靶向寄生虫的核酸适配体应用研究进展

核酸适配体是人工合成的单链DNA或RNA寡核苷酸,经指数富集的配体系统进化技术体外筛选获得。核酸适配体可与病毒、细菌、寄生虫等生物体的蛋白质与其他小分子靶标进行高亲和力和特异性结合。与抗体相比,核酸适配体具有无免疫原性、制备简单、易于批量生产、便于修饰、性能稳定、价格低廉等优点,在疾病诊断和治疗领域具有重要的应用潜力。本文综述了靶向疟原虫、锥虫、利什曼原虫等寄生虫的核酸适配体的研究进展,以期为寄生虫感染的检测和防治提供新策略。     

Intestinal parasitic infection: prevalence,knowledge, attitude,and practices among schoolchildren in an urban area of Taiz city,Yemen

BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are regarded as one of the main public health problems and socio-economic issues adversely affecting the health of millions of people worldwide. Our study aimed to describe the knowledge, attitude, and practices of local urban schoolchildren in Taiz City towards intestinal parasitic infections.Methods and materialThis is a cross-sectional study conducted in Taiz, Yemen from March to May 2019. A total of 385 schoolchildren were selected using a random sampling technique from 7 primary schools. Wet-mount microscopic examination, formol-ether concentration techniques, and Lugols'' iodine were employed in parasite detection and cyst identification.ResultsOf the 385 schoolchildren examined for IPIs, 107 (27.8%) were positive for the presence of enteric parasites, some having multiple infections. The prevalence was slightly higher in males 46 (28.6%) than in females 61 (27.2%) but have no statistical difference (P = 0.77). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was the most common infection with 16.4% of cases. A substantial percentage (40.5%) of the respondents displayed poor knowledge. The respondents also revealed inappropriate attitudes and practices that contribute to the prevalence of IPIs in the study.ConclusionsThe study revealed the prevalence of intestinal parasites among the schoolchildren in Taiz, Yemen, suggesting that IPIs remain a major public health problem. Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was the most prevalent intestinal parasites identified among the schoolchildren. Age, poor knowledge of the mode of transmission, prevention, and acquisition of IPIs, and poor habitual hygiene practices increase the risk of acquiring intestinal infections.     

Co-infection with Trypanosoma brucei brucei prevents experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DBA/1 mice through induction of suppressor APCs

The immune system has co-evolved with the infectious agents that challenge it, and in response pathogens have developed different mechanisms to subvert host immunity. A wealth of evidence suggests that infections are important components in the development of a functional immune system, and understanding the modulation of the host immune system by pathogens may offer new therapeutic strategies in a non-infectious setting. We investigated how infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Tbb) modulates the autoimmune response to recombinant myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (rMOG) in DBA/1 mice. Mice harbouring a Tbb infection did not develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by immunization with rMOG in CFA, an animal model for the human autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. Additionally, mice infected with the parasite at the time of immunization or 1 week later developed less severe EAE than uninfected controls. Protected mice displayed a markedly diminished rMOG-specific proliferation and IFNgamma production in lymph node cells and had correspondingly low titres of serum anti-rMOG IgG. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) from spleens of Tbb-infected mice presented rMOG less efficiently to rMOG-specific T cells in vitro than did splenic APCs from uninfected mice and could also inhibit antigen-specific proliferation in control in vitro cultures. This suppressive effect is at least in part due to increased release of IL-10. Transfer of splenic APCs from Tbb-infected mice into mice immunized with rMOG-CFA 7 days previously abrogated disease significantly. These findings indicate that infections can prevent autoimmunity and that APCs might be used as immunomodulants.     

A new Ig-superfamily member,molluscan defence molecule (MDM) from Lymnaea stagnalis,is down-regulated during parasitosis

To survive the attacks of the internal defence system (IDS) of their host, parasites have developed various strategies to manipulate the IDS. We present evidence that the avian schistosome parasite Trichobilharzia ocellata affects gene expression in the granular cells, a cell type of the IDS of the intermediate host, the mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis. From a differential screening, a clone was isolated encoding a protein named molluscan defence molecule (MDM), which encompasses five C2-like immunoglobulin (Ig) domains. The protein shares a domain organization and high amino acid sequence identity with hemolin, an Ig-family member of the insect IDS. Interestingly, both MDM and hemolin have highest sequence identity with neural cell adhesion molecules, but lack the typical fibronectin repeats and motifs for membrane anchors. We find that the expression of the MDM gene is gradually down-regulated during the course of parasitosis to ～21% compared to the non-parasitized level, 8 weeks post-infection. Based on our findings, we suggest that MDM is involved in the proper functioning of the Lymnaea IDS, and that down-regulation of MDM is part of the parasite-induced disabling of non-self recognition.     

重组酶聚合酶扩增技术在寄生虫快速检测中的应用

重组酶聚合酶扩增（recombinase polymerase amplification, RPA）是一种新型核酸等温扩增技术,具有特异性强、灵敏度高、恒温反应、操作简单和耗时短等优点。该技术自2006年面世以来,被逐渐应用于医学、食品安全、公共卫生和农业生产等领域。寄生虫病不仅会影响人畜健康,还阻碍经济发展,带来严重的社会问题。对寄生虫病实现准确而快速的诊断有助于推进该类疾病的治疗进程,最大程度降低危害。本文综述了RPA技术的反应原理、反应条件以及在寄生虫快速检测方面的应用,分析RPA技术在原虫、吸虫和线虫检测中的敏感性和特异性。在原虫检测方面,RPA技术较为成熟,它的灵敏度明显优于传统的检测方法。在吸虫检测方面,RPA技术的敏感性和特异性等于或优于传统的检测技术。RPA技术在线虫检测方面的灵敏度优于聚合酶链式反应。此外,本文还对该技术在寄生虫病防疫工作的应用前景进行了展望。     

Novel molecular targets for antimalarial drug development

Malaria with one million deaths and about 500 million new cases reported annually is a challenge to drug therapy and discovery. As current antimalarial therapeutics become increasingly ineffective because of parasitic resistance, there exists an urgent need to develop and pursue new therapeutic strategies. Antimalarial drug development can follow several strategies, ranging from minor modifications of existing agents to the design of novel agents that act against new targets. Recent advances in our knowledge of parasite biology as well as the availability of the genome sequence provide a wide range of novel targets for drug design. Several promising targets for drug intervention have been revealed in recent years. This review discusses novel molecular targets of the malaria parasite available to the drug discovery scientist.     

Detection for cross-reactive proteins in filarial worm Setaria equina,MCF-7 human breast cancer,and Huh-7 hepatoma cells

This study aimed to detect the cross-reactive proteins in filarial parasite adult worm Setaria equina and two different tumor cell lines (MCF-7 human breast cancer and Huh-7 hepatoma cells). This was performed using rabbit anti-S. equina extract (SeqE) or DEC (Diethylcarbamazine citrate) polyclonal IgG antibodies by indirect ELISA and western blotting. The results indicated cross-reactive bands at 70 and 75 kDa in all extracts by anti-DEC and SeqE antibodies, respectively. In addition, the expression of 70 kDa protein was only reduced in filarial worms and Huh-7 after in vitro DEC treatment compared to the control.     

Invasion of one insect species, Adalia bipunctata, by two different male-killing bacteria

Male-killing bacteria, which are inherited through the female line and kill male progeny only, are known from five different orders of insect. Our knowledge of the incidence of these elements has stemmed from discovery of their phenotype in different species. Our estimate of the frequency with which insects have been invaded by these elements therefore depends on each observation of the male-killing phenotype within a species being associated with a single micro-organism. We here record an example of a single insect species being infected with two taxonomically distinct male-killing bacteria. Western European populations of the two-spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata, have previously been shown to bear a male-killing Rickettsia. However, we here show that the majority of the male-killing lines tested from Central and Eastern Europe do not bear this bacterium. Rather, 16S rDNA sequence analysis suggests male-killing is associated with a member of the genus Spiroplasma. We discuss this conclusion in relation to the evolutionary genetics of male-killing bacteria, and the evolution of male-killing behaviour in the eubacteria.