Molecular identification of Oesophagostomum and Trichuris eggs isolated from wild Japanese macaques.

Natural habitat fragmentation and reducing habitat quality have resulted in an increased appearance of Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata (Gray, 1870), in suburban areas in Japan. To investigate the risk of zoonotic infections, a coprological survey of helminth eggs passed by wild Japanese macaques was carried out in 2009 and 2010 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Microscopic examination found helminth eggs in high prevalence, and nucleotide sequencing of DNA extracted from the eggs identified Oesophagostomum cf. aculeatum and Trichuris trichiura. A fecal culture also detected infective larvae of Strongyloides fuelleborni. These zoonotic nematodes pose a potential health issue to local people in areas frequented by Japanese macaques.

Ascariasis in Japan: is pig-derived Ascaris infecting humans?

Human ascariasis is caused by infection with the common roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, although the pig roundworm Ascaris suum has also been reported to infect humans and develop into the adult stage. To elucidate whether pig-derived Ascaris infects humans in Japan, 9 Ascaris isolates obtained from Japanese patients and a further 9 Ascaris isolates of pig origin were analyzed to determine their internal transcribed spacer-1 sequences. Six of the 9 clinical isolates showed the Ascaris genotype which predominantly infects humans in endemic countries, while the other 3 clinical isolates and 9 pig-derived isolates showed the genotype predominant in pigs worldwide. These results suggest that at least some cases of human ascariasis in Japan are a result of infection with pig-derived Ascaris.

Stereoselective preparation of 1-siloxy-1-alkenylcopper species by 1,2-Csp2-to-O silyl migration of acylsilanes.

1-Siloxy-1-alkenylcopper species were generated by 1,2-Csp2-to-O silyl migration of the copper enolates of acyltriphenylsilanes. The alkenylcopper species reacted with methyl, benzyl, allylic, and tributylstannyl halides to give geometrically pure (Z)-enol silyl ethers. In the presence of Pd(0) catalyst, the cross-coupling of the alkenyl copper species with aryl and alkenyl iodides also proceeded to give the (Z)-enol silyl ethers with high stereoselectivity.

Cathepsin L is crucial for a Th1-type immune response during Leishmania major infection.

Prior to the activation of CD4+ T cells, exogenous proteins are digested by endo/lysosomal enzymes in antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to produce antigenic peptides that are presented on MHC class II molecules. In the studies described here, the functional significance of cathepsin L for antigen processing and Th1/Th2 differentiation in experimental leishmaniasis was investigated. We first demonstrated that cathepsin L is one of the candidates for endo/lysosomal enzymes in the processing of soluble Leishmania antigen (SLA) by using CLIK148, a specific inhibitor of cathepsin L. Treatment of BALB/c or DBA/2 mice with CLIK148 exacerbated the disease by enhancing an SLA-specific Th2-type response such as IL-4 production. CLIK148 did not exert any direct influence on Leishmania major promastigotes themselves or on the course of L. major infection in SCID mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that treatment of host mice with CLIK148 affects the processing of SLA in APCs, resulting in the potentiation of Th2-type immune responses and thus leading to exacerbation of the disease. Furthermore, endo/lysosomal cathepsin L was found to be functionally distinct from previously described cathepsins B and D.