Article
Microbiology
Abhinaya Venkatesan, Pablo D. Jimenez Castro, Arianna S. Morosetti, Hannah C. Horvath, Rebecca M. Chen, Elizabeth S. Redman, Kayla Dunn, James Bryant V. Collins, James S. Fraser, Erik C. V. Anderson, Ray M. Kaplan, John S. V. Gilleard
Summary: This study provides the first evidence of widespread drug resistance in parasitic nematodes of companion animals, specifically in Ancylostoma caninum, and highlights the power of molecular approaches to assess anthelmintic resistance in a region.
Article
Parasitology
Hanchen Li, David Gazzola, Yan Hu, Raffi Aroian
Summary: Hookworms are highly prevalent and important parasites of humans, causing anemia, growth stunting, malnutrition, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. They are also critical for dogs and other animals, and have potential in autoimmune and inflammatory disease therapies. However, the lack of good cryopreservation methods hinders laboratory research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Leonard J. Foster
Summary: A comprehensive proteomic analysis of 41 adult mouse tissues reveals evidence for protein products from at least 80% of all mouse genes. Comparison of tissue profiles between mouse and human suggests that the fundamental biology of this important model organism is even more different from our own than previously thought.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Phurpa Wangchuk, Dovile Anderson, Karma Yeshi, Alex Loukas
Summary: Hookworm infections have a significant impact on millions of people worldwide, with impaired mental and physical growth in children and anemias being common outcomes. This study conducted the first metabolomic and lipidomic analysis of infective third-stage larvae of the predominant human hookworm, identifying a large number of small molecules produced mainly through amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism. These metabolites, some of which exhibit anti-inflammatory activities, potentially play a role in facilitating skin penetration, tissue passage, and immune regulation in host tissues upon exposure to the parasite.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shuvechha Mukherjee, Indra Kundu, Mehdi Askari, Ram Shankar Barai, K. V. Venkatesh, Susan Idicula-Thomas
Summary: The study utilized a comprehensive computational workflow to identify, prioritize and validate drug targets in Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis, resulting in the discovery of novel metabolic and non-metabolic targets. These targets were confirmed to be essential through in silico gene knockout and in vitro drug inhibition assays, with the algorithm available for download and local execution.
Article
Parasitology
Erin Easland, Stefan Biendl, Jennifer Keiser
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated the effects of anthelminthic drugs on the egg stage of hookworms and found that benzimidazole anthelminthics, particularly albendazole and thiabendazole, had potent inhibitory effects. The results of this study contribute to the development of parasitic drugs and highlight the importance of evaluating drug activity against all life stages of parasites.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Suttipong Suttapitugsakul, Ming Tong, Fangxu Sun, Ronghu Wu
Summary: Secreted glycoproteins play crucial roles in extracellular activities and can serve as excellent biomarkers for disease detection. A method combining selective enrichment and boosting approach allows for comprehensive characterization of secreted glycoproteins from cultured cells, providing insights into cellular activities and glycoprotein functions.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Clement Ameh Yaro, Ezekiel Kogi, Sodangi Abdulkarim Luka, Mohamed A. Nassan, Junaidu Kabir, Kenneth Nnamdi Opara, Helal F. Hetta, Gaber El-Saber Batiha
Summary: This study focused on determining the impact of environmental risk factors on the geospatial distribution of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Kogi East, North Central Nigeria. It identified temperature, precipitation, and soil clay content as the key factors influencing the distribution of STHs in the region. Public health control programs targeting high-risk areas were recommended to include mass drug administration, health education, and improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Amish Asthana, Riccardo Tamburrini, Deborah Chaimov, Carlo Gazia, Stephen J. Walker, Mark Van Dyke, Alice Tomei, Sandrine Lablanche, John Robertson, Emmanuel C. Opara, Shay Soker, Giuseppe Orlando
Summary: Interactions between pancreatic ECM and islet cells play a crucial role in islet physiology, and combining engineering approaches with mass spectrometry techniques can provide a more comprehensive analysis of the proteome for creating physiologically relevant pancreatic microenvironments.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Franziska Winkelmann, Manuela Gesell Salazar, Christian Hentschker, Stephan Michalik, Tomas Machacek, Christian Scharf, Emil C. Reisinger, Uwe Voelker, Martina Sombetzki
Summary: The study compared the differences in tegument proteins between adult female and male Schistosoma worms and found that these proteins play different roles in cellular processes, antioxidant mechanisms, phosphorylation, and signal transduction. These findings contribute to understanding the strategies used by the two sexes of worms to evade the host's immune system.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
David J. Diemert, Maria Zumer, Doreen Campbell, Shannon Grahek, Guangzhao Li, Jin Peng, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter Hotez, Jeffrey Bethony
Summary: The hemoglobinase vaccine for Necator americanus demonstrated good tolerability and safety in clinical trials, inducing significant increases in antigen-specific IgG antibody levels. Additionally, the addition of specific adjuvants enhanced immune responses to the vaccine antigen.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Euripide F. G. A. Avokpaho, Parfait Houngbegnon, Manfred Accrombessi, Eloic Atindegla, Elodie Yard, Arianna Rubin Means, David S. Kennedy, D. Timothy J. Littlewood, Andre Garcia, Achille Massougbodji, Sean R. Galagan, Judd L. Walson, Gilles Cottrell, Moudachirou Ibikounle, Kristjana Hronn Asbjornsdottir, Adrian J. F. Luty
Summary: Despite previous deworming campaigns targeting school-aged children, there is still a persistent reservoir of soil-transmitted helminth infections in adults and pre-school aged children that require targeted control measures. Expanding mass drug administration to target the whole community, instead of just school-aged children, may be necessary to achieve the goal of eliminating soil-transmitted helminths as a public health problem.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Aneesha Nath, Janakiram Rayabaram, Smitha Ijee, Abhirup Bagchi, Anurag Dutta Chaudhury, Debanjan Roy, Karthik Chambayil, Jyoti Singh, Yukio Nakamura, Shaji R. Velayudhan
Summary: miRNAs play crucial roles in erythropoiesis, studying them helps uncover cellular pathways involved in erythroid differentiation. By analyzing occupancy of transcription factors and chromatin accessibility, we integrated miRNAs in erythropoiesis transcriptional circuitry. Target analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs revealed novel pathways in erythroid differentiation, and application of CRISPR-Cas9 for miRNA editing was described for functional studies in human erythropoiesis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kristy Azzopardi, Myra Hardy, Ciara Baker, Rhian Bonnici, Stacey Llewellyn, James S. McCarthy, Rebecca J. Traub, Andrew C. Steer
Summary: A scalable system for stool STH multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) was established in this study. Stool samples collected in Fiji were transferred to Melbourne and DNA was extracted using washing and extraction tools. The research successfully detected multiple species of STH, and stored stool for up to 15 weeks without compromising DNA.
Article
Agronomy
Nikolai Kondratev, Martin J. Middleditch, Matthew Denton-Giles, Rosie E. Bradshaw, Murray P. Cox, Paul P. Dijkwel
Summary: Ciborinia camelliae is a fungal pathogen that causes rapid browning and flower drop on ornamental plants of the genus Camellia. The proteins secreted by C. camelliae are necrogenic and proteinaceous in nature, with a functional distribution similar to other related fungi. While some of these proteins might contribute to virulence, they do not determine host specificity.
Article
Parasitology
Karina P. De Sousa, Jeremy Potriquet, Jason Mulvenna, Javier Sotillo, Penny L. Groves, Alex Loukas, Simon H. Apte, Denise L. Doolan
Summary: This study identified the protein cargo of sEVs in the plasma of P. yoelii-infected mice. The identified proteins include vaccine candidates, potential targets of T cell immunoreactivity, and proteins involved in metabolic processes, regulation, homeostasis, and immunity. These findings enhance our understanding of the host-parasite interactions and provide potential targets for malaria vaccination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
M. J. Quinzo, M. J. Perteguer, P. J. Brindley, A. Loukas, J. Sotillo
Summary: Helminth infections have a significant impact on global health and livestock farming. Genomic and proteomic approaches can provide insights into helminth biology, leading to advancements in understanding host-helminth interactions and the development of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. Despite methodological limitations, new techniques like CRISPR offer new possibilities for transgenesis research in trematodes and nematodes.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Guilherme S. Ramos, Virginia M. R. Vallejos, Gabriel S. M. Borges, Raquel M. Almeida, Izabela M. Alves, Marta M. G. Aguiar, Christian Fernandes, Pedro P. G. Guimaraes, Ricardo T. Fujiwara, Philippe M. Loiseau, Lucas A. M. Ferreira, Frederic Frezard
Summary: This study developed a formulation of PEGylated liposomal AmB and compared its efficacy to AmBisome (R) in a murine model of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The results showed that the PEGylated formulation significantly reduced lesion growth and parasite load in the treatment of CL, both through parenteral and oral routes.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Aaron Chuah, Sean Li, Andrea Do, Matt Field, Dan Andrews
Summary: Missense mutations that affect protein stability are closely related to human genetic diseases. With the help of the AlphaFold2 prediction model, it is now possible to easily assess the stability effects of genetic variations on a genome-wide scale. This study presents a novel tool that prioritizes variants predicted to cause significant instability in essential proteins, leading to better discrimination between pathogenic mutations and population variations compared to other prediction methods.
Article
Parasitology
Fabricio Marcus Silva Oliveira, Lucas Kraemer, Caroline Cavalcanti da Silva, Denise Silva Nogueira, Ana Clara Gazzinelli-Guimaraes, Pedro Henrique Gazzinelli-Guimaraes, Fernando Sergio Barbosa, Nathalia Maria Resende, Marcelo Vidigal Caliari, Soraya Torres Gaze, Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Lilian Lacerda Bueno
Summary: This study found that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in controlling parasitic load during ascariasis. Mice lacking the iNOS gene showed reduced inflammation and tissue damage during liver larval migration, which was associated with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the serum.
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Casey A. Schmidt, Ira Cooke, David T. Wilson, David J. Miller, Steve Peigneur, Jan Tytgat, Matthew Field, Rozita Takjoo, Michael J. Smout, Alex Loukas, Norelle L. Daly
Summary: This study explores the structural diversity of peptides in stony corals and identifies new peptide sequences and structures. One of the peptides promotes cell proliferation in human cells and may be involved in coral regeneration. Additionally, other peptides with structural linkages to fascin and small cysteine-rich proteins are discovered. These findings provide initial insights into the diversity and potential functions of coral peptides.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Anne C. S. Ramos, Luciana M. Oliveira, Yvanna L. D. C. O. Santos, Marlon C. S. Dantas, Cristiani I. B. Walker, Ana M. C. Faria, Lilian L. Bueno, Silvio S. Dolabella, Ricardo T. Fujiwara
Summary: This systematic review aimed to investigate the role of Immunoglobulin-A (IgA) as a mediator of protective immunity against gastrointestinal helminths. The results showed consistent associations between higher IgA levels and lower parasitological parameters in mice, rats, and sheep. However, the role of IgA in other host species remained uncertain, highlighting the need for further research.
IMMUNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
James Rooney, Cinzia Cantacessi, Javier Sotillo, Alba Cortes
Summary: A range of studies have shown that infections by gastrointestinal helminths affect the composition and function of the gut microbiota. Understanding the mechanisms behind these relationships may help develop new strategies for controlling parasites. This article reviews methods to manipulate the gut microbiome and discusses their potential applications in fighting helminth diseases in humans and livestock.
PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michal Busa, Zuzana Matouskova, Pavla Bartosova-Sojkova, Petr Pachl, Pavlina Rezacova, Ramon Marc Eichenberger, Peter Deplazes, Martin Horn, Sasa Stefanic, Michael Mares
Summary: Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and has become an emerging human disease. The protein FhCyLS-2 from F. hepatica is a member of the cystatin superfamily and has characteristics of both intracellular stefins and secreted true cystatins. It acts as a broad specificity inhibitor of cysteine cathepsins, playing a dual role in the regulation of exogenous and endogenous proteolysis.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Ruby White, Javier Sotillo, Maria Eugenia Ancarola, Anne Borup, Anders Toftegaard Boysen, Paul J. Brindley, Edit Buzas, Serena Cavallero, Sujittra Chaiyadet, Iain W. Chalmers, Marcela A. Cucher, Maude Dagenais, Chelsea N. Davis, Eileen Devaney, Maria A. Duque-Correa, Ramon Marc Eichenberger, Santiago Fontenla, Thomas A. Gasan, Cornelis H. Hokke, Maja Kosanovic, Marije E. Kuipers, Thewarach Laha, Alex Loukas, Rick M. Maizels, Antonio Marcilla, Hynek Mazanec, Russell M. Morphew, Kyriaki Neophytou, Linh Thuy Nguyen, Esther Nolte-'t Hoen, Michael Povelones, Mark W. Robinson, Alicia Rojas, Irma Schabussova, Hermelijn H. Smits, Sivapong Sungpradit, Lucienne Tritten, Bradley Whitehead, Amin Zakeri, Peter Nejsum, Amy H. Buck, Karl F. Hoffmann
Summary: Over the past decade, there has been a growing research interest in studying how extracellular vesicles (EVs) shape cross-species communication. In particular, helminths, which are parasitic worm species, have been found to manipulate the immune function and physiology of their hosts. This article highlights the challenges and best practices for studying helminth-derived EVs, complementing existing guidelines for mammalian EV research.
JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Philipp A. Kronenberg, Michael Reinehr, Ramon Marc Eichenberger, Sina Hasler, Teivi Laurimae, Achim Weber, Ansgar Deibel, Beat Muellhaupt, Bruno Gottstein, Norbert Mueller, Andrew Hemphill, Peter Deplazes
Summary: This study investigated the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the detection and visualization of major antigens in Echinococcus multilocularis and E. granulosus s.l. The mAbs Em2G11 and EmG3 showed specific binding to the extracellular vesicles (EVs) of both species, and exhibited staining patterns specific to the laminated layer and germinal layer of the parasite. These mAbs are valuable tools for studying parasite-host interactions and pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Danniele L. Vale, Camila S. Freitas, Vivian T. Martins, Gabriel J. L. Moreira, Amanda S. Machado, Fernanda F. Ramos, Isabela A. G. Pereira, Raquel S. Bandeira, Marcelo M. de Jesus, Grasiele S. V. Tavares, Fernanda Ludolf, Miguel A. Chavez-Fumagalli, Alexsandro S. Galdino, Ricardo T. Fujiwara, Lilian L. Bueno, Bruno M. Roatt, Myron Christodoulides, Eduardo A. F. Coelho, Daniela P. Lage
Summary: Our study used an immunotherapeutic approach combining a vaccine and drug to successfully treat mice infected with Leishmania parasites. This approach significantly reduced the parasite load in the animals' internal organs and increased the production of protective antibodies. The inclusion of the vaccine and adjuvant also reduced the toxicity of the drug.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Doris R. Pierce, Malcolm McDonald, Lea Merone, Luke Becker, Fintan Thompson, Chris Lewis, Rachael Y. M. Ryan, Sze Fui Hii, Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia, Rebecca J. Traub, Matthew A. Field, Tony Rahman, John Croese, Alex Loukas, Robyn McDermott, Paul R. Giacomin
Summary: This study demonstrates that treatment with hookworms is safe and can improve metabolic health in people at risk of type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest a potential protective role for parasitic worms against metabolic disorders, although further research is needed.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
J. William O. Ballard, Matt A. Field, Richard J. Edwards, Laura A. B. Wilson, Loukas G. Koungoulos, Benjamin D. Rosen, Barry Chernoff, Olga Dudchenko, Arina Omer, Jens Keilwagen, Ksenia Skvortsova, Ozren Bogdanovic, Eva Chan, Robert Zammit, Vanessa Hayes, Erez Lieberman Aiden
Summary: We describe a female Alpine dingo named Cooinda, who has been identified as a representative specimen for future research on the evolutionary history, morphology, physiology, and ecology of dingoes. The study provides evidence that Cooinda exhibits genetic and morphological characteristics typical of the Alpine ecotype.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rhys Gillman, Matt A. Field, Ulf Schmitz, Rozemary Karamatic, Lionel Hebbard
Summary: Cancer, a heterogeneous disease with a strong genetic component, can benefit from precision medicine approaches to identify molecular drivers. Single-tumour methods based on gene interaction networks have limitations and require further research for evaluation.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)