Article
Microbiology
Anais Portet, Eve Toulza, Ana Lokmer, Camille Huot, David Duval, Richard Galinier, Benjamin Gourbal
Summary: The interaction between host and parasite can have significant effects on the associated microbiota, which in turn can impact host fitness and disease outcomes. Through studying the snail biome in response to Schistosoma infection, it was found that water microbiota did not affect the snail microbiota. The study also highlighted the importance of host-parasite co-evolution in altering or causing dysbiosis in snail microbiota.
Article
Immunology
Conor E. Fogarty, Phong Phan, Mary G. Duke, Donald P. McManus, Russell C. Wyeth, Scott F. Cummins, Tianfang Wang
Summary: This study identified miracidia attractant candidates using behavioral assays and proteomics, which have the potential to be used as biocontrols for disrupting miracidia infection and reducing schistosomiasis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Candido Carvalho Rodrigues, Maxwell Batista Caixeta, Paula Sampaio Araujo, Bruno Bastos Goncalves, Olacir Alves Araujo, Luciana Damacena Silva, Thiago Lopes Rocha
Summary: The study found that exposure to gluconic-acid functionalized IONPs and FeCl3 resulted in various gonadal histopathological changes in snails, with GLA-IONPs inducing a more intense inflammatory response. Environmentally relevant concentration (2.5 mg L-1) of both GLA-IONPs and FeCl3 led to high gonadal histopathological indices, indicating their potential reproductive toxicity.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
John T. Sullivan
Summary: During the development of Biomphalaria glabrata, embryos and larvae possess passive immune protection through parentally-derived antimicrobial proteins. This study observed hemocyte-like cells in late trochophores and veligers of the BS-90 strain, suggesting the formation of the internal defense system (IDS). These cells showed various cellular functions and increased in number during larval development.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
J. Marquez, N. Dinguirard, A. Gonzalez, A. E. Kane, N. R. Joffe, T. P. Yoshino, M. G. Castillo
Summary: This study identified and characterized TEP transcripts in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host of the Schistosoma parasite. The expression and response of TEPs to S. mansoni exposure were compared between resistant and susceptible snail strains. Differences in constitutive expression levels and differential responses were observed, suggesting the potential role of TEPs in schistosomiasis transmission control.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Gabriel Souza-Silva, Clessius Ribeiro de Souza, Cintia Aparecida de Jesus Pereira, Walter Dos Santos Lima, Marcos Paulo Gomes Mol, Micheline Rosa Silveira
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review of the use of Biomphalaria glabrata as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies in aquatic environments contaminated with human pollutants. Several assays were performed to assess the toxicity, embryotoxicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and bioaccumulation of various substances using B. glabrata. The findings highlight the importance of using this species as a representative model for tropical environmental monitoring and call for further standardization of the model.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Simone Parn, Gabriela Lewis, Matty Knight
Summary: This study identified the upregulation of the CA gene in susceptible B. glabrata snails during infection, and the inhibitory effect of aspirin on its expression. The findings suggest that this model system could provide new insights into the role of CA in cancer cell metastasis and proliferation.
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Parasitology
Philippe Douchet, Benjamin Gourbal, Eric S. Loker, Olivier Rey
Summary: In a One-Health context, it is urgent to establish the links between environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the circulation of pathogens. This review focuses on aquatic environmental factors that interact with Schistosoma species, causing schistosomiasis, and how they influence transmission at the ecosystem scale. The concept of ecosystem competence, which measures the ability of an ecosystem to amplify or mitigate the transmission risk of a given pathogen, is introduced as a promising measure for operationalizing the One-Health concept.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Martina R. Laidemitt, Alyssa M. Gleichsner, Christopher D. Ingram, Steven D. Gay, Elizabeth M. Reinhart, Martin W. Mutuku, Polycup Oraro, Dennis J. Minchella, Gerald M. Mkoji, Eric S. Loker, Michelle L. Steinauer
Summary: Schistosome miracidia have fine-tuning abilities in host selection, but do not always choose hosts that maximize their fitness.
Article
Immunology
Lijun Lu, Lijing Bu, Si-Ming Zhang, Sarah K. Buddenborg, Eric S. Loker
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the transcriptomics responses of the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata (Bg) following exposure to the trematode Schistosoma mansoni (Sm). The study identified differences in gene expression between schistosome-susceptible and -resistant Bg strains and revealed distinct response patterns at different time points post-exposure. The findings also highlight shared stress responses and specific gene expression patterns in both resistant and susceptible snails.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Amos Mathias Onyekwere, Alejandra De Elias-Escribano, Julien Kincaid-Smith, Sarah Dametto, Jean-Francois Allienne, Anne Rognon, Maria Dolores Bargues, Jerome Boissier
Summary: This experimental study provides new insights into the mating behavior between Schistosoma bovis and S. mansoni in mixed infections in mice. The study shows that the mating between the two species is not random, with S. mansoni exhibiting greater mate recognition. The offspring generated from different mating pairs of the two species can only infect specific mollusks.
Article
Ecology
Johannie M. Spaan, Nathaniel Leavitt, Jessica Shen, Taylor Bundy, Lillian Burrows, Christopher Ingram, Thomas R. Maehara, Ibrahim Ndungu, Martin Mutuku, George Owino, Maurice Odiere, Michelle L. Steinauer
Summary: The response of snail vectors to heat shock may vary depending on genetic factors, influencing their resistance to the human pathogen Schistosoma mansoni. However, the effects of heat shock on infection prevalence and intensity are minimal in two species of snail vectors examined in this study.
Article
Biology
Wenyan Nong, Yifei Yu, Madeleine E. Aase-Remedios, Yichun Xie, Wai Lok So, Yiqian Li, Cheuk Fung Wong, Toby Baril, Sean T. S. Law, Sheung Yee Lai, Jasmine Haimovitz, Thomas Swale, Shan-Shan Chen, Zhen-Peng Kai, Xi Sun, Zhongdao Wu, Alexander Hayward, David E. K. Ferrier, Jerome H. L. Hui
Summary: This study presents the first genome assembly for the snail B. straminea, offering new insights into phenomena related to schistosomiasis vector snails and evolutionary genomics questions regarding molluscs. The research identified developmental homeobox genes, hormonal genes, and stress-response genes in the genome, as well as syntenic conservation and evolutionary changes in gene clusters in comparison with other mollusc genomes. The presence of sesquiterpenoid and cholesterol metabolic pathway genes in Gastropoda was also revealed, along with a sesquiterpenoid hormone responsive system in B. straminea.
Article
Immunology
Silvain Pinaud, Guillaume Tetreau, Pierre Poteaux, Richard Galinier, Cristian Chaparro, Damien Lassalle, Anais Portet, Elodie Simphor, Benjamin Gourbal, David Duval
Summary: Aerolysins, originally identified as bacterial virulence factors, are now being found in metazoans through horizontal gene transfer. A study on the Biomphalaria glabrata snail reveals a multigene family called biomphalysin, which is a novel and diversified toxin family formed by duplication and domestication of acquired bacterial toxin genes in the snail genome. The different biomphalysin toxins exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns and have the potential to expand the snail's immune arsenal by binding to pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hala A. Abdel Salam, Omaimah A. Maghrabi, Esam S. Al-Malki, Kamal S. Albenasy
Summary: The study evaluated the efficacy of thymol as a plant molluscicide in controlling Biomphalaria alexandrina snails, the vectors for transmitting Schistosoma mansoni infection. Thymol showed significant impacts on the survival rate, egg-laying capacity, and biochemical parameters of the snails, suggesting its promising potential as a safe plant molluscicide for controlling B. alexandrina snails.
JOURNAL OF ESSENTIAL OIL BEARING PLANTS
(2021)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Xiaoliang Xie, Tianfang Wang, Wen Zhang
Summary: (Summary in English:)
In this paper, we study the (p, q)-Laplacian equation with nonlocal Choquard reaction and obtain new existence results of nontrivial solutions under suitable conditions on the absorption potential and nonlinear term using variational methods.
APPLIED MATHEMATICS LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Hong You, Malcolm K. Jones, Catherine A. Gordon, Alexa E. Arganda, Pengfei Cai, Harry Al-Wassiti, Colin W. Pouton, Donald P. McManus
Summary: Despite long-term efforts, developing effective vaccines against parasitic infections has been challenging due to the complexity of parasite life cycles and their interactions with hosts. Traditional vaccine platforms have proven unsuitable for many parasitic diseases. A new wave of research using mRNA vaccines is anticipated to advance the prevention of parasitic infections.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Allen G. Ross, Donald A. Harn, Delia Chy, Marianette Inobaya, Jerric R. Guevarra, Lisa Shollenberger, Yuesheng Li, Donald P. McManus, Darren J. Gray, Gail M. Williams
Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a bovine vaccine in reducing human schistosome infection. Bovine vaccination significantly decreased the rate of human infection, and the best outcome was achieved when combined with snail mollusciciding.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Xiaosong Liu, Guoying Ni, Pingping Zhang, Hejie Li, Junjie Li, Bernardo Cavallazzi Sebold, Xiaolian Wu, Guoqiang Chen, Songhua Yuan, Tianfang Wang
Summary: This study investigated the tumor microenvironment of cervical cancer patients at different stages using single-nucleus transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. The results revealed the suppression of immune response pathways and the enrichment of cell and tissue development pathways in advanced stage cervical cancer patients. Additionally, certain collagens were found to be significantly upregulated and may serve as diagnostic markers for cervical cancer progression. A novel transcript, AC244205.1, was also identified as upregulated in advanced stage cervical cancer patients, suggesting its potential mechanistic role in cervical cancer.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Bernardo Cavallazzi Sebold, Guoying Ni, Junjie Li, Hejie Li, Xiaosong Liu, Tianfang Wang
Summary: The purpose of this review is to discuss the current understanding and role of pegilodecakin in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. Despite promising results in preclinical models and early clinical trials, the efficacy of pegilodecakin in phase II and III trials did not justify its application as potential immunotherapy in selected cancers. Further investigation of pegilodecakin's efficacy in other cancers, either as monotherapy or in combination with current treatments, is warranted.
CURRENT ONCOLOGY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Tomer Abramov, Saowaros Suwansa-ard, Patricia Mirella da Silva, Tianfang Wang, Michael Dove, Wayne O'Connor, Laura Parker, Fraser D. D. Russell, David A. A. Lovejoy, Scott F. F. Cummins, Abigail Elizur
Summary: TCAP plays a role in regulating cardiac activity through modulation of physiological and molecular components associated with energy conservation, stress, and adaptation. This finding provides important insights into the novel function of TCAP and its potential implications for higher-order metazoans.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Zubaida P. Patwary, Min Zhao, Tianfang Wang, Nicholas A. Paul, Scott F. Cummins
Summary: This study investigated the proteins in Asparagopsis taxiformis using different extraction methods and provided a comprehensive overview of expressed proteins in the seaweed. The findings offer insights into the potential functions of these proteins and lay a foundation for future targeted protein extraction and biodiscovery.
Review
Oncology
Bernardo Cavallazzi Sebold, Junjie Li, Guoying Ni, Quanlan Fu, Hejie Li, Xiaosong Liu, Tianfang Wang
Summary: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria pose a global health threat, and the ESKAPE group of pathogens is a major concern due to high death rates and nosocomial infections. Host defence peptides (HDPs) show promise in combating MDR, including ESKAPE pathogens, but their pharmacokinetics hinder their clinical use. Chemical engineering of HDPs offers a solution by improving their pharmacokinetics and efficacy against pathogens. This review explores various chemical modifications of HDPs, particularly against ESKAPE pathogens, and provides an overview of current research findings.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meaghan K. Smith, Bronwyn A. Rotgans, Tomas Lang, Ryan Johnston, Tianfang Wang, Saowaros Suwansa-ard, Utpal Bose, Nori Satoh, Michaela Egertova, Michael R. Hall, Maria Bryne, Maurice R. Elphick, Cherie A. Motti, Scott F. Cummins
Summary: This study investigates the ultrastructure of the radial nerve cords (RNCs) in the Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish and identifies various secreted proteins and neuropeptides, providing insight into the ecological impact, movement, and regeneration of this coral predator.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meaghan K. K. Smith, Bronwyn A. A. Rotgans, Tomas Lang, Ryan Johnston, Tianfang Wang, Saowaros Suwansa-ard, Utpal Bose, Nori Satoh, Michaela Egertova, Michael R. R. Hall, Maria Byrne, Maurice R. R. Elphick, Cherie A. A. Motti, Scott F. F. Cummins
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Blake Lausen, Anahita Ahang, Scott Cummins, Tianfang Wang
Summary: This systematic literature review examines the important factors to consider when extracting and purifying jellyfish venom toxins. The results indicate that the toxins of box jellyfish are the most easily purified, followed by cubozoans and hydrozoans. The best practices for maintaining venom bioactivity include strict thermal management, autolysis extraction, and two-step liquid chromatography purification. This review provides a valuable resource for efficient extraction, purification, and identification of jellyfish venom toxins.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yihang Chen, Chengao Yang, Tianfang Wang, Hongguang Yu, Jianmei Shi, Xiangbin Su, Yu Zhang, Youwen Zhao, Cunzhu Tong, Donghai Wu, Yingqiang Xu, Haiqiao Ni, Zhichuan Niu
Summary: A novel graded AlGaAsSb layer growth method was proposed to achieve a super-linear interface. Atomically smooth surface and lattice-matched epitaxy was confirmed. High-power, high-efficiency GaSb-based laser emitters and laser bars were obtained with the inserted graded layer. The smooth graded interface layer resulted in low turn-on voltage, ultra-low series resistance, and high power conversion efficiency.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Tiantian He, Juan Du, Keke Zhu, Yixuan Zhou, Zewei Xiao, Wenjie Liu, Weiwei Ren, Xiongying Liu, Tongsheng Chen, Wenjuan Liu, Zhuanming Chen, Guoying Ni, Xiaosong Liu, Tianfang Wang, Jiangtao Quan, Peipei Zhang, Jianwei Yuan
Summary: This study analyzed and compared the therapeutic effects of 131I-caerin 1.1 and 131I-c(RGD)2 on TE-1 esophageal cancer cell xenografts. The results showed that 131I-caerin 1.1 had tumor-targeting properties, could bind to TE-1 esophageal cancer cells and had a cytotoxic effect, while 131I-c(RGD)2 had no cytotoxic effect. 131I-caerin 1.1 better suppressed tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth compared to pure caerin 1.1, 131I-c(RGD)2, and pure c(RGD)2.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pingping Zhang, Shuxian Tang, Quanlan Fu, Yuandong Luo, Junjie Li, Zhu Chen, Hejie Li, Guoying Ni, Tianfang Wang, Guoqiang Chen, Xiaosong Liu
Summary: Caerin 1.1 and Caerin 1.9, natural antimicrobial peptides derived from tree frogs, have demonstrated the ability to inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, comparable to certain widely used antibiotics. Additionally, these peptides exhibit the capacity to prevent or treat biofilms formed by bacteria in conjunction with bodily components. The mechanisms underlying their antibacterial effects were investigated through a mouse model of bacterial skin infection, utilizing proteomic analysis as a technological approach.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)