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Tallima H, Mahmoud SS. Mechanisms of Arachidonic Acid In Vitro Schistosomicidal Potential. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:23316-23328. [PMID: 38854551 PMCID: PMC11154912 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Arachidonic acid (ARA) was shown to possess safe and effective schistosomicidal impact on larval and adult Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma hematobium in vitro and in vivo in laboratory rodents and in children residing in low and high endemicity regions. We herein examine mechanisms underlying ARA schistosomicidal potential over two experiments, using in each pool a minimum of 50 adult male, female, or mixed-sex freshly recovered, ex vivo S. mansoni. Worms incubated in fetal calf serum-free medium were exposed to 0 or 10 mM ARA for 1 h at 37 °C and immediately processed for preparation of surface membrane and whole worm body homogenate extracts. Mixed-sex worms were additionally used for evaluating the impact of ARA exposure on the visualization of outer membrane cholesterol, sphingomyelin (SM), and ceramide in immunofluorescence assays. Following assessment of protein content, extracts of intact and ARA-treated worms were examined and compared for SM content, neutral sphingomyelinase activity, reactive oxygen species levels, and caspase 3/7 activity. Arachidonic acid principally led to perturbation of the organization, integrity, and SM content of the outer membrane of male and female worms and additionally impacted female parasites via stimulating neutral sphingomyelinase activity and oxidative stress. Arachidonic powerful action on female worms combined with its previously documented ovocidal activities supports its use as safe and effective therapy against schistosomiasis, provided implementation of the sorely needed and long waited-for chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatem Tallima
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, New Cairo, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Soheir S. Mahmoud
- Department
of Parasitology, Theodore Bilharz Research
Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba,Giza 12411, Egypt
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2
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Zhou A, Zhang W, Ge X, Liu Q, Luo F, Xu S, Hu W, Lu Y. Characterizing genetic variation on the Z chromosome in Schistosoma japonicum reveals host-parasite co-evolution. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:207. [PMID: 38720339 PMCID: PMC11080191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06250-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that afflicts millions of people worldwide; it is caused by Schistosoma, the only dioecious flukes with ZW systems. Schistosoma japonicum is endemic to Asia; the Z chromosome of S. japonicum comprises one-quarter of the entire genome. Detection of positive selection using resequencing data to understand adaptive evolution has been applied to a variety of pathogens, including S. japonicum. However, the contribution of the Z chromosome to evolution and adaptation is often neglected. METHODS We obtained 1,077,526 high-quality SNPs on the Z chromosome in 72 S. japonicum using re-sequencing data publicly. To examine the faster Z effect, we compared the sequence divergence of S. japonicum with two closely related species, Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni. Genetic diversity was compared between the Z chromosome and autosomes in S. japonicum by calculating the nucleotide diversity (π) and Dxy values. Population structure was also assessed based on PCA and structure analysis. Besides, we employed multiple methods including Tajima's D, FST, iHS, XP-EHH, and CMS to detect positive selection signals on the Z chromosome. Further RNAi knockdown experiments were performed to investigate the potential biological functions of the candidate genes. RESULTS Our study found that the Z chromosome of S. japonicum showed faster evolution and more pronounced genetic divergence than autosomes, although the effect may be smaller than the variation among genes. Compared with autosomes, the Z chromosome in S. japonicum had a more pronounced genetic divergence of sub-populations. Notably, we identified a set of candidate genes associated with host-parasite co-evolution. In particular, LCAT exhibited significant selection signals within the Taiwan population. Further RNA interference experiments suggested that LCAT is necessary for S. japonicum survival and propagation in the definitive host. In addition, we identified several genes related to the specificity of the intermediate host in the C-M population, including Rab6 and VCP, which are involved in adaptive immune evasion to the host. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides valuable insights into the adaptive evolution of the Z chromosome in S. japonicum and further advances our understanding of the co-evolution of this medically important parasite and its hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Xueling Ge
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Shuhua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Yan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Zhan X, Li J, Zeng R, Lei L, Feng A, Yang Z. MiR-92a-2-5p suppresses esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion by targeting PRDX2. Exp Cell Res 2024; 435:113925. [PMID: 38211680 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.113925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can function as negative regulators of gene expression by binding to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of target genes. The aberrant expression of miRNAs in neoplasm is extensively associated with tumorigenesis and cancer progression, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Our previous investigation has identified the oncogenic roles of Peroxiredoxin2 (PRDX2) in ESCC progression; however, its upstream regulatory mechanism remains to be elucidated. By merging the prediction results from miRWalk2.0 and miRNA differential expression analysis results based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Esophageal Carcinoma (TCGA-ESCA) database, eight miRNA candidates were predicted to be the potential regulatory miRNAs of PRDX2, followed by further identification of miR-92a-2-5p as the putative miRNA of PRDX2. Subsequent functional studies demonstrated that miR-92a-2-5p can suppress ESCC cell proliferation and migration, as well as tumor growth in subcutaneous tumor xenograft models, which might be mediated by the suppression of AKT/mTOR and Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathways upon miR-92a-2-5p mimic transfection condition. These data revealed the tumor suppressive functions of miR-92a-2-5p in ESCC by targeting PRDX2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhan
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Jixian Li
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Renya Zeng
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Lingli Lei
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Alei Feng
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Zhe Yang
- Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China; Tumor Research and Therapy Center, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, 250021, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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4
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Sivapornnukul P, Khamwut A, Chanchaem P, Chusongsang P, Chusongsang Y, Poodeepiyasawat P, Limpanont Y, Reamtong O, Payungporn S. Comprehensive analysis of miRNA profiling in Schistosoma mekongi across life cycle stages. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2347. [PMID: 38281987 PMCID: PMC10822868 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52835-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma mekongi, a significant schistosome parasite, has various life stages, including egg, cercaria, female, and male, that play crucial roles in the complex life cycle. This study aimed to explore the microRNA (miRNA) profiles across these developmental stages to understand their potential functions and evolutionary significance, which have not been studied. Pre-processed sequencing reads of small RNA (sRNA) were obtained, and annotations were performed against the S. japonicum reference miRNA database. Results indicated marked variations in miRNA profiles across different life stages, with notable similarities observed between female and male S. mekongi. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and unsupervised clustering revealed distinct miRNA signatures for each stage. Gene ontology (GO) analysis unveiled the potential roles of these miRNAs in various biological processes. The differential expression of specific miRNAs was prominent across stages, suggesting their involvement in crucial developmental processes. Furthermore, orthologous miRNA analysis against various worm species revealed distinct presence-absence patterns, providing insights into the evolutionary relationships of these miRNAs. In conclusion, this comprehensive investigation into the miRNA profiles of S. mekongi offers valuable insights into the functional and evolutionary aspects of miRNAs in schistosome biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavaret Sivapornnukul
- Center of Excellence in Systems Microbiology (CESM), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Ariya Khamwut
- Center of Excellence in Systems Microbiology (CESM), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Prangwalai Chanchaem
- Center of Excellence in Systems Microbiology (CESM), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Phiraphol Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Yupa Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Paporn Poodeepiyasawat
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Yanin Limpanont
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Sunchai Payungporn
- Center of Excellence in Systems Microbiology (CESM), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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5
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Mitra I, Bhattacharya A, Paul J, Anisuzzaman. Present status with impacts and roles of miRNA on Soil Transmitted Helminthiosis control: A review. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2023; 5:100162. [PMID: 37520661 PMCID: PMC10371793 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2023.100162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) is one of the most widespread Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), and almost 1.5 billion of the global population is affected, mostly in the indigent, countryside sectors of tropics/subtropics. STH, commonly caused by various nematodes, adversely affects the hosts' growth, cognatic development, and immunity. Albendazole is most commonly used against STH (Soil-Transmitted Helminths) but resistance has already been reported in different countries. To date, no effective vaccine is present against STH. miRNAs are a unique class of small non-coding RNA, regulating various biological activities indulging host immune responses in host-pathogen interaction of STH. Dysregulation of miRNAs are being considered as one of the most important aspect of host-parasite interactions. Thus, it is the prime importance to identify and characterize parasite-specific as well as host-derived miRNAs to understand the STH infection at the molecular level. Systematic bibliometric analysis reveals a huge knowledge gap in understanding the disease by using both host and parasitic miRNAs as a potential biomarker. In this study, we addressed the present status of the STH prevalence, and therapy under the light of miRNAs. This would further help in designing new inhibitors and therapeutic strategies to control STH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imon Mitra
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Arijit Bhattacharya
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Joydeep Paul
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Anisuzzaman
- Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
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Li X, Weth O, Haeberlein S, Grevelding CG. Molecular characterization of Sm tdc-1 and Sm ddc-1 discloses roles as male-competence factors for the sexual maturation of Schistosoma mansoni females. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1173557. [PMID: 37305409 PMCID: PMC10252128 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1173557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Schistosomes are the only mammalian flatworms that have evolved separate sexes. A key question of schistosome research is the male-dependent sexual maturation of the female since a constant pairing contact with a male is required for the onset of gonad development in the female. Although this phenomenon is long known, only recently a first peptide-based pheromone of males was identified that contributes to the control of female sexual development. Beyond this, our understanding of the molecular principles inducing the substantial developmental changes in a paired female is still rudimentary. Objectives Previous transcriptomic studies have consistently pointed to neuronal genes being differentially expressed and upregulated in paired males. These genes included Smp_135230 and Smp_171580, both annotated as aromatic-L-amino-acid decarboxylases (DOPA decarboxylases). Here, we characterized both genes and investigated their roles in male-female interaction of S. mansoni. Methodologies/findings Sequence analyses indicated that Smp_135230 represents an L-tyrosine decarboxylase (Smtdc-1), whereas Smp_171580 represents a DOPA decarboxylase (Smddc-1). By qRT-PCR, we confirmed the male-specific and pairing-dependent expression of both genes with a significant bias toward paired males. RNA-interference experiments showed a strong influence of each gene on gonad differentiation in paired females, which was enhanced by double knockdown. Accordingly, egg production was significantly reduced. By confocal laser scanning microscopy, a failure of oocyte maturation was found in paired knockdown females. Whole-mount in situ hybridization patterns exhibited the tissue-specific occurrence of both genes in particular cells at the ventral surface of the male, the gynecophoral canal, which represents the physical interface of both genders. These cells probably belong to the predicted neuronal cluster 2 of S. mansoni. Conclusion Our results suggest that Smtdc-1 and Smddc-2 are male-competence factors that are expressed in neuronal cells at the contact zone between the genders as a response of pairing to subsequently control processes of female sexual maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christoph G. Grevelding
- Institute for Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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7
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Wu S, Wang X, Xing W, Li F, Liang M, Li K, He Y, Wang J. An update on animal models of liver fibrosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1160053. [PMID: 37035335 PMCID: PMC10076546 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1160053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of liver fibrosis primarily determines quality of life as well as prognosis. Animal models are often used to model and understand the underlying mechanisms of human disease. Although organoids can be used to simulate organ development and disease, the technology still faces significant challenges. Therefore animal models are still irreplaceable at this stage. Currently, in vivo models of liver fibrosis can be classified into five categories based on etiology: chemical, dietary, surgical, transgenic, and immune. There is a wide variety of animal models of liver fibrosis with varying efficacy, which have different implications for proper understanding of the disease and effective screening of therapeutic agents. There is no high-quality literature recommending the most appropriate animal models. In this paper, we will describe the progress of commonly used animal models of liver fibrosis in terms of their development mechanisms, applications, advantages and disadvantages, and recommend appropriate animal models for different research purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- ShuTing Wu
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - XinXin Wang
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - WenBo Xing
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - FenYao Li
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Liang
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - KeShen Li
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan He
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yan He,
| | - JianMing Wang
- Institute of Regenerative and Translational Medicine, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- JianMing Wang,
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8
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microRNAs: Critical Players during Helminth Infections. Microorganisms 2022; 11:microorganisms11010061. [PMID: 36677353 PMCID: PMC9861972 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through their interaction with the 3' untranslated regions (3' UTR) of target mRNAs, affecting their stability and/or translation. Therefore, miRNAs regulate biological processes such as signal transduction, cell death, autophagy, metabolism, development, cellular proliferation, and differentiation. Dysregulated expression of microRNAs is associated with infectious diseases, where miRNAs modulate important aspects of the parasite-host interaction. Helminths are parasitic worms that cause various neglected tropical diseases affecting millions worldwide. These parasites have sophisticated mechanisms that give them a surprising immunomodulatory capacity favoring parasite persistence and establishment of infection. In this review, we analyze miRNAs in infections caused by helminths, emphasizing their role in immune regulation and its implication in diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Phuphisut O, Poodeepiyasawat A, Yoonuan T, Watthanakulpanich D, Chotsiri P, Reamtong O, Mousley A, Gobert GN, Adisakwattana P. Transcriptome profiling of male and female Ascaris lumbricoides reproductive tissues. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:477. [PMID: 36539906 PMCID: PMC9768952 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05602-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascaris lumbricoides causes human ascariasis, the most prevalent helminth disease, infecting approximately 1 billion individuals globally. In 2019 the global disease burden was estimated to be 754,000 DALYs and resulted in 2090 deaths. In the absence of a vaccination strategy, treatment of ascariasis has relied on anthelminthic chemotherapy, but drug resistance is a concern. The propensity for reinfection is also a major challenge to disease control; female worms lay up to 200,000 eggs daily, which contaminate surrounding environments and remain viable for years, resulting in high transmission rates. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of reproductive processes, including control of egg production, spermatogenesis, oogenesis and embryogenesis, will drive the development of new drugs and/or vaccine targets for future ascariasis control. METHODS Transcriptome profiles of discrete reproductive and somatic tissue samples were generated from adult male and female worms using Illumina HiSeq with 2 × 150 bp paired-end sequencing. Male tissues included: testis germinal zone, testis part of vas deferens, seminal vesicle and somatic tissue. Female tissues included: ovary germinal zone, ovary part of the oviduct, uterus and somatic tissue. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the fragments per kilobases per million reads (FPKM) profiles. Hierarchical analysis was performed to identify tissue-specific genes. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were employed to identify significant terms and pathways for the DEGs. RESULTS DEGs involved in protein phosphorylation and adhesion molecules were indicated to play a crucial role in spermatogenesis and fertilization, respectively. Those genes associated with the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathway and small GTPase-mediated signal transduction pathway play an essential role in cytoskeleton organization during oogenesis. Additionally, DEGs associated with the SMA genes and TGF-β signaling pathway are crucial in adult female embryogenesis. Some genes associated with particular biological processes and pathways that were identified in this study have been linked to defects in germline development, embryogenesis and reproductive behavior. In the enriched KEGG pathway analysis, Hippo signaling, oxytocin signaling and tight junction pathways were identified to play a role in Ascaris male and female reproductive systems. CONCLUSIONS This study has provided comprehensive transcriptome profiles of discrete A. lumbricoides reproductive tissue samples, revealing the molecular basis of these functionally important tissues. The data generated from this study will provide fundamental knowledge on the reproductive biology of Ascaris and will inform future target identification for anti-ascariasis drugs and/or vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orawan Phuphisut
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Akkarin Poodeepiyasawat
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Tippayarat Yoonuan
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Dorn Watthanakulpanich
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Palang Chotsiri
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Angela Mousley
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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Wang S, Zhang J, Chen H, Zhan X, Nie H, Wang C, Zhang Y, Zheng B, Gong Q. MicroRNA-181b promotes schistosomiasis-induced hepatic fibrosis by targeting Smad7. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 252:111523. [PMID: 36195241 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a common parasitic disease. Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, caused by Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma mansoni, involves pathological changes, including worm egg-induced hepatic granuloma and fibrosis, which can markedly affect the liver's physiological functions. Although the drug praziquantel (PZQ) is used to treat schistosomiasis, drugs against schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis are rare in the clinical setting. Therefore, developing effective strategies to prevent and treat schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis is crucial. Previous studies have shown that miRNAs are involved in various liver diseases. In this study, we found a gradual increase in miR-181b expression in the murine liver as S. japonicum infection progressed, while the expression of Smad7 decreased. Down-regulating miR-181b significantly alleviated S. japonicum-induced hepatic granuloma and liver fibrosis. In vitro experiments showed that treatment with TGF-β1 upregulated miR-181b levels in the hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line LX2 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Downregulation of miR-181b significantly decreased collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1) expression in TGF-β1-stimulated LX2 cells. These findings indicate that miR-181b promotes HSC activation by down-regulating Smad7 expression, activating the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway, and leading to excess collagen expression and deposition. Our findings suggest that miR-181b might be a potentially novel therapeutic target for schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Jianqiang Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Department of Nephrology, Ezhou Central Hospital, Ezhou, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Xiang Zhan
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Hao Nie
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Yanxiang Zhang
- Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Bing Zheng
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.
| | - Quan Gong
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China; Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.
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Leija-Montoya AG, González-Ramírez J, Martínez-Coronilla G, Mejía-León ME, Isiordia-Espinoza M, Sánchez-Muñoz F, Chávez-Cortez EG, Pitones-Rubio V, Serafín-Higuera N. Roles of microRNAs and Long Non-Coding RNAs Encoded by Parasitic Helminths in Human Carcinogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158173. [PMID: 35897749 PMCID: PMC9331937 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites can lead to cancer development. Infection with the helminthic parasite Schistosoma haematobium can cause cancer of the urinary bladder in humans, and infection with the parasites Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini can promote cholangiocarcinoma. These three pathogens have been categorized as “group 1: carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Additionally, the parasite Schistosoma japonicum has been associated with liver and colorectal cancer and classified as “group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans”. These parasites express regulatory non-coding RNAs as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which modulate genic expression in different biological processes. In this review, we discuss the potential roles of miRNAS and lncRNAs encoded by helminthic parasites that are classified by the IARC as carcinogenic and possibly carcinogenic to humans. The miRNAs of these parasites may be involved in carcinogenesis by modulating the biological functions of the pathogen and the host and by altering microenvironments prone to tumor growth. miRNAs were identified in different host fluids. Additionally, some miRNAs showed direct antitumoral effects. Together, these miRNAs show potential for use in future therapeutic and diagnostic applications. LncRNAs have been less studied in these parasites, and their biological effects in the parasite–host interaction are largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Gabriela Leija-Montoya
- Facultad de Medicina Mexicali, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Centro Cívico, Mexicali 21000, BC, Mexico; (A.G.L.-M.); (G.M.-C.); (M.E.M.-L.)
| | - Javier González-Ramírez
- Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Av. Álvaro Obregón y Calle “G” S/N, Col. Nueva, Mexicali 21100, BC, Mexico;
| | - Gustavo Martínez-Coronilla
- Facultad de Medicina Mexicali, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Centro Cívico, Mexicali 21000, BC, Mexico; (A.G.L.-M.); (G.M.-C.); (M.E.M.-L.)
| | - María Esther Mejía-León
- Facultad de Medicina Mexicali, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Centro Cívico, Mexicali 21000, BC, Mexico; (A.G.L.-M.); (G.M.-C.); (M.E.M.-L.)
| | - Mario Isiordia-Espinoza
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Médicas, Departamento de Clínicas, División de Ciencias Biomédicas, Centro Universitario de Los Altos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Rafael Casillas Aceves 1200, Tepatitlán de Morelos 47600, JAL, Mexico;
| | - Fausto Sánchez-Muñoz
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlapan 140080, DF, Mexico;
| | - Elda Georgina Chávez-Cortez
- Centro de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Zotoluca s/n, Fracc. Calafia, Mexicali 21040, BC, Mexico; (E.G.C.-C.); (V.P.-R.)
| | - Viviana Pitones-Rubio
- Centro de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Zotoluca s/n, Fracc. Calafia, Mexicali 21040, BC, Mexico; (E.G.C.-C.); (V.P.-R.)
| | - Nicolas Serafín-Higuera
- Centro de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Zotoluca s/n, Fracc. Calafia, Mexicali 21040, BC, Mexico; (E.G.C.-C.); (V.P.-R.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Zhou X, Hong Y, Shang Z, Abuzeid AMI, Lin J, Li G. The Potential Role of MicroRNA‐124‐3p in Growth, Development, and Reproduction of Schistosoma japonicum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:862496. [PMID: 35493736 PMCID: PMC9043613 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.862496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The microRNA‐124‐3p plays an important role in regulating development and neurogenesis. Previous microRNA sequencing analyses of Schistosoma japonicum revealed sja-miR-124-3p differential expression patterns in schistosomes from different hosts and at different developmental stages. This study explores the regulatory role of sja-miR-124-3p in S. japonicum development and reproduction. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that the expression level of sja-miR-124-3p in S. japonicum from resistant hosts, such as Microtus fortis, and unsuitable hosts, such as rats and water buffalo, was significantly higher than that in mice and yellow cattle at the same developmental stage. Overexpressing sja-miR-124-3p in infected mice led to a hepatic egg reduction rate of 36.97%, smaller egg granulomas in the livers, increased liver weight, subsided hepatocyte necrosis, and diminished inflammatory cell infiltration. The width of female worms increased but decreased in males. The vitelline cells were irregular, swollen, or fused. The teguments and ventral sucker of males and females were swollen and broken, but the morphological changes were particularly notable in males. qRT-PCR and dual-luciferase reporter assay system were used to confirm the in-silico-predicted target genes, S. japonicum DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase 1 (sjDDX1) and DNA polymerase II subunit 2 (sjPOLE2). Our results showed that RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated sjDDX1 silencing in mice provided a 24.55% worm reduction rate and an 18.36% egg reduction rate, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Thus, our findings suggest that sja-miR-124-3p has an important role in growth, development, and reproduction in S. japonicum. All these results will greatly contribute toward providing important clues for searching vaccine candidates and new drug targets against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Hong
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Hong, ; Jiaojiao Lin, ; Guoqing Li,
| | - Zheng Shang
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Asmaa M. I. Abuzeid
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Jiaojiao Lin
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Hong, ; Jiaojiao Lin, ; Guoqing Li,
| | - Guoqing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Hong, ; Jiaojiao Lin, ; Guoqing Li,
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13
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Stitz M, Chaparro C, Lu Z, Olzog VJ, Weinberg CE, Blom J, Goesmann A, Grunau C, Grevelding CG. Satellite-Like W-Elements: Repetitive, Transcribed, and Putative Mobile Genetic Factors with Potential Roles for Biology and Evolution of Schistosoma mansoni. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6361599. [PMID: 34469545 PMCID: PMC8490949 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A large portion of animal and plant genomes consists of noncoding DNA. This part includes tandemly repeated sequences and gained attention because it offers exciting insights into genome biology. We investigated satellite-DNA elements of the platyhelminth Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite with remarkable biological features. Schistosoma mansoni lives in the vasculature of humans causing schistosomiasis, a disease of worldwide importance. Schistosomes are the only trematodes that have evolved separate sexes, and the sexual maturation of the female depends on constant pairing with the male. The schistosome karyotype comprises eight chromosome pairs, males are homogametic (ZZ) and females are heterogametic (ZW). Part of the repetitive DNA of S. mansoni are W-elements (WEs), originally discovered as female-specific satellite DNAs in the heterochromatic block of the W-chromosome. Based on new genome and transcriptome data, we performed a reanalysis of the W-element families (WEFs). Besides a new classification of 19 WEFs, we provide first evidence for stage-, sex-, pairing-, gonad-, and strain-specific/preferential transcription of WEs as well as their mobile nature, deduced from autosomal copies of full-length and partial WEs. Structural analyses suggested roles as sources of noncoding RNA-like hammerhead ribozymes, for which we obtained functional evidence. Finally, the variable WEF occurrence in different schistosome species revealed remarkable divergence. From these results, we propose that WEs potentially exert enduring influence on the biology of S. mansoni. Their variable occurrence in different strains, isolates, and species suggests that schistosome WEs may represent genetic factors taking effect on variability and evolution of the family Schistosomatidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Stitz
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Cristian Chaparro
- IHPE, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, University Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Zhigang Lu
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | - Jochen Blom
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Goesmann
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Christoph Grunau
- IHPE, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, University Montpellier, Perpignan, France
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McManus DP. The Search for a Schistosomiasis Vaccine: Australia's Contribution. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9080872. [PMID: 34451997 PMCID: PMC8402410 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9080872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, results in considerable human morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, but also parts of the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia. The anti-schistosome drug praziquantel is efficacious and safe against the adult parasites of all Schistosoma species infecting humans; however, it does not prevent reinfection and the development of drug resistance is a constant concern. The need to develop an effective vaccine is of great importance if the health of many in the developing world is to be improved. Indeed, vaccination, in combination with other public health measures, can provide an invaluable tool to achieve lasting control, leading to schistosomiasis elimination. Australia has played a leading role in schistosomiasis vaccine research over many years and this review presents an overview of some of the significant contributions made by Australian scientists in this important area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane 4006, Australia
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15
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Wu K, Zhai X, Huang S, Jiang L, Yu Z, Huang J. Protein Kinases: Potential Drug Targets Against Schistosoma japonicum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:691757. [PMID: 34277472 PMCID: PMC8282181 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.691757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection can induce serious organ damage and cause schistosomiasis japonica which is mainly prevalent in Asia and currently one of the most seriously neglected tropical diseases. Treatment of schistosomiasis largely depends on the drug praziquantel (PZQ). However, PZQ exhibits low killing efficacy on juvenile worms and the potential emergence of its drug resistance is a continual concern. Protein kinases (PKs) are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of proteins and can participate in many signaling pathways in vivo. Recent studies confirmed the essential roles of PKs in the growth and development of S. japonicum, as well as in schistosome-host interactions, and researches have screened drug targets about PKs from S. japonicum (SjPKs), which provide new opportunities of developing new treatments on schistosomiasis. The aim of this review is to present the current progress on SjPKs from classification, different functions and their potential to become drug targets compared with other schistosomes. The efficiency of related protein kinase inhibitors on schistosomes is highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and problems in the study of SjPKs are proposed, which can provide future guidance for developing anti-schistosomiasis drugs and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijuan Wu
- 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
| | - Xingyu Zhai
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuaiqin Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liping Jiang
- 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
| | - Zheng Yu
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, 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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16
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Epigenetic Markers Associated with Schistosomiasis. Helminthologia 2021; 58:28-40. [PMID: 33664616 PMCID: PMC7912237 DOI: 10.2478/helm-2021-0009] [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: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to consider the use of the epigenome as source of complementary data for genome knowledge, which is suitable for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis. Usually, a laboratory diagnosis of schistosomiasis is performed by means of 1. Egg detection in the stool or urine by microscopy remains with limited sensitivity; 2. Immunological screening, in which positivity persists after treatment, and 3. Molecular appraisals prevail over the disadvantages of the currently used methods. In this sense, molecular methodologies are being developed based on epigenetic biomarkers, aiming to improve the diagnosis of the disease and clinical treatment as early as possible to prevent the occurrence of serious liver damage.
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17
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T Cell Peptides Derived from Invasive Stages of Schistosoma mansoni as Potential Schistosomiasis Vaccine. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10030445. [PMID: 33498845 PMCID: PMC7865475 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10030445] [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: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects 143 million people in endemic countries. This work analyzed overexpressed sequences from the cercaria phase to the early schistosomulum phase using bioinformatics tools to predict host interaction and selected proteins for predicting T cell epitopes. The final peptides were chemically synthesized, and their toxicity was evaluated in vitro. Peptides were formulated in the Adjuvant Adaptation (ADAD) vaccination system and injected into BALB/c mice that were challenged with S. mansoni cercariae to assess protection and immunogenicity. A total of 39 highly expressed S.mansoni proteins were identified as being of potential interest. Three T cell peptides predicted to bind MHC mouse and human class II were synthesized and formulated for vaccination. SmGSP and SmIKE reduced the number of eggs trapped in the liver by more than 50% in challenged BALB/c mice. The liver of mice vaccinated with either SmGSP or SmTNP had a significantly reduced affected liver surface. Transcriptome-based T cell peptides elicit partial protection and could be candidates for a multiantigen vaccine.
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18
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Du P, Giri BR, Liu J, Xia T, Grevelding CG, Cheng G. Proteomic and deep sequencing analysis of extracellular vesicles isolated from adult male and female Schistosoma japonicum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008618. [PMID: 32986706 PMCID: PMC7521736 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes are the causative agent of schistosomiasis, which affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Unlike other trematode parasites, schistosomes (along with the Didymozoidae) have evolved separate sexes. Pairing of males and females is a prerequisite for female sexual development and subsequent egg production. However, the mechanisms underlying these processes remain poorly understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to play important roles in many biological processes. In the present study, we characterized EVs isolated from adult male and female Schistosoma japonicum. Proteomic analyses of the isolated EVs revealed that some proteins are significantly enriched in male or female EVs. RNA-sequencing analysis of a small RNA population associated with EVs identified 18 miRNAs enriched in male and female S. japonicum EVs. Among these, miR-750 was specifically enriched in female EVs. Additionally, the inhibition of miR-750 by a miRNA inhibitor led to decreased egg production in female schistosomes cultured in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that miR-750 within female EV cargo may be involved in regulating ovary development and egg production in S. japonicum females. Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the genus Schistosoma and affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Previously, we and other groups found that Schistosoma japonicum can secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are taken up by mammalian cells. Here, we characterized EVs isolated from adult male and female S. japonicum and found that some proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) were significantly enriched in male or female EVs. More importantly, the inhibition of miR-750, which is specifically enriched in female EVs, resulted in decreased egg production. Overall, our study suggests that female EV miRNA cargo may play important roles in regulating female ovary development and egg production during male-female pairing in S. japonicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Du
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, China
| | - Bikash R. Giri
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, China
| | - Juntao Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, China
| | - Tianqi Xia
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, China
| | | | - Guofeng Cheng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, China
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: ,
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Liu S, Piao X, Hou N, Cai P, Ma Y, Chen Q. Duplex real-time PCR for sexing Schistosoma japonicum cercariae based on W chromosome-specific genes and its applications. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008609. [PMID: 32822351 PMCID: PMC7467314 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a unique feature among otherwise hermaphroditic trematodes, Schistosoma species are gonochoric parasites whose sex is genetically determined (ZZ for males and ZW for females). However, schistosome larvae are morphologically identical, and sex can only be discriminated by molecular methods. Here, we integrated published Schistosoma. japonicum transcriptome and genome data to identify W chromosome-specific genes as sex biomarkers. Three W chromosome-specific genes of S. japonicum were identified as sex biomarkers from a panel of 12 genes expressed only in females. An efficient duplex real-time PCR (qPCR) method for sexing cercariae was developed which could identify the sex of cercariae within 2 h without DNA extraction. Moreover, this method can be used to identify not only single-sex but also mixed-sex schistosome-infected snails. We observed a nearly equal proportion of single-male, single-female, and mixed-sex schistosome infections in artificially infected snails. Sex-known schistosome-infected snail models can be efficiently constructed with the aid of duplex qPCR. A field study revealed that single-sex schistosome infections were predominant among naturally infected snails. Finally, a schistosomiasis mouse model based on sex-known cercariae infection was shown to be more reliable than a model based on sex-unknown cercariae infection. The developed duplex qPCR method for sexing S. japonicum cercariae can be widely used for schistosomiasis modeling, genetic experiments, and field-based molecular epidemiological studies. Schistosoma japonicum is a major causative agent of human schistosomiasis. Unlike other parasitic worms, S. japonicum females are determined by the heterogametic sex chromosome (ZW) and males by the homogametic sex chromosome (ZZ). The life cycle of S. japonicum includes the egg, miracidium, mother sporocyst, daughter sporocyst, cercaria, schistosomulum, and adult stages. The sex of adult male and female worms can be morphologically distinguished, whereas the sex of larvae, such as cercariae, can only be discriminated by molecular methods. In this study, we established an efficient duplex real-time PCR method for sexing S. japonicum cercariae based on newly identified W chromosome-specific genes. The established duplex real-time PCR method will facilitate construction of sex-controlled schistosome-infected intermediate host or definitive host models for schistosome-host interplays and schistosomiasis studies. This method is also a powerful tool for investigating the epidemiology of single-sex and mixed-sex schistosome-infected snails in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (SL); (QC)
| | - Xianyu Piao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Nan Hou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Pengfei Cai
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yu Ma
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Qijun Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (SL); (QC)
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20
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A Biological and Immunological Characterization of Schistosoma Japonicum Heat Shock Proteins 40 and 90α. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114034. [PMID: 32512920 PMCID: PMC7312537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We characterized Schistosoma japonicum HSP40 (Sjp40) and HSP90α (Sjp90α) in this study. Western blot analysis revealed both are present in soluble egg antigens and egg secretory proteins, implicating them in triggering the host immune response after secretion from eggs into host tissues. These observations were confirmed by immunolocalization showing both HSPs are located in the Reynolds’ layer within mature eggs, suggesting they are secreted by miracidia and accumulate between the envelope and the eggshell. Both HSPs are present in the musculature and parenchyma of adult males and in the vitelline cells of females; only Sjp90α is present on the tegument of adults. Sjp40 was able to enhance the expression of macrophages, dendritic cells, and eosinophilic cells in mouse liver non-parenchymal cells, whereas rSjp90α only stimulated the expression of dendritic cells. T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17 responses were increased upon rSjp40 stimulation in vitro, but rSjp90 only stimulated an increased Th17 response. Sjp40 has an important role in reducing the expression of fibrogenic gene markers in hepatic stellate cells in vitro. Overall, these findings provide new information on HSPs in S. japonicum, improving our understanding of the pathological roles they play in their interaction with host immune cells.
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Liu R, Cheng WJ, Ye F, Zhang YD, Zhong QP, Dong HF, Tang HB, Jiang H. Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Schistosoma japonicum Derived From SCID Mice and BALB/c Mice: Clues to the Abnormality in Parasite Growth and Development. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:274. [PMID: 32218772 PMCID: PMC7078119 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by the parasitic flatworms called schistosomes, remains one of the most prevailing parasitic diseases in the world. The prodigious oviposition of female worms after maturity is the main driver of pathology due to infection, yet our understanding about the regulation of development and reproduction of schistosomes is limited. Here, we comparatively profiled the transcriptome of Schistosoma japonicum recovered from SCID and BALB/c mice, which were collected 35 days post-infection, when prominent morphological abnormalities could be observed in schistosomes from SCID mice, by performing RNA-seq analysis. Of the 11,183 identified genes, 62 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 39 upregulated and 23 downregulated messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were found in male worms from SCID mice (S_M) vs. male worms from BALB/c mice (B_M), and 240 DEGs with 152 upregulated and 88 downregulated mRNAs were found in female worms from SCID mice (S_F) vs. female worms from BALB/c mice (B_F). We also tested nine DEGs with a relatively higher expression abundance in the gonads of the worms (ovary, vitellaria, or testis), suggesting their potential biological significance in the development and reproduction of the parasites. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that GO terms such as “microtubule-based process,” “multicellular organismal development,” and “Rho protein signal transduction” were significantly enriched in the DEGs in S_F vs. B_F, whereas GO terms such as “oxidation–reduction process,” “response to stress,” and “response to DNA damage stimulus” were significantly enriched in the DEGs in S_M vs. B_M. These results revealed that the differential expression of some important genes might contribute to the morphological abnormalities of worms in SCID mice. Furthermore, we selected one DEG, the mitochondrial prohibitin complex protein 1 (Phb1), to perform double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo targeting the worms in BALB/c mice, and we found that it was essential for the growth and reproductive development of both male and female S. japonicum worms. Taken together, these results provided a wealth of information on the differential gene expression profiles of schistosomes from SCID mice when compared with those from BALB/c mice, which were potentially involved in regulating the growth and development of schistosomes. These findings contributed to an understanding of parasite biology and provided a rich resource for the exploitation of antischistosomal intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-Jun Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yao-Dan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qin-Ping Zhong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui-Fen Dong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong-Bin Tang
- Laboratory Animal Center, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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The role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis, grading and treatment of hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:611. [PMID: 31888743 PMCID: PMC6937654 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3866-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a prevalent parasitic disease worldwide. The main pathological changes of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis are hepatic granuloma and fibrosis due to worm eggs. Portal hypertension and ascites induced by hepatic fibrosis are usually the main causes of death in patients with chronic hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. Currently, no effective vaccine exists for preventing schistosome infections. For quite a long time, praziquantel (PZQ) was widely used for the treatment of schistosomiasis and has shown benefit in treating liver fibrosis. However, drug resistance and chemical toxicity from PZQ are being increasingly reported in recent years; therefore, new and effective strategies for treating schistosomiasis-induced hepatic fibrosis are urgently needed. MicroRNA (miRNA), a non-coding RNA, has been proved to be associated with the development of many human diseases, including schistosomiasis. In this review, we present a balanced and comprehensive view of the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis, grading, and treatment of schistosomiasis-associated hepatic fibrosis. The multiple regulatory roles of miRNAs, such as promoting or inhibiting the development of liver pathology in murine schistosomiasis are also discussed in depth. Additionally, miRNAs may serve as candidate biomarkers for diagnosing liver pathology of schistosomiasis and as novel therapeutic targets for treating schistosomiasis-associated hepatic fibrosis.![]()
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Parasite-derived circulating microRNAs as biomarkers for the detection of human Schistosoma japonicum infection. Parasitology 2019; 147:889-896. [PMID: 31840631 PMCID: PMC7391863 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182019001690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Novel tools for early diagnosis and monitoring of schistosomiasis are urgently needed. This study aimed to validate parasite-derived miRNAs as potential novel biomarkers for the detection of human Schistosoma japonicum infection. A total of 21 miRNAs were initially validated by real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using serum samples of S. japonicum-infected BALB/c mice. Of these, 6 miRNAs were further validated with a human cohort of individuals from a schistosomiasis-endemic area of the Philippines. RT-PCR analysis showed that two parasite-derived miRNAs (sja-miR-2b-5p and sja-miR-2c-5p) could detect infected individuals with low infection intensity with moderate sensitivity/specificity values of 66%/68% and 55%/80%, respectively. Analysis of the combined data for the two parasite miRNAs revealed a specificity of 77.4% and a sensitivity of 60.0% with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.6906 (P = 0.0069); however, a duplex RT-PCR targeting both sja-miR-2b-5p and sja-miR-2c-5p did not result in an increased diagnostic performance compared with the singleplex assays. Furthermore, the serum level of sja-miR-2c-5p correlated significantly with faecal egg counts, whereas the other five miRNAs did not. Targeting S. japonicum-derived miRNAs in serum resulted in a moderate diagnostic performance when applied to a low schistosome infection intensity setting.
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Buddenborg SK, Kamel B, Hanelt B, Bu L, Zhang SM, Mkoji GM, Loker ES. The in vivo transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni in the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi with supporting observations from Biomphalaria glabrata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007013. [PMID: 31568484 PMCID: PMC6797213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The full scope of the genes expressed by schistosomes during intramolluscan development has yet to be characterized. Understanding the gene products deployed by larval schistosomes in their snail hosts will provide insights into their establishment, maintenance, asexual reproduction, ability to castrate their hosts, and their prolific production of human-infective cercariae. Using the Illumina platform, the intramolluscan transcriptome of Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in field-derived specimens of the prominent vector species Biomphalaria pfeifferi at 1 and 3 days post infection (d) and from snails shedding cercariae. These S. mansoni samples were derived from the same snails used in our complementary B. pfeifferi transcriptomic study. We supplemented this view with microarray analyses of S. mansoni from B. glabrata at 2d, 4d, 8d, 16d, and 32d to highlight robust features of S. mansoni transcription, even when a different technique and vector species was used. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Transcripts representing at least 7,740 (66%) of known S. mansoni genes were expressed during intramolluscan development, with the greatest number expressed in snails shedding cercariae. Many transcripts were constitutively expressed throughout development featuring membrane transporters, and metabolic enzymes involved in protein and nucleic acid synthesis and cell division. Several proteases and protease inhibitors were expressed at all stages, including some proteases usually associated with cercariae. Transcripts associated with G-protein coupled receptors, germ cell perpetuation, and stress responses and defense were well represented. We noted transcripts homologous to planarian anti-bacterial factors, several neural development or neuropeptide transcripts including neuropeptide Y, and receptors that may be associated with schistosome germinal cell maintenance that could also impact host reproduction. In at least one snail the presence of larvae of another digenean species (an amphistome) was associated with repressed S. mansoni transcriptional activity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This in vivo study, emphasizing field-derived snails and schistosomes, but supplemented with observations from a lab model, provides a distinct view from previous studies of development of cultured intramolluscan stages from lab-maintained organisms. We found many highly represented transcripts with suspected or unknown functions, with connection to intramolluscan development yet to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Buddenborg
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Bishoy Kamel
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Ben Hanelt
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Lijing Bu
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Si-Ming Zhang
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
| | - Gerald M. Mkoji
- Center for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairob,i Kenya
| | - Eric S. Loker
- Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
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Lu Z, Spänig S, Weth O, Grevelding CG. Males, the Wrongly Neglected Partners of the Biologically Unprecedented Male-Female Interaction of Schistosomes. Front Genet 2019; 10:796. [PMID: 31552097 PMCID: PMC6743411 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomes are the only platyhelminths that have evolved separate sexes, and they exhibit a unique reproductive biology because the female's sexual maturation depends on a constant pairing contact with the male. In the female, pairing leads to gonad differentiation, which is associated with substantial morphological changes, and controls among others the expression of gonad-associated genes. In the male, no morphological changes have been observed after pairing, although first data indicated an effect of pairing on gene transcription. Comprehensive transcriptomic approaches have revealed an unexpected high number of genes that are differentially transcribed in the male after pairing. Their identities suggest roles for the male that are not restricted to feeding and enhanced muscular power to transport paired female and, as assumed before, to induce its sexual maturation by one "magic" factor. Instead, a more complex picture emerges in which both partners live in a reciprocal sender-recipient relationship that not only affects the gonads of both genders but may also involve tactile stimuli, transforming growth factor β signaling, nutritional parts, and neuronal processes, including neuropeptides and G protein-coupled receptor signaling. This review provides a summary of transcriptomics including an overview of genes expressed in a pairing-dependent manner in schistosome males. This may stimulate further research in understanding the role of the male as the recipient of the female's signals upon pairing, the male's "capacitation," and its subsequent competence as a sender of information. The latter process finally transforms a sexually immature, autonomous female without completely developed gonads into a sexually mature, partially non-autonomous female with fully differentiated gonads and enormous egg production capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Lu
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Insitute for Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Spänig
- Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Weth
- Insitute for Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Mao Y, He C, Li H, Lu K, Fu Z, Hong Y, Jin Y, Lin J, Zhang X, Liu J. Comparative analysis of transcriptional profiles of Schistosoma japonicum adult worms derived from primary-infected and re-infected water buffaloes. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:340. [PMID: 31296252 PMCID: PMC6625002 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3600-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is an important zoonotic parasite that is prevalent in China and parts of Southeast Asia. Water buffaloes are an important reservoir and the main transmission sources of S. japonicum. However, self-curing and resistance to re-infection have been observed in water buffaloes. RESULTS In this study, we compared the morphometry and differences in transcriptional expression of adult S. japonicum worms recovered from primary-infected and re-infected water buffaloes using Illumina RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. Results of morphometry analysis revealed that adult S. japonicum worms recovered from re-infected water buffaloes were runtish with smaller organs. The ventral length of male worms was shorter in re-infected buffaloes (328 ± 13 vs 273 ± 8 µm, P < 0.05), and in female worms the oral sucker length (44 ± 3 vs 33 ± 5 µm, P < 0.05), ovary length (578 ± 23 vs 297 ± 27 µm, P < 0.05) and width (150 ± 8 vs 104 ± 9 µm, P < 0.05) were shorter, with fewer eggs in the uteri (41 ± 2 vs 12 ± 1, P < 0.05). Of 13,605 identified genes, 112 were differentially expressed, including 51 upregulated and 61 downregulated genes, in worms from re-infected compared with primary-infected water buffaloes. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that GO terms such as "oxidation-reduction process", "calcium-dependent phospholipid binding", "lipid binding" and "calcium ion binding" were significantly enriched in downregulated genes, whereas GO terms related to metabolism and biosynthesis were significantly enriched in upregulated genes. The results revealed that the downregulation of some important genes might contribute to a reduction in worm numbers and maldevelopment of surviving worms in re-infected water buffaloes. Furthermore, upregulation of genes related to metabolic processes and biosynthesis might be a compensatory mechanism of worms in disadvantageous environments. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, our results present the first large-scale transcriptional expression study identifying the differences between adult S. japonicum worms from primary-infected and re-infected water buffaloes, and particularly emphasize differential expression that may affect the survival and growth of worms in re-infected water buffalo. This will provide new insight into screening for anti-schistosome targets and vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudan Mao
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuanchuan He
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Lu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Fu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Hong
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Yamei Jin
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaojiao Lin
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinming Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai, 200241, People's Republic of China.
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Yu X, Zhai Q, Fu Z, Hong Y, Liu J, Li H, Lu K, Zhu C, Lin J, Li G. Comparative analysis of microRNA expression profiles of adult Schistosoma japonicum isolated from water buffalo and yellow cattle. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:196. [PMID: 31046821 PMCID: PMC6498558 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3450-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Yellow cattle and water buffalo are important natural reservoir hosts and the main transmission sources of Schistosoma japonicum in endemic areas of China. The worms from the two hosts have marked differences in general worm morphology and ultrastructure, gene transcription and protein expression profiles. RESULTS To investigate microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the regulation of schistosome development and survival, we compared miRNA expression profiles of adult schistosomes derived from yellow cattle and water buffalo by using high-throughput sequencing with Illumina Hiseq Xten. Schistosoma japonicum from water buffalo and yellow cattle yielded 63.78 million and 63.21 million reads, respectively, of which nearly 50% and 49% could be mapped to selected miRNAs in miRbase. A total of 206 miRNAs were identified, namely 79 previously annotated miRNAs of S. japonicum and 127 miRNAs that matched with the S. japonicum genome and were highly similar to the annotated miRNAs from other organisms. Among the 79 miRNAs, five (sja-miR-124-3p, sja-miR-219-5p, sja-miR-2e-3p, sja-miR-7-3p and sja-miR-3490) were significantly upregulated in the schistosomes from water buffalo compared with those from yellow cattle. A total of 268 potential target genes were predicted for these five differentially expressed miRNAs. Eleven differentially expressed targets were confirmed by qRT-PCR among 15 tested targets, one of which was further validated through dual-luciferase reporter assay. Among the 127 'possible' S. japonicum miRNAs, ten were significantly differentially expressed in the schistosomes from these two hosts. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight the important roles of miRNAs in regulating the development and survival of schistosomes in water buffalo and yellow cattle and facilitate understanding of the miRNA regulatory mechanisms in schistosomes derived from different susceptible hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingang Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 China
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Qi Zhai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 China
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Zhiqiang Fu
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Yang Hong
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Jinming Liu
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Hao Li
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Ke Lu
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Chuangang Zhu
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Jiaojiao Lin
- National Reference Laboratory of Animal Schistosomiasis, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Guoqing Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 China
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Scheys F, Van Damme EJM, Smagghe G. Let’s talk about sexes: sex-related N-glycosylation in ecologically important invertebrates. Glycoconj J 2019; 37:41-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s10719-019-09866-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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29
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Phuphisut O, Ajawatanawong P, Limpanont Y, Reamtong O, Nuamtanong S, Ampawong S, Chaimon S, Dekumyoy P, Watthanakulpanich D, Swierczewski BE, Adisakwattana P. Transcriptomic analysis of male and female Schistosoma mekongi adult worms. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:504. [PMID: 30201055 PMCID: PMC6131826 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3086-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosoma mekongi is one of five major causative agents of human schistosomiasis and is endemic to communities along the Mekong River in southern Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) and northern Cambodia. Sporadic cases of schistosomiasis have been reported in travelers and immigrants who have visited endemic areas. Schistosoma mekongi biology and molecular biology is poorly understood, and few S. mekongi gene and transcript sequences are available in public databases. Results Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) of male and female S. mekongi adult worms (a total of three biological replicates for each sex) were analyzed and the results demonstrated that approximately 304.9 and 363.3 million high-quality clean reads with quality Q30 (> 90%) were obtained from male and female adult worms, respectively. A total of 119,604 contigs were assembled with an average length of 1273 nt and an N50 of 2017 nt. From the contigs, 20,798 annotated protein sequences and 48,256 annotated transcript sequences were obtained using BLASTP and BLASTX searches against the UniProt Trematoda database. A total of 4658 and 3509 transcripts were predominantly expressed in male and female worms, respectively. Male-biased transcripts were mostly involved in structural organization while female-biased transcripts were typically involved in cell differentiation and egg production. Interestingly, pathway enrichment analysis suggested that genes involved in the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway may play important roles in the cellular processes and reproductive systems of S. mekongi worms. Conclusions We present comparative transcriptomic analyses of male and female S. mekongi adult worms, which provide a global view of the S. mekongi transcriptome as well as insights into differentially-expressed genes associated with each sex. This work provides valuable information and sequence resources for future studies of gene function and for ongoing whole genome sequencing efforts in S. mekongi. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3086-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orawan Phuphisut
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pravech Ajawatanawong
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yanin Limpanont
- 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
| | - Supaporn Nuamtanong
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sumate Ampawong
- Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Salisa Chaimon
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Paron Dekumyoy
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Dorn Watthanakulpanich
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Brett E Swierczewski
- Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Zhao L, Lu Z, He X, Mughal MN, Fang R, Zhou Y, Zhao J, Gasser RB, Grevelding CG, Ye Q, Hu M. Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) controls growth and reproduction in Schistosoma japonicum. FASEB J 2018; 32:fj201800725R. [PMID: 29879373 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800725r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a human parasitic disease caused by flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Adult female schistosomes produce numerous eggs that are responsible for the pathogenesis and transmission of the disease, and the maturation of female gonads depends on the permanent pairing of females and males. Signaling protein kinases have been proven to control female gonad differentiation after pairing; however, little is known about the roles of protein phosphatases in the developmental and reproductive biology of schistosomes. Here we explored 3 genes encoding catalytic subunits of serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) that were structurally and evolutionarily conserved in Schistosoma japonicum. In situ hybridization showed transcripts of 3 Sj-pp1c genes mainly localized in the reproductive organs and tissues. Triple knockdown of Sj-pp1c genes by RNA interference caused stunted growth and decreased pairing stability of worm pairs, as well as a remarkable reduction in cell proliferation activity and defects in reproductive maturation and fecundity. Transcriptomic analysis post-RNA interference suggested that Sj-pp1c genes are involved in controlling worm development and maturation mainly by regulating cell proliferation, eggshell synthesis, nutritional metabolism, cytoskeleton organization, and neural process. Our study provides the first insight into the fundamental contribution of Sj-PP1c to molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive biology of schistosomes.-Zhao, L., Lu, Z., He, X., Mughal, M. N., Fang, R., Zhou, Y., Zhao, J., Gasser, R. B., Grevelding, C. G., Ye, Q., Hu, M. Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) controls growth and reproduction in Schistosoma japonicum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhigang Lu
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Xin He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mudassar N Mughal
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanqin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Robin B Gasser
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christoph G Grevelding
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Qing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Kinases: Molecular Stage Directors for Schistosome Development and Differentiation. Trends Parasitol 2017; 34:246-260. [PMID: 29276074 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding schistosome biology is still a challenging mission. The reproductive biology of this parasitic trematode is closely associated with the pathologic consequences of schistosomiasis, the devastating infectious disease caused by members of the family Schistosomatidae worldwide. Recent studies of signaling mechanisms confirmed the prominent roles of protein kinases (PKs) in directing schistosome biology, and first evidence was obtained for an additional contribution of kinases with substrates different from proteins (non-PKs). This review provides an overview of the Schistosoma mansoni kinome in the context of male-female interaction and summarizes recent studies of kinases controlling development and differentiation. Due to their importance for schistosome biology, kinases represent Achilles' heels and are therefore of high value also for translational research.
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Zhao L, He X, Grevelding CG, Ye Q, Li Y, Gasser RB, Dissous C, Mughal MN, Zhou YQ, Zhao JL, Hu M. The RIO protein kinase-encoding gene Sj-riok-2 is involved in key reproductive processes in Schistosoma japonicum. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:604. [PMID: 29233188 PMCID: PMC5727939 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2524-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide and is caused by parasitic trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. The pathogenesis of schistosomiasis is caused by eggs whose production is the consequence of the pairing of schistosomes and the subsequent sexual maturation of the female. Previous studies have demonstrated that protein kinases are involved in processes leading to the male-induced differentiation of the female gonads, ovary and vitellarium. Right open reading frame protein kinase 2 (RIOK-2) is a member of the atypical kinase family and shown in other organisms to be responsible for ribosomal RNA biogenesis and cell-cycle progression, as well as involves in nematode development. However, nothing is known about its functions in any trematode including schistosome. Methods We isolated and characterized the riok-2 gene from S. japonicum, and detected the transcriptional profiles of Sj-riok-2 by using real-time PCR and in situ hybridization. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Sj-riok-2 was performed, mitotic activities were detected by EdU incorporation assay and morphological changes on organs were observed by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Results In silico analyses of the amino acid sequence of Sj-RIOK-2 revealed typical features of this class of kinases including a winged helix (wHTH) domain and a RIO kinase domain. Sj-riok-2 is transcribed in different developmental stages of S. japonicum, with a higher abundance in adult females and eggs. Localization studies showed that Sj-riok-2 was mainly transcribed in female reproductive organs. Experiments with adult schistosomes in vitro demonstrated that the transcriptional level of Sj-riok-2 was affected by pairing. Knocking down Sj-riok-2 by RNAi reduced cell proliferation in the vitellarium and caused the increased amount of mature oocytes in ovary and an accumulation of eggs within the uterus. Conclusions Sj-riok-2 is involved in the reproductive development and maturation of female S. japonicum. Our findings provide first evidence for a pairing-dependent role of Sj-riok-2 in the reproductive development and maturation of female S. japonicum. Thus this study contributes to the understanding of molecular processes controlling reproduction in schistosomes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2524-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Qing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Colette Dissous
- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille Inserm, University Lille, Lille, France
| | - Mudassar N Mughal
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Qin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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Cai P, Weerakoon KG, Mu Y, Olveda DU, Piao X, Liu S, Olveda RM, Chen Q, Ross AG, McManus DP. A Parallel Comparison of Antigen Candidates for Development of an Optimized Serological Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis Japonica in the Philippines. EBioMedicine 2017; 24:237-246. [PMID: 28943229 PMCID: PMC5652020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma japonicum is stubbornly persistent in China and the Philippines. Fast and accurate diagnostic tools are required to monitor effective control measures against schistosomiasis japonica. Promising antigen candidates for the serological diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica have generally been identified from the Chinese strain of S. japonicum. However, the Chinese (SjC) and Philippine (SjP) strains of S. japonicum express a number of clear phenotypic differences, including aspects of host immune responses. This feature thereby emphasized the requirement to determine whether antigens identified as having diagnostic value for SjC infection are also suitable for the diagnosis of SjP infection. In the current study, 10 antigens were selected for comparison of diagnostic performance of the SjP infection using ELISA. On testing of sera from 180 subjects in the Philippines, SjSAP4 exhibited the best diagnostic performance with 94.03% sensitivity and 98.33% specificity using an optimized serum dilution. In another large scale testing with 412 serum samples, a combination (SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD (large hydrophilic domain)) provided the best diagnostic outcome with 87.04% sensitivity and 96.67% specificity. This combination could be used in future for serological diagnosis of schistosomiasis in the Philippines, thereby representing an important component for monitoring integrated control measures. Sj23-LHD was the most promising antigen candidate for early diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica in a murine model. SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD had the highest diagnostic value when probed with sera from a human cohort with low infection intensity. We have developed a novel diagnostic tool that can aid in the integrated control of schistosomiasis in the Philippines.
Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health concern in China and the Philippines. Development of accurate and affordable diagnostic tools is a necessity for the control and elimination of schistosomiasis. The differences in the mammalian host immunological responses to Chinese (SjC) and Philippine (SjP) strains of S. japonicum necessitated validation of proven SjC serological markers for application in the diagnosis of SjP infections. Ten antigens were selected for comparison, in ELISA, for their potential of the diagnosis of SjP infection. The results provide the basis for developing an affordable and easy-to-operate tool for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis in the Philippines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Kosala G Weerakoon
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yi Mu
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - David U Olveda
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Xianyu Piao
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Shuai Liu
- MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, PR China
| | - Remigio M Olveda
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Health, Manila, Philippines
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Shangyang Agricultural University, Shengyang, PR China
| | - Allen G Ross
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
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Yang Y, He JJ, Hu S, Chang H, Xiang X, Yang JF, Zou FC. Comparative Study of Transcriptome Profiles of Mouse Livers and Skins Infected by Fork-Tailed or Non-Fork-Tailed Schistosoma japonicum. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1648. [PMID: 28912762 PMCID: PMC5582157 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is a worldwide spread pathogen which penetrates host skin and then induces several diseases in infected host, such as fibrosis, formation of granulomas, hepatocirrhosis, and hepatomegaly. In present study, for the first time, transcriptomic profiles of mouse livers and skins infected by fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria or non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria were analyzed by using RNA-seq. The present findings demonstrated that transcriptomic landscapes of livers and skins infected by fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria or non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria were different. S. japonicum has great influence on hepatic metabolic processes. Fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria upregulated hepatic metabolic processes, while non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria downregulated hepatic metabolic processes. For the metabolism process or the metabolism enzyme expressional change, the pharmacokinetics of host could be changed during S. japonicum infection, regardless the biotypes of S. japonicum cercariae. The changes of infected skins focused on upregulation of immune response. During the S. japonicum skin infection period, fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria infection induced stronger immune response comparing with that immune response triggered by non-fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria. The transcription factor enrichment analysis showed that Irf7, Stat1 and Stat2 could play important roles in gene regulation during fork-tailed S. japonicum cercaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Jun-Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China
| | - Shuang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Hua Chang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Xun Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Jian-Fa Yang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Feng-Cai Zou
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
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Morais ER, Oliveira KC, de Paula RG, Ornelas AMM, Moreira ÉBC, Badoco FR, Magalhães LG, Verjovski-Almeida S, Rodrigues V. Effects of proteasome inhibitor MG-132 on the parasite Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184192. [PMID: 28898250 PMCID: PMC5595316 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteasome is a proteolytic complex responsible for intracellular protein turnover in eukaryotes, archaea and in some actinobacteria species. Previous work has demonstrated that in Schistosoma mansoni parasites, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 affects parasite development. However, the molecular targets affected by MG-132 in S. mansoni are not entirely known. Here, we used expression microarrays to measure the genome-wide changes in gene expression of S. mansoni adult worms exposed in vitro to MG-132, followed by in silico functional analyses of the affected genes using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Scanning electron microscopy was used to document changes in the parasites’ tegument. We identified 1,919 genes with a statistically significant (q-value ≤ 0.025) differential expression in parasites treated for 24 h with MG-132, when compared with control. Of these, a total of 1,130 genes were up-regulated and 790 genes were down-regulated. A functional gene interaction network comprised of MG-132 and its target genes, known from the literature to be affected by the compound in humans, was identified here as affected by MG-132. While MG-132 activated the expression of the 26S proteasome genes, it also decreased the expression of 19S chaperones assembly, 20S proteasome maturation, ubiquitin-like NEDD8 and its partner cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase genes. Interestingly, genes that encode proteins related to potassium ion binding, integral membrane component, ATPase and potassium channel activities were significantly down-regulated, whereas genes encoding proteins related to actin binding and microtubule motor activity were significantly up-regulated. MG-132 caused important changes in the worm tegument; peeling, outbreaks and swelling in the tegument tubercles could be observed, which is consistent with interference on the ionic homeostasis in S. mansoni. Finally, we showed the down-regulation of Bax pro-apoptotic gene, as well as up-regulation of two apoptosis inhibitor genes, IAP1 and BRE1, and in contrast, down-regulation of Apaf-1 apoptotic activator, thus suggesting that apoptosis is deregulated in S. mansoni exposed to MG-132. A considerable insight has been gained concerning the potential of MG-132 as a gene expression modulator, and overall the data suggest that the proteasome might be an important molecular target for the design of new drugs against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enyara R. Morais
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
- * E-mail:
| | - Katia C. Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
- Centro de Parasitologia e Micologia, Núcleo de Enteroparasitas, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Renato G. de Paula
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Alice M. M. Ornelas
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Érika B. C. Moreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Fernanda Rafacho Badoco
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brasil
| | - Lizandra G. Magalhães
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brasil
| | - Sergio Verjovski-Almeida
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
- Laboratório de Expressão Gênica em Eucariotos, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Vanderlei Rodrigues
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
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A gene expression atlas of adult Schistosoma mansoni and their gonads. Sci Data 2017; 4:170118. [PMID: 28829433 PMCID: PMC5566097 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2017.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-Seq has proven excellence in providing information about the regulation and transcript levels of genes. We used this method for profiling genes in the flatworm Schistosoma mansoni. This parasite causes schistosomiasis, an infectious disease of global importance for human and animals. The pathology of schistosomiasis is associated with the eggs, which are synthesized as a final consequence of male and female adults pairing. The male induces processes in the female that lead to the full development of its gonads as a prerequisite for egg production. Unpaired females remain sexually immature. Based on an organ-isolation method we obtained gonad tissue for RNA extraction from paired and unpaired schistosomes, with whole adults included as controls. From a total of 23 samples, we used high-throughput cDNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on the Illumina platform to profile gene expression between genders and tissues, with and without pairing influence. The data obtained provide a wealth of information on the reproduction biology of schistosomes and a rich resource for exploitation through basic and applied research activities.
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Anderson L, Gomes MR, daSilva LF, Pereira ADSA, Mourão MM, Romier C, Pierce R, Verjovski-Almeida S. Histone deacetylase inhibition modulates histone acetylation at gene promoter regions and affects genome-wide gene transcription in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005539. [PMID: 28406899 PMCID: PMC5404884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease infecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Treatment depends on a single drug, praziquantel, which kills the Schistosoma spp. parasite only at the adult stage. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) such as Trichostatin A (TSA) induce parasite mortality in vitro (schistosomula and adult worms), however the downstream effects of histone hyperacetylation on the parasite are not known. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS TSA treatment of adult worms in vitro increased histone acetylation at H3K9ac and H3K14ac, which are transcription activation marks, not affecting the unrelated transcription repression mark H3K27me3. We investigated the effect of TSA HDACi on schistosomula gene expression at three different time points, finding a marked genome-wide change in the transcriptome profile. Gene transcription activity was correlated with changes on the chromatin acetylation mark at gene promoter regions. Moreover, combining expression data with ChIP-Seq public data for schistosomula, we found that differentially expressed genes having the H3K4me3 mark at their promoter region in general showed transcription activation upon HDACi treatment, compared with those without the mark, which showed transcription down-regulation. Affected genes are enriched for DNA replication processes, most of them being up-regulated. Twenty out of 22 genes encoding proteins involved in reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation were down-regulated. Dozens of genes encoding proteins with histone reader motifs were changed, including SmEED from the PRC2 complex. We targeted SmEZH2 methyltransferase PRC2 component with a new EZH2 inhibitor (GSK343) and showed a synergistic effect with TSA, significantly increasing schistosomula mortality. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Genome-wide gene expression analyses have identified important pathways and cellular functions that were affected and may explain the schistosomicidal effect of TSA HDACi. The change in expression of dozens of histone reader genes involved in regulation of the epigenetic program in S. mansoni can be used as a starting point to look for possible novel schistosomicidal targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Anderson
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Lucas Ferreira daSilva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana da Silva Andrade Pereira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina M. Mourão
- Grupo de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Christophe Romier
- Département de Biologie Structurale Intégrative, Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Illkirch, France
| | - Raymond Pierce
- Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Sergio Verjovski-Almeida
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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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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