Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Proline dehydrogenase, a rate-limiting catabolic enzyme, affecting the growth and pathogenicity of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites by regulating the proline metabolism and mitochondrial function of the parasite.","authors":"Xiao-Ling Geng, Jing-Yu Li, Huan-Yu Xu, Jiang-Ping Wu, De-Liang Tao, Jin-Ming Chen, Ying-Ying Fan, Xin Yang, Jun-Ke Song, Guang-Hui Zhao","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06966-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06966-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The pathogenicity of Toxoplasma gondii is closely associated with its intracellular lytic cycle in host cells. Currently, the mechanisms by which T. gondii completes the lytic cycle remain unclear. The proline metabolism has been reported to be crucial for intracellular growth of pathogens by providing energy and nutrients. However, it remains unclear whether the intracellular growth and pathogenicity of T. gondii are related to proline metabolism.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The gene-edited strains of proline dehydrogenase (Tgprodh) were constructed by using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) technology. The effects of the Tgprodh gene on the growth in vitro and pathogenicity in vivo of the tachyzoites for T. gondii were studied through proliferation, plaque, invasion, egress and virulence assays. The effects of the Tgprodh gene on mitochondrial function were studied by using reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψm), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay kits, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, and reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The effects of the Tgprodh gene on proline metabolism were studied by using L-proline (L-Pro), L-glutamic acid (L-Glu), L-glutamine (L-Gln) assay kits, and RT-qPCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TgPRODH, the first rate-limiting enzyme in proline metabolism, was identified to be encoded by T. gondii and localized in the cytoplasm of T. gondii. Deletion of the Tgprodh gene resulted in significant growth inhibition in vitro and reduced pathogenicity in vivo of T. gondii. Further study found that deletion of the Tgprodh gene caused damage to the mitochondrial morphology, decreased membrane potential, mtDNA copy numbers, and the production of ATP and ROS. The expression of genes for maintaining mitochondrial integrity was downregulated in the Tgprodh-knockout strain of T. gondii, while complementation of the Tgprodh gene restored these defects in this parasite. Meantime, the deletion of the Tgprodh gene resulted in the accumulation of proline, reduced the contents of glutamate and glutamine, and affected the expression of genes related to proline catabolism in T. gondii.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The present study found the significance of the Tgprodh gene for the intracellular growth and pathogenicity of T. gondii through regulating mitochondrial function and the proline metabolism and provided a novel insight to reveal intracellular survival strategies of T. gondii.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"309"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144743918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of temperature on vector competence of Culex pipiens molestus: implications for Usutu virus transmission in temperate regions.","authors":"Nicola Seechurn, Jack Pilgrim, Ken Sherlock, Jolanta Tanianis-Hughes, Marcus Blagrove, Grant L Hughes, Jolyon M Medlock, Nicholas Johnson, Matthew Baylis","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06948-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06948-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Usutu virus (USUV) has been detected annually in the southeast of England since 2020. USUV RNA has been identified in wild birds and mosquito populations, and exposure of captive birds to USUV has also been confirmed in the UK. Since its first detection in London, USUV's distribution has expanded across the South East, highlighting necessity to understand USUV transmission dynamics in the UK. The primary vectors of USUV in the UK are likely Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Culex pipiens molestus is one biotype which shows no restriction in host preference and may play an important role in transmitting USUV from birds to humans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A laboratory colony of Cx. pipiens molestus mosquitoes were orally infected with the London strain of USUV and incubated at 22 ℃, 20 ℃ and 18 ℃ for up to 28 days. Body samples and mosquito saliva samples were collected and analysed using a quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR to determine infection and transmission potential, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>USUV RNA was detected in all sample times at all temperatures assessed, with the 22 ℃ showing the greatest proportion of saliva and body positive samples. At this temperature, there was also an eight-fold increase in the relative viral copy number in the mosquito bodies, which was unobserved at other experimental temperatures. When a more sensitive PCR assay was used at the lowest experimental temperature used (18 ℃), USUV RNA was present in the mosquito saliva and body samples for longer and showed a greater proportion of positive samples compared to 20 ℃.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study has demonstrated that Cx. pipiens molestus may be able to transmit USUV at 22 ℃. Active replication of USUV was identified in the mosquito bodies at 22 ℃ but not at lower temperatures, suggesting that 20 ℃ to 22 ℃ may be an important threshold in USUV replication and transmission. Utilisation of a more sensitive assay for the lower experimental temperatures revealed that USUV was detectable at 18 ℃. Therefore, when conducting infection studies on temperate mosquito-borne viruses, it is important to consider assay sensitivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"310"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144743967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First record of mermithid parasitism in adult biting midges, Culicoides huffi (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), collected from Southern Thailand, with ultrastructural and molecular characterization.","authors":"Chulaluk Promrangsee, Vivornpun Sanprasert, Arunrat Thepparat, Sakone Sunantaraporn, Rinnara Ampol, Rungfar Boonserm, Padet Siriyasatien, Kanok Preativatanyou","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06958-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06958-x","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Culicoides biting midges are known vectors of several pathogens, including arboviruses, protozoa, and filarial worms. Additionally, mermithid nematodes have been found to parasitize Culicoides midges, causing pathogenic effects that reduce host fitness and often lead to death. Consequently, mermithids have potential as biocontrol agents to reduce midge populations. However, the biology of these entomopathogenic nematodes infecting Culicoides in Thailand remains unknown.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;As part of the leishmaniasis surveillance program in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Southern Thailand, we collected Culicoides midges near the residence of a leishmaniasis patient in November 2024. The Culicoides samples were morphologically identified and examined microscopically for parasitic nematodes. Infected midges were dissected to isolate nematodes from each individual. The nematodes were then characterized morphologically using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and identified molecularly via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the non-filarial hypervariable region I of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU HVR-I) and mermithid small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, followed by nanopore sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and species delimitation testing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 263 field-caught adult Culicoides midges were collected, with Culicoides huffi of the Calvipalpis group being the most abundant species (n = 155, 58.9%). Among these, 35 C. huffi samples, including 4 males, 11 females, and 20 intersex males, were infected with nematodes, resulting in an overall infection rate of 13.3%. The parasitized intersex males, presumably genetically male, exhibited a high degree of feminization in their antennae and wings, which likely enhances female-like behaviors such as detecting and flying toward breeding sites, possibly facilitating parasite transmission and reproductive success. The SEM analysis revealed key morphological features consistent with parasitic nematode larvae of the Mermithidae family, including a long, slender body, a stylet, cephalic papillae, amphids, and a trophosome. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool for nucleotide (BLASTn) analysis of non-filarial SSU HVR-I and mermithid-specific SSU rRNA gene sequences identified all nematodes as mermithids, showing 94.2-94.4% similarity to Pheromermis sp. from the hornet and 97.3% similarity to Mermis sp. from Culicoides obsoletus. Phylogenetic analysis and species delimitation suggest that these sequences represent a single putative species distinct from other known mermithids.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study is the first to report mermithid parasitism in Culicoides midges in Thailand, incorporating both ultrastructural and molecular characterization. The novel morphological and molecular insights provided here contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the biology of entomopathogenic nematode","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protein phosphorylation networks in Baylisascaris procyonis revealed by phosphoproteomic analysis.","authors":"Qin Meng, Zhikang Li, Qiguan Qiu, Shuyu Chen, Haiyan Gong, Xiaoruo Tan, Xiaoheng Liu, Zhaoguo Chen, Wei Liu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06949-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06949-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Baylisascaris procyonis is an intestinal ascarid worm that parasitizes in raccoons and causes fatal neural, visceral, and ocular larva migrans in humans. Phosphorylated proteins and protein kinases have been studied as vaccine and drug target candidates against parasitic infections. However, no data are available on protein phosphorylation in the raccoon roundworm.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, the entire proteome of adult B. procyonis was enzymatically digested. Then, phosphopeptides were enriched using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our phosphoproteome analysis displayed 854 unique phosphorylation sites mapped to 450 proteins in B. procyonis (3308 phosphopeptides total). The annotated phosphoproteins were associated with various biological processes, including cytoskeletal remodeling, supramolecular complex assembly, and developmental regulation. The phosphopeptide functional enrichment revealed that B. procyonis phosphoproteins were mostly involved in the cytoskeleton cellular compartment, protein binding molecular function, and multiple biological processes, including regulating supramolecular fiber and cytoskeleton organization and assembling cellular protein-containing complexes and organelles. The significantly enriched pathways of phosphoproteins included the insulin signaling pathway, tight junction, endocytosis, longevity-regulating, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and apelin signaling pathways. Domain analysis revealed that the Src homology 3 domain was significantly enriched.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study presents the first phosphoproteomic landscape of B. procyonis, elucidating phosphorylation-mediated regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics, host interaction pathways, and metabolic adaptations. The identified 450 phosphoproteins and enriched functional domains establish a foundation for targeting conserved mechanisms critical to B. procyonis survival.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"307"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comparison of manual and carbon dioxide trap sampling of Ornithodoros soft ticks from warthog resting sites in South Africa.","authors":"Cynthia Mapendere, Armanda D S Bastos, Etter Eric, Livio Heath, Ferran Jori","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06896-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06896-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In East and Southern Africa, the African swine fever (ASF) virus is maintained in an ancient sylvatic cycle involving warthogs (Phacochoerus spp.) and Ornithodoros soft ticks inhabiting warthog burrows. Although carbon dioxide (CO₂) traps have previously been used to collect ticks from pigsties in Portugal, this method has never been tested in the context of the ASF sylvatic cycle in Africa. As warthogs adapt their resting site preferences in response to different levels of habitat transformation, our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CO₂ traps versus traditional manual collection of soft ticks inhabiting two warthog resting sites: warthog burrows (natural) and house decks (anthropogenic).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was performed in Mjejane Game Reserve, a wildlife conservancy adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Sixty-one warthog resting sites (31 natural burrows and 30 house decks) were sampled to compare Ornithodoros tick numbers using manual and CO₂ trap methods during wet (summer) and dry (winter) seasons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of ticks collected with CO₂ traps (n = 2024) was significantly higher than those collected with the manual method (n = 885, P < 0.001) for both resting site types. Moreover, the number of ticks collected using CO₂ traps from house decks (n = 1399) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) compared to burrows (n = 625). There were no differences in the number of ticks collected between seasons. Our results suggest that CO₂ traps are highly efficient for collecting Ornithodoros ticks from the two warthog resting site types evaluated in our study area. They also confirm that warthogs can adapt to different levels of habitat transformation and human presence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The standardised use of the CO₂ trap method facilitates investigations on the distribution of tick-related ASF cycles in sub-Saharan Africa and improves our understanding of the eco-epidemiology of ASF and other Ornithodoros tick-borne diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"306"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incriminating vectors of deer malaria (Plasmodium odocoilei) at a Florida deer farm.","authors":"Morgan Rockwell, Samantha M Wisely, Derrick K Mathias, Nathan D Burkett-Cadena","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06942-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06942-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Plasmodium odocoilei, the only nonhuman Plasmodium parasite of native mammals in North America, infects white-tailed deer (WTD) throughout the eastern USA. Although deer malaria is not a significant cause of disease in healthy deer, infection with P. odocoilei may increase susceptibility to infection with and mortality due to epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in deer fawns. The incrimination of the vector(s) of deer malaria is an essential step in developing management plans for reducing the incidence of deer malaria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>At a deer farm in Gadsden County, FL, with previously documented evidence of deer malaria transmission, mosquitoes were collected using carbon-dioxide-baited light traps, aspirators, and resting shelters. White-tailed deer host use and P. odocoilei infection rates were quantified in potential vector mosquito samples using polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Diverse mosquito species (n = 38) were active at the deer farm. Four mosquito species or species complexes specialized in feeding on WTD were observed, taking at least 75% of blood meals from this one host species: Anopheles quadrimaculatus s.l. (88.9%), Anopheles punctipennis (83.3%), Anopheles crucians s.l. (81.4%), and Culex erraticus (87.7%). The highest infection rate of P. odocoilei was found in An. quadrimaculatus s.l. (4.1%), followed by An. punctipennis (3.1%), and An. crucians s.l. (0.47%). No other mosquito species were found to be infected with P. odocoilei.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Anopheles quadrimaculatus s.l., An. punctipennis, and An. crucians s.l. met three of the criteria for vector incrimination. These species were present in areas inhabited by WTD, specialized in feeding on WTD, and were naturally infected with P. odocoilei. Anopheles quadrimaculatus s.l. and Anopheles punctipennis are the most likely natural vectors of deer malaria in Florida, as indicated by their high percentages of WTD blood meals (> 83%) and relatively high infection rates (> 3%). To fully incriminate the vector(s) for P. odocoilei, laboratory vector competence studies are needed to determine their ability to biologically transmit the parasites.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"308"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis.","authors":"Angelo F Andrianiaina, Santino Andry, Gwenddolen Kettenburg, Hafaliana Christian Ranaivoson, Vincent Lacoste, Philippe Dussart, Jean-Michel Heraud, Theresa M Laverty, Sarah Guth, Katherine I Young, Aristide Andrianarimisa, Cara E Brook","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06805-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06805-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bats are important reservoir hosts for a variety of pathogens, some of which are transmitted by ectoparasite vectors including mites, fleas, lice, ticks, and bat flies (families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae). All these ectoparasite taxa are known to parasitize two endemic fruit bats of Madagascar, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis. We aimed to describe the diversity of ectoparasite infestation for both bat species through morphological observation and DNA barcoding and elucidate ecological and climatic correlates of seasonal nycteribiid parasitism of these hosts.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eidolon dupreanum and R. madagascariensis fruit bats were live-captured in northern and central-eastern Madagascar periodically from 2013 to 2020. Ectoparasites on all captured bats were counted and identified in the field and then collected into ethanol. Field identification of a subset of samples was confirmed via microscopy and DNA barcoding of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 18S genes. The seasonal abundance of nycteribiid bat flies on both host bats was analyzed using generalized additive models, and the role of climate in driving this seasonality was assessed via cross-correlation analysis combined with generalized linear models. Phylogenetic trees were generated to compare COI and 18S sequences of Madagascar nycteribiid and streblid bat flies with available reference sequences from GenBank.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ectoparasites corresponding to four broad taxa (mites, ticks, fleas, and bat flies) were recovered from 628 of 873 E. dupreanum (71.9%) and 831 of 862 R. madagascariensis (96.4%). Eidolon dupreanum were most commonly parasitized by Cyclopodia dubia nycteribiids and R. madagascariensis by Eucampsipoda madagascariensis nycteribiids and Megastrebla wenzeli streblids. We observed significant seasonality in nycteribiid abundance on both bat hosts, which varied by bat sex and was positively correlated with lagged temperature, precipitation, and humidity variables. Barcoding sequences recovered for all three bat fly species grouped with previously reported sequences, confirming morphological species identification. Our study contributes the first DNA barcodes of any kind reported for M. wenzeli and the first 18S barcodes for C. dubia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study explores the diversity and abundance of ectoparasite burdens in two Malagasy fruit bat species, highlighting the importance of seasonal ecology and the influence of climate variables on parasitism, which correlates with resource availability.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"302"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neutrophil extracellular traps induced by Haemonchus contortus excretory-secretory proteins varies among goats, gerbils, and mice.","authors":"Yangchun Tan, Shuyi Cao, Muhammad Azhar Memon, Zhaohai Wen, Cheng Chen, Jiajun Feng, Xiaokai Song, Lixin Xu, Mingmin Lu, Ruofeng Yan","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06956-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06956-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies indicated that infection with Haemonchus contortus is host-specific (goat: susceptible host; gerbil: paratenic host; mouse: resistant host). Neutrophils play an essential role in host defense against parasitic infection through phagocytic engulfment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation. NETs are large web-like complexes consisting of a DNA scaffold decorated with various proteins components, including histones, myeloperoxidase, and elastase. They are released through both ROS-dependent and ROS-independent pathways. Previous studies have demonstrated both constraints and effectiveness of NETs in helminths. However, the roles of NETs in anti-infection of H. contortus in different hosts are still unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To assess host-specific variations in NETs release, neutrophils isolated from goats, gerbils, and mice were co-cultured with Haemonchus contortus third-stage larvae (HcL3), followed by quantitative analysis of NETs formation using the PicoGreen® fluorescence assay. Subsequently, H. contortus excretory-secretory proteins (HcESPs) were co-cultured with neutrophils isolated from each host species. NETs release and ROS production were then quantitatively assessed using PicoGreen® fluorescence intensity and oxidation-sensitive dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescence. In addition, the neutrophil's phagocytic ability for FITC-dextran was evaluated by flow cytometric analysis. Finally, to elucidate the signaling pathways involved in HcESP-induced NETs release in goat neutrophils, four specific inhibitors were employed for pretreatment prior to stimulation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results demonstrate that in vitro stimulation with HcL3 triggers NETs formation. The release of NETs exhibits significant host-specific variation, specifically, neutrophils from mice showed the highest NETs release, followed by gerbils, and a minimal response in goats. Moreover, HcESP treatment markedly inhibited ROS generation and phagocytic capacity in neutrophils from all three host species. Intriguingly, HcESPs exerted host-specific modulation of NETs release, with inhibition observed in goats, enhancement in mice, and context-dependent modulation in gerbils. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the NETs suppression in goats neutrophils involved both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase- and neutrophil elastase-dependent pathways.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results demonstrate that HcESPs significantly inhibit NETs formation in goat neutrophils through dual modulation of NADPH oxidase and neutrophil elastase activity. This finding highlights these two enzymes as promising molecular targets for anti-helminthic vaccine development.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"304"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical distribution of potential mechanical vectors implicated in Surra transmission in Spain: an entomological perspective.","authors":"Adrián Melián-Henríquez, María Teresa Tejedor-Junco, Daniel Bravo-Barriga, Mikel Alexander González, Pedro María Alarcón-Elbal, Carlos Barceló, Ignacio Ruiz-Arrondo, Massimo Paone, Giuliano Cecchi, Juan Alberto Corbera","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06922-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06922-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Haematophagous Diptera can transmit a wide range of diseases to both humans and animals. Some species of the Trypanosoma genus rely on these vectors for transmission, either cyclically or mechanically. Trypanosoma evansi, the causative agent of Surra, is the only African-origin trypanosome species detected in Spain to date, which is mechanically transmitted.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To assess the occurrence and distribution of potential mechanical vectors at the national level, a systematic review was conducted on the Hippoboscidae, Muscidae and Tabanidae families. The review followed the methodology established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Data were compiled from 43 peer-reviewed scientific publications and four citizen science digital databases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The review identified three genera belonging to the Hippoboscidae, two of the Muscidae and ten of the Tabanidae families. Genus-level distribution maps were generated for each group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This atlas serves as a valuable tool for the prevention and control of vector-borne animal trypanosomosis in Spain. Nonetheless, further studies on the distribution, ecology and behaviour of haematophagous dipterans are essential to better understand their role in disease transmission and their potential impact on future outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"305"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-omics analysis of lactate metabolism gene regulation in Clonorchis sinensis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Qiumei Lin, Junxian Chen, Lingling Zhou, Min Fang, Caibiao Wei, Taijun Huang, Yulong Xu, Jie Gao, Fengfei Liu, Zeli Tang, Jian-Kang Zhu, Weilong Yang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06947-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06947-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although recent research has highlighted lactylation, a post-translational modification driven by elevated lactate levels, as a critical regulator of key cellular pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), its contribution to the poor prognosis of Clonorchis sinensis (Cs)-infected HCC remains poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We first identified the significant upregulation of the lactate metabolism enzyme LDH in Cs-infected HCC patients through clinical retrospective analysis. We then conducted a multi-omics analysis (RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq, WGBS-Seq, oxWGBS-Seq, and ChIP-Seq) to examine the differences in 392 lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) between Cs-infected and Cs-noninfected HCC tumors. Six key differentially expressed LMRGs were further validated using RT-qPCR assays to confirm their expression and potential role in HCC progression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The differential expression levels of 8 LMRGs, along with 71 accessible regions and 42 CpG sites in the promoters of LMRGs, were identified. Notably, we also demonstrated that histone modifications, including H3K9ac, H3K79me2, H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K27ac, and H3K4me1, were associated with chromatin accessibility in the promoters of LMRGs. Finally, the TCGA-LIHC cohort confirmed that the differential expression of LMRGs between Cs-infected and Cs-noninfected HCC tumors significantly affects the survival outcomes of HCC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings revealed that lactylation plays an important role in reshaping the characteristics of HCC during Cs infection, expanding our understanding of the unique features of Cs-infected HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"301"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}