Article
Immunology
Franziska Winkelmann, Anne Rabes, Cindy Reinholdt, Nicole Koslowski, Dirk Koczan, Emil C. Reisinger, Martina Sombetzki
Summary: This study reveals that adult schistosomes trigger sex-specific immune responses independent of parasite eggs. By identifying genes regulated by adult female or male worms, potential targets for schistosome elimination can be identified.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Izabella Cristina Andrade Batista, Sandra Grossi Gava, Naiara Clemente Tavares, Carlos Eduardo Calzavara-Silva, Marina Moraes Mourao
Summary: The study confirmed the regulation of the HGPRTase gene family by MAPK pathways in Schistosoma mansoni and revealed their essential roles in sporocysts and schistosomula development.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Tara E. Stewart Merrill, Dana M. Calhoun, Pieter T. J. Johnson
Summary: Understanding the capacity of different species to support parasite transmission, known as "competence", is crucial for modeling transmission and testing diversity-disease theory. However, the factors that generate competence and drive its variation are not well understood. This study developed novel approaches to systematically quantify competence for a multi-host, multi-parasite community. The findings suggest that variation in competence is mainly driven by differences in barrier resistance and pre-transmission mortality, highlighting the importance of host resistance and parasite pathogenicity. Host species identity was found to be a strong predictor of competence variation. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of infection and epidemiological patterns.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
David Duval, Pierre Poteaux, Benjamin Gourbal, Anne Rognon, Ronaldo De Carvalho Augusto
Summary: This article introduces a fluorescence imaging-based method that uses fluorescent probes to study parasite infections in snails. The method is simple and sensitive, making it highly useful for understanding the mechanisms of host-parasite interactions.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Fang Luo, Wenbin Yang, Mingbo Yin, Xiaojin Mo, Yuhong Pang, Chengsong Sun, Bingkuan Zhu, Wei Zhang, Cun Yi, Zhidan Li, Jipeng Wang, Bin Xu, Zheng Feng, Yangyi Huang, Yan Lu, Wei Hu
Summary: This study reveals the evolutionary history of S. japonicum by constructing its genome and analyzing samples from different populations. The research identifies a severe population bottleneck and several genomic regions under natural selection, providing insights into the adaptation of this parasite. The findings also highlight the association of certain genes with parasite development and infection, shedding light on potential targets for further studies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohamed R. Habib, Azza H. Mohamed, Abdel Hameed A. Nassar, Sherin K. Sheir
Summary: The present investigation explores the effects of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) on the fecundity of Biomphalaria alexandrina, snail's infection with Schistosoma mansoni, and histology of the ovotestis and topographical structure of S. mansoni cercariae. BPA exposure at 0.1 and 1 mg/L concentrations did not affect the snail's survival but increased the reproductive rate of infected snails. Histopathological investigations revealed alterations in the ovotestis tissue structure of exposed and infected-exposed snails. The pollution of BPA may negatively impact schistosomiasis transmission and have adverse effects on the reproduction and architecture of reproductive organs in snails.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
Conor E. Fogarty, Saowaros Suwansa-ard, Phong Phan, Donald P. McManus, Mary G. Duke, Russell C. Wyeth, Scott F. Cummins, Tianfang Wang
Summary: This study investigates the effect of potential neuropeptides derived from cercariae on cercarial behavior. It identifies several neuropeptide precursor proteins specific to Schistosoma and characterizes their interactions with structural proteins in cercariae. The study finds that certain neuropeptides can stimulate behavioral changes in cercariae and suggests their potential use in biocontrol strategies against human schistosomiasis.
Article
Immunology
Xiaofeng Du, Donald P. McManus, Conor E. Fogarty, Malcolm K. Jones, Hong You
Summary: Stem cells in Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic worm, are maintained by the fibroblast growth factor receptor A (SmFGFRA), which is abundantly distributed in germinal/stem cells as well as in various life stages of the worm. SmFGFRA is involved in the development of the nervous and reproductive system of the worm and plays a role in the interaction between the parasite and the host. It can bind to human fibroblast growth factors and activate the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Inhibiting FGF signaling reduces egg hatching ability and affects the behavior of the hatched larvae. The findings provide insights into the complex life cycle of the worm and suggest that components of the FGF signaling pathway could be potential targets for developing interventions against schistosomiasis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kassia K. Malta, Thiago P. Silva, Cinthia Palazzi, Vitor H. Neves, Livia A. S. Carmo, Simone J. Cardoso, Rossana C. N. Melo
Summary: This article explores the hepatic Schistosoma mansoni granuloma as a real ecosystem, composed of cells, protein scaffolds, fibers, and chemical compounds, with complex energy and matter inputs and outputs. The granuloma is considered as a multifaceted cell community that undergoes progressive changes in its composition over time, highlighting the importance of understanding schistosomiasis.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Cindy Reinholdt, Franziska Winkelmann, Nicole Koslowski, Emil C. Reisinger, Martina Sombetzki
Summary: Long-term unisexual schistosome infection leads to an unpolarized Th1/Th2 immune response and organ inflammation. This study shows that single schistosomes can mate and lay eggs months after infection, resulting in Typ2 immune response and fibrosis. Therefore, infection status without positive egg detection is still important.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Katja R. Wiedemann, Alejandra Peter Ventura, Stefanie Gerbig, Martin Roderfeld, Thomas Quack, Christoph G. Grevelding, Elke Roeb, Bernhard Spengler
Summary: This study identified and studied infection markers in the livers of hamsters infected with the parasitic Schistosoma mansoni using LC-MS/MS technology, and matched these markers to specific anatomical structures using high-resolution MALDI MSI.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David M. Rand, Joaquin C. B. Nunez, Shawn Williams, Stephen Rong, John T. Burley, Kimberly B. Neil, Adam N. Spierer, Wilson McKerrow, David S. Johnson, Yevgeniy Raynes, Thomas J. Fayton, Nicholas Skvir, David A. Ferranti, Maya Greenhill Zeff, Amanda Lyons, Naima Okami, David M. Morgan, Kealohanuiopuna Kinney, Bianca R. P. Brown, Anne E. Giblin, Zoe G. Cardon
Summary: Manipulation of host phenotypes by parasites is a strategy for enhancing parasite transmission, and this study found that trematode infection alters the gene expression of its amphipod host, leading to changes in coloration, behavior and immune responses. The study provides new genomic tools and transcriptomic analyses to understand how parasites manipulate host phenotypes.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ming Fung Franco Au, Gray A. A. Williams, Jerome H. L. Hui
Summary: Schistosomiasis, caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, is a parasitic disease affecting over 230 million people worldwide. Infection occurs through various activities, with freshwater snails Biomphalaria releasing larvae that penetrate human skin. Understanding the biology of these snails is crucial for controlling the spread of schistosomiasis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bingjian Ren, Manuela Schmid, Mattea Scheiner, Hans-Joachim Mollenkopf, Richard Lucius, Emanuel Heitlinger, Nishith Gupta
Summary: Successful asexual reproduction of intracellular pathogens relies on their ability to exploit host resources and evade antimicrobial defenses. In this study, two common apicomplexan parasites, Toxoplasma gondii and Eimeria falciformis, were used to investigate their interactions with mammalian cells, revealing distinct responses from individual host cells to different pathogens. The master transcription factor cFos was found to play a crucial role in the infection process, affecting the growth of both parasites in host cells. Overall, a network centered around cFos was identified, along with underlying signal cascades and a variety of nucleotide- and ion-binding proteins, which work together to help the mammalian cell adapt and facilitate parasite development.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dilhan J. Perera, Adam S. Hassan, Sunny S. Liu, Seyyed Mehdy Elahi, Christine Gadoury, Risini D. Weeratna, RenaId Gilbert, Momar Ndao
Summary: Schistosomiasis is a underestimated neglected tropical disease that affects over 236.6 million people worldwide. The lack of a prophylactic vaccine and the inability of current drugs to prevent reinfection highlight the need for alternative treatment options. Our study suggests that Schistosoma mansoni Cathepsin B could be a potential vaccine target.
Article
Cell Biology
Hellida Marina Costa-Silva, Bruno Carvalho Resende, Adriana Castilhos Souza Umaki, Willian Prado, Marcelo Santos da Silva, Stela Virgilio, Andrea Mara Macedo, Sergio Danilo Junho Pena, Erich Birelli Tahara, Luiz Ricardo Orsini Tosi, Maria Carolina Elias, Luciana Oliveira Andrade, Joao Luis Reis-Cunha, Gloria Regina Franco, Stenio Perdigao Fragoso, Carlos Renato Machado
Summary: DNA topoisomerases, in particular topoisomerase 3 alpha, play crucial roles in genomic maintenance, cell growth, and DNA damage response in Trypanosoma cruzi. Knockout of topoisomerase 3 alpha affects parasite growth, invasion rates, and ability to repair DNA damage induced by genotoxic agents. These findings underscore the importance of topoisomerase 3 alpha in homologous recombination repair and replication stress in T. cruzi.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Eddie Luidy Imada, Diego Fernando Sanchez, Wikum Dinalankara, Thiago Vidotto, Ericka M. Ebot, Svitlana Tyekucheva, Gloria Regina Franco, Lorelei Ann Mucci, Massimo Loda, Edward Matthew Schaeffer, Tamara Lotan, Luigi Marchionni
Summary: In this study, a transcriptional signature of PTEN loss in prostate cancer was identified, showing activation of immune systems and cell-cycle genes. The study also discovered potential novel lncRNAs associated with PTEN loss and prostate cancer progression, expanding the understanding of the molecular landscape in PCa. The findings suggest that PTEN loss in prostate cancer leads to increased immune system activation, contrary to observations in other cancers, which could have implications for the development of biomarkers and therapy choices.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michael Smith, Swara H. Yadav, Olayemi Fagunloye, Nana Adjoa J. Pels, Daniel M. Horton, Nashwah M. Alsultan, Andrea Borns, Carolyn T. Cousin, Freddie H. Dixon, Victoria T. Mann, Clarence H. Lee, Paul T. Brindley, Najib H. El-Sayed, Joanna T. Bridger, Matty H. Knight
Summary: The goal to reduce schistosomiasis by controlling the snail population faces challenges due to the complex life cycle of the parasite and lack of vaccines and new drugs. The study highlights the importance of understanding the molecular basis of how schistosomes survive in snails to effectively break the parasite's life cycle.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Maria Adelaida Gomez, Ashton Trey Belew, Adriana Navas, Mariana Rosales-Chilama, Julieth Murillo, Laura A. L. Dillon, Theresa A. Alexander, Alvaro Martinez-Valencia, Najib M. El-Sayed
Summary: This study investigates the early host determinants of healing and non-healing responses in human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis. Transcriptomic profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CL patients showed that the parasite modulates adaptive immune cell functions early on, impacting immune responses beyond innate and phagocytic functions.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Giovanni Marques de Castro, Zandora Hastenreiter, Thiago Augusto Silva Monteiro, Thieres Tayroni Martins da Silva, Francisco Pereira Lobo
Summary: This article presents and validates a machine learning strategy to predict essential genes in insects using sequence-based intrinsic attributes and transcriptomic data. Even models trained using only intrinsic attributes can predict genes in other insect species, including lineage-specific essential genes. Furthermore, the inclusion of RNA-Seq data contributes to increased classifier performance.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hemanoel Passarelli-Araujo, Sarah H. Jacobs, Gloria R. Franco, Thiago M. Venancio
Summary: P. alloputida was proposed as a new species and its population structure includes at least 7 clonal complexes. Clinical isolates are mainly found in one of the complexes, and horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in shaping its ability to bioremediate aromatic compounds.
Article
Microbiology
Hemanoel Passarelli-Araujo, Gloria Regina Franco, Thiago M. Venancio
Summary: The study utilized a large number of Pseudomonas genomes to construct a genomic distance network and phylogenetic tree, revealing the potential diversity and classification issues within the genus. The findings suggest that Pseudomonas may be a mixture of different genera and should be further subdivided.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomaz Luscher-Dias, Rodrigo Juliani Siqueira Dalmolin, Paulo de Paiva Amaral, Tiago Lubiana Alves, Viviane Schuch, Gloria Regina Franco, Helder I. Nakaya
Summary: This study used cognitive computing text-mining techniques to construct a knowledge network of genes and diseases and analyzed the changes in these networks over the past 30 years. The study revealed the molecular basis of diseases, shared mechanisms between different diseases, and the genes commonly associated with multiple disorders. By exploring this knowledge network, relevant biological information and insights about human diseases can be extracted.
Article
Microbiology
Lindsey R. Burcham, Madeline S. Akbari, Norhan Alhajjar, Rebecca A. Keogh, Jana N. Radin, Thomas E. Kehl-Fie, Ashton T. Belew, Najib M. El-Sayed, Kevin S. McIver, Kelly S. Doran
Summary: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is associated with severe infections in utero and in newborn populations, and our understanding of the factors required for GBS persistence in the female reproductive tract (FRT) remains limited. In this study, we identified several genes necessary for GBS survival and colonization in the FRT using a transposon mutant library. We found that mutations in the mtsA gene, which is involved in manganese transport, were significantly underrepresented in all in vivo samples collected. We also demonstrated that mtsA contributes to GBS survival during metal limitation and oxidative stress. This work reveals the importance of Mn2+ homeostasis in GBS survival in the FRT.
Article
Surgery
Luigi Marchionni, Francisco Pereira Lobo, Rumen Kostadinov, Anna Serra, Federico Genzano Besso, Silvia Deaglio, Piero Stratta, Monica Berrino, Claudio Zanettini, Eddie Luidy Imada, Mohamed N. Omar, Gianluca Gaidano, Benedetto Bruno, Giuseppe Saglio, Antonio Amoroso
Summary: We report a case of transmission of AML from a self-donor to two kidney and one liver recipients. The recipients showed donor chimerism and distinct clonal evolution, providing a potential molecular explanation for tumor escape.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Nathalia Franchon Marques Tejada, Joao Vitor Ziroldo Lopes, Luis Eduardo Duarte da Goncalves, Izabela Mamede Costa Andrade da Conceicao, Gloria Regina Franco, Bruno Ghirotto, Niels Olsen Saraiva Camara
Summary: The enhancement of inflammasomes and the expression of AIM2 are correlated with T-cell activation and oxidative phosphorylation metabolism in acute rejection. AIM2 expression can serve as a potential biomarker for discerning acute rejection grafts.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Solomon A. Mekonnen, Nour El Husseini, Asan Turdiev, Jared A. Carter, Ashton Trey Belew, Najib M. El-Sayed, Vincent T. Lee
Summary: In this study, a murine model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa CAUTI was used to show that asymptomatic bacteriuria and CAUTI are independent events that require different bacterial virulence factors. This finding has important implications for the treatment and intervention of device-associated infections.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Larissa M. G. Cassiano, Vanessa Cavalcante-Silva, Marina S. Oliveira, Barbara V. O. Prado, Cristianne G. Cardoso, Anna C. M. Salim, Gloria R. Franco, Vania D'Almeida, Saionara C. Francisco, Roney S. Coimbra
Summary: COVID-19 induces chromatin remodeling in host immune cells, and vitamin B12 downregulates inflammatory genes through methyl-dependent epigenetic mechanisms. This study evaluated the potential of B12 as an adjuvant drug using blood cultures from COVID-19 patients. B12 normalized the expression of inflammatory genes and increased the sulfur amino acid pathway, which regulates methyl bioavailability. The downregulation of CCL3 by B12 was strongly correlated with hypermethylation of CpGs in its regulatory regions. Transcriptome analysis showed that B12 attenuates the effects of COVID-19 on inflammation-related pathways.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Jorge Augusto Hongo, Giovanni Marques de Castro, Alison Pelri Albuquerque Menezes, Agnello Cesar Rios Picorelli, Thieres Tayroni Martins da Silva, Eddie Luidy Imada, Luigi Marchionni, Luiz-Eduardo Del-Bem, Anderson Vieira Chaves, Gabriel Magno de Freitas Almeida, Felipe Campelo, Francisco Pereira Lobo
Summary: This article introduces a phylogeny-aware comparative genomics tool called CALANGO, which is used to find homologous regions and biological roles associated with quantitative phenotypes across species. Through two case studies, CALANGO has identified both known and previously unidentified genotype-phenotype associations, providing new directions for research in ecology and agriculture.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Izabela Mamede C. A. da Conceicao, Thomaz Luscher-Dias, Lucio R. Queiroz, Ana Gabrielle B. de Melo, Carlos Renato Machado, Karina B. Gomes, Renan P. Souza, Marcelo R. Luizon, Gloria R. Franco
Summary: This study characterized differentially affected lncRNA isoforms by metformin treatment in multiple human cell types, aiming to provide insights into the regulation of lncRNA by this drug. The results suggest the importance of considering DE isoforms of lncRNA for understanding metformin mechanisms at the molecular level.
