Molecular and biochemical parasitology最新文献

{"title":"TKL family kinases in human apicomplexan pathogens","authors":"Dima Hajj Ali,&nbsp;Rajshekhar Y. Gaji","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Apicomplexan parasites are the primary causative agents of many human diseases, including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. These opportunistic pathogens undergo complex life cycles with multiple developmental stages, wherein many key steps are regulated by phosphorylation mechanisms. The genomes of apicomplexan pathogens contain protein kinases from different groups including tyrosine kinase-like (TKL) family proteins. Although information on the role of TKL kinases in apicomplexans is quite limited, recent studies have revealed the important role of this family of proteins in apicomplexan biology. TKL kinases in these protozoan pathogens show unique organization with many novel domains thus making them attractive candidates for drug development. In this mini review, we summarize the current understanding of the role of TKL kinases in human apicomplexan pathogens’ (<em>Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum</em> and <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em>) biology and pathogenesis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166685124000215/pdfft?md5=4523ee32bae5769151264bfe91047782&pid=1-s2.0-S0166685124000215-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140892636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of antigenic proteins of the Taenia solium postoncospheral form","authors":"Nancy Chile ,&nbsp;Edson G. Bernal-Teran ,&nbsp;Beth J. Condori ,&nbsp;Taryn Clark ,&nbsp;Hector H. Garcia ,&nbsp;Robert H. Gilman ,&nbsp;Manuela R. Verastegui ,&nbsp;for The Cysticercosis Working Group in Peru","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111621","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111621","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Neurocysticercosis is the leading cause for acquired epilepsy worldwide, and it is caused by the larval stage of the parasite <em>Taenia solium</em>. Several proteins of this stage have been characterized and studied to understand the parasite-host interaction, however, the proteins from the early cysticercus stages (the postoncospheral form) have not yet been characterized. The study of the postoncospheral form proteins is important to understand the host-parasite relationship in the early stages of infection. The aim of this work was to identify postoncospheral form antigenic proteins using sera from neurocysticercosis patients. <em>T. solium</em> activated oncospheres were cultured in HCT-8 cells to obtain the postoncospheral form. Soluble total and excretory/secretory proteins were obtained from the postoncospheral form and were incubated with both pool sera and individual serum of neurocysticercosis positive human patients. Immunoblotting showed target antigenic proteins with apparent molecular weights of 23 kDa and 46–48 kDa. The 46–48 kDa antigen bands present in soluble total and excretory/secretory postoncospheral form proteins were analyzed by LC-MS/MS; proteins identified were: nuclear elongation factor 1 alpha, enolase, unnamed protein product/antigen diagnostic GP50, calcium binding protein calreticulin precursor and annexin. The postoncospheral form expresses proteins related to interaction with the host, some of these proteins are predicted to be exosomal proteins. In conclusion, postoncospheral proteins are consistent targets of the humoral immune response in human and may serve as targets for diagnosis and vaccines.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140859153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of PIP39 in oxidative stress response appears conserved in kinetoplastids","authors":"Hina Durrani,&nbsp;James A. Bjork,&nbsp;Sara L. Zimmer","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Kinetoplastids, a group of flagellated protists that are often insect intestinal parasites, encounter various sources of oxidative stress. Such stressors include reactive oxygen species, both internally produced within the protist, and induced externally by host immune responses. This investigation focuses on the role of a highly conserved aspartate-based protein phosphatase, PTP-Interacting protein (PIP39) in managing oxidative stress. In addition to its well accepted role in a <em>Trypanosoma brucei</em> life stage transition, there is evidence of PIP39 participation in the <em>T. brucei</em> oxidative stress response. To examine whether this latter PIP39 role may exist more broadly, we aimed to elucidate PIP39’s contribution to redox homeostasis in the monoxenous parasite <em>Leptomonas seymouri</em>. Utilizing CRISPR-Cas9-mediated elimination of PIP39 in conjunction with oxidative stress assays, we demonstrate that PIP39 is required for cellular tolerance to oxidative stress in <em>L. seymouri</em>, positing it as a putative regulatory node for adaptive stress responses. We propose that future analysis of <em>L. seymouri</em> PIP39 enzymatic activity, regulation, and potential localization to a specialized organelle termed a glycosome will contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which protozoan parasites adapt to oxidative environments. Our study also demonstrates success at using gene editing tools developed for <em>Leishmania</em> for the related <em>L. seymouri</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140758797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of the Trypanosoma cruzi infection in adipose tissue: Assessing gene expression of PNPLA2, FASN, and ACAT1 under Benzonidazole treatment and indirect mononuclear immune cells interaction","authors":"Ana Carla da Silva ,&nbsp;Leyllane Rafael Moreira ,&nbsp;Cíntia Nascimento da Costa Oliveira ,&nbsp;Claudeir Dias da Silva Júnior ,&nbsp;Kleyton Palmeira do Ó ,&nbsp;Kamila Kássia Dos Santos Oliveira ,&nbsp;Maria Gabriella Nunes De Melo ,&nbsp;Ana Karine de Araújo Soares ,&nbsp;Milena de Paiva Cavalcanti ,&nbsp;Luydson Richardson Silva Vasconcelos ,&nbsp;Virginia Maria Barros de Lorena","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111618","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> is a parasite with a high capacity to adapt to the host. Animal models have already demonstrated that the tropism of this parasite occurs not only in cardiac/digestive tissues but also in adipose tissue (AT). <u>That said, the consequences of</u> <em><u>T. cruzi</u></em> <u>infection for AT and the implications of treatment with Benzonidazole in this tissue are under discussion</u>. Here, we tested the hypothesis that <em>T. cruzi</em> infection in adipose tissue upon treatment with <u>Benzonidazole (Bz)</u> and the interaction of mononuclear immune cells (PBMC) influences the relative expression of ACAT1, FASN, and PNPLA2 genes. Thus, stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ADSC) after adipogenic differentiation were indirectly cultivated with PBMC after infection with the <em>T. cruzi</em> Y strain and treatment with Bz. We use the TcSAT-IAM system and RT-qPCR to evaluate the parasite load and the relative quantification (ΔCt) of the ACAT1, FASN, and PNPLA2 genes. Our results demonstrate that treatment with Bz did not reduce adipocyte infection in the presence (p-value: 0.5796) or absence (p-value: 0.1854) of cultivation with PBMC. In addition, even though there is no statistical difference when compared to the control group (AT), <em>T. cruzi</em> induces the FASN expression (Rq: 14.00). However, treatment with <u>Bz</u> in AT suggests the increases of PNPLA2 expression levels (Rq: 12.58), even in the absence of <em>T. cruzi</em> infection. During indirect cultivation with PBMC, <em>T. cruzi</em> smooths the expression of PNPLA2 (Rq: 0.824) and instigates the expression of ACAT1 (Rq: 1.632) and FASN (Rq: 1.394). Furthermore, the treatment with <u>Bz</u> during infection induces PNPLA2 expression (Rq: 1.871), maintaining FASN expression levels (Rq: 1.334). Given this, our results indicate that treatment with <u>Benzonidazole</u> did not decrease <em>T. cruzi</em> infection in adipose tissue. However, treating the adipocyte cells with <u>Bz</u> during the <u>interaction</u> with PBMC cells influences the lipid pathways scenario, inducing lipolytic metabolism through the expression of PNPLA2.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166685124000112/pdfft?md5=0775649b1b0d036dadb4bfd038a55837&pid=1-s2.0-S0166685124000112-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140548485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formation of functional E3 ligase complexes with UBC2 and UEV1 of Leishmania mexicana","authors":"Rebecca J. Burge ,&nbsp;Katie H. Jameson ,&nbsp;Vincent Geoghegan ,&nbsp;Adam A. Dowle ,&nbsp;Jeremy C. Mottram ,&nbsp;Anthony J. Wilkinson","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In eukaryotic cells, molecular fate and cellular responses are shaped by multicomponent enzyme systems which reversibly attach ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifiers to target proteins. The extent of the ubiquitin proteasome system in <em>Leishmania mexicana</em> and its importance for parasite survival has recently been established through deletion mutagenesis and life-cycle phenotyping studies. The ubiquitin conjugating E2 enzyme UBC2, and the E2 enzyme variant UEV1, with which it forms a stable complex <em>in vitro</em>, were shown to be essential for the differentiation of promastigote parasites to the infectious amastigote form. To investigate further, we used immunoprecipitation of Myc-UBC2 or Myc-UEV1 to identify interacting proteins in <em>L. mexicana</em> promastigotes. The interactome of UBC2 comprises multiple ubiquitin-proteasome components including UEV1 and four RING E3 ligases, as well as potential substrates predicted to have roles in carbohydrate metabolism and intracellular trafficking. The smaller UEV1 interactome comprises six proteins, including UBC2 and shared components of the UBC2 interactome consistent with the presence of intracellular UBC2-UEV1 complexes. Recombinant RING1, RING2 and RING4 E3 ligases were shown to support ubiquitin transfer reactions involving the E1, UBA1a, and UBC2 to available substrate proteins or to unanchored ubiquitin chains. These studies define additional components of a UBC2-dependent ubiquitination pathway shown previously to be essential for promastigote to amastigote differentiation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166685124000124/pdfft?md5=a1af992cd57abff5bdc12f6a1a933e54&pid=1-s2.0-S0166685124000124-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140331923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plasmodium falciparum proteases as new drug targets with special focus on metalloproteases","authors":"Prabhash Jyoti Mahanta,&nbsp;Kimjolly Lhouvum","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Malaria poses a significant global health threat particularly due to the prevalence of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> infection. With the emergence of parasite resistance to existing drugs including the recently discovered artemisinin, ongoing research seeks novel therapeutic avenues within the malaria parasite. Proteases are promising drug targets due to their essential roles in parasite biology, including hemoglobin digestion, merozoite invasion, and egress. While exploring the genomic landscape of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em>, it has been revealed that there are 92 predicted proteases, with only approximately 14 of them having been characterized. These proteases are further distributed among 26 families grouped into five clans: aspartic proteases, cysteine proteases, metalloproteases, serine proteases, and threonine proteases. Focus on metalloprotease class shows further role in organelle processing for mitochondria and apicoplasts suggesting the potential of metalloproteases as viable drug targets. Holistic understanding of the parasite intricate life cycle and identification of potential drug targets are essential for developing effective therapeutic strategies against malaria and mitigating its devastating global impact.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140330019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping the transporter-substrate interactions of the Trypanosoma cruzi NB1 nucleobase transporter reveals the basis for its high affinity and selectivity for hypoxanthine and guanine and lack of nucleoside uptake","authors":"Mustafa M. Aldfer ,&nbsp;Fabian Hulpia ,&nbsp;Serge van Calenbergh ,&nbsp;Harry P. De Koning","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111616","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111616","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> is a protozoan parasite and the etiological agent of Chagas disease, a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease that continues to spread to new areas. Yet, Chagas disease is still only treated with two related nitro compounds that are insufficiently effective and cause severe side effects. Nucleotide metabolism is one of the known vulnerabilities of <em>T. cruzi</em>, as they are auxotrophic for purines, and nucleoside analogues have been shown to have genuine promise against this parasite in vitro and in vivo. Since purine antimetabolites require efficient uptake through transporters, we here report a detailed characterisation of the <em>T. cruzi</em> NB1 nucleobase transporter with the aim of elucidating the interactions between TcrNB1 and its substrates and finding the positions that can be altered in the design of novel antimetabolites without losing transportability. Systematically determining the inhibition constants (K_i) of purine analogues for TcrNB1 yielded their Gibbs free energy of interaction, ΔG⁰. Pairwise comparisons of substrate (hypoxanthine, guanine, adenine) and analogues allowed us to determine that optimal binding affinity by TcrNB1 requires interactions with all four nitrogen residues of the purine ring, with N1 and N9, in protonation state, functioning as presumed hydrogen bond donors and unprotonated N3 and N7 as hydrogen bond acceptors. This is the same interaction pattern as we previously described for the main nucleobase transporters of <em>Trypanosoma brucei</em> spp. and <em>Leishmania major</em> and makes it the first of the ENT-family genes that is functionally as well as genetically conserved between the three main kinetoplast pathogens.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166685124000094/pdfft?md5=723135537fb81d81bb48861417315e0f&pid=1-s2.0-S0166685124000094-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139942588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of adaptation and evolution in Toxoplasma gondii","authors":"Sergio O. Angel,&nbsp;Laura Vanagas,&nbsp;Andres M. Alonso","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111615","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111615","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Toxoplasma</em> has high host flexibility, infecting all nucleated cells of mammals and birds. This implies that during its infective process the parasite must constantly adapt to different environmental situations, which in turn leads to modifications in its metabolism, regulation of gene transcription, translation of mRNAs and stage specific factors. There are conserved pathways that support these adaptations, which we aim to elucidate in this review. We begin by exploring the widespread epigenetic mechanisms and transcription regulators, continue with the supportive role of Heat Shock Proteins (Hsp), the translation regulation, stress granules, and finish with the emergence of contingency genes in highly variable genomic domains, such as subtelomeres. Within epigenetics, the discovery of a new histone variant of the H2B family (H2B.Z), contributing to <em>T. gondii</em> virulence and differentiation, but also gene expression regulation and its association with the metabolic state of the parasite, is highlighted. Associated with the regulation of gene expression are transcription factors (TFs). An overview of the main findings on TF and development is presented. We also emphasize the role of Hsp90 and Tgj1 in <em>T. gondii</em> metabolic fitness and the regulation of protein translation. Translation regulation is also highlighted as a mechanism for adaptation to conditions encountered by the parasite as well as stress granules containing mRNA and proteins generated in the extracellular tachyzoite. Another important aspect in evolution and adaptability are the subtelomeres because of their high variability and gene duplication rate. <em>Toxoplasma</em> possess multigene families of membrane proteins and contingency genes that are associated with different metabolic stresses. Among them parasite differentiation and environmental stresses stand out, including those that lead tachyzoite to bradyzoite conversion. Finally, we are interested in positioning protozoa as valuable evolution models, focusing on research related to the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, based on models recently generated, such as extracellular adaptation and ex vivo cyst recrudescence.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139735616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis on the current status of anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes: A global perspective","authors":"Enjia Cai ,&nbsp;Rongzheng Wu ,&nbsp;Yuhong Wu ,&nbsp;Yu Gao ,&nbsp;Yiping Zhu ,&nbsp;Jing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><span>The intensive application of anthelmintics in equine has led to considerable resistance in cyathostomins and </span><span><em>Parascaris equorum</em></span><span>. It has been well documented that benzimidazole (BZ) and pyrantel resistance is widespread in cyathostomins and </span><em>Parascaris equorum</em>. Since no new classes of anthelmintic have been introduced in the last 40 years, it is critical to be aware of the current risk factors of anthelmintic application to avoid further resistance.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>To review the factors affecting the level of anthelmintics resistance in equine around the world, type of anthelmintics, mode of application, dosage, nematode species, and location of anthelmintics application were evaluated and summarized.</p></div><div><h3>Design/procedure</h3><p>A systematic review and meta-analyses following the PRISMA Framework were conducted to identify, evaluate, and synthesize primary literature reporting the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs in equines. Information on the bibliographic data, anthelmintic drugs, animals, continents, parasite genera, type of anthelmintics, and dosage was collected. Nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney) were used in SPSS (v.27) to investigate the association between variables. Factors that have a significant impact on efficacy have been subjected to binary logistic regression. Six meta-analyses were conducted in Microsoft Excel (2021) to qualify current resistance issues of the three major anthelmintics classes.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The final database was composed of 60 articles published between 1994 and 2022 with a total of 11835 animals. Anthelmintic class as well as anthelmintic active principle selection did have a significant effect on resistance (<em>P</em><span> &lt; 0.01), whilst no correlation of the type of anthelmintics, mode of application, and dosage with efficacy were found. Anthelmintics resistance in ascarid<span> was significantly more severe than in strongyle (</span></span><em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Macrocyclic lactone (ML) class and the benzimidazole and probenzimidazole (BP) class have the lowest efficacy against ascarid and strongyle, respectively (67.83% and 69.85%). The effect of location (by continent) also had a significant influence on the resistance of the ML class (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). The resistance of the BP class which is the most prevalently applied was demonstrated in all six continents. Binary logistic regression revealed that parasite genera and drug class independently influenced the presence of drug resistance. The forest plots included in this study did not show a significant difference over time.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Current evidence indicated that anthelmintics resistance of ML and BP class were common in ascarid and strongyle. A combination of anthelmintics may reduce anthelmintics resistance, but multi-drug resistance may be a concern. Customerised a","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138460985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alterations in the metabolism of Pseudosuccinea columella (Mollusca: Gastropoda) caused by Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae)","authors":"Victor Menezes Tunholi ,&nbsp;Natânia do Carmo Sperandio ,&nbsp;Vinícius Menezes Tunholi-Alves ,&nbsp;Lorena Souza Castro Altoé ,&nbsp;Melissa Carvalho Machado do Couto-Chambarelli ,&nbsp;Ludimila Santos Amaral ,&nbsp;Caio Márcio de Oliveira Monteiro ,&nbsp;Isabella Vilhena Freire Martins","doi":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111599","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The gastropod <em>Pseudosuccinea columella</em> participates in the dissemination of <span><em>Fasciola hepatica</em></span><span> in the environment, acting as the main intermediate host of this parasite in Brazil. The present study sought to elucidate the possible pathogenic effects of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) </span><em>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</em> on <em>P. columella</em><span>, by evaluating the influence of infection on alanine<span> aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as the concentrations of total protein, uric acid, and urea in the snail's hemolymph. For this, the snails were exposed to EPNs for 24 and 48 h, and for each exposure time, 20 snails were dissected after 7, 14 and 21 days for hemolymph collection. The primary findings suggest a significant proteolysis alongside elevated levels of uric acid and urea in </span></span><em>P. columella</em> infected individuals. These findings reveal that <em>H. bacteriophora</em> HP88 infection induced serious changes in the snail's metabolism, triggering important deleterious effects.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18721,"journal":{"name":"Molecular and biochemical parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138434512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}