Parasites & Vectors
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2018
·Vol. 11
·期 1
·1-9
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IF 3.163
Yin Jianhai,Liu Congshan,Shen Yujuan,Zhang Haobing,Cao Jianping
Background Cystic echinococcosis is a global public health problem; however, the drugs (albendazole and mebendazole) currently recommended by WHO for its treatment, have limited efficacy. Therefore, novel drugs are required to provide more choices for the treatment of this disease. Methods The anthelmintic effects of ursolic acid (UA) were tested on Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces, germinal cells and metacestodes in vitro. The in vivo efficacy of UA was investigated in mice following secondary infection with E. granulosus . Furthermore, the corresponding ultrastructural damage induced by UA was evaluated by electron microscopy. Results In vitro, 45.95 ± 5.30% of protoscoleces were killed by UA at 40 μg/ml, while the growth of more than 90% of germinal cells was inhibited by UA at 10 to 40 μg/ml. The same effect was observed in metacestodes 7 days after treatment with UA at 10, 20 and 40 μg/ml, and more than 50% of metacestodes showed loss of integrity at the end of the experiment. In vivo, metacestode weight was significantly reduced following oral administration of UA at 200 and 100 mg/kg (39.5 and 38.3%, respectively). Additionally, ultrastructural damage, such as alternations in germinal cell morphology and formation of vacuoles and lipid granules were observed in parasites treated with UA in vitro, while detachment of the germinal layer from the laminated layer was also seen in metacestodes in vivo. Conclusions UA was demonstrated to exert parasiticidal activity against E. granulosus in vitro and in vivo, thus implicating UA as a potential anti-echinococcosis agent.
研究领域:
寄生虫学
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药理学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Scientific Reports
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2017
·Vol. 7
·期 1
·1-8
·
IF 4.259
Li Peng,Jia Zhenhong,Lü Guodong
Hydatid, which is a parasitic disease, occurs today in many regions worldwide. Because it can present a serious threat to people’s health, finding a fast, convenient, and economical means of detection is important. This paper proposes a label- and spectrophotometer-free apparatus that uses optical biological detection based on porous silicon microcavities. In this approach, the refractive index change induced by the biological reactions of a sample in a porous silicon microcavity is detected by measuring the change in the incidence angle corresponding to the maximum transmitted intensity of a near-infrared probe laser. This paper reports that the proposed method can achieve the label-free detection of 43 kDa molecular weight hydatid disease antigens with high sensitivity.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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寄生虫学
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光学检测
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Biomedical Optics Express
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2017
·Vol. 8
·期 7
·3458-3469
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IF 3.337
Yanyu Li,Zhenhong Jia,Guodong Lv,Hao Wen,Peng Li,Hongyan Zhang,Jiajia Wang
Highly sensitive labeled detection of Echinococcus granulosus using colloidal quantum dots (QDs) based on a porous silicon Bragg mirror sensor are demonstrated. Rabbit anti-p38 labeled CdSe/ZnS QDs was infiltrated in porous silicon pores immobilized Egp38 antigen. QD-antibodies are specifically bound to antigens linked covalently to the pore walls of PSi after the immune reaction. By the design of the transfer matrix method and the preparation of the electrochemical etching method, the fluorescence peak wavelength of the quantum dots is located in the forbidden band of the Bragg mirror. The fluorescence of QDs are enhanced by PSi Bragg mirror. Egp38 antigen detection limit of 300fg/mL is achievable. Our results exhibit that the biosensor combining PSi Bragg mirror and QDs can potentially be applied to the clinical detection of hydatid disease.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
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光学传感
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寄生虫学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
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2021
·
IF 3.342
Congshan Liu,Jianping Cao,Haobing Zhang,Jianhai Yin
RNA modifications, as one of epigenetic mechanisms, are important and conserved mechanisms for maintaining the homeostasis of organisms. Little is known about RNA modifications in Echinococcus granulosus, an obligate parasite that inhabits mammals and gives rise to a huge public health and economic impact. Here, we focused on the RNA modification characteristics of E. granulosus for the first time by using mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze 47 types of RNA modifications in E. granulosus total RNA. Furthermore, the E. granulosus homologs of writer enzymes preforming RNA modifications were identified, and their gene expression pattern at different developmental stages were analyzed by bioinformatics analysis. Finally, 23 types of RNA modifications were found in E. granulosus cysts total RNA, of which m 1 A, Ψ and m 5 C are the most abundant. The homologs of writer enzymes involved in these modifications were identified in the E. granulosus genome, with the dynamic gene expression during the different parasitic developmental stages. This work confirms that E. granulosus retains the conserved RNA modification mechanism during evolution, suggesting the important role of RNA modification in regulating its development and parasitic process. Moreover, the differences of amino acid sequences of RNA modification writer enzymes between parasite and host make it possible to use these enzymes as the candidate drug targets in the follow-up in-depth researches.
研究领域:
寄生虫学
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分子生物学
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基因组学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Parasites & Vectors
·
2021
·Vol. 14
·期 1
·1-10
·
IF 3.876
Gao Hai-Jun,Sun Xu-Dong,Luo Yan-Ping,Pang Hua-Sheng,Ma Xing-Ming,Zhang Ting,Jing Tao,Hu Wei,Shen Yu-Juan,Cao Jian-Ping
Background Echinococcosis, which is caused by the larvae of cestodes of the genus Echinococcus , is a parasitic zoonosis that poses a serious threat to the health of humans and animals globally. Albendazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of echinococcosis, but it is difficult to meet clinical goals with this chemotherapy due to its low cure rate and associated side effects after its long-term use. Hence, novel anti-parasitic targets and effective treatment alternatives are urgently needed. A previous study showed that verapamil (Vepm) can suppress the growth of Echinococcus granulosus larvae; however, the mechanism of this effect remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the anti-echinococcal effect of Vepm on Echinococcus with a particular focus on the regulatory effect of Vepm on calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Ca 2+ /CaM-CaMKII) in infected mice. Methods The anti-echinococcal effects of Vepm on Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces (PSC) in vitro and Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes in infected mice were assessed. The morphological alterations in Echinococcus spp. induced by Vepm were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the changes in calcium content in both the parasite and mouse serum and liver were measured by SEM-energy dispersive spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and alizarin red staining. Additionally, the changes in the protein and mRNA levels of CaM and CaMKII in infected mice, and in the mRNA levels of CaMKII in E. granulosus PSC, were evaluated after treatment with Vepm by immunohistochemistry and/or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results In vitro , E. granulosus PSC could be killed by Vepm at a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml or higher within 8 days. Under these conditions, the ultrastructure of PSC was damaged, and this damage was accompanied by obvious calcium loss and downregulation of CaMKII mRNA expression. In vivo , the weight and the calcium content of E. multilocularis metacestodes from mice were reduced after treatment with 40 mg/kg Vepm, and an elevation of the calcium content in the sera and livers of infected mice was observed. In addition, downregulation of CaM and CaMKII protein and mRNA expression in the livers of mice infected with E. multilocularis metacestodes was found after treatment with Vepm. Conclusions Vepm exerted a parasiticidal effect against Echinococcus both in vitro and in vivo through downregulating the expression of Ca 2+ /CaM-CaMKII, which was over-activated by parasitic infection. The results suggest that Ca 2+ /CaM-CaMKII may be a novel drug target, and that Vepm is a potential anti-echinococcal drug for the future control of echinococcosis. Graphical Abstract
研究领域:
寄生虫学
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药理学
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分子生物学
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传染病学
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DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY
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2023
·
IF 5.4
Yuehong Gong,Tianjiao Zhou,Wusimanjiang Aimaiti,Yuxia Lin,Yuan Xu,Jianhua Yang,Zhangjian Huang,Hao Wen,Hulin Jiang,Jianhua Wang
Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has a promising application prospect in Echinococcus granulosus (Egs), however, the hypoxic environment of Egs and the hypoxia associated with PDT will greatly limit its effects. As a hypoxic-activated pre-chemotherapeutic drug, tirapazamine (TPZ) can be only activated and produce cytotoxicity under hypoxia environment. Albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSO) is the first choice for the treatment of Egs. This study aimed to explore the effects of ABZSO nanoparticles (ABZSO NPs), TPZ combined with PDT on the activity of Egs in vitro and in vivo . Methods The Egs were divided into control, ABZSO NPs, ABZSO NPs + PDT, and ABZSO NPs + TPZ + PDT groups, and the viability of Egs was determined using methylene blue staining. Then, the ROS , LDH and ATP levels were measured using their corresponding assay kit, and H2AX and TopoI protein expression was detected by western blot . The morphology of Egs with different treatments was observed using hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After that, the in vivo efficacy of ABZSO NPs, TPZ and PDT on Egs was determined in a Egs infected mouse model. Results In vitro experiments showed that the combined treatment of TPZ, ABZSO NPs and PDT significantly inhibited Egs viability; and significantly increased ROS levels and LDH contents, while decreased ATP contents in Egs; as well as up-regulated H2AX and down-regulated TopoI protein expression . HE staining and SEM results showed that breaking-then-curing treatment seriously damaged the Egs wall. Additionally, in vivo experiments found that the combination of ABZSO NPs, PDT and TPZ had more serious calcification and damage of the wall structure of cysts. Conclusions ABZSO NPs combined with TPZ and PDT has a better inhibitory effect on the growth of Egs in vitro and in vivo based on the strategy of “breaking-then-curing”.
研究领域:
寄生虫学
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药理学
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治疗学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
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