Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Aquaporins modulate the cold response of Haemaphysalis longicornis via changes in gene and protein expression of fatty acids.","authors":"Han Wang, Ruwei Bai, Tingwei Pei, Jianglei Meng, Chuks F Nwanade, Yuchao Zhang, Xiujie Liang, Yunsheng Tang, Jingze Liu, Zhijun Yu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06718-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06718-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As ectotherms that spend most of their life in the environment (off-host), ticks face challenges in maintaining water balance, and some species must cope with severe low winter temperatures. Aquaporins (AQPs) are essential membrane proteins that enhance cold tolerance in many animals by regulating homeostatic processes. However, the dynamic expressions and involvement of aquaporins in the cold stress of ticks remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the present study, three AQP genes, HlAQP2, HlAQP3, and HlAQP5, belonging to the major intrinsic protein (MIP) superfamily, were characterized from the important vector tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Then, multiple bioinformatics analyses were performed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to detect different expressions of H. longicornis genes under different cold treatment conditions. RNA interference was used to explore the relationship between AQP and the cold response of H. longicornis. Additionally, proteomic and transcriptomic analyses were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of AQPs on cold response in ticks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The amino acid sequence of AQPs shows high homology in Ixodida, with HlAQP2 and HlAQP5 proteins comprising two asparagine-proline-alanine (NPA) motifs, whereas HlAQP3 protein was featured by glycerol facilitator GlpF channel. The spatiotemporal expression of AQPs in H. longicornis varied significantly after low temperature treatment, and different expression patterns were observed over prolonged exposure periods. RNAi knockdown of AQPs significantly increased tick mortality after treatment at a sublethal temperature of - 14 °C for 2 h. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes and proteins caused by the knockdown of AQPs are mainly enriched in the fatty acid metabolism pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The above results indicated that AQPs could regulate tick cold response by modulating water balance and fatty acid metabolism.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11849292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxoplasma gondii ROP18 induces maternal-fetal dysfunction by downregulating CD73 expression on decidual macrophages.","authors":"Jingjing Guo, Xiaohui Wang, Lei Wei, Shuai Li, Junwei Wang, Yan Zhang, Ruohan Yang, Han Zhang, Aiqun Xu, Yuzhu Jiang, Xuemei Hu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06713-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06713-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Decidual macrophages (dMφ) are pivotal in maintaining maternal-fetal immune tolerance during normal pregnancy by expressing a range of immune-suppressive molecules, including CD73. It has been demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during pregnancy can impair dMφ function, potentially leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes, through downregulation of these inhibitory molecules. T. gondii rhoptry protein 18 (TgROP18), a key virulence factor of T. gondii, is associated with the incapacitation of the host's innate and adaptive immune responses to protect the parasite from elimination. However, the role of TgROP18 in modulating CD73 expression on dMφ and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Wild-type (WT) and CD73-deficient (CD73^-/-) pregnant mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of T. gondii RH or RH-Δrop18 on gestational day (Gd) 8, and subsequently euthanized on Gd 14. Pregnancy outcomes were then evaluated, and the expression levels of CD73, arginase 1 (Arg-1), and interleukin 10 (IL-10) were quantified by flow cytometry. Mononuclear cells isolated from the human aborted decidual tissues were also infected with T. gondii RH or RH-Δrop18 for the analysis of CD73 expression with flow cytometry. Additionally, infected human dMφ were used to assess the expression levels of CD73, Arg-1, IL-10, and their associated signaling molecules by western blot analysis. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were performed to validate the involved signaling pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the T. gondii RH-infected group, milder adverse pregnancy outcomes and attenuated expression levels of CD73 on dMφ were observed in T. gondii RH-Δrop18-infected pregnant mice and human decidual tissues. Lysine-specific histone demethylase1 (LSD1) and snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAIL1) were found to be involved in the downregulation of CD73 expression on dMφ following T. gondii infection. Subsequently, reduced expression of CD73 contribute to the downregulation of Arg-1 and IL-10 expression through adenosine A2a receptor (A2AR) / protein kinase A (PKA) / phosphorylated cAMP-response element binding protein (p-CREB) / CCAAT enhancer binding protein B (C/EBPβ) pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TgROP18 can significantly reduce CD73 expression on dMφ through LSD1/SNAIL1 pathway, subsequently leading to the decreased expression levels of Arg-1 and IL-10 via adenosine/A2AR/PKA/p-CREB/C/EBPβ pathway, which ultimately contributes to maternal-fetal tolerance dysfunction of dMφ.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853993/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Searching for potential Culicoides vectors of four orbiviruses in Yunnan Province, China.","authors":"Zhan Hong Li, Yi Nan Wang, Jia Ming Deng, Le Li, Lian Jiang Yang, Xinq Qiang Chen, Wen Hua Wang, Fu You Lu, Zhong Jie Tang, Dong Mei Wang, Ying Liang Duan","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06679-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06679-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Some species of Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) are major vectors for arboviruses, and Yunnan Province is a key area for arbovirus prevalence in China. Therefore, this study attempts to search for potential Culicoides vectors for the common orbiviruses bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), Palyam virus (PALV) and Tibet orbivirus (TIBOV) in Yunnan Province, China.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Culicoides specimens were collected from 16 counties in Yunnan Province, China, using UV traps and tested for BTV, EHDV, PALV and TIBOV through one-step reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). A total of 543 conspecific pools of Culicoides containing 9895 specimens were tested.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 46 species belonging to 8 subgenera and 2 groups were recognized. A total of 19 species and a Culicoides subgenus Trithecoides complex were tested using RT-qPCR. One pool of Culicoides shortti Smith & Swaminath and one pool of Culicoides orientalis Macfie tested positive for BTV, one pool of Culicoides oxystoma Kieffer tested positive for PALV, and four pools of Culicoides jacobsoni Macfie tested positive for TIBOV. All the tested samples were negative for EHDV, and all the tested C. subgenus Trithecoides midges were negative for any virus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Culicoides shortti was identified as a potential BTV vector for the first time. Culicoides jacobsoni was confirmed as a potential TIBOV vector and C. orientalis as a potential BTV vector. Culicoides oxystoma was also shown to be a natural carrier of PALV using the RT-qPCR method.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"73"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11854118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 overwintering sites (hibernacula) of the West Nile vector Culex pipiens in Central Italy.","authors":"Federico Romiti, Riccardo Casini, Irene Del Lesto, Adele Magliano, Arianna Ermenegildi, Sarah Droghei, Silvia Tofani, Maria Teresa Scicluna, Verena Pichler, Adriana Augello, Francesco Censi, Paolo Luigi Scaringella, Giovanni Mastrobuoni, Debora Bacciotti, Alberto Nencetti, Claudio De Liberato","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06710-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06710-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In cool-temperate regions, mosquitoes face winter conditions that hinder their development. To cope with cold temperatures, species like Culex pipiens, a major vector of West Nile virus (WNV), diapause as adult females in overwintering shelters known as hibernacula. This study aimed to identify and characterize the overwintering sites of Cx. pipiens in central Italy, analyzing the environmental factors influencing the abundance of the two biological forms, Cx. pipiens pipiens and Cx. pipiens molestus.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Field surveys were conducted in Lazio and Tuscany over two consecutive winters (2022/2023 and 2023/2024). Overwintering mosquitoes were collected from different hibernacula types, including natural caves, artificial cavities and buildings. Environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, light intensity and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) were recorded in the entrance and inner rooms of each hibernaculum. Mosquito species and Cx. pipiens forms were identified through morphological and molecular analyses. A beta regression model was applied to assess the relationship between environmental factors and Cx. pipiens abundance. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to explore the impact of small- and landscape-scale variables on biological forms distribution.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Culex pipiens presence was confirmed in 24 hibernacula and represented the most abundant species, with Anopheles maculipennis s.l., Culiseta annulata and Culex hortensis accounting for 0.4% of the collected individuals. Comparing the entrance and inner rooms, a higher abundance of Cx. pipiens s.s. was observed in the darker environments, characterized by a humidity of 50-75%, a temperature of 10-20 °C and a VPD of 0.3-0.8 kPa. Inside the inner rooms, Cx. pipiens females preferred lower temperatures, light intensity and humidity, combined with higher VPD. The RDA highlighted that Cx. pipiens pipiens was associated with low temperatures and VPD and high humidity levels, preferring semi-natural areas. Culex pipiens molestus was positively associated with artificial areas. Hybrids were observed in several types of hibernacula.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides insights into the overwintering ecology of Cx. pipiens in southern Europe, highlighting the environmental factors driving its abundance. These results may inform future vector control strategies aimed at reducing mosquito populations and limiting WNV diffusion in temperate regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"74"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11852880/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis.","authors":"Lu Li, Lili Cao, Qiankun Yang, Zhiteng Zhao, Jianqi Yuan, Shaoxiong Liu, Qinqin Jin, Jianhua Li, Xin Li, Xiaocen Wang, Nan Zhang, Weina Jiang, Pengtao Gong","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06692-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06692-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Giardia duodenalis is a prevalent intestinal pathogen causing giardiasis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and frequently linked to malnutrition and growth impairments in children. The virulence of Giardiavirus (GLV) may efficiently clear Giardia parasites from infected patients. However, we have a limited understanding of GLV transmission among Giardia species and GLV-infected Giardia's impact on pathogenicity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study investigated extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated via ultracentrifugation or exosome assay kit to detect the presence of GLV in EVs, the results were detected using ultrastructure and molecular methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and dot blot. Transwell migration assays confirmed the spread of GLV-enveloped EVs among Giardia species using inhibitor experiments and immunofluorescence. Mice gavaged with Giardia, with or without GLV infection, were assessed for disease progression, including growth parameters (weight and size gains), intestinal permeability, and pathology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Parts of GLV exploit the Giardia EVs pathway to reach the extracellular environment, allowing GLV to spread among Giardia species via these EVs. The uptake of GLV-containing EVs by Giardia results in rapid trophozoite infection, and GLV wrapped in EVs also offers protection against external interference. Importantly, EV-coated GLV-infected Giardia leads to divergent clinical symptoms in mice, posing less risk to mice and reducing symptoms, such as emaciation, stunted growth, and lesion damage, compared with GLV-free Giardia-infected mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our studies show that GLV wrapped in EVs can spread among Giardia species, and GLV infection alleviates the lesions caused by Giardia. These findings reveal that GLV could be a target for the development of novel intervention strategies against Giardia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11853539/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design and screening of novel molecular compounds targeting lactate dehydrogenase of Babesia microti.","authors":"Wanxin Luo, Long Yu, Shiyu Lu, Yuxin Yu, Yidan Bai, Sen Wang, Dongfang Li, Zhen Han, Yaxin Zheng, Fangjie Li, Junlong Zhao, Lan He","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06623-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06623-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Human babesiosis is caused by several species within the Babesia genus, primarily Babesia microti, Babesia duncani, and Babesia divergens, all of which infect human red blood cells (RBCs). Clinically, the disease manifests with symptoms such as fever, anemia, jaundice, and hemoglobinuria, with B. microti being the most prevalent of these species. Our previous research has shown that B. microti primarily relies on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-mediated anaerobic glycolysis, rather than the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), to generate ATP for its intracellular survival. Because LDH is a promising drug target, it can be inhibited by compounds such as gossypol and 3,5-dihydroxy-2-naphthoxylic acid (DHNA). In this study, we conduct a structure-based optimization of DHNA, leading to the development of a novel library of compounds derived from its structure.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two compounds were identified and synthesized through molecular docking, on the basis of the crystal structure of Babesia microti lactate dehydrogenase (BmLDH). The effects of these compounds were evaluated using several methods, including surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays, enzyme activity inhibition tests, in vitro growth inhibition assays against B. microti, and mammalian cytotoxicity tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compounds target A (TA) (-36.0) and B (TB) (-43.8), both exhibiting low CDOCKER energy values, achieved final purities of 96.6% and 97.5%, respectively. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments showed that TA and TB had comparable dissociation constant (K_D) values of 11.3 × 10^-6 M and 13.2 × 10^-6 M, respectively. However, enzyme activity inhibition assays indicated that TB was more potent, with an half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 23.8 μM, compared with TA's IC₅₀ of 71.6 μM. Additionally, TB demonstrated a strong ability to inhibit the in vitro growth of B. microti, with an IC₅₀ value of 111.7 μM.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this study, two compounds capable of inhibiting the growth of B. microti were obtained. Although both compounds showed moderate inhibitory activity against recombinant BmLDH (rBmLDH) and the growth of B. microti, there is potential to enhance their efficacy through further structural modifications, particularly of compound TB.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11847361/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143483738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of Tunga penetrans infections and severity of associated morbidity among pigs during the dry season in rural Uganda.","authors":"Francis Mutebi, Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Hermann Feldmeier, Norbert Mencke, Charles Waiswa, Jürgen Krücken","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06716-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06716-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease which is common in impoverished communities. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is caused by female sand fleas, Tunga penetrans, and pigs are amongst the major domestic animal reservoirs. Depending on the environment, tungiasis occurs throughout the year or preferentially in the dry seasons. This study investigated changes in sand flea abundance and associated morbidity in pigs during a dry season.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Tunga penetrans lesions were counted and staged in 35 pigs amongst 22 households with at least one affected pig. Five weekly examinations were performed per animal during a dry season. Enrolment of pigs into the study lasted 17 days and examination was performed for 43 days. The severity score for acute pig tungiasis (SSAPT) was determined for each visit. Generalised linear mixed models (GLMM) were fitted on an absolute time scale to understand factors influencing the changes in abundance of sand flea lesions and SSAPT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence/abundance of tungiasis-associated lesions increased from 57.1%/median 1 lesion at baseline to 71.4%/median 11 lesions after 4 weeks. In parallel, the median SSAPT increased from zero to six. The GLMM analyses fitting negative binomial models to the lesion numbers revealed that time had a linear and a quadratic effect for the viable stages 2 and 3a, and all viable sand flea stages in general with maximal abundance of sand fleas on days 17-18, 33 and 35 from the beginning of the study, respectively. The model for the total number of sand flea lesions, which included dead and excoriated sand fleas, showed the same trend but the peak was not reached within the study period. The number of stage 3b lesions was unexpectedly low. The SSAPT increased linearly over time and was highly dependent on the initial number of sand fleas at enrolment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There were increasing intensities of sand fleas and SSAPT in domestic pigs during the dry season. The ensuing environmental contamination by off-host stages of T. penetrans increases the risk of transmission to other susceptible hosts, including humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11843770/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143472784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing complex mosquito behaviour: a review of current automated video tracking systems suitable for tracking mosquitoes in the field.","authors":"Beatrice H Bredt, Frédéric Tripet, Pie Müller","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06666-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06666-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mosquito-borne pathogens continue to cause tremendous suffering, morbidity and mortality. For many of these diseases, vector control remains the most effective approach. The development and deployment of effective and efficient mosquito control products and strategies require a profound understanding of mosquito behaviour. To study complex mosquito behaviour, automated video tracking of mosquito flight paths has proven to be a comprehensive approach, and several video tracking approaches have emerged in recent years, making the choice for a suitable system challenging. Here, we conducted a literature review by searching PubMed and Google Scholar, and we identified 66 publications focusing on mosquito video tracking, which made use of eight different systems. We then compared and scored those video tracking systems by assessing their performance in the laboratory as well as their potential suitability for tracking mosquito behaviour in a field setting. While all eight systems have produced valuable information on mosquito behaviour, for tracking mosquitoes in the field, 'Braid', 'EthoVision XT' and 'Trackit3D' appear to be the most suitable systems as they need small disk capacity and are well adaptable to different settings. However, the optimal choice will ultimately depend on the specifications required to answer a given research question, the financial resources available and user preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11846416/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in field-collected Haemaphysalis larvae in the Republic of Korea.","authors":"KyuSung Ahn, Badriah Alkathiri, Seung-Hun Lee, Haeseung Lee, Dongmi Kwak, Yun Sang Cho, Hyang-Sim Lee, SoYoun Youn, Mi-Sun Yoo, Jaemyung Kim, SungShik Shin","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06649-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06649-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anaplasma spp., zoonotic tick-borne pathogens affecting livestock, companion animals, and humans, exhibits 15-18% seropositivity among hunting dogs in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The dominant tick species in South Korea, Haemaphysalis longicornis, can transmit these pathogens to both humans and animals. Given the limited understanding of transovarial transmission of Anaplasma spp., our study aimed to assess the prevalence of questing larval ticks containing Anaplasma DNA. Additionally, we aimed to gather data for establishing a nationwide forecasting and alert system on seasonal variation of tick developmental stages and tick-borne zoonotic pathogens.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From March to October 2021 and again from March to October 2022, we collected a total of 36,912 unfed, questing ticks of Haemaphysalis spp. from 149 sites in South Korea. Ticks were collected from herbaceous vegetation using the flagging method using a white flannel cloth. After species identification, one-third of collected ticks underwent analysis for Anaplasma DNA. Nymph ticks were pooled in groups of 1-10 and larvae in groups of 1-50, while adults were examined individually. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the genus Anaplasma by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene, followed by sequencing for species identification and phylogenetic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 36,912 questing ticks collected, 13,082 (35.4%) were identified as nymphs and adults of H. longicornis and 3850 (10.4%) as those of Haemaphysalis flava. The morphologically indistinguishable larval stage of Haemaphysalis spp. predominated, with 19,980 (54.1%) collected primarily from July to October. From the 939 tick pools, 24 pools (2.6%) tested positive for Anaplasma, with the larval stage exhibiting the highest number of positive pools (16, 1.7%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 21 of the 24 Anaplasma-positive pools contained A. phagocytophilum-specific genes, with 1 identified as Anaplasma sp. and the remaining 2 as A. bovis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study provides evidence of transovarial transmission of A. phagocytophilum in Haemaphysalis spp. larvae under field conditions, showing that the bacteria are transmitted from mother ticks to unengorged, questing larvae. Additionally, our findings contribute significant data for establishing a nationwide forecasting and alert system on seasonal variation of tick developmental stages and tick-borne zoonotic pathogens.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11846178/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The microRNA landscape and regulatory network in Clonorchis sinensis-infected hepatocellular carcinoma: implications for tumor progression.","authors":"Caibiao Wei, Junxian Chen, Taijun Huang, Lingling Zhou, Yulong Xu, Qiumei Lin, Yuling Qin, Zeli Tang, Weilong Yang, Min Fang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06689-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06689-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality globally, and its progression is associated with various factors, including parasitic infections such as Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis). Although C. sinensis infection has been implicated in HCC, the molecular mechanisms, particularly the role of microRNAs (miRNAs), remain poorly understood. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the miRNA expression profiles in C. sinensis⁺ and C. sinensis^- HCC tissues.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We performed miRNA sequencing on HCC tissues from C. sinensis⁺ and C. sinensis^- patients, followed by bioinformatics analyses to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and their target genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted to explore relevant biological processes, while a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed to investigate the interactions among miRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Additionally, we performed survival analysis using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) cohort and assessed the clinical relevance of DEMs. Key miRNAs identified from this analysis were further validated through quantitative real‑time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays to confirm their expression in MHCC97H.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our research identified significant miRNA dysregulation in C. sinensis⁺ HCC tumors compared with C. sinensis^- HCC tumors. Notably, miR-143-3p, miR-10a-5p, and miR-100-5p were upregulated in C. sinensis⁺ HCC, contributing to immune responses and tumor progression, while let-7 family members and miR-221-3p were downregulated, affecting metabolic pathways. GO enrichment analysis highlighted the involvement of developmental processes, immune system regulation, and metabolic reprogramming in C. sinensis⁺ HCC. The construction of a ceRNA network revealed key interactions between miRNAs, lncRNAs, and mRNAs in C. sinensis⁺ HCC, suggesting regulatory mechanisms that could be potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, validation through qRT-PCR confirmed these findings, highlighting miRNA dysregulation as a critical factor in C. sinensis⁺ HCC progression.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides novel insights into the role of miRNAs in C. sinensis-infected HCC progression. The findings highlight the critical role of miRNA dysregulation in the progression of C. sinensis-associated HCC, emphasizing the potential for therapeutic interventions targeting these molecular alterations in affected patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11846337/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143472785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}