao Li
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Evolution of tetraspanin antigens in the zoonotic Asian blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:97. [PMID: 36918965 PMCID: PMC10012309 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05706-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite successful control efforts in China over the past 60 years, zoonotic schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma japonicum remains a threat with transmission ongoing and the risk of localised resurgences prompting calls for a novel integrated control strategy, with an anti-schistosome vaccine as a core element. Anti-schistosome vaccine development and immunisation attempts in non-human mammalian host species, intended to interrupt transmission, and utilising various antigen targets, have yielded mixed success, with some studies highlighting variation in schistosome antigen coding genes (ACGs) as possible confounders of vaccine efficacy. Thus, robust selection of target ACGs, including assessment of their genetic diversity and antigenic variability, is paramount. Tetraspanins (TSPs), a family of tegument-surface antigens in schistosomes, interact directly with the host's immune system and are promising vaccine candidates. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, diversity in S. japonicum TSPs (SjTSPs) and the impact of diversifying selection and sequence variation on immunogenicity in these protiens were evaluated. METHODS SjTSP sequences, representing parasite populations from seven provinces across China, were gathered by baiting published short-read NGS data and were analysed using in silico methods to measure sequence variation and selection pressures and predict the impact of selection on variation in antigen protein structure, function and antigenic propensity. RESULTS Here, 27 SjTSPs were identified across three subfamilies, highlighting the diversity of TSPs in S. japonicum. Considerable variation was demonstrated for several SjTSPs between geographical regions/provinces, revealing that episodic, diversifying positive selection pressures promote amino acid variation/variability in the large extracellular loop (LEL) domain of certain SjTSPs. Accumulating polymorphisms in the LEL domain of SjTSP-2, -8 and -23 led to altered structural, functional and antibody binding characteristics, which are predicted to impact antibody recognition and possibly blunt the host's ability to respond to infection. Such changes, therefore, appear to represent a mechanism utilised by S. japonicum to evade the host's immune system. CONCLUSION Whilst the genetic and antigenic geographic variability observed amongst certain SjTSPs could present challenges to vaccine development, here we demonstrate conservation amongst SjTSP-1, -13 and -14, revealing their likely improved utility as efficacious vaccine candidates. Importantly, our data highlight that robust evaluation of vaccine target variability in natural parasite populations should be a prerequisite for anti-schistosome vaccine development.
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Mekonnen GG, Tedla BA, Pearson MS, Becker L, Field M, Amoah AS, van Dam G, Corstjens PLAM, Mduluza T, Mutapi F, Loukas A, Sotillo J. Characterisation of tetraspanins from Schistosoma haematobium and evaluation of their potential as novel diagnostic markers. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010151. [PMID: 35073344 PMCID: PMC8812969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma haematobium is the leading cause of urogenital schistosomiasis and it is recognised as a class 1 carcinogen due to the robust association of infection with bladder cancer. In schistosomes, tetraspanins (TSPs) are abundantly present in different parasite proteomes and could be potential diagnostic candidates due to their accessibility to the host immune system. The large extracellular loops of six TSPs from the secretome (including the soluble excretory/secretory products, tegument and extracellular vesicles) of S. haematobium (Sh-TSP-2, Sh-TSP-4, Sh-TSP-5, Sh-TSP-6, Sh-TSP-18 and Sh-TSP-23) were expressed in a bacterial expression system and polyclonal antibodies were raised to the recombinant proteins to confirm the anatomical sites of expression within the parasite. Sh-TSP-2, and Sh-TSP-18 were identified on the tegument, whereas Sh-TSP-4, Sh-TSP-5, Sh-TSP-6 and Sh-TSP-23 were identified both on the tegument and internal tissues of adult parasites. The mRNAs encoding these TSPs were differentially expressed throughout all schistosome developmental stages tested. The potential diagnostic value of three of these Sh-TSPs was assessed using the urine of individuals (stratified by infection intensity) from an endemic area of Zimbabwe. The three Sh-TSPs were the targets of urine IgG responses in all cohorts, including individuals with very low levels of infection (those positive for circulating anodic antigen but negative for eggs by microscopy). This study provides new antigen candidates to immunologically diagnose S. haematobium infection, and the work presented here provides compelling evidence for the use of a biomarker signature to enhance the diagnostic capability of these tetraspanins. Schistosoma haematobium, the leading cause of urogenital schistosomiasis, affects millions of people worldwide. Infection with this parasite is associated with different clinical complications such as squamous cell carcinoma and genital malignancy in women. Despite its importance, there is a lack of sensitive and specific diagnostics that support control and elimination initiatives against this devastating disease. Herein, we have characterised six molecules belonging to the tetraspanin family of membrane proteins, providing details about their relative expression during parasite’s development and their localization in adult forms of S. haematobium. Furthermore, we have characterised the antibody responses against three of these molecules in urine from infected human subjects from an endemic area, providing compelling evidence for the use of these molecules to diagnose urogenital schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gebeyaw G. Mekonnen
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Bemnet A. Tedla
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Mark S. Pearson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- * E-mail: (MSP); (AL); (JS)
| | - Luke Becker
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Matt Field
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine and Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Immunogenomics Lab, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | - Abena S. Amoah
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Chilumba, Malawi
| | - Govert van Dam
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paul L. A. M. Corstjens
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Takafira Mduluza
- Biochemistry Department, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa Partnership, NIHR Global Health Research Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Francisca Mutapi
- Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa Partnership, NIHR Global Health Research Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, Ashworth Laboratories, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- * E-mail: (MSP); (AL); (JS)
| | - Javier Sotillo
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (MSP); (AL); (JS)
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Xian J, Zhao P, Wang N, Wang W, Zhang Y, Meng J, Ma X, Wang Z, Bo X. Molecular Characterization of a Tetraspanin TSP11 Gene in Echinococcus granulosus and Evaluation Its Immunoprotection in Model Dogs. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:759283. [PMID: 34869731 PMCID: PMC8635718 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.759283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, which affects humans and a wide range of mammalian intermediate hosts. Parasite tetraspanin proteins are crucial for host-parasite interactions, and therefore they may be useful for vaccine development or disease diagnosis. In the present study, the major antigen coding sequence of tetraspanin 11 (Eg-TSP11) from E. granulosus was determined. The results of immunolocalization showed that Eg-TSP11 was mainly located in the tegument of adult worms and protoscoleces. Western blotting analysis showed that the serum from dogs injected with recombinant Eg-TSP11 (rEg-TSP11) could recognize Eg-TSP11 among natural protoscolex proteins. Moreover, the serum from dogs with E. granulosus infection also recognized rEg-TSP11. Serum indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays demonstrated that IgG levels gradually increased after the first immunization with rEg-TSP11 compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the serum levels of interleukin 4, interleukin 5, and interferon gamma were significantly altered in the rEg-TSP11 group. Importantly, we found that vaccination with rEg-TSP11 significantly decreased worm burden and inhibited segment development in a dog model of E. granulosus infection. Based on these findings, we speculated that rEg-TSP11 might be a potential candidate vaccine antigen against E. granulosus infection in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwen Xian
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Pengpeng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Weiye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
| | - Jimeng Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
| | - Xun Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Zhengrong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
| | - Xinwen Bo
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production/Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, China
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Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Efficacy of Fasciola hepatica Tetraspanin 2 (TSP2) Fused to E. coli Heat-Labile Enterotoxin B Subunit LTB Adjuvant Following Intranasal Vaccination of Cattle. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111213. [PMID: 34835144 PMCID: PMC8623123 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fasciolosis, caused by the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, is an economically important and globally distributed zoonotic disease. Liver fluke infections in livestock cause significant losses in production and are of particular concern to regions where drug resistance is emerging. Antigens of the F. hepatica surface tegument represent promising vaccine candidates for controlling this disease. Tetraspanins are integral tegumental antigens that have shown partial protection as vaccine candidates against other trematode species. The Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin's B subunit (LTB) is a potent mucosal adjuvant capable of inducing an immune response to fused antigens. This study investigates the potential of F. hepatica tetraspanin 2 extracellular loop 2 (rFhTSP2) as a protective vaccine antigen and determines if fusion of FhTSP2 to LTB can enhance protection in cattle. Cattle were immunised subcutaneously with rFhTSP2 mixed in the Freund's adjuvant and intranasally with rLTB-FhTSP2 in saline, accounting for equal molar ratios of tetraspanin in both groups. Vaccination with rFhTSP2 stimulated a strong specific serum IgG response, whereas there was no significant serum IgG response following rLTB-FhTSP2 intranasal vaccination. There was no substantial antigen specific serum IgA generated in all groups across the trial. Contrastingly, after the fluke challenge, a rise in antigen specific saliva IgA was observed in both vaccination groups on Day 42, with the rLTB-FhTSP2 vaccination group showing significant mucosal IgA production at Day 84. However, neither vaccine group showed a significant reduction of fluke burden nor faecal egg output. These results suggest that intranasal vaccination with rLTB-FhTSP2 does elicit a humoral mucosal response but further work is needed to evaluate if mucosal delivery of liver fluke antigens fused to LTB is a viable vaccine strategy.
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Panzner U, Excler JL, Kim JH, Marks F, Carter D, Siddiqui AA. Recent Advances and Methodological Considerations on Vaccine Candidates for Human Schistosomiasis. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.719369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis remains a neglected tropical disease of major public health concern with high levels of morbidity in various parts of the world. Although considerable efforts in implementing mass drug administration programs utilizing praziquantel have been deployed, schistosomiasis is still not contained. A vaccine may therefore be an essential part of multifaceted prevention control efforts. In the 1990s, a joint United Nations committee promoting parasite vaccines shortlisted promising candidates including for schistosomiasis discussed below. After examining the complexity of immune responses in human hosts infected with schistosomes, we review and discuss the antigen design and preclinical and clinical development of the four leading vaccine candidates: Sm-TSP-2 in Phase 1b/2b, Sm14 in Phase 2a/2b, Sm-p80 in Phase 1 preparation, and Sh28GST in Phase 3. Our assessment of currently leading vaccine candidates revealed some methodological issues that preclude a fair comparison between candidates and the rationale to advance in clinical development. These include (1) variability in animal models - in particular non-human primate studies - and predictive values of each for protection in humans; (2) lack of consensus on the assessment of parasitological and immunological parameters; (3) absence of reliable surrogate markers of protection; (4) lack of well-designed parasitological and immunological natural history studies in the context of mass drug administration with praziquantel. The controlled human infection model - while promising and unique - requires validation against efficacy outcomes in endemic settings. Further research is also needed on the impact of advanced adjuvants targeting specific parts of the innate immune system that may induce potent, protective and durable immune responses with the ultimate goal of achieving meaningful worm reduction.
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Panzner U, Boissier J. Natural Intra- and Interclade Human Hybrid Schistosomes in Africa with Considerations on Prevention through Vaccination. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071465. [PMID: 34361901 PMCID: PMC8305539 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Causal agents of schistosomiasis are dioecious, digenean schistosomes affecting mankind in 76 countries. Preventive measures are manifold but need to be complemented by vaccination for long-term protection; vaccine candidates in advanced pre-clinical/clinical stages include Sm14, Sm-TSP-2/Sm-TSP-2Al®, Smp80/SchistoShield®, and Sh28GST/Bilhvax®. Natural and anthropogenic changes impact on breaking species isolation barriers favoring introgressive hybridization, i.e., allelic exchange among gene pools of sympatric, interbreeding species leading to instant large genetic diversity. Phylogenetic distance matters, thus the less species differ phylogenetically the more likely they hybridize. PubMed and Embase databases were searched for publications limited to hybridale confirmation by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and/or nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Human schistosomal hybrids are predominantly reported from West Africa with clustering in the Senegal River Basin, and scattering to Europe, Central and Eastern Africa. Noteworthy is the dominance of Schistosoma haematobium interbreeding with human and veterinary species leading due to hybrid vigor to extinction and homogenization as seen for S. guineensis in Cameroon and S. haematobium in Niger, respectively. Heterosis seems to advantage S. haematobium/S. bovis interbreeds with dominant S. haematobium-ITS/S. bovis-COX1 profile to spread from West to East Africa and reoccur in France. S. haematobium/S. mansoni interactions seen among Senegalese and Côte d’Ivoirian children are unexpected due to their high phylogenetic distance. Detecting pure S. bovis and S. bovis/S. curassoni crosses capable of infecting humans observed in Corsica and Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger, respectively, is worrisome. Taken together, species hybridization urges control and preventive measures targeting human and veterinary sectors in line with the One-Health concept to be complemented by vaccination protecting against transmission, infection, and disease recurrence. Functional and structural diversity of naturally occurring human schistosomal hybrids may impact current vaccine candidates requiring further research including natural history studies in endemic areas targeted for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Panzner
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-176-6657-2910
| | - Jerome Boissier
- IHPE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, University of Perpignan, 66860 Perpignan, France;
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Use of kinase inhibitors against schistosomes to improve and broaden praziquantel efficacy. Parasitology 2020; 147:1488-1498. [PMID: 32741402 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis. The potential drug resistance necessitates the search for adjunct or alternative therapies to PZQ. Previous functional genomics has shown that RNAi inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) gene in Schistosoma adult worms significantly improved the effectiveness of PZQ. Here we tested the in vitro efficacy of 15 selective and non-selective CaMK inhibitors against Schistosoma mansoni and showed that PZQ efficacy was improved against refractory juvenile parasites when combined with these CaMK inhibitors. By measuring CaMK activity and the mobility of adult S. mansoni, we identified two non-selective CaMK inhibitors, Staurosporine (STSP) and 1Naphthyl PP1 (1NAPP1), as promising candidates for further study. The impact of STSP and 1NAPP1 was investigated in mice infected with S. mansoni in the presence or absence of a sub-lethal dose of PZQ against 2- and 7-day-old schistosomula and adults. Treatment with STSP/PZQ induced a significant (47-68%) liver egg burden reduction compared with mice treated with PZQ alone. The findings indicate that the combination of STSP and PZQ dosages significantly improved anti-schistosomal activity compared to PZQ alone, demonstrating the potential of selective and non-selective CaMK/kinase inhibitors as a combination therapy with PZQ in treating schistosomiasis.
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Drurey C, Coakley G, Maizels RM. Extracellular vesicles: new targets for vaccines against helminth parasites. Int J Parasitol 2020; 50:623-633. [PMID: 32659278 PMCID: PMC8313431 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The hunt for effective vaccines against the major helminth diseases of humans has yet to bear fruit despite much effort over several decades. No individual parasite antigen has proved to elicit full protective immunity, suggesting that combinatorial strategies may be required. Recently it has been discovered that extracellular vesicles released by parasitic helminths contain multiple potential immune modulators, which could together be targeted by a future vaccine. Increasing knowledge of helminth extracellular vesicle components, both enclosed by and exposed on the membrane, will open up a new field of targets for an effective vaccine. This review discusses the interactions between helminth extracellular vesicles and the immune system discovered thus far, and the advantages of targeting these lipid-bound packages with a vaccine. In addition, we also comment upon specific antigens that may be the best targets for an anti-helminth vaccine. In the future, extensive knowledge of the parasites' full arsenal in controlling their host may finally provide us with the ideal target for a fully effective vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Drurey
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Gillian Coakley
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, 89 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Rick M Maizels
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
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Mekonnen GG, Tedla BA, Pickering D, Becker L, Wang L, Zhan B, Bottazzi ME, Loukas A, Sotillo J, Pearson MS. Schistosoma haematobium Extracellular Vesicle Proteins Confer Protection in a Heterologous Model of Schistosomiasis. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E416. [PMID: 32722279 PMCID: PMC7563238 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8030416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Helminth parasites release extracellular vesicles which interact with the surrounding host tissues, mediating host-parasite communication and other fundamental processes of parasitism. As such, vesicle proteins present attractive targets for the development of novel intervention strategies to control these parasites and the diseases they cause. Herein, we describe the first proteomic analysis by LC-MS/MS of two types of extracellular vesicles (exosome-like, 120 k pellet vesicles and microvesicle-like, 15 k pellet vesicles) from adult Schistosoma haematobium worms. A total of 57 and 330 proteins were identified in the 120 k pellet vesicles and larger 15 k pellet vesicles, respectively, and some of the most abundant molecules included homologues of known helminth vaccine and diagnostic candidates such as Sm-TSP2, Sm23, glutathione S-transferase, saponins and aminopeptidases. Tetraspanins were highly represented in the analysis and found in both vesicle types. Vaccination of mice with recombinant versions of three of these tetraspanins induced protection in a heterologous challenge (S. mansoni) model of infection, resulting in significant reductions (averaged across two independent trials) in liver (47%, 38% and 41%) and intestinal (47%, 45% and 41%) egg burdens. These findings offer insight into the mechanisms by which anti-tetraspanin antibodies confer protection and highlight the potential that extracellular vesicle surface proteins offer as anti-helminth vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gebeyaw G. Mekonnen
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Bemnet A. Tedla
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Darren Pickering
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Luke Becker
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Lei Wang
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (L.W.); (B.Z.); (M.E.B.)
| | - Bin Zhan
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (L.W.); (B.Z.); (M.E.B.)
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (L.W.); (B.Z.); (M.E.B.)
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Javier Sotillo
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mark S. Pearson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns 4878, Queensland, Australia; (G.G.M.); (B.A.T.); (D.P.); (L.B.); (J.S.)
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12
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Mousavi SM, Afgar A, Mohammadi MA, Mortezaei S, Faridi A, Sadeghi B, Fasihi Harandi M. Biological and morphological consequences of dsRNA-induced suppression of tetraspanin mRNA in developmental stages of Echinococcus granulosus. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:190. [PMID: 32276648 PMCID: PMC7146954 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04052-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cystic echinococcosis, caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus, is a neglected tropical disease with remarkable morbidity in humans and a problem of worldwide economic importance in livestock industry. Understanding the molecular basis of the parasite growth and development is essential for the disease diagnosis, management and control. The tetraspanin (TSP) family of proteins are transmembrane proteins with a role in many physiological processes of eukaryotic organisms. TSPs present in the tegumental surface of platyhelminths play pivotal roles in host-parasite interaction. However, little is known about the role of TSPs in growth and development in the Platyhelminthes. To understand the role of TSP1 in the growth and development of E. granulosus we investigated the effect of EgTSP1-specific long dsRNA in different in vitro stages of the parasite. METHODS Different stages of E. granulosus, protoscoleces and strobilated worms, were cultivated In vitro in di-phasic media. Using long dsRNA and two delivery methods, i.e. electroporation and electro-soaking, EgTSP1 silencing was performed with an EgTSP1-specific dsRNA. The TSP1 expression profile was assessed as well as the biological and ultrastructural properties of the parasites. RESULTS After three days of dsRNA treatment, EgTSP1 expression was significantly reduced in both stages of E. granulosus as compared to irrelevant/unrelated dsRNA and untreated controls. Silencing expression of EgTSP1 in different stages of E. granulosus resulted in reduced viability and body contractions, inhibition of protoscoleces evagination and distinctive tegumental changes. Ultrastructural morphology of the strobilated worms treated with EgTSP1-specific dsRNA was indicative of the microtriches impairments and vacuolated tegument compared to the control helminths. CONCLUSIONS Results of the present study suggest that EgTSP1 plays important structural roles in tegument configuration in E. granulosus. EgTSP1 is proved to be a potential target for the development of vaccines and RNAi-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mohammad Mousavi
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616914115, Iran
| | - Ali Afgar
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616914115, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Ali Mohammadi
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616914115, Iran
| | - Seifollah Mortezaei
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Ashkan Faridi
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616914115, Iran
| | - Balal Sadeghi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Majid Fasihi Harandi
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616914115, Iran.
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13
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Lei N, Liu FC, Ren CP, Shen JJ, Liu M. An Efficient Schistosoma japonicum Bivalent Membrane Protein Antigen DNA Vaccine Against Schistosomiasis in Mice. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:9319-9326. [PMID: 31811711 PMCID: PMC6916134 DOI: 10.12659/msm.919195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is one of the most important infectious parasitic diseases in the world. The most important was to control schistosomiasis is through a combination of medical therapy and immunization. The membrane antigens Tsp2 and 29 from Schistosoma are promising anti-schistosomiasis vaccine candidates. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, the pcDNA3.1(+)-SjTsp2, pcDNA3.1(+)-Sj29, and pcDNA3.1 (+)-SjTsp2-29 eukaryotic expression vectors were successfully constructed as DNA vaccines, and the protective abilities of these vaccines were evaluated in mice. RESULTS The results showed that vaccination with SjTsp2, Sj29, and SjTsp2-29 reduced parasite burden and hepatic pathology compared to the control group, and the protective effect of the bivalent SjTsp2-29 DNA vaccine was better than that of the univalent SjTsp2 or Sj29 DNA vaccines. We also found high levels of IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a against SjTsp2, Sj29, and SjTsp2-29 DNA vaccines, with high expression of IFN-γ and no IL-4 in the mice. CONCLUSIONS The double-membrane antigen DNA vaccine SjTsp2-29 elicited protection against Schistosoma infection and might serve as a vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Lei
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
- Department of Physiology, Anhui Medical College, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Feng-Chun Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Cui-Ping Ren
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Ji-Jia Shen
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Miao Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology, Anhui Key Laboratory of Zoonoses, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
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14
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Tebeje BM, Harvie M, You H, Rivera V, McManus DP. T cell-mediated immunity in CBA mice during Schistosoma japonicum infection. Exp Parasitol 2019; 204:107725. [PMID: 31306646 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Characterisation of the cellular immune response to schistosomiasis is well established for Schistosoma mansoni but a comprehensive description of T cell-mediated immune responses against S. japonicum infection is lacking. Accordingly, 20 CBA mice were infected with cercariae of S. japonicum and the immune response at different time points was determined. Mouse spleen and liver lymphocytes were isolated from the mice and stimulated with schistosomal adult worm antigen preparation (SWAP) and schistosomal soluble egg antigen (SEA). There was a relatively higher Th1 immune response to SWAP compared to SEA at the early phase of infection (up to week 5 post challenge). However, a Th2 immune response directed against SEA was dominant at week 6 post-infection, a time point when the highest IgG response against both SWAP and, especially, SEA was generated. The regulatory immune response was highest at the early phase of the immune response (up to week 5 post challenge) followed by a rapid decline at week 6-post infection. Before egg-laying, S. japonicum induced a regulatory T cell immune response which may limit the early Th1-mediated immune response that is believed to be protective in murine schistosomiasis. Following egg laying, the immune response was polarized to a Th2 immune response mainly directed against the eggs and this may contribute to parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biniam Mathewos Tebeje
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Marina Harvie
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Vanessa Rivera
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
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15
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Wang L, Giri BR, Chen Y, Xia T, Liu J, Li H, Li J, Cheng G. Molecular characterization, expression profile, and preliminary evaluation of diagnostic potential of CD63 in Schistosoma japonicum. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3625-3631. [PMID: 30178196 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6063-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomes are the causative agents of human schistosomiasis, which is endemic in tropical and subtropical zones. CD63 is a member of the tetraspanin protein family widely expressed among eukaryotes. Previously, we identified a CD63 homolog from extracellular vesicles isolated from Schistosoma japonicum. In this study, we characterized this CD63 homolog using a molecular approach and evaluated the potential of its recombinant protein for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. A sequence alignment indicated that S. japonicum CD63 (SjCD63) has sequence identities of 76 and 28% with S. mansoni and human CD63, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis displayed that S. japonicum CD63 is related to S. mansoni and Opisthorchis viverrini CD63. The cDNA of SjCD63 was 740 bp long with an expected protein size of 23.58 kDa. A RT-qPCR analysis revealed significantly higher expression of SjCD63 mRNA in adult worms on days 21, 28, and 35 than in 7-day schistosomula, cercariae, and eggs. In addition, recombinant SjCD63 protein detected by ELISA revealed significantly higher optical density values compared to that of the negative control in both S. japonicum-infected mouse and rabbit sera, providing preliminary evidence for its diagnostic potential. Overall, these results provide insight into the molecular properties of SjCD63, its expression profiles, and its preliminary diagnostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Wang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Bikash Ranjan Giri
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongjun Chen
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Tianqi Xia
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Juntao Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Huimin Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jianjun Li
- Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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16
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Xu X, Cui X, Zhu L, Li Z, Zhang Y, Ma L, Pan W. Effects of Polymorphisms in the SjSP-13 Gene of Schistosoma japonicum on Its Diagnostic Efficacy and Immunogenicity. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1695. [PMID: 30140260 PMCID: PMC6094988 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis japonica is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in China. The scarcity of effective diagnostic tools is a major factor that contributes to the high prevalence of schistosomiasis japonica. SjSP-13 is a promising serological diagnostic biomarker of the disease. However, it is unclear whether polymorphisms in SjSP-13 affect its diagnostic efficacy and immunogenicity. Here, we found the SjSP-13 gene was highly polymorphic, and all the alleles of the gene were clustered into two clades, clade A and B. SjSP-13.6 and SjSP-13.25, the representative alleles of clade A and B, were produced in Escherichia coli. The diagnostic value of SjSP-13.6 (AUC = 0.983 ± 0.006), was found to be similar to the SjSP-13.25 (AUC = 0.973 ± 0.009) by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. SjSP-13.6 and SjSP-13.25 have the same specificity (96.7%), while the sensitivity of SjSP-13.6 (90.4%) is slightly but not significantly higher than SjSP-13.25 (85.2%). The combination use of the two alleles (SjSP-13.6/25) didn’t increase the diagnostic performance of SjSP-13 as the AUC value of SjSP-13.6/25 is 0.977 ± 0.009, lower than individual SjSP-13.6 (AUC = 0.983 ± 0.006). In addition, we found the immunogenicity of clade A alleles is significantly higher than clade B in Schistosoma japonicum naturally infected animals and patients, as the mean antibody levels of SjSP-13.6 was significantly higher than SjSP-13.25. We conclude that polymorphisms of the SjSP-13 gene should not affect its diagnostic efficacy, and it is not necessary to combine the alleles of the two clades for diagnosis of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindong Xu
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaobing Cui
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liufang Zhu
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengli Li
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanbin Zhang
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Ma
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiqing Pan
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Dominguez MF, González-Miguel J, Carmona C, Dalton JP, Cwiklinski K, Tort J, Siles-Lucas M. Low allelic diversity in vaccine candidates genes from different locations sustain hope for Fasciola hepatica immunization. Vet Parasitol 2018; 258:46-52. [PMID: 30105977 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Fasciola hepatica is a trematode parasite that causes fasciolosis in animals and humans. Fasciolosis is usually treated with triclabendazole, although drug-resistant parasites have been described in several geographical locations. An alternative to drug treatment would be the use of a vaccine, although vaccination studies that have been performed mainly in ruminants over the last 30 years, show high variability in the achieved protection and are not yet ready for commercialisation. Since F. hepatica exhibits a high degree of genomic polymorphism, variation in vaccine efficacy could be attributed, at least partially, to phenotypic differences in vaccine candidate sequences amongst parasites used in the challenge infections. To begin to address this issue, a collection of F. hepatica isolates from geographically dispersed regions, as well as parasites obtained from vaccination trials performed against a field isolate from Uruguay and the experimentally maintained South Gloucester isolate (Ridgeway Research, UK), were compiled to establish a F. hepatica Biobank. These collected isolates were used for the genetic analysis of several vaccine candidates that are important in host-parasite interactions and are the focus of the H2020 PARAGONE vaccine project (https://www.paragoneh2020.eu/), namely FhCL1, FhCL2, FhPrx, FhLAP and FhHDM. Our results show that F. hepatica exhibits a high level of conservation in the sequences encoding each of these proteins. The consequential low variability in these vaccine candidates amongst parasites from different geographical regions reinforces the idea that they would be suitable immunogens against liver fluke isolates worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fernanda Dominguez
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Carlos Carmona
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - John P Dalton
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - José Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
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18
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Navarrete-Perea J, Isasa M, Paulo JA, Corral-Corral R, Flores-Bautista J, Hernández-Téllez B, Bobes RJ, Fragoso G, Sciutto E, Soberón X, Gygi SP, Laclette JP. Quantitative multiplexed proteomics of Taenia solium cysts obtained from the skeletal muscle and central nervous system of pigs. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005962. [PMID: 28945737 PMCID: PMC5634658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In human and porcine cysticercosis caused by the tapeworm Taenia solium, the larval stage (cysts) can infest several tissues including the central nervous system (CNS) and the skeletal muscles (SM). The cyst’s proteomics changes associated with the tissue localization in the host tissues have been poorly studied. Quantitative multiplexed proteomics has the power to evaluate global proteome changes in response to different conditions. Here, using a TMT-multiplexed strategy we identified and quantified over 4,200 proteins in cysts obtained from the SM and CNS of pigs, of which 891 were host proteins. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive intermixing of host and parasite proteins reported for tapeworm infections.Several antigens in cysticercosis, i.e., GP50, paramyosin and a calcium-binding protein were enriched in skeletal muscle cysts. Our results suggested the occurrence of tissue-enriched antigen that could be useful in the improvement of the immunodiagnosis for cysticercosis. Using several algorithms for epitope detection, we selected 42 highly antigenic proteins enriched for each tissue localization of the cysts. Taking into account the fold changes and the antigen/epitope contents, we selected 10 proteins and produced synthetic peptides from the best epitopes. Nine peptides were recognized by serum antibodies of cysticercotic pigs, suggesting that those peptides are antigens. Mixtures of peptides derived from SM and CNS cysts yielded better results than mixtures of peptides derived from a single tissue location, however the identification of the ‘optimal’ tissue-enriched antigens remains to be discovered. Through machine learning technologies, we determined that a reliable immunodiagnostic test for porcine cysticercosis required at least five different antigenic determinants. Human and porcine cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium is a parasite disease still endemic in developing countries. The cysts can be located in different host tissues, including different organs of the central nervous system and the skeletal muscles. The molecular mechanisms associated with the tissue localization of the cysts are not well understood. Here, we described the proteome changes of the cysts obtained from different host tissues from infected pigs using quantitative multiplex proteomics. We explored the diversity of host proteins identified in the cyst’s protein extracts and we also explored the immune-localization of several host-related proteins within the cysts, and propose their possible function. We identified several proteins and antigens enriched for a given tissue localization. Several synthetic peptides designed from these tissue-enriched antigens were tested trough ELISA. Using a combination of peptide mixtures and machine learning technologies we were able to distinguish non cysticercotic and cysticercotic pig’s sera. The tissue-enriched proteins/antigens could be useful for the development of improved immuno-diagnostic tests capable of discriminate the tissue-localization of the cysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Navarrete-Perea
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Marta Isasa
- Dept. of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joao A Paulo
- Dept. of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ricardo Corral-Corral
- Dept. of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Institute of Cell Physiology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jeanette Flores-Bautista
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Beatriz Hernández-Téllez
- Dept. of Tissue and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Raúl J Bobes
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Gladis Fragoso
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Edda Sciutto
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Xavier Soberón
- Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Ciudad de México, México.,Dept. of Biocatalysis and Cellular Engineering, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelos, México
| | - Steven P Gygi
- Dept. of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Juan P Laclette
- Dept. of Immunology, Institute for Biomedical Research, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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19
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Li Y, Yin M, Wu Q, McManus DP, Blair D, Li H, Xu B, Mo X, Feng Z, Hu W. Genetic diversity and selection of three nuclear genes in Schistosoma japonicum populations. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:87. [PMID: 28212676 PMCID: PMC5316221 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2033-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The blood fluke, Schistosoma japonicum still causes severe disease in China, the Philippines and Indonesia. Although there have been some studies the molecular epidemiology of this persistent and harmful parasite, few have explored the possibility and implications of selection in S. japonicum populations. METHODS We analyzed diversity and looked for evidence of selection at three nuclear genes (SjIpp2, SjFabp and SjT22.6) in 13 S. japonicum populations. RESULTS SjT22.6 was found to exhibit high nucleotide diversity and was under positive selection in the mountainous region of mainland China. As a tegumental protein, its secondary and tertiary structure differed between S. japonicum strains from the mountainous and lakes regions. In contrast, SjIpp2 and SjFabp had relatively low levels of nucleotide diversity and did not show significant departure from neutrality. CONCLUSIONS As a tegument-associated antigen-encoding gene of S. japonicum, SjT22.6 has high nucleotide diversity and appears to be under positive selection in the mountainous region of mainland China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Li
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingbo Yin
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
| | - Qunfeng Wu
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
| | - Donald P. McManus
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia
| | - David Blair
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 Australia
| | - Hongyan Li
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Xu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Xiaojin Mo
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Zheng Feng
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Wei Hu
- School of Life Science, Fudan University, Songhu Road 2005, Shanghai, China
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 207 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025 China
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20
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Cai P, Liu S, Piao X, Hou N, You H, McManus DP, Chen Q. A next-generation microarray further reveals stage-enriched gene expression pattern in the blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:19. [PMID: 28069074 PMCID: PMC5223471 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1947-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is caused by infection with blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, and ranks, in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), as the third most important neglected tropical disease. Schistosomes have several discrete life stages involving dramatic morphological changes during their development, which require subtle gene expression modulations to complete the complex life-cycle. RESULTS In the current study, we employed a second generation schistosome DNA chip printed with the most comprehensive probe array for studying the Schistosoma japonicum transcriptome, to explore stage-associated gene expression in different developmental phases of S. japonicum. A total of 328, 95, 268 and 532 mRNA transcripts were enriched in cercariae, hepatic schistosomula, adult worms and eggs, respectively. In general, genes associated with transcriptional regulation, cell signalling and motor activity were readily expressed in cercariae; the expression of genes involved in neuronal activities, apoptosis and renewal was modestly upregulated in hepatic schistosomula; transcripts involved in egg production, nutrition metabolism and glycosylation were enriched in adult worms; while genes involved in cell division, microtubule-associated mobility, and host-parasite interplay were relatively highly expressed in eggs. CONCLUSIONS The study further highlights the expressional features of stage-associated genes in schistosomes with high accuracy. The results provide a better perspective of the biological characteristics among different developmental stages, which may open new avenues for identification of novel vaccine candidates and the development of novel control interventions against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Hou
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Qijun Chen
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
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21
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Tebeje BM, Harvie M, You H, Loukas A, McManus DP. Schistosomiasis vaccines: where do we stand? Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:528. [PMID: 27716365 PMCID: PMC5045607 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1799-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused mainly by S. mansoni, S. haematobium and S. japonicum, continues to be a serious tropical disease and public health problem resulting in an unacceptably high level of morbidity in countries where it is endemic. Praziquantel, the only drug currently available for treatment, is unable to kill developing schistosomes, it does not prevent re-infection and its continued extensive use may result in the future emergence of drug-resistant parasites. This scenario provides impetus for the development and deployment of anti-schistosome vaccines to be used as part of an integrated approach for the prevention, control and eventual elimination of schistosomiasis. This review considers the present status of candidate vaccines for schistosomiasis, and provides some insight on future vaccine discovery and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biniam Mathewos Tebeje
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia. .,School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. .,Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
| | - Marina Harvie
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Hong You
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
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Cai P, Gobert GN, You H, McManus DP. The Tao survivorship of schistosomes: implications for schistosomiasis control. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:453-63. [PMID: 26873753 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, is a major public health problem which contributes substantially to the economic and financial burdens of many nations in the developing world. An array of survival strategies, such as the unique structure of the tegument which acts as a major host-parasite interface, immune modulation mechanisms, gene regulation, and apoptosis and self-renewal have been adopted by schistosome parasites over the course of long-term evolution with their mammalian definitive hosts. Recent generation of complete schistosome genomes together with numerous biological, immunological, high-throughput "-omics" and gene function studies have revealed the Tao or strategies that schistosomes employ not only to promote long-term survival, but also to ensure effective life cycle transmission. New scenarios for the future control of this important neglected tropical disease will present themselves as our understanding of these Tao increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
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Exploring molecular variation in Schistosoma japonicum in China. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17345. [PMID: 26621075 PMCID: PMC4664899 DOI: 10.1038/srep17345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects more than 200 million people worldwide. The main disease-causing agents, Schistosoma japonicum, S. mansoni and S. haematobium, are blood flukes that have complex life cycles involving a snail intermediate host. In Asia, S. japonicum causes hepatointestinal disease (schistosomiasis japonica) and is challenging to control due to a broad distribution of its snail hosts and range of animal reservoir hosts. In China, extensive efforts have been underway to control this parasite, but genetic variability in S. japonicum populations could represent an obstacle to eliminating schistosomiasis japonica. Although a draft genome sequence is available for S. japonicum, there has been no previous study of molecular variation in this parasite on a genome-wide scale. In this study, we conducted the first deep genomic exploration of seven S. japonicum populations from mainland China, constructed phylogenies using mitochondrial and nuclear genomic data sets, and established considerable variation between some of the populations in genes inferred to be linked to key cellular processes and/or pathogen-host interactions. Based on the findings from this study, we propose that verifying intraspecific conservation in vaccine or drug target candidates is an important first step toward developing effective vaccines and chemotherapies against schistosomiasis.
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24
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Gleichsner AM, Thiele EA, Minchella DJ. It's All about Those Bases: The Need for Incorporating Parasite Genetic Heterogeneity into the Development of Schistosome Vaccines. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003805. [PMID: 26086424 PMCID: PMC4472511 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M. Gleichsner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Elizabeth A. Thiele
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States of America
| | - Dennis J. Minchella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
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25
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Hu D, Song X, Xie Y, Zhong X, Wang N, Zheng Y, Gu X, Wang T, Peng X, Yang G. Molecular insights into a tetraspanin in the hydatid tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:311. [PMID: 26055542 PMCID: PMC4464875 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0926-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cystic echinococcosis (hydatid disease), caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus (class Cestoda; family Taeniidae), is a neglected tropical disease that results in morbidity and mortality in millions of humans, as well as in huge economic losses in the livestock industry globally. Proteins from the tetraspanin family in parasites have recently become regarded as crucial molecules in interaction with hosts in parasitism and are therefore suitable for the development of vaccines and diagnostic agents. However, no information is available to date on E. granulosus tetraspanin. Methods In this study, a uroplakin-I-like tetraspanin (Eg-TSP1) of E. granulosus was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The immunolocalization of Eg-TSP1 in different life stages of E. granulosus was determined using specific polyclonal antibody. The antibody and cytokine profiles of mice that immunized with recombinant Eg-TSP1 (rEg-TSP1) were measured for the immunogenicity analysis of this protein. Additionally, we use RNA interference method to explore the biological function of Eg-TSP1 in larva of E. granulosus. Results Immunofluorescence analysis showed that endogenous Eg-TSP1 mainly localized in the tegument of larvae and adults. Significantly elevated levels of antibodies IgG1 and IgG2a and of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12 were observed in the sera of mice after immunization with rEg-TSP1, suggesting a typical T helper (Th)1-mediated immune response elicited by rEg-TSP1. On further probing the role of Eg-TSP1 in E. granulosus by RNA interference, we found that a thinner tegmental distal cytoplasm was induced in protoscoleces treated with siRNA-132 compared to controls. Conclusions This is the first report characterizing a tetraspanin from the tapeworm E. granulosus. Our results suggest that Eg-TSP1 is associated with biogenesis of the tegument and maintenance of structural integrity of E. granulosus and could therefore be a candidate intervention target for control of hydatid disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0926-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Hu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Xingju Song
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Yue Xie
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Xiuqin Zhong
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Yu Zheng
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Xiaobin Gu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Xuerong Peng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Life and Basic Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China.
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26
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Philippsen GS, Wilson RA, DeMarco R. Accelerated evolution of schistosome genes coding for proteins located at the host-parasite interface. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 7:431-43. [PMID: 25567667 PMCID: PMC4350168 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Study of proteins located at the host–parasite interface in schistosomes might provide clues about the mechanisms utilized by the parasite to escape the host immune system attack. Micro-exon gene (MEG) protein products and venom allergen-like (VAL) proteins have been shown to be present in schistosome secretions or associated with glands, which led to the hypothesis that they are important components in the molecular interaction of the parasite with the host. Phylogenetic and structural analysis of genes and their transcripts in these two classes shows that recent species-specific expansion of gene number for these families occurred separately in three different species of schistosomes. Enrichment of transposable elements in MEG and VAL genes in Schistosoma mansoni provides a credible mechanism for preferential expansion of gene numbers for these families. Analysis of the ratio between synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) in the comparison between schistosome orthologs for the two classes of genes reveals significantly higher values when compared with a set of a control genes coding for secreted proteins, and for proteins previously localized in the tegument. Additional analyses of paralog genes indicate that exposure of the protein to the definitive host immune system is a determining factor leading to the higher than usual dN/dS values in those genes. The observation that two genes encoding S. mansoni vaccine candidate proteins, known to be exposed at the parasite surface, also display similar evolutionary dynamics suggests a broad response of the parasite to evolutionary pressure imposed by the definitive host immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele S Philippsen
- Departamento de Física e Ciência Interdisciplinar, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - R Alan Wilson
- Centre for Immunology and Infection, Department of Biology, University of York, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo DeMarco
- Departamento de Física e Ciência Interdisciplinar, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
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Abstract
Helminth parasites infect over one fourth of the human population and are highly prevalent in livestock worldwide. In model systems, parasites are strongly immunomodulatory, but the immune system can be driven to expel them by prior vaccination. However, no vaccines are currently available for human use. Recent advances in vaccination with recombinant helminth antigens have been successful against cestode infections of livestock and new vaccines are being tested against nematode parasites of animals. Numerous vaccine antigens are being defined for a wide range of helminth parasite species, but greater understanding is needed to define the mechanisms of vaccine-induced immunity, to lay a rational platform for new vaccines and their optimal design. With human trials underway for hookworm and schistosomiasis vaccines, a greater integration between veterinary and human studies will highlight the common molecular and mechanistic pathways, and accelerate progress towards reducing the global health burden of helminth infection.
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28
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Toet H, Piedrafita DM, Spithill TW. Liver fluke vaccines in ruminants: strategies, progress and future opportunities. Int J Parasitol 2014; 44:915-27. [PMID: 25200351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The development of a vaccine for Fasciola spp. in livestock is a challenge and would be advanced by harnessing our knowledge of acquired immune mechanisms expressed by resistant livestock against fluke infection. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity directed to the surface tegument of juvenile/immature flukes is a host immune effector mechanism, suggesting that antigens on the surface of young flukes may represent prime candidates for a fluke vaccine. A Type 1 immune response shortly after fluke infection is associated with resistance to infection in resistant sheep, indicating that vaccine formulations should attempt to induce Type 1 responses to enhance vaccine efficacy. In cattle or sheep, an optimal fluke vaccine would need to reduce mean fluke burdens in a herd below the threshold of 30-54 flukes to ensure sustainable production benefits. Fluke infection intensity data suggest that vaccine efficacy of approximately 80% is required to reduce fluke burdens below this threshold in most countries. With the increased global prevalence of triclabendazole-resistant Fasciolahepatica, it may be commercially feasible in the short term to introduce a fluke vaccine of reasonable efficacy that will provide economic benefits for producers in regions where chemical control of new drug-resistant fluke infections is not viable. Commercial partnerships will be needed to fast-track new candidate vaccines using acceptable adjuvants in relevant production animals, obviating the need to evaluate vaccine antigens in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Toet
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
| | - David M Piedrafita
- School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Federation University, Churchill, Victoria 3842, Australia
| | - Terry W Spithill
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
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Boubaker G, Gottstein B, Hemphill A, Babba H, Spiliotis M. Echinococcus P29 antigen: molecular characterization and implication on post-surgery follow-up of CE patients infected with different species of the Echinococcus granulosus complex. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98357. [PMID: 24851904 PMCID: PMC4031130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The protein P29 is a potential serological marker for post-treatment monitoring of cystic echinococcosis (CE) especially in young patients. We now have demonstrated that P29 is encoded in the Echinococcus genus by a single gene consisting of 7 exons spanning 1.2 kb of DNA. Variability of the p29 gene at inter- and intra-species level was assessed with 50 cDNA and 280 genomic DNA clones isolated from different E. granulosus s.l. isolates (E. granulosus sensu stricto (G1), E. equinus (G4), E. ortleppi (G5), E. canadensis (G6), E. canadensis (G7) and E. canadensis (G10)) as well as four E. multilocularis isolates. Scarce interspecies polymorphism at the p29 locus was observed and affected predominantly E. granulosus s.s. (G1), where we identified two alleles (A1 and A2) coding for identical P29 proteins and yielding in three genotypes (A1/A1, A2/A2 and A1/A2). Genotypic frequencies expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium revealed a high rate of heterozygosity (47%) that strongly supports the hypothesis that E. granulosus s.s. (G1) is predominantly outbreeding. Comparative sequence analyses of the complete p29 gene showed that phylogenetic relationships within the genus Echinococcus were in agreement with those of previous nuclear gene studies. At the protein level, the deduced P29 amino acid (AA) sequences exhibited a high level of conservation, ranging from 97.9% AA sequence identity among the whole E. granulosus s.l. group to 99.58% identity among E. multilocularis isolates. We showed that P29 proteins of these two species differ by three AA substitutions without implication for antigenicity. In Western-blot analyses, serum antibodies from a human CE patient infected with E. canadensis (G6) strongly reacted with recombinant P29 from E. granulosus s.s. (G1) (recEg(G1)P29). In the same line, human anti-Eg(G1)P29 antibodies bound to recEcnd(G6)P29. Thus, minor AA sequence variations appear not to impair the prognostic serological use of P29.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghalia Boubaker
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Bruno Gottstein
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
| | - Hamouda Babba
- Department of Clinical Biology B, Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Markus Spiliotis
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
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Schulte L, Lovas E, Green K, Mulvenna J, Gobert GN, Morgan G, Jones MK. Tetraspanin-2 localisation in high pressure frozen and freeze-substituted Schistosoma mansoni adult males reveals its distribution in membranes of tegumentary vesicles. Int J Parasitol 2013; 43:785-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Joseph SK, Ramaswamy K. Single multivalent vaccination boosted by trickle larval infection confers protection against experimental lymphatic filariasis. Vaccine 2013; 31:3320-6. [PMID: 23735679 PMCID: PMC3713514 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.05.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Revised: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The multivalent vaccine BmHAT, consisting of the Brugia malayi infective larval (L3) antigens heat shock protein12.6 (HSP12.6), abundant larval transcript-2 (ALT-2) and tetraspanin large extra cellular loop (TSP-LEL), was shown to be protective in rodent models from our laboratory. We hypothesize that since these antigens were identified using protective antibodies from immune endemic normal individuals, the multivalent vaccine can be augmented by natural L3 infections providing protection to the vaccinated host. This hypothesis was tested using single dose of DNA and protein or protein alone of the BmHAT vaccination in gerbils followed by live trickle L3 infection as booster dose. Vaccine-induced protection in gerbils was determined by worm establishment, micropore chamber assay and by antibody dependant cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay. Results were compared with the traditional prime-boost vaccination regimen. Gerbils vaccinated with BmHAT and boosted with L3 trickle infection were protected 51% (BmHAT DNA-protein) and 48% (BmHAT protein) respectively. BmHAT vaccination plus L3 trickle booster generated significant titer of antigen-specific IgG antibodies comparable to the traditional prime boost vaccination approach. BmHAT vaccination plus L3 trickle booster also generated antigen-specific cells in the spleen of vaccinated animals and these cells secreted predominantly IFN-γ and IL-4 in response to the vaccine antigens. These studies thus show that single dose of BmHAT multivalent vaccination followed by L3 trickle booster infection can confer significant protection against lymphatic filariasis.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Helminth/blood
- Antibody Formation
- Antibody Specificity
- Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity
- Antigens, Helminth/administration & dosage
- Antigens, Helminth/genetics
- Antigens, Helminth/immunology
- Brugia malayi/immunology
- Elephantiasis, Filarial/immunology
- Elephantiasis, Filarial/prevention & control
- Gerbillinae
- Immunization
- Immunization, Secondary
- Immunoglobulin G/blood
- Interferon-gamma/immunology
- Interleukin-4/immunology
- Larva/immunology
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
- Spleen/cytology
- Spleen/immunology
- Vaccination/methods
- Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Vaccines/immunology
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- SK Joseph
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, USA
- NIH/NIAID/LMIV Twinbrook I, 5640 Fishers Lane, Rockville MD-20852
| | - K Ramaswamy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, USA
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Sealey KL, Kirk RS, Walker AJ, Rollinson D, Lawton SP. Adaptive radiation within the vaccine target tetraspanin-23 across nine Schistosoma species from Africa. Int J Parasitol 2012; 43:95-103. [PMID: 23220042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Revised: 11/14/2012] [Accepted: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
High levels of polymorphism in DNA sequences of tetraspanin-23 (TSP-23) were revealed within and between nine different species of Schistosoma from Africa including Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma rodhaini, Schistosoma margrebowiei, Schistosoma mattheei, Schistosoma intercalatum, Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma guineensis, Schistosoma curassoni and Schistosoma bovis. The greatest levels of diversity coincided with evidence of positive selection (d(N)/d(S)>1) within regions that code for extracellular loops of TSP-23 believed to interact with the host immune system. Kolaskar and Tongaonkar antigenicity predictions of protein sequences were compared across species and high levels of variation in antigenicity were also identified with each species which possessed their own unique antigenic profile. Phylogenetic analysis of TSP-23 proteins suggested evidence of convergent evolution in antigenic lineages as no true inter-species phylogenetic relationships were seen. This could be indicative of host-specific evolution of antigens in different species of schistosomes, a factor that should be considered carefully when developing vaccine targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L Sealey
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, UK
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Parkinson J, Wasmuth JD, Salinas G, Bizarro CV, Sanford C, Berriman M, Ferreira HB, Zaha A, Blaxter ML, Maizels RM, Fernández C. A transcriptomic analysis of Echinococcus granulosus larval stages: implications for parasite biology and host adaptation. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1897. [PMID: 23209850 PMCID: PMC3510090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The cestode Echinococcus granulosus - the agent of cystic echinococcosis, a zoonosis affecting humans and domestic animals worldwide - is an excellent model for the study of host-parasite cross-talk that interfaces with two mammalian hosts. To develop the molecular analysis of these interactions, we carried out an EST survey of E. granulosus larval stages. We report the salient features of this study with a focus on genes reflecting physiological adaptations of different parasite stages. Methodology/Principal Findings We generated ∼10,000 ESTs from two sets of full-length enriched libraries (derived from oligo-capped and trans-spliced cDNAs) prepared with three parasite materials: hydatid cyst wall, larval worms (protoscoleces), and pepsin/H+-activated protoscoleces. The ESTs were clustered into 2700 distinct gene products. In the context of the biology of E. granulosus, our analyses reveal: (i) a diverse group of abundant long non-protein coding transcripts showing homology to a middle repetitive element (EgBRep) that could either be active molecular species or represent precursors of small RNAs (like piRNAs); (ii) an up-regulation of fermentative pathways in the tissue of the cyst wall; (iii) highly expressed thiol- and selenol-dependent antioxidant enzyme targets of thioredoxin glutathione reductase, the functional hub of redox metabolism in parasitic flatworms; (iv) candidate apomucins for the external layer of the tissue-dwelling hydatid cyst, a mucin-rich structure that is critical for survival in the intermediate host; (v) a set of tetraspanins, a protein family that appears to have expanded in the cestode lineage; and (vi) a set of platyhelminth-specific gene products that may offer targets for novel pan-platyhelminth drug development. Conclusions/Significance This survey has greatly increased the quality and the quantity of the molecular information on E. granulosus and constitutes a valuable resource for gene prediction on the parasite genome and for further genomic and proteomic analyses focused on cestodes and platyhelminths. Cestodes are a neglected group of platyhelminth parasites, despite causing chronic infections to humans and domestic animals worldwide. We used Echinococcus granulosus as a model to study the molecular basis of the host-parasite cross-talk during cestode infections. For this purpose, we carried out a survey of the genes expressed by parasite larval stages interfacing with definitive and intermediate hosts. Sequencing from several high quality cDNA libraries provided numerous insights into the expression of genes involved in important aspects of E. granulosus biology, e.g. its metabolism (energy production and antioxidant defences) and the synthesis of key parasite structures (notably, the one exposed to humans and livestock intermediate hosts). Our results also uncovered the existence of an intriguing set of abundant repeat-associated non-protein coding transcripts that may participate in the regulation of gene expression in all surveyed stages. The dataset now generated constitutes a valuable resource for gene prediction on the parasite genome and for further genomic and proteomic studies focused on cestodes and platyhelminths. In particular, the detailed characterization of a range of newly discovered genes will contribute to a better understanding of the biology of cestode infections and, therefore, to the development of products allowing their efficient control.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Parkinson
- Program in Molecular Structure and Function, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - James D. Wasmuth
- Program in Molecular Structure and Function, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Gustavo Salinas
- Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cristiano V. Bizarro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos and Laboratorio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Chris Sanford
- Program in Molecular Structure and Function, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Parasite Genomics, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Henrique B. Ferreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos and Laboratorio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Arnaldo Zaha
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos and Laboratorio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Mark L. Blaxter
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rick M. Maizels
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (RMM); (CF)
| | - Cecilia Fernández
- Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- * E-mail: (RMM); (CF)
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Schistosoma tegument proteins in vaccine and diagnosis development: an update. J Parasitol Res 2012; 2012:541268. [PMID: 23125917 PMCID: PMC3483795 DOI: 10.1155/2012/541268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of a vaccine against schistosomiasis and also the availability of a more sensitive diagnosis test are important tools to help chemotherapy in controlling disease transmission. Bioinformatics tools, together with the access to parasite genome, published recently, should help generate new knowledge on parasite biology and search for new vaccines or therapeutic targets and antigens to be used in the disease diagnosis. Parasite surface proteins, especially those expressed in schistosomula tegument, represent interesting targets to be used in vaccine formulations and in the diagnosis of early infections, since the tegument represents the interface between host and parasite and its molecules are responsible for essential functions to parasite survival. In this paper we will present the advances in the development of vaccines and diagnosis tests achieved with the use of the information from schistosome genome focused on parasite tegument as a source for antigens.
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El Ridi RAF, Tallima HAM. Novel therapeutic and prevention approaches for schistosomiasis: review. J Adv Res 2012; 4:467-78. [PMID: 25685454 PMCID: PMC4293887 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2012.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2012] [Revised: 05/12/2012] [Accepted: 05/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease affecting approximately 600 million people in 74 developing countries, with 800 million, mostly children at risk. To circumvent the threat of having praziquantel (PZQ) as the only drug used for treatment, several PZQ derivatives were synthesized, and drugs destined for other parasites were used with success. A plethora of plant-derived oils and extracts were found to effectively kill juvenile and adult schistosomes, yet none was progressed to pre- and clinical studies except an oleo-gum resin extracted from the stem of Commiphora molmol, myrrh, which action was challenged in several trials. We have proposed an essential fatty acid, a component of our diet and cells, the polyunsaturated fatty acid arachidonic acid (ARA) as a remedy for schistosomiasis, due to its ability to activate the parasite tegument-bound neutral sphingomyelinase, with subsequent hydrolysis of the apical lipid bilayer sphingomyelin molecules, allowing access of specific antibody molecules, and eventual worm attrition. This concept was convincingly supported using larval and adult Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium worms in in vitro experiments, and in vivo studies in inbred mice and outbred hamsters. Even if ARA proves to be an entirely effective and safe therapy for schistosomiasis, it will not prevent reinfection, and accordingly, the need for developing an effective vaccine remains an urgent priority. Our studies have supported the status of S. mansoni calpain, glutathione-S-transferase, aldolase, triose phosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase, and 2-cys peroxiredoxin as vaccine candidates, as they are larval excreted-secreted products and, contrary to the surface membrane molecules, are entirely accessible to the host immune system effector elements. We have proposed that the use of these molecules, in conjunction with Th2 cytokines-inducing adjuvants for recruiting and activating eosinophils and basophils, will likely lead to development and implementation of a sterilizing vaccine in a near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashika A F El Ridi
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
| | - Hatem A-M Tallima
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
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Prichard RK, Basáñez MG, Boatin BA, McCarthy JS, García HH, Yang GJ, Sripa B, Lustigman S. A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: intervention for control and elimination. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1549. [PMID: 22545163 PMCID: PMC3335868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recognising the burden helminth infections impose on human populations, and particularly the poor, major intervention programmes have been launched to control onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, schistosomiasis, and cysticercosis. The Disease Reference Group on Helminth Infections (DRG4), established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. A summary of current helminth control initiatives is presented and available tools are described. Most of these programmes are highly dependent on mass drug administration (MDA) of anthelmintic drugs (donated or available at low cost) and require annual or biannual treatment of large numbers of at-risk populations, over prolonged periods of time. The continuation of prolonged MDA with a limited number of anthelmintics greatly increases the probability that drug resistance will develop, which would raise serious problems for continuation of control and the achievement of elimination. Most initiatives have focussed on a single type of helminth infection, but recognition of co-endemicity and polyparasitism is leading to more integration of control. An understanding of the implications of control integration for implementation, treatment coverage, combination of pharmaceuticals, and monitoring is needed. To achieve the goals of morbidity reduction or elimination of infection, novel tools need to be developed, including more efficacious drugs, vaccines, and/or antivectorial agents, new diagnostics for infection and assessment of drug efficacy, and markers for possible anthelmintic resistance. In addition, there is a need for the development of new formulations of some existing anthelmintics (e.g., paediatric formulations). To achieve ultimate elimination of helminth parasites, treatments for the above mentioned helminthiases, and for taeniasis and food-borne trematodiases, will need to be integrated with monitoring, education, sanitation, access to health services, and where appropriate, vector control or reduction of the parasite reservoir in alternative hosts. Based on an analysis of current knowledge gaps and identification of priorities, a research and development agenda for intervention tools considered necessary for control and elimination of human helminthiases is presented, and the challenges to be confronted are discussed.
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Xu X, Sun J, Zhang J, Wellems D, Qing X, McCutchan T, Pan W. Having a pair: the key to immune evasion for the diploid pathogen Schistosoma japonicum. Sci Rep 2012; 2:346. [PMID: 22468230 PMCID: PMC3315692 DOI: 10.1038/srep00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2011] [Accepted: 03/02/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes, unlike malaria parasites, are in their diploid stage when targeted by the human immune system. Diploids can be either homozygous or heterozygous. The difference has profound significance for developing immunity and yet has not previously been addressed. We examined the implications of zygosity on immunity to a diploid pathogen, Schistosoma japonicum and showed that the diploid state, and its associated heterozygous advantage, significantly affects the outcome of attack by the immune system and the accumulation of antigenic diversity in the parasite population. We demonstrate here that diploidy provides a novel means of immune evasion for diploid pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindong Xu
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
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Liu S, Cai P, Hou N, Piao X, Wang H, Hung T, Chen Q. Genome-wide identification and characterization of a panel of house-keeping genes in Schistosoma japonicum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2012; 182:75-82. [PMID: 22245333 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2011.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 12/29/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), as one of the most sensitive and precise gene expression analysis methods, is frequently used to validate data obtained in high-through-put assays. qPCR requires reference genes with stable transcription for accurate normalization. However, no systematic studies on such genes have been performed in the genus Schistosoma japonicum. In this study, eight novel candidate genes selected from a microarray analysis and four commonly used reference genes were systematically validated in a series of qPCR experiments. Based on the results of geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and the comparative delta-cycle threshold (ΔCT) integrated analysis, the genes PSMD4, NDUFV2, and TPC2L were found to be most stably expressed in all S. japonicum developmental stages; meanwhile, ACTB and TUBA were found as the least stably expressed genes. This study provided, at the first time, data for genes that can be explored as reliable references in transcriptomic analysis of S. japonicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major neglected tropical disease of public health importance to a billion people. An estimated 200 million people are currently infected; an additional 779 million individuals are at risk to acquire the infection in 74 countries. Despite many years of implementation of mass anti-parasitic drug therapy programs and other control measures, this disease has not been contained and continues to spread to new geographic areas. The discovery of a protective vaccine still remains the most potentially effective means for the control of this disease, especially if the vaccine provides long-term immunity against the infection. A vaccine would contribute to the reduction of schistosomiasis morbidity through induced immune responses leading to decrease in parasite load and reduced egg production. This vaccine could be administered to children between the ages of 3 and 12 years to prevent severe infection in a particularly high risk population. This review summarizes the current status of schistosomiasis vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afzal A Siddiqui
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA.
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Cupit PM, Steinauer ML, Tonnessen BW, Agola LE, Kinuthia JM, Mwangi IN, Mutuku MW, Mkoji GM, Loker ES, Cunningham C. Polymorphism associated with the Schistosoma mansoni tetraspanin-2 gene. Int J Parasitol 2011; 41:1249-52. [PMID: 21889508 PMCID: PMC3188324 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 07/24/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
A vaccine against schistosomiasis would contribute significantly to reducing the 3-70 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually to the disease. Towards this end, inoculation with the large extracellular loop (EC-2) of Schistosoma mansoni tetraspanin-2 protein (Sm-TSP-2) has proved effective in reducing worm and egg burdens in S. mansoni-infected mice. The EC-2 loop of Schistosoma japonicum TSP-2, however, has been found to be highly polymorphic, perhaps diminishing the likelihood that this antigen can be used for vaccination against this species. Here, we examine polymorphism of the EC-2 of Sm-TSP-2 in genetically unique worms derived from six individuals from Kisumu, Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline M. Cupit
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | | | - Bradley W. Tonnessen
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - L. Eric Agola
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joseph M. Kinuthia
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ibrahim N. Mwangi
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Martin W. Mutuku
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gerald M. Mkoji
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Eric S. Loker
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Charles Cunningham
- Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Jiang Y, Xu X, Qing X, Pan W. Identification and characterization of six novel tetraspanins from Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:190. [PMID: 21958506 PMCID: PMC3203850 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tetraspanins (TSPs), also known as members of the trans-membrane 4 super-family (TM4SF), comprise an assemblage of surface antigens reported in eukaryotic organisms. In the work presented here, six novel TSP proteins from the human blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) were produced and analyzed through a combination of bioinformatics and experimental approaches. Results Six novel TSP proteins of Schistosoma japonicum (designated as Sj-TSP-#1~6) contained four trans-membrane regions and one large extracellular loop (LEL) with a conserved CCG motif. Size of the proteins varied from 227 to 291 amino acid residues. All the six proteins were produced in E.coli and immune sera to each protein were prepared. Analysis of transcription profiles of the proteins by RT-PCR showed that Sj-TSP-#4 was transcribed only in the egg stage while transcription of the Sj-TSP-#2 was detected in female worms but not in males. The similar results were obtained by Western blot. Immunolocalization of the TSP proteins by immunofluorescence assay showed that the Sj-TSP-#2, Sj-TSP-#5 and Sj-TSP-#6 were located in the tegument of worms. Conclusions This study provided six novel TSP members of S. japonicum including their sequences and recombinant proteins. Availability of the novel proteins and information on their expression profile and location provided a basis for further investigation of the TSP proteins for their biological functions and as vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Jiang
- Institute for Infectious Diseases & Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
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