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Coelho FS, Gava SG, Andrade LF, Geraldo JA, Tavares NC, Lunkes FMN, Neves RH, Machado-Silva JR, Pierce RJ, Oliveira G, Mourão MM. Schistosoma mansoni coactivator associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (SmCARM1) effect on parasite reproduction. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1079855. [PMID: 36910171 PMCID: PMC9998485 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1079855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The human blood fluke parasite Schistosoma mansoni relies on diverse mechanisms to adapt to its diverse environments and hosts. Epigenetic mechanisms play a central role in gene expression regulation, culminating in such adaptations. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) promote posttranslational modifications, modulating the function of histones and non-histone targets. The coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1/PRMT4) is one of the S. mansoni proteins with the PRMT core domain. Methods We carried out in silico analyses to verify the expression of SmPRMTs in public datasets from different infection stages, single-sex versus mixed-worms, and cell types. The SmCARM1 function was evaluated by RNA interference. Gene expression levels were assessed, and phenotypic alterations were analyzed in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo. Results The scRNAseq data showed that SmPRMTs expression is not enriched in any cell cluster in adult worms or schistosomula, except for Smcarm1 expression which is enriched in clusters of ambiguous cells and Smprmt1 in NDF+ neurons and stem/germinal cells from schistosomula. Smprmt1 is also enriched in S1 and late female germ cells from adult worms. After dsRNA exposure in vitro, we observed a Smcarm1 knockdown in schistosomula and adult worms, 83 and 69%, respectively. Smcarm1-knockdown resulted in reduced oviposition and no significant changes in the schistosomula or adult worm phenotypes. In vivo analysis after murine infection with Smcarm1 knocked-down schistosomula, showed no significant change in the number of worms recovered from mice, however, a significant reduction in the number of eggs recovered was detected. The ex vivo worms presented a significant decrease in the ovary area with a lower degree of cell differentiation, vitelline glands cell disorganization, and a decrease in the testicular lobe area. The worm tegument presented a lower number of tubercles, and the ventral sucker of the parasites presented a damaged tegument and points of detachment from the parasite body. Discussion This work brings the first functional characterization of SmCARM1 shedding light on its roles in S. mansoni biology and its potential as a drug target. Additional studies are necessary to investigate whether the reported effects of Smcarm1 knockdown are a consequence of the SmCARM1-mediated methylation of histone tails involved in DNA packaging or other non-histone proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Sales Coelho
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Grossi Gava
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luiza Freire Andrade
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliana Assis Geraldo
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Naiara Clemente Tavares
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Felipe Miguel Nery Lunkes
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Renata Heisler Neves
- Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Machado-Silva
- Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Raymond J Pierce
- Université de Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Marina Moraes Mourão
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Zhong H, Jin Y. Single-sex schistosomiasis: a mini review. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1158805. [PMID: 37153566 PMCID: PMC10154636 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1158805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by dioecious blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma and second to malaria as a parasitic disease with significant socio-economic impacts. Mating is essential for maturation of male and female schistosomes and for females to lay of eggs, which are responsible for the pathogenesis and propagation of the life cycle beyond the mammalian host. Single-sex schistosomes, which do not produce viable eggs without mating, have been overlooked given the symptomatic paucity of the single-sex schistosomiasis and limited diagnostic toolkit. Besides, single-sex schistosomes are less sensitive to praziquantel. Therefore, these issues should be considered to achieve the elimination of this infection disease. The aim of this review is to summarize current progress in research of single-sex schistosomes and host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Zhong
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yamei Jin
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yamei Jin,
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Neitemeier-Duventester X, Bick A, Theisen S, Palm HW. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) as a new tool for morphological characterisation of both newly collected and museum voucher specimens of the Trypanorhyncha Diesing, 1863 (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda). Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2022; 69. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Soldánová M, Kundid P, Scholz T, Kristoffersen R, Knudsen R. Somatic Dimorphism in Cercariae of a Bird Schistosome. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030290. [PMID: 35335614 PMCID: PMC8953619 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic polymorphism is a commonly observed phenomenon in nature, but extremely rare in free-living stages of parasites. We describe a unique case of somatic polymorphism in conspecific cercariae of the bird schistosome Trichobilharzia sp. “peregra”, in which two morphs, conspicuously different in their size, were released from a single Radix balthica snail. A detailed morphometric analysis that included multiple morphological parameters taken from 105 live and formalin-fixed cercariae isolated from several naturally infected snails provided reliable evidence for a division of all cercariae into two size groups that contained either large or small individuals. Large morph (total body length of 1368 and 1339 μm for live and formalin-fixed samples, respectively) differed significantly nearly in all morphological characteristics compared to small cercariae (total body length of 976 and 898 μm for live and formalin samples, respectively), regardless of the fixation method. Furthermore, we observed that small individuals represent the normal/commonly occurring phenotype in snail populations. The probable causes and consequences of generating an alternative, much larger phenotype in the parasite infrapopulation are discussed in the context of transmission ecology as possible benefits and disadvantages facilitating or preventing the successful completion of the life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslava Soldánová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.K.); (T.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Petra Kundid
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.K.); (T.S.)
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Scholz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.K.); (T.S.)
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Roar Kristoffersen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N9037 Tromsø, Norway; (R.K.); (R.K.)
| | - Rune Knudsen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, N9037 Tromsø, Norway; (R.K.); (R.K.)
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Brandão-Bezerra L, de Carvalho Martins JSC, de Oliveira RMF, Lopes-Torres EJ, Neves RH, Corrêa CL, Machado-Silva JR. Long-term ethanol intake causes morphological changes in Schistosoma mansoni adult worms in mice. Exp Parasitol 2019; 203:30-35. [PMID: 31150655 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni adult worms are extensively challenged by reactive oxygen species from intrinsic sources. However, the effects of extrinsic sources such as ethanol have not been looked at in schistosomes. We examined adult worms recovered from ethanol-consuming mice by light (LM), confocal (CM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to address this question. Schistosomiasis-infected mice were orally gavaged with 18% (v/v) ethanol from 35 to 63 days post-infection, when they were euthanized. CM examination revealed reduced germ cells density (-36%, p = 0.0001) and sperm density (-58%, p = 0.0001) in testicular lobes, and immature cells in seminal vesicle compared to unexposed control worms. Female worms showed reduced density of vitellin glands (-71%, p = 0.0001), maturation of oocytes (-7%, p = 0.0071) and reduced spermatozoa density (-23%, p = 0.0002) within the seminal receptacle. SEM revealed remarkable damages in male's tegument, including tubercles flattening, tegumental peeling and erosive lesions. Given that lipids are present in reproductive system and tegument, our results suggest that phenotypic changes are due to ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report revealing the biological action of ethanol intake on adult schistosomes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Brandão-Bezerra
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Santa Cruz de Carvalho Martins
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil
| | - Regina Maria Figueiredo de Oliveira
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil
| | - Eduardo José Lopes-Torres
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil
| | - Renata Heisler Neves
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil
| | - Christiane Leal Corrêa
- Department of Pathology and Laboratories, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil; Medicine School, Estácio de Sá University, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Machado-Silva
- Romero Lascasas Porto Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil.
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Avelar LDGA, Gava SG, Neves RH, Silva MCS, Araújo N, Tavares NC, Khal AE, Mattos ACA, Machado-Silva JR, Oliveira G, Mourão MDM. Smp38 MAP Kinase Regulation in Schistosoma mansoni: Roles in Survival, Oviposition, and Protection Against Oxidative Stress. Front Immunol 2019; 10:21. [PMID: 30733716 PMCID: PMC6353789 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00021] [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] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic protein kinases (ePKs) are good medical targets for drug development in different biological systems. ePKs participate in many cellular processes, including the p38 MAPK regulation of homeostasis upon oxidative stress. We propose to assess the role of Smp38 MAPK signaling pathway in Schistosoma mansoni development and protection against oxidative stress, parasite survival, and also to elucidate which target genes have their expression regulated by Smp38 MAPK. After a significant reduction of up to 84% in the transcription level by Smp38 MAPK gene knockdown, no visible phenotypic changes were reported in schistosomula in culture. The development of adult worms was tested in vivo in mice infected with the Smp38 knocked-down schistosomula. It was observed that Smp38 MAPK has an essential role in the transformation and survival of the parasites as a low number of adult worms was recovered. Smp38 knockdown also resulted in decreased egg production, damaged adult worm tegument, and underdeveloped ovaries in females. Furthermore, only ~13% of the eggs produced developed into mature eggs. Our results suggest that inhibition of the Smp38 MAPK activity interfere in parasites protection against reactive oxygen species. Smp38 knockdown in adult worms resulted in 80% reduction in transcription levels on the 10th day, with consequent reduction of 94.4% in oviposition in vitro. In order to search for Smp38 MAPK pathway regulated genes, we used an RNASeq approach and identified 1,154 DEGs in Smp38 knockdown schistosomula. A substantial proportion of DEGs encode proteins with unknown function. The results indicate that Smp38 regulates essential signaling pathways for the establishment of parasite homeostasis, including genes related to antioxidant defense, structural composition of ribosomes, spliceosomes, cytoskeleton, as well as, purine and pyrimidine metabolism pathways. Our data show that the Smp38 MAPK signaling pathway is a critical route for parasite development and may present attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment and control of schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia das Graças Amaral Avelar
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Sandra Grossi Gava
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Renata Heisler Neves
- Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Neusa Araújo
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Assmaa El Khal
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Histone methylation changes are required for life cycle progression in the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007066. [PMID: 29782530 PMCID: PMC5983875 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms and chromatin structure play an important role in development. Their impact is therefore expected to be strong in parasites with complex life cycles and multiple, strikingly different, developmental stages, i.e. developmental plasticity. Some studies have already described how the chromatin structure, through histone modifications, varies from a developmental stage to another in a few unicellular parasites. While H3K4me3 profiles remain relatively constant, H3K27 trimethylation and bivalent methylation show strong variation. Inhibitors (A366 and GSK343) of H3K27 histone methyltransferase activity in S. mansoni efficiently blocked miracidium to sporocyst transition indicating that H3K27 trimethylation is required for life cycle progression. As S. mansoni is a multicellular parasite that significantly affects both the health and economy of endemic areas, a better understanding of fluke developmental processes within the definitive host will likely highlight novel disease control strategies. Towards this goal, we also studied H4K20me1 in female cercariae and adults. In particular, we found that bivalent trimethylation of H3K4 and H3K27 at the transcription start site of genes is a landmark of the cercarial stage. In cercariae, H3K27me3 presence and strong enrichment in H4K20me1 over long regions (10–100 kb) is associated with development related genes. Here, we provide a broad overview of the chromatin structure of a metazoan parasite throughout its most important lifecycle stages. The five developmental stages studied here present distinct chromatin structures, indicating that histone methylation plays an important role during development. Hence, components of the histone methylation (and demethylation) machinery may provide suitable Schistosomiasis control targets. Schistosoma mansoni is a parasitic flatworm and causative agent of intestinal schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting 67 million people worldwide. The parasite has a complex life cycle involving two consecutive obligate hosts (a poikilotherm snail and a homeotherm mammal) and two transitions between these hosts as free-swimming larvae. Here, we show that the chromatin structure of five different developmental stages is characterized by specific changes in chemical modifications of histones, basic proteins that are closely associated with DNA (trimethylation of lysines 4 and 27 and histone H3, and monomethylation of lysine 20 on histone H4). These modifications occur around protein coding genes as well as within repetitive genomic elements. A functional role for histone methylation during schistosome development was elucidated by the use of epi-drugs targeting G9a/GLP and EZH2 histone methyltransferase orthologs in S. mansoni. Our results indicate that histone methylation plays an important role during schistosome development and suggest that the enzymes responsible for maintaining these chromatin modifications are suitable targets for anti-schistosomal drugs.
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Marques JDS, Rocha BM, Manso PPDA, D'Ávila S. New insights on the morphology of a digenean parasite (Digenea: Brachylaimidae,Brachylaima mazzantii(Travassos, 1927)) using confocal laser scanning microscopy. ZOOSYSTEMA 2017. [DOI: 10.5252/z2017n4a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juçara de Souza Marques
- Malacological Museum Professor Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
| | - Bárbara Marum Rocha
- Malacological Museum Professor Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
| | | | - Sthefane D'Ávila
- Malacological Museum Professor Maury Pinto de Oliveira and Departament of Zoology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
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Alencar ACMDB, Santos TDS, Neves RH, Lopes Torres EJ, Nogueira-Neto JF, Machado-Silva JR. Simvastatin and artesunate impact the structural organization of adult Schistosoma mansoni in hypercholesterolemic mice. Exp Parasitol 2016; 167:115-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Morphometric characteristics of the metacestode Echinococcus vogeli Rausch & Bernstein, 1972 in human infections from the northern region of Brazil. J Helminthol 2014; 89:480-6. [DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x14000376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPolycystic echinococcosis, caused by the larval stage (metacestode) of the small-sized tapeworm, Echinococcus vogeli, is an emerging parasitic zoonosis of great public health concern in the humid tropical rainforests of South and Central America. Because morphological and morphometric characteristics of the metacestode are not well known, hydatid cysts from the liver and the mesentery were examined from patients following surgical procedures. Whole mounts of protoscoleces with rostellar hooks were examined under light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Measurements were made of both large and small hooks, including the total area, total length, total width, blade area, blade length, blade width, handle area, handle length and handle width. The results confirmed the 1:1 arrangement of hooks in the rostellar pad and indicated, for the first time, that the morphometry of large and small rostellar hooks varies depending upon the site of infection. Light and confocal microscopy images displayed clusters of calcareous corpuscles in the protoscoleces. In conclusion, morphological features of large and small rostellar hooks of E. vogeli are adapted to a varied environment within the vertebrate host and such morphological changes in calcareous corpuscles occur at different stages in the maturation of metacestodes.
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Phenotypic plasticity of male Schistosoma mansoni from the peritoneal cavity and hepatic portal system of laboratory mice and hamsters. J Helminthol 2014; 89:294-301. [PMID: 24572281 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x14000066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Morphometric analysis of Schistosoma mansoni male worms obtained from AKR/J and Swiss mice was carried out. Rodents infected by the intraperitoneal route with 80 cercariae of the schistosome (LE strain) were killed by cervical dislocation at 45 and 60 days post-infection and both peritoneal lavage and perfusion of the portal system were performed for the recovery of adult worms. Characteristics including total body length, the distance between oral and ventral suckers, extension of testicular mass and the number of testes were considered in the morphological analysis. Changes that occurred in S. mansoni recovered from the peritoneal cavity or from the portal system of AKR/J and Swiss mice included total body length and reproductive characteristics. Significant morphometric alterations were also observed when worms recovered from the portal system of both strains of mice were compared with the schistosomes obtained from hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), the vertebrate host in which the LE strain had been adapted and maintained by successive passages for more than four decades. The present results reinforce the idea that S. mansoni has high plastic potential and adaptive capacity.
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Dramatic phenotypic plasticity within species of Siphomutabilus n. g. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) from Indo-Pacific caesionines (Perciformes: Lutjanidae). Syst Parasitol 2013; 86:101-12. [DOI: 10.1007/s11230-013-9436-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Hussain KJ, Krishnan SM, Johny S, Whitman DW. Phenotypic Plasticity in a Gregarine Parasite (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinordia) Infecting Grasshoppers. COMP PARASITOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1654/4602.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Al-Sabi MNS, Chriél M, Jensen TH, Enemark HL. Endoparasites of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Denmark 2009-2012 - A comparative study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2013; 2:144-51. [PMID: 24533328 PMCID: PMC3862527 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Revised: 03/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Raccoon dogs recently invaded Denmark. Raccoon dogs and foxes harboured several helminths, some are zoonotic. A markedly different helminth fauna was evident between the two hosts. A fox was infected with Echinococcus multilocularis, no Trichinella spp. were detected. Wildlife surveillance is a foundation for the protection against communicable parasites.
Invasive species negatively influence the biodiversity of the ecosystems they invade and may introduce pathogens to native species. Raccoon dogs have very successfully invaded Europe, including, recently, Denmark. This study included analyses of gastrointestinal helminths and Trichinella spp. from 99 raccoon dogs and 384 native red foxes collected from October 2009 to March 2012. The sedimentation and counting method used revealed that raccoon dogs and foxes harboured 9 and 13 different helminth species, respectively, of which several known to be zoonotic. Significantly more nematode and cestode species were found in foxes while raccoon dogs had more trematode species. Rodent transmitted parasites were more prevalent in foxes, while amphibian transmitted parasites were more prevalent in raccoon dogs. One fox was infected with Echinococcus multilocularis (0.3%), while no Trichinella spp. were detected in raccoon dogs or foxes. The trematode Brachylaima tokudai was detected for the first time in Denmark in five of 384 foxes (1.3%). Prevalences of Pygidiopsis summa (3.0% and 3.4%) and Cryptocotyle spp. (15.2% and 15.4%) were comparable in raccoon dogs and foxes, respectively. Four helminth species were more prevalent in foxes than in raccoon dogs: Toxocara canis (60.9% and 13.1%); Uncinaria stenocephala (84.1% and 48.5%); Mesocestoides spp. (42.7% and 23.2%); and Taenia spp. (30.7% and 2.0%), respectively. Three helminth species were more prevalent in raccoon dogs than in foxes: Dipylidium caninum (5.1% and 0.3%); Mesorchis denticulatus (38.4% and 4.2%); and Alaria alata (69.7% and 34.4%), respectively. T. canis was more abundant in foxes while A. alata was more abundant in raccoon dogs. The intestinal distribution of a number of helminth species was comparable between hosts, but highly variable between parasite species. Inherent biological factors and host invasion of new areas might have shaped these marked differences in helminth fauna between the invasive raccoon dog and the native red fox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Nafi Solaiman Al-Sabi
- Section for Bacteriology, Pathology and Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +45 35886196.
| | - Mariann Chriél
- Section for Bacteriology, Pathology and Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Trine Hammer Jensen
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Aalborg University/Aalborg Zoo, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Heidi Larsen Enemark
- Section for Bacteriology, Pathology and Parasitology, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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Cogswell AA, Kommer VP, Williams DL. Transcriptional analysis of a unique set of genes involved in Schistosoma mansoni female reproductive biology. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1907. [PMID: 23166854 PMCID: PMC3499410 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis affects more than 200 million people globally. The pathology of schistosome infections is due to chronic tissue inflammation and damage from immune generated granulomas surrounding parasite eggs trapped in host tissues. Schistosoma species are unique among trematode parasites because they are dioecious; females require paring with male parasites in order to attain reproductive maturity and produce viable eggs. Ex vivo cultured females lose the ability to produce viable eggs due to an involution of the vitellarium and loss of mature oocytes. In order to better understand schistosome reproductive biology we used data generated by serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to identify uncharacterized genes which have different transcript abundance in mature females, those that have been paired with males, and immature females obtained from unisexual infections. To characterize these genes we used bioinformatics, transcript localization, and transcriptional analysis during the regression of in vitro cultured females. Genes transcribed exclusively in mature females localize primarily in the vitellocytes and/or the ovary. Genes transcribed exclusively in females from single sex infections localize to vitellocytes and subtegumental cells. As female reproductive tissues regress, eggshell precursor proteins and genes involved in eggshell synthesis largely have decreased transcript abundance. However, some genes with elevated transcript abundance in mature adults have increased gene expression following regression indicating that the genes in this study function both in eggshell biology as well as vitellogenesis and maintenance of female reproductive tissues. In addition, we found that genes enriched in females from single sex infections have increased expression during regression in ex vivo females. By using these transcriptional analyses we can direct research to examine the areas of female biology that are both relevant to understanding the overall process of female development and worm pairing while determining novel therapeutic approaches directed at the maturation of female schistosomes. Schistosomiasis is a chronic, debilitating disease that affects over 200 million people globally. The pathology associated with schistosomiasis is caused by host immune responses to parasite eggs. Therefore, it is imperative to identify pathways responsible for controlling worm reproductive biology. Schistosome females must be in constant contact with male parasites in order to achieve reproductive maturity. The process of pairing and reproductive maturation in female worms is poorly understood, in part, because it does not occur outside of the host. In addition, when female schistosomes are removed from their mammalian host they regress to an immature state. In this study our goal was to characterize a unique set of genes in Schistosoma mansoni whose transcript abundance differs in mature and immature female worms. We found that the genes with higher transcript abundance in sexually mature female worms were expressed in female reproductive tissues, while those transcripts enriched in sexually immature worms were present in sub-surface somatic cells. Transcript abundance of the selected genes changed dramatically when females were removed from their host. These findings inform new approaches to study female worm biology and will provide insights into the processes of worm pairing and reproductive maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David L. Williams
- Department of Immunology/Microbiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Costa-Silva M, Barros LDA, Garcia JS, Neves RH, Rodrigues-Silva R, Machado-Silva JR, Maldonado-Júnior A. Susceptibility of a Brazilian wild rodent isolate of Schistosoma mansoni to praziquantel in mice. Exp Parasitol 2012; 130:394-9. [PMID: 22343042 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2012.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2011] [Revised: 01/31/2012] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The therapeutic effects of praziquantel (PZQ) against a Schistosoma mansoni isolate derived from Nectomys squamipes (isolate R) and a susceptible isolate (BH) were analyzed in Swiss mice by fecal egg counting, adult worm reduction and oogram pattern. Infected mice were orally administrated with 62.5mg/kg (group 1), 125mg/kg (group 2), 250mg/kg (group 3) and 500mg/kg (group 4), each dose divided over 3 days (49, 50 and 51 days after infection). The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). In regard to isolate R, no fecal eggs were observed with 250 mg/Kg and 500 mg/kg (p<0.05), whereas BH excretion reached zero with all doses. Mean worm burden reduction was significantly (p<0.05) higher at the two highest concentrations, regardless of isolate. At 62.5mg/kg, the percentage of immature eggs varied from 17% (isolate R) to 38% (isolate BH). At 125 mg/kg, the percentage of immature eggs varied from 20% (isolate R) to 16% (isolate BH). At 250 mg/kg, immature eggs dropped significantly to 1% (isolate R) and 4% (isolate BH). At 500 mg/kg, no immature eggs were found in isolate R, whereas in BH was 8%. No dosage significantly (p>0.05) affected the percentage of mature eggs, regardless of isolate. There was a large increase (p<0.001) in the percentages of dead eggs in all treated groups of 62% and 64% in groups 3 and 4, respectively (isolate R). The percentage of dead eggs rose from 34% (group 1) to 58% (group 3) in isolate BH. Although group 4 showed lowest increase in the percentage of dead eggs (46%), it was higher (p<0.001) compared to the 8% in the control. Our findings indicate that the wild isolate from N. squamipes is susceptible to PZQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Costa-Silva
- Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Mammal Reservoirs, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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17
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Abstract
Male and female Schistosoma japonicum worms have dissimilar appearances in their final host. In this study, a morphometric and morphological assessment of whole worms derived from unisexual and mixed infections in mice was conducted using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Worms from mixed infections showed significant morphological changes between 15 and 25 days post-infection (PI). On the fifteenth day PI, 33% of males had formed the conspicuous gynecophoric canal, but only 8% of them had testicular lobes containing a few germinative cells; 13% of females had incipient ovaries with a few immature ovarian cells inside. On the twentieth day PI, the testicular lobes contained more germinative cells in all male worms, while female worms presented vitelline glands. On the twenty-fifth day PI, more germinative cells were observed in the male testicular lobes, and differentiated cells were present in the female ovaries. All worms had fully developed reproductive organs from 30 days PI onwards. Morphometric analysis showed significant differences between mixed and unisexual infections at 35 days PI. Ovaries of worms from unisexual infections contained cells in one stage of maturation and vitelline glands had undifferentiated cells. Our study of S. japonicum provides a detailed comparison of different morphological traits from worms of mixed and unisexual infections throughout development.
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D’ávila S, Manso PPDA, Bessa ECDA, Rodrigues MDLDA, Dias RJP. Gross anatomy of the musculature and a new description of the reproductive system ofTanaisia bragaiandTanaisia inopina(Trematoda: Eucotylidae) analysed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-6395.2008.00393.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
AbstractInfected hosts progressively decrease egg output during the chronic phase of Schistosoma mansoni infection. Ageing may be a factor that results in a progressive decrease in the ability to reproduce. This study was performed to gain insight into the effects of ageing on adult schistosomes, using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Adult worms were recovered from experimentally infected Nectomys squamipes (water rat). Viable eggs were voided in the faeces for 65 weeks and, thereafter, only unviable eggs were eliminated. The rat died after 70 weeks in captivity. Recovered worms (six males and one female) were prepared for confocal microscopy and images were obtained with an LSM 510–ZETA laser confocal microscope. The overall morphology of the adult worms (suckers and tegument) and reproductive organs were the focus of this work. The suckers, ovary, vitellaria and oocytes appeared to be apparently normal. The ootype was formed by flattened cells and unclear nuclei, suggesting that the mechanism for eggshell production by the ootype during organogenesis might have been impaired. Testicular lobes showed empty areas around the germinative cells. Male adult worms showed flaccid musculature of the dorsal surface. Taken together, the present results provided several indications of infertility in older male and female schistosomes.
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20
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Razo-Mendivil U, Vázquez-Domínguez E, Rosas-Valdez R, de León GPP, Nadler SA. Phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA reveals a complex of cryptic species in Crassicutis cichlasomae (Digenea: Apocreadiidae), a parasite of Middle-American cichlids. Int J Parasitol 2009; 40:471-86. [PMID: 19853608 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2009.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2009] [Revised: 10/04/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We obtained nuclear ITS-1 and mitochondrial cox1 sequences from 225 Crassicutis cichlasomae adults collected in 12 species of cichlids from 32 localities to prospect for the presence of cryptic species. This trematode is commonly found in species of cichlids over a wide geographic range in Middle-America. Population-level phylogenetic analyses of ITS-1 and cox1, assessments of genetic and haplotype diversity, and morphological observations revealed that C. cichlasomae represents a complex of seven cryptic species for which no morphological diagnostic characters have been discovered thus far. Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses of concatenated datasets (906 bp) recovered eight lineages of C. cichlasomae, all with high posterior probabilities and bootstrap branch support. Values of genetic divergence between clades ranged from 1.0% to 5.2% for ITS-1, and from 7.2% to 30.0% for cox1. Morphological study of more than 300 individuals did not reveal structural diagnostic traits for the species defined using molecular evidence. These observations indicate that some traditional morphological characters (e.g., testes position) have substantial intra-specific variation, and should be used with caution when classifying C. cichlasomae and their sister taxa. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses did not reveal a strict correlation between these cryptic species and their host species or geographic distribution, however it appears that genetic distinctiveness of these cryptic species was influenced by the diversification and biogeographical history of Middle-American cichlids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulises Razo-Mendivil
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ap. Postal 70-275, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF 04510, Mexico.
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Development of Schistosoma mansoni in the laboratory rat analyzed by light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Exp Parasitol 2009; 123:292-5. [PMID: 19660456 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Revised: 06/10/2009] [Accepted: 07/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The kinetic of maturation (schistogram) of Schistosoma mansoni worms grown in laboratory rats was studied by light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Infected rats with the BH strain were weekly euthanized 3-9weeks pi. Recovered flukes stained with hydrochloric carmine were preserved as whole-mounts and analyzed by confocal and brightfield microscopy. Worms displayed varying degrees of maturation of the reproductive system at weeks 3-6. Male worms showed complete maturation of the reproductive system at week 6, while female worms completed their maturation at week 7. Males presented few tubercles in tegument in all weeks. Despite the presence of a developing embryo within the ootype, no uterine egg was found. The schistogram in rats follows a pattern similar to that observed in mice hosts.
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Martinez EM, Costa-Silva M, Neves RH, Oliveira RMFD, Machado-Silva JR. Biological implications of the phenotypic plasticity in the Schistosoma mansoni-Nectomys squamipes model. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2009; 50:229-32. [PMID: 18813763 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652008000400008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2008] [Accepted: 06/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The water-rat Nectomys squamipes is mostly important non-human host in schistosomiasis mansoni transmission in Brazil, due to its susceptibility, high abundance and water-contact pattern. During experimental infection of N. squamipes with Schistosoma mansoni, adult worms show phenotypic plasticity. This finding led us to investigate whether biological behavior is also affected. This was assessed comparing the biological characteristics of four S. mansoni strains: BE (State of Belém do Pará), CE (State of Pernambuco), CMO (State of Rio Grande do Norte) and SJ (State of São Paulo) using laboratory-bred N. squamipes. The infection was monitored by determination of the pre-patent period, fecal egg output, egg viability, intestinal egg count and, infectivity rate. No biological modification was observed in these parameters. Overall results highlight that N. squamipes was susceptible to several S. mansoni strains, suggesting that it might contribute to the maintenance of schistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Machado Martinez
- Laboratório de Helmintologia Romero Lascasas Porto, Disciplina de Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Uerj, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Steinauer ML, Nickol BB, Ortí G. Cryptic speciation and patterns of phenotypic variation of a highly variable acanthocephalan parasite. Mol Ecol 2008; 16:4097-109. [PMID: 17894760 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03462.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
An investigation of a parasite species that is broadly host- and habitat-specific and exhibits alternative transmission strategies was undertaken to examine intraspecific variability and if it can be attributed to cryptic speciation or environmentally induced plasticity. Specimens of an acanthocephalan parasite, Leptorhynchoides thecatus, collected throughout North America were analysed phylogenetically using sequences of the cytochrome oxidase I gene and the internal transcribed spacer region. Variation in host use, habitat use, and transmission were examined in a phylogenetic context to determine if they were more likely phylogenetically based or due to environmental influences. Results indicated that most of the variation detected can be explained by the presence of cryptic species. The majority of these species have narrow host and microhabitat specificities although one species, which also may comprise a complex of species, exhibits broad host and habitat specificity. Alternate transmission pathways only occurred in two of the cryptic species and correlate with host use patterns. Taxa that mature in piscivorous piscine hosts use a paratenic fish host to bridge the trophic gap between their amphipod intermediate host and piscivorous definitive host. One potential example of environmentally induced variation was identified in three populations of these parasites, which differ on their abilities to infect different host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Steinauer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, PO Box 880118, Lincoln, NE 68588-0118, USA.
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Light and confocal microscopic observations of adult Schistosoma mansoni from mice fed on a high-fat diet. J Helminthol 2007; 81:361-8. [PMID: 17956644 DOI: 10.1017/s0022149x07799121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The morphological aspects of Schistosoma mansoni adult worms recovered from albino mice fed on a cholesterol-rich diet compared to mice fed on a standard chow were investigated. After feeding on their respective diets for over a period of 5 months, mice were subcutaneously infected with c. 50 S. mansoni cercariae/mouse. Blood samples were obtained 1 day prior to experimental infections and 63 days later, when mice were euthanized by jugular section (hypovolaemic shock). Total cholesterol (TC) levels were determined. Recovered worms were stained with hydrochloric carmine, and preserved as whole-mounts for examination by bright-field and laser confocal microscopy. The infected mice fed on high-fat chow showed higher levels of serum lipoproteins than the infected mice fed on standard chow, except for very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c) and triglycerides (TG). In this experiment, worms from mice fed on a high-fat chow showed a greater percentage of morphological differentiation regarding supernumerary testes, seminal vesicle, and seminal receptacle. In mice of this group, the rate of oocyte laying in the ovary was much higher than in control females. The present results suggest that cholesterol could be actively involved in the modulation of cell signalling and reproduction, because the lobes contained fully developed oocytes in variable amounts, different from control males. The data presented here are the first to report the role of a cholesterol-rich diet affecting the development of S. mansoni worms.
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Almeida FB, Rodrigues-Silva R, Neves RH, Romani ELS, Machado-Silva JR. Intraspecific variation of Echinococcus granulosus in livestock from Peru. Vet Parasitol 2007; 143:50-8. [PMID: 16962710 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2006] [Revised: 07/10/2006] [Accepted: 07/24/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Echinococcus granulosus infection is a problem of public health in livestock-rearing regions of Latin America, like in Peru. This species is characterized by the morphometry of the large and small rostellar hooks in both metacestodes and adult worms. The aim of this work was to study biometrical characteristics of rostellar hooks in hydatid cysts (lung and liver) from some Peruvian provinces (Arequipa, Cuzco, Huancavelica, Junin and Puno). The biometrical analysis was obtained in a digital system for image analysis. The following parameters were studied: area, perimeter, length and width total of the handle, the blade and the distance between the blade and the guard of large and small hooks. For statistical analysis Student's t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Pos-test of Tukey were used, considering the values of p< or =0.05 as of statistic significance. All morphometric characters of large and small hooks were highly significant (p<0.000), when data were compared among the samples from the different provinces. Rostellar hooks in specimens from Huancavelica presented smallest measurements, whereas hooks in specimens from Junin were bigger in relation to the total and blade measurements. Generally, samples from Arequipa presented the biggest large hooks in relation to the handle parameters. The rostellar hooks of cattle and sheep hosts varied depending on the geographic localization, host and organ. Hooks recovered from the lungs were larger than those collected in the liver. It was concluded that morphometry using computer image analysis allows the characterization of E. granulosus. The rostellar hooks presented morphometric polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda B Almeida
- Laboratório de Helmintos Parasitos de Vertebrados, Departamento de Helmintologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brazil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Biolchini CDL, Neves RH, Hulstijn M, Gomes DC, Machado-Silva JR. Development of Schistosoma mansoni worms in mice analyzed by bright field and confocal microscopy. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2006; 101 Suppl 1:261-5. [PMID: 17308779 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762006000900040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2006] [Accepted: 06/26/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood flukes of mammals (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) are among trematodes unique whose adult worms have separated sexes which are dissimilar in appearance. The developmental features, growth and organogenesis of Schistosoma mansoni were studied in Swiss Webster mice by a digital system for image analysis and confocal microscopy. Data so far obtained showed two phases with significative morphological changes at 3-4 weeks post-infection, and a gradual similar development onwards in the reproductive system and tegument. Our male-dependent phase demonstrated that mating occurs before sexual maturing. At week three, the majority of male worms (59%) had formed the gynaecophoric canal although testicular lobes and tegumental tubercles were absent. By this time, 33% females had an incipient ovary (without cellular differentiation). At week four, 77.2% males presented testicular lobes with few germinative cells while 26% had developing tegumental tubercles. The immature ovary was observed in 69% females. Suckers followed different pattern of growth between male and females. The size of oral and ventral suckers from six-week-old male worms grew abruptly (3.0 fold) more than that of three-week-old. In female worms, maximum growth was attained at week four, reducing in size thereafter. From sixth week onwards, all specimens showed the fully developed reproductive system. Probably, these features are morphological traits which schistosome has experienced from hermaphrodite to dioecy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla de Lamare Biolchini
- Laboratório Romero Lascasas Porto, Departamento de Patologia e Laboratórios, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 20550-170 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Machado-Silva JR, Neves RH, da Silva LO, de Oliveira RMF, da Silva AC. Do mice genetically selected for resistance to oral tolerance provide selective advantage for Schistosoma mansoni infection? Exp Parasitol 2005; 111:1-7. [PMID: 15963984 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2005.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2004] [Revised: 04/19/2005] [Accepted: 04/26/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A highly evolved relationship exists between the parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni and its vertebrate hosts that include the use of host immune signals by parasites. The S. mansoni infection was studied in two strains of mice genetically selected, over 18 generations of assortative mating, for extreme phenotypes of susceptibility (TS) and resistance (TR) to immunological tolerance. The objective was to observe whether the different host genetic backgrounds affected the outcome of experimental schistosomiasis. Fecal egg excretion, tissue egg count, worm recovery, and adult worm morphology and morphometry were monitored throughout the period of infection. TR mice presented total fecal egg excretion and thickness of tegument in adult male worms significantly higher than TS mice. Therefore, the comparative analysis of mice with extreme phenotypes of immunological response turns out to be useful in host-parasite relationship studies. Our results suggest that the TR mouse immunological profile provides a more favorable environment for the development of S. mansoni.
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