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1.
Rev. esp. patol ; 56(4): 284-288, Oct-Dic, 2023. ilus
Article in Spanish | IBECS | ID: ibc-226963

ABSTRACT

La afectación cardíaca en la sarcoidosis ha sido descrita tanto en presencia de síntomas como en su ausencia. Este trabajo ayuda a comprender la sarcoidosis y su presentación clínico-morfológica. Presentamos dos pacientes jóvenes (37 y 27años), con muerte súbita, a quienes se les realizó la autopsia completa con estudio toxicológico. El hombre de 37años presentaba una sarcoidosis pulmonar generalizada, en ganglios mediastínicos y granulomas sarcoideos intramiocárdicos en el ventrículo izquierdo, que producían un espesor de pared de 14mm. Esto derivó en una miocardiopatía dilatada secundaria que debutó como muerte súbita. El segundo caso, un varón de 27años, presentaba sarcoidosis con importante afectación pulmonar y mediastínica. La presencia de granulomas en el tabique cardíaco sobre un fondo fibrótico podría ser el origen de un mecanismo arritmogénico de muerte súbita. La autopsia clásica y el examen del sistema de conducción cardíaco son cruciales en la muerte súbita.(AU)


Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis has been described in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The aim of this report is to further the understanding of sarcoidosis and its clinical presentation. We report the autopsy and toxicology results of two cases of sudden death in young men. A 37-year-old male had generalized sarcoidosis, in mediastinal glands and intramyocardial sarcoid granulomas in the left ventricle, which had caused a 14mm thickening of the ventricular wall and a secondary dilated myocardiopathy causing sudden death. A 27-year-old male had extensive sarcoidosis of the lungs and mediastinum. Granulomas with a fibrotic background were found in the cardiac wall which could have originated an arrhythmogenic mechanism causing sudden death. Post-mortem study including careful examination of cardiac conduction pathways are vital to ascertain the cause of sudden death.(AU)


Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Sarcoidosis/pathology , Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary/pathology , Granuloma , Death, Sudden , Cardiovascular Diseases , Inpatients , Physical Examination , Symptom Assessment , Sarcoidosis/complications , Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary/complications
2.
Rev Esp Patol ; 56(4): 284-288, 2023.
Article in Spanish | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37879827

ABSTRACT

Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis has been described in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The aim of this report is to further the understanding of sarcoidosis and its clinical presentation. We report the autopsy and toxicology results of two cases of sudden death in young men. A 37-year-old male had generalized sarcoidosis, in mediastinal glands and intramyocardial sarcoid granulomas in the left ventricle, which had caused a 14mm thickening of the ventricular wall and a secondary dilated myocardiopathy causing sudden death. A 27-year-old male had extensive sarcoidosis of the lungs and mediastinum. Granulomas with a fibrotic background were found in the cardiac wall which could have originated an arrhythmogenic mechanism causing sudden death. Post-mortem study including careful examination of cardiac conduction pathways are vital to ascertain the cause of sudden death.


Subject(s)
Cardiomyopathies , Sarcoidosis , Male , Humans , Adult , Death, Sudden, Cardiac/etiology , Sarcoidosis/complications , Sarcoidosis/diagnosis , Granuloma , Autopsy
3.
Parasit Vectors ; 16(1): 389, 2023 Oct 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37891629

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted intestinal nematode with a complex life cycle that primarily affects humans, non-human primates, dogs, and occasionally cats. This study presents, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of S. stercoralis infection and its genotyping in a domestic dog from Argentina. METHODS: The patient was a female wired-haired Teckel dog exhibiting recurrent coughing. Coproparasitological analysis using the Baermann technique revealed the presence of rhabditiform larvae morphologically compatible with S. stercoralis. To confirm this finding, molecular diagnosis (18S ribosomal RNA) and analysis of the cox1 gene were performed. RESULTS: We identified a haplotype (HP20) that has previously only been related to S. stercoralis infection in dogs, but was found in the present study to be highly related to the haplotype (HP16) of a zoonotic variant and divergent from those previously described from human patients in Argentina. Furthermore, unlike in human cases following treatment with ivermectin, the dog was negative after moxidectin treatment according to polymerase chain reaction of the sampled faeces. CONCLUSIONS: This case report shows the importance of further investigation into potential transmission events and prevalences of S. stercoralis in dogs and humans in South America. The results reported here should also encourage future work that examines different scenarios of infection with S. stercoralis in dogs and humans with the aim of integrating clinical management, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up strategies in the quest for new approaches for the treatment of this disease in animals and humans. The findings support the adoption of a One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness between animal and human health, in addressing parasitic infections such as strongyloidiasis.


Subject(s)
Strongyloides stercoralis , Strongyloidiasis , Humans , Animals , Dogs , Female , Strongyloidiasis/diagnosis , Strongyloidiasis/drug therapy , Strongyloidiasis/veterinary , Strongyloides stercoralis/genetics , Argentina/epidemiology , Feces/parasitology , Life Cycle Stages
4.
Int J Parasitol ; 53(13): 699-710, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37699506

ABSTRACT

Parasites belonging to the class Cestoda include zoonotic species such as Echinococcus spp. and Taenia spp. that cause morbidity and mortality in endemic areas, mainly affecting pastoral and rural communities in low income countries but also upper middle income countries. Cestodes show remarkable developmental plasticity, implying tight regulation of gene expression throughout their complex life cycles. Despite the recent availability of genomic data for cestodes, little progress was made on postgenomic functional studies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key components of gene regulatory systems that guide diverse developmental processes in multicellular organisms. miR-71 is a highly expressed miRNA in cestodes, which is absent in vertebrates and targets essential parasite genes, representing a potential key player in understanding the role of miRNAs in cestodes biology. Here we used transfection with antisense oligonucleotides to perform whole worm miRNA knockdown in tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides vogae (syn. Mesocestoides corti), a laboratory model of cestodes. We believe this is the first report of miRNA knockdown at the organism level in these parasites. Our results showed that M. vogae miR-71 is involved in the control of strobilation in vitro and in the establishment of murine infection. In addition, we identified miR-71 targets in M. vogae, several of them being de-repressed upon miR-71 knockdown. This study provides new knowledge on gene expression regulation in cestodes and suggests that miRNAs could be evaluated as new selective therapeutic targets for treating Neglected Tropical Diseases prioritised by the World Health Organization.


Subject(s)
Cestoda , Cestode Infections , Mesocestoides , MicroRNAs , Mice , Animals , MicroRNAs/genetics , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Cestoda/genetics , Cestode Infections/veterinary , Cestode Infections/parasitology , Mesocestoides/metabolism , Life Cycle Stages
5.
Rev. esp. patol ; 56(3): 212-215, Jul-Sep. 2023. ilus
Article in Spanish | IBECS | ID: ibc-223328

ABSTRACT

La viruela del mono (VDM) se había considerado históricamente una enfermedad zoonótica relegada a áreas donde existe un reservorio animal concreto, con limitada capacidad para propagarse entre humanos. Sin embargo, el estudio de esta enfermedad ha cobrado una reciente actualidad por el aumento creciente de su incidencia en áreas no endémicas, así como la objetivación de la transmisibilidad entre personas. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 27años con lesiones cutáneas y úlceras perianales sugestivas de infección viral en el que se confirmó la infección por virus de la VDM mediante PCR. En el estudio histológico de las lesiones ulceradas perianales encontramos el patrón general de esta infección viral, que se discute en este artículo, junto a sus posibles diagnósticos diferenciales, y un hallazgo característico, que es la afectación de las glándulas ecrinas. Este hallazgo puede orientar el diagnóstico histológico de lesiones cutáneas ulceradas en el contexto clínico de sospecha de VDM.(AU)


Monkeypox was historically considered a zoonotic disease restricted to areas with an animal reservoir and with limited possibilities of human transmission. However, the recent increase in incidence in non-endemic areas, together with the demonstration of human transmission, has led to more attention being paid to this disease. We present the case of a 27-year-old man with cutaneous lesions and perianal ulcers, clinically suggestive of a viral disease. Monkeypox was demonstrated with PCR analysis. The histological features and differential diagnoses of monkeypox are discussed and the characteristic histopathological pattern of eccrine gland epithelium is described which, if found in an ulcerated lesion, should raise suspicion of monkeypox.(AU)


Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mpox (monkeypox)/complications , Mpox (monkeypox)/diagnosis , Skin Ulcer , Virus Diseases , Inpatients , Physical Examination , Biopsy
6.
Rev Esp Patol ; 56(3): 212-215, 2023.
Article in Spanish | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37419562

ABSTRACT

Monkeypox was historically considered a zoonotic disease restricted to areas with an animal reservoir and with limited possibilities of human transmission. However, the recent increase in incidence in non-endemic areas, together with the demonstration of human transmission, has led to more attention being paid to this disease. We present the case of a 27-year-old man with cutaneous lesions and perianal ulcers, clinically suggestive of a viral disease. Monkeypox was demonstrated with PCR analysis. The histological features and differential diagnoses of monkeypox are discussed and the characteristic histopathological pattern of eccrine gland epithelium is described which, if found in an ulcerated lesion, should raise suspicion of monkeypox.


Subject(s)
Mpox (monkeypox) , Male , Animals , Humans , Adult , Mpox (monkeypox)/epidemiology , Epithelium/chemistry , DNA, Viral/analysis , Diagnosis, Differential
7.
Int J Parasitol ; 53(8): 393-403, 2023 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36931423

ABSTRACT

How parasites develop and survive, and how they stimulate or modulate host immune responses are important in understanding disease pathology and for the design of new control strategies. Microarray analysis and bulk RNA sequencing have provided a wealth of data on gene expression as parasites develop through different life-cycle stages and on host cell responses to infection. These techniques have enabled gene expression in the whole organism or host tissue to be detailed, but do not take account of the heterogeneity between cells of different types or developmental stages, nor the spatial organisation of these cells. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) adds a new dimension to studying parasite biology and host immunity by enabling gene profiling at the individual cell level. Here we review the application of scRNA-seq to establish gene expression cell atlases for multicellular helminths and to explore the expansion and molecular profile of individual host cell types involved in parasite immunity and tissue repair. Studying host-parasite interactions in vivo is challenging and we conclude this review by briefly discussing the applications of organoids (stem-cell derived mini-tissues) to examine host-parasite interactions at the local level, and as a potential system to study parasite development in vitro. Organoid technology and its applications have developed rapidly, and the elegant studies performed to date support the use of organoids as an alternative in vitro system for research on helminth parasites.


Subject(s)
Helminths , Host-Parasite Interactions , Animals , Host-Parasite Interactions/genetics , Helminths/physiology , Base Sequence , Life Cycle Stages
8.
J Virol ; 96(22): e0148022, 2022 11 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36317880

ABSTRACT

Influenza A viruses (FLUAV) cause respiratory diseases in many host species, including humans and pigs. The spillover of FLUAV between swine and humans has been a concern for both public health and the swine industry. With the emergence of the triple reassortant internal gene (TRIG) constellation, establishment of human-origin FLUAVs in pigs has become more common, leading to increased viral diversity. However, little is known about the adaptation processes that are needed for a human-origin FLUAV to transmit and become established in pigs. We generated a reassortant FLUAV (VIC11pTRIG) containing surface gene segments from a human FLUAV strain and internal gene segments from the 2009 pandemic and TRIG FLUAV lineages and demonstrated that it can replicate and transmit in pigs. Sequencing and variant analysis identified three mutants that emerged during replication in pigs, which were mapped near the receptor binding site of the hemagglutinin (HA). The variants replicated more efficiently in differentiated swine tracheal cells compared to the virus containing the wildtype human-origin HA, and one of them was present in all contact pigs. These results show that variants are selected quickly after replication of human-origin HA in pigs, leading to improved fitness in the swine host, likely contributing to transmission. IMPORTANCE Influenza A viruses cause respiratory disease in several species, including humans and pigs. The bidirectional transmission of FLUAV between humans and pigs plays a significant role in the generation of novel viral strains, greatly impacting viral epidemiology. However, little is known about the evolutionary processes that allow human FLUAV to become established in pigs. In this study, we generated reassortant viruses containing human seasonal HA and neuraminidase (NA) on different constellations of internal genes and tested their ability to replicate and transmit in pigs. We demonstrated that a virus containing a common internal gene constellation currently found in U.S. swine was able to transmit efficiently via the respiratory route. We identified a specific amino acid substitution that was fixed in the respiratory contact pigs that was associated with improved replication in primary swine tracheal epithelial cells, suggesting it was crucial for the transmissibility of the human virus in pigs.


Subject(s)
Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus , Influenza A virus , Influenza, Human , Orthomyxoviridae Infections , Swine Diseases , Animals , Humans , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/genetics , Influenza A virus/genetics , Influenza, Human/transmission , Mutation , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/transmission , Reassortant Viruses/genetics , Swine , Swine Diseases/virology
9.
Parasitology ; 149(13): 1775-1780, 2022 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36165285

ABSTRACT

Taenia solium is the aetiological agent of cysticercosis, a zoonosis that causes severe health and economic losses across Latin America, Africa and Asia. The most serious manifestation of the disease is neurocysticercosis, which occurs when the larval stage (cysticercus) establishes in the central nervous system. Using Taenia crassiceps as an experimental model organism for the study of cysticercosis, we aimed to identify the in vitro conditions necessary to allow parasite development at the short- and long terms. First, cysticerci were incubated for 15 days in different media and parasite densities. The number of buddings and cysticerci diameter were measured to evaluate asexual multiplication and parasite growth, respectively. Vitality was determined by trypan blue staining and morphology analysis. As a result, high cysticerci density and medium containing FBS and the excretion/secretion (E/S) products of feeder cells induced parasite survival, growth and multiplication. Then, the long-term (5 weeks) incubation of the parasites in co-culture with feeder cells was evaluated. Consequently, the mammalian cell lines induced a significant increase in total parasite volume while axenic cultures did not show any statistically significant change over time. In this study, the proper conditions to maintain T. crassiceps in vitro are described for the first time in a simpler and more controlled setting other than experimental infections. In addition, it was shown that cysticerci growth, survival and asexual multiplication depend on a complex network of secreted factors from both parasite and host.


Subject(s)
Cysticercosis , Neurocysticercosis , Parasites , Taenia solium , Taenia , Animals , Humans , Mice , Cysticercus/physiology , Cysticercosis/veterinary , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mammals
10.
Parasitol Res ; 121(4): 1155-1168, 2022 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35079857

ABSTRACT

Echinococcus multilocularis is the etiological agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a serious parasitic disease in the Northern Hemisphere. The E. multilocularis primary cell cultivation system, together with E. multilocularis genome data and a range of pioneering molecular-based tools have advanced the research on this and other cestodes. RNA interference (RNAi) and microRNA knock-down have recently contributed to the study of the cellular and molecular basis of tapeworm development and host-parasite interaction. These, as well as other techniques, normally involve an electroporation step for the delivery of RNA, DNA, peptides, and small molecules into cells. Using transcriptome data and bioinformatic analyses, we herein report a genome-wide comparison between primary cells of E. multilocularis and primary cells under electroporated conditions after 48 h of culture. We observed that ~ 15% of genes showed a significant variation in expression level, including highly upregulated genes in electroporated cells, putatively involved in detoxification and membrane remodeling. Furthermore, we found genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, proteolysis, calcium ion binding and microtubule processing significantly altered, which could explain the cellular dispersion and the reduced formation of cellular aggregates observed during the first 48 h after electroporation.


Subject(s)
Cestoda , Cestode Infections , Echinococcosis , Echinococcus multilocularis , Animals , Echinococcosis/parasitology , Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics , Electroporation , Primary Cell Culture
12.
Prensa méd. argent ; 107(3): 129-134, 20210000. tab, ilus
Article in Spanish | LILACS, BINACIS | ID: biblio-1359534

ABSTRACT

La enfermedad por arañazo de gato (EAG) es una zoonosis emergente causada por Bartonella henselae. Puede presentarse de forma atípica, incluyendo meningitis, neuroretinitis, endocarditis y compromiso hepatoesplénico, lo cual es poco frecuente en adultos inmunocompetentes. Su manejo terapéutico es controvertido dada la ausencia de ensayos aleatorizados al respecto. Se describen 5 casos de EAG con compromiso hepato-esplénico, donde la correcta anamnesis epidemiológica permitió la sospecha diagnóstica, evitando la realización de procedimientos invasivos en la mayoría de los casos. La posibilidad de realización de PCR y serología para Bartonella spp. fueron de vital importancia


Cat scratch disease (CSD) is an emerging zoonosis caused by Bartonella henselae. It can occur atypically including meningitis, neuroretinitis, endocarditis and hepatosplenic involvement, a rare occurrence in immunocompetent adults. Therapeutic management is controversial, supported by case series and retrospective data published literature. Five cases of CSD with hepatosplenic involvement are described. The correct clinical and epidemiological anamnesis allow the diagnostic and avoid the performance of invasive procedures in most cases. The possibility of performing Bartonella spp PCR and serology is crucial


Subject(s)
Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , Rifampin/therapeutic use , Cat-Scratch Disease/diagnosis , Cat-Scratch Disease/therapy , Ultrasonography , Immunocompromised Host , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Blood Culture , Duration of Therapy , Liver Abscess/therapy
13.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis ; 15(3): e0009297, 2021 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33750964

ABSTRACT

The neglected zoonotic disease alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by the metacestode stage of the tapeworm parasite Echinococcus multilocularis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with a major role in regulating gene expression in key biological processes. We analyzed the expression profile of E. multilocularis miRNAs throughout metacestode development in vitro, determined the spatial expression of miR-71 in metacestodes cultured in vitro and predicted miRNA targets. Small cDNA libraries from different samples of E. multilocularis were sequenced. We confirmed the expression of 37 miRNAs in E. multilocularis being some of them absent in the host, such as miR-71. We found a few miRNAs highly expressed in all life cycle stages and conditions analyzed, whereas most miRNAs showed very low expression. The most expressed miRNAs were miR-71, miR-9, let-7, miR-10, miR-4989 and miR-1. The high expression of these miRNAs was conserved in other tapeworms, suggesting essential roles in development, survival, or host-parasite interaction. We found highly regulated miRNAs during the different transitions or cultured conditions analyzed, which might suggest a role in the regulation of developmental timing, host-parasite interaction, and/or in maintaining the unique developmental features of each developmental stage or condition. We determined that miR-71 is expressed in germinative cells and in other cell types of the germinal layer in E. multilocularis metacestodes cultured in vitro. MiRNA target prediction of the most highly expressed miRNAs and in silico functional analysis suggested conserved and essential roles for these miRNAs in parasite biology. We found relevant targets potentially involved in development, cell growth and death, lifespan regulation, transcription, signal transduction and cell motility. The evolutionary conservation and expression analyses of E. multilocularis miRNAs throughout metacestode development along with the in silico functional analyses of their predicted targets might help to identify selective therapeutic targets for treatment and control of AE.


Subject(s)
Echinococcus multilocularis/growth & development , Echinococcus multilocularis/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation/genetics , MicroRNAs/genetics , Animals , Base Sequence , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Echinococcosis/drug therapy , Echinococcosis/parasitology , Echinococcus multilocularis/drug effects , Host-Parasite Interactions/genetics , Humans , MicroRNAs/analysis , MicroRNAs/drug effects , Multigene Family/genetics , Sequence Analysis, RNA
14.
J Med Virol ; 93(5): 3268-3272, 2021 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33527375

ABSTRACT

Current diagnostic standards involve severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection in nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), but saliva is an attractive and noninvasive option for diagnosis. The objectives were to determine the performance of saliva in comparison with NPS for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and to compare the optimized home brew reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with a commercial RT-PCR. Paired NPS and saliva specimens were prospectively collected and tested by RT-PCR from patients presenting at an emergency room with signs and symptoms compatible with coronavirus disease-2019. A total of 348 samples from 174 patients were tested by RT-PCR assays. Among 174 patients with symptoms, 63 (36%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive in NPS using the optimized home-brew PCR. Of these 63 patients, 61 (98%) were also positive in saliva. An additional positive SARS-CoV-2 saliva was detected in a patient with pneumonia. Kappa Cohen's coefficient agreement between NPS and saliva was 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-0.99). Median Ct values in NPS versus saliva were 18.88 (interquartile range [IQR], 15.60-23.58; range, 11.97-38.10) versus 26.10 (IQR, 22.75-30.06; range, 13.78-39.22), respectively (p < .0001). The optimized home-brew RT-PCR demonstrated higher analytical and clinical sensitivity compared with the commercial RT-PCR assay. A high sensitivity (98%) and agreement (kappa 0.96) in saliva samples compared to NPS was demonstrated when using an optimized home-brew PCR even when the viral load in saliva was lower than in NPS. This noninvasive sample is easy to collect, requires less consumable and avoids discomfort to patients. Importantly, self-collection of saliva can diminish exposure to healthcare personnel.


Subject(s)
COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/virology , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Saliva/virology , Specimen Handling/methods , Adult , Aged , Emergency Service, Hospital , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies
15.
Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl ; 13: 142-149, 2020 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33083226

ABSTRACT

After decades of being neglected, broad tapeworms now attract growing attention thanks to the increasing number of reports from humans but also thanks to many advancements achieved by application of molecular methods in diagnosis and epidemiological studies. Regarding sparganosis, unfortunately general uniformity of most species, their high intraspecific variability and lack of agreement among researchers has led to confusion about the classification of Spirometra/Sparganum species. For the first time we determined adult, eggs and plerocercoid life cycle stages and the molecular phylogeny of Sparganum proliferum obtained from endangered wild felids (Panthera onca, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus guttulus and Herpailurus yagoauroundi) in one of the largest continuous remnants of worldwide biodiversity, the Atlantic Forest from South America. Our results showed that at least 57% of total species of wild felids in this natural area could act as definitive hosts of Sparganum proliferum. We conclude that the availability of more morphological characteristics are needed in order to secure reliable characterization and diagnosis of sparganosis. The integration of these data with molecular analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences will be useful for species discrimination.

16.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis ; 13(12): e0007932, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31881019

ABSTRACT

Echinococcosis represents a major public health problem worldwide and is considered a neglected disease by the World Health Organization. The etiological agents are Echinococcus tapeworms, which display elaborate developmental traits that imply a complex control of gene expression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small regulatory RNAs, are involved in the regulation of many biological processes such as development and metabolism. They act through the repression of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) usually by binding to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). Previously, we described the miRNome of several Echinococcus species and found that miRNAs are highly expressed in all life cycle stages, suggesting an important role in gene expression regulation. However, studying the role of miRNAs in helminth biology remains a challenge. To develop methodology for functional analysis of miRNAs in tapeworms, we performed miRNA knockdown experiments in primary cell cultures of Echinococcus multilocularis, which mimic the development of metacestode vesicles from parasite stem cells in vitro. First, we analysed the miRNA repertoire of E. multilocularis primary cells by small RNA-seq and found that miR-71, a bilaterian miRNA absent in vertebrate hosts, is one of the top five most expressed miRNAs. Using genomic information and bioinformatic algorithms for miRNA binding prediction, we found a high number of potential miR-71 targets in E. multilocularis. Inhibition of miRNAs can be achieved by transfection of antisense oligonucleotides (anti-miRs) that block miRNA function. To this end, we evaluated a variety of chemically modified anti-miRs for miR-71 knockdown. Electroporation of primary cells with 2'-O-methyl modified anti-miR-71 led to significantly reduced miR-71 levels. Transcriptomic analyses showed that several predicted miR-71 targets were up-regulated in anti-miR-treated primary cells, including genes potentially involved in parasite development, host parasite interaction, and several genes of as yet unknown function. Notably, miR-71-silenced primary cell cultures showed a strikingly different phenotype from control cells and did not develop into fully mature metacestodes. These findings indicate an important function of miR-71 in Echinococcus development and provide, for the first time, methodology to functionally study miRNAs in a tapeworm.


Subject(s)
Echinococcus multilocularis/growth & development , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Computational Biology , Stem Cells/physiology
17.
J Tissue Eng Regen Med ; 13(12): 2142-2154, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31373143

ABSTRACT

Blindness due to corneal diseases is a common pathology affecting up to 23 million individuals worldwide. The tissue-engineered anterior human cornea, which is currently being tested in a Phase I/II clinical trial to treat severe corneal trophic ulcers with preliminary good feasibility and safety results. This bioartificial cornea is based on a nanostructured fibrin-agarose biomaterial containing human allogeneic stromal keratocytes and cornea epithelial cells, mimicking the human native anterior cornea in terms of optical, mechanical, and biological behavior. This product is manufactured as a clinical-grade tissue engineering product, fulfilling European requirements and regulations. The clinical translation process included several phases: an initial in vitro and in vivo preclinical research plan, including preclinical advice from the Spanish Medicines Agency followed by additional preclinical development, the adaptation of the biofabrication protocols to a good manufacturing practice manufacturing process, including all quality controls required, and the design of an advanced therapy clinical trial. The experimental development and successful translation of advanced therapy medicinal products for clinical application has to overcome many obstacles, especially when undertaken by academia or SMEs. We expect that our experience and research strategy may help future researchers to efficiently transfer their preclinical results into the clinical settings.


Subject(s)
Biocompatible Materials/chemistry , Corneal Diseases , Epithelium, Corneal , Tissue Engineering , Animals , Corneal Diseases/metabolism , Corneal Diseases/pathology , Corneal Diseases/therapy , Epithelium, Corneal/chemistry , Epithelium, Corneal/metabolism , Epithelium, Corneal/pathology , Epithelium, Corneal/transplantation , Humans , Rabbits
19.
Vet Parasitol ; 251: 50-55, 2018 Feb 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29426476

ABSTRACT

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is a lungworm distributed worldwide that affects wild and domestic cats, causing bronchopneumonia of varying intensity. Snails serve as intermediate hosts. The aim of the present study was to assess the larval development of A. abstrusus in R. decollata snails and to investigate its potential as an intermediate host. For this purpose, first-stage larvae (L1) of A. abstrusus were obtained from the faeces of naturally infected cats. Doses of 500 L1/snail were given to 24 R. decollata snails, placed on the soil of the breeder chamber, and maintained under laboratory conditions. Three snails were killed at 8, 10, 12, 16, 22, 26, 45 and 55 days post-infection (dpi), and the muscular foot and visceral body were separately digested by an artificial digestion technique. The morphometric parameters of different larval stages were recorded. The mean number of larvae reaching the infective stage at the end of the study (L3) was 262 larvae/snail. The greatest development to L3 was recorded from days16 to 55 pi, during which the isolation was maximum. A. Abstrusus L3 were isolated from the viscera, but isolation from the snail foot was significantly higher. Our results showed for the first time the ability of A. Abstrusus larvae to develop in R. decollata, thus serving as a potential intermediate host.


Subject(s)
Larva/physiology , Metastrongyloidea/physiology , Snails/parasitology , Animals , Cats/parasitology , Feces/parasitology , Foot/parasitology , Larva/anatomy & histology , Metastrongyloidea/anatomy & histology , Metastrongyloidea/growth & development , Snails/anatomy & histology , Strongylida Infections/parasitology , Strongylida Infections/transmission
20.
Int J Parasitol ; 47(10-11): 675-686, 2017 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28668323

ABSTRACT

Intercellular communication is crucial in multiple aspects of cell biology. This interaction can be mediated by several mechanisms including extracellular vesicle (EV) transfer. EV secretion by parasites has been reported in protozoans, trematodes and nematodes. Here we report that this mechanism is present in three different species of cestodes, Taenia crassiceps, Mesocestoides corti and Echinococcus multilocularis. To confirm this we determined, in vitro, the presence of EVs in culture supernatants by transmission electron microscopy. Interestingly, while T. crassiceps and M. corti metacestodes secrete membranous structures into the culture media, similar vesicles were observed in the interface of the germinal and laminated layers of E. multilocularis metacestodes and were hardly detected in culture supernatants. We then determined the protein cargo in the EV-enriched secreted fractions of T. crassiceps and M. corti conditioned media by LC-MS/MS. Among the identified proteins, eukaryotic vesicle-enriched proteins were identified as expected, but also proteins used for cestode disease diagnosis, proteins related to neurotransmission, lipid binding proteins as well as host immunoglobulins and complement factors. Finally, we confirmed by capillary electrophoresis the presence of intravesicular RNA for both parasites and detected microRNAs by reverse transcription-PCR. This is the first report of EV secretion in cestode parasites and of an RNA secretion mechanism. These findings will provide valuable data not only for basic cestode biology but also for the rational search for new diagnostic targets.


Subject(s)
Cestoda/physiology , Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism , Helminth Proteins/immunology , MicroRNAs/chemistry , Animals , Cestoda/genetics , Chromatography, Liquid/methods , Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods
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