Bursts of transposition from non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon families of the RTE clade in Schistosoma mansoni

The genus Schistosoma is composed of blood flukes that infect vertebrates, from which three species are major causative agents of human schistosomiasis, a tropical disease that affects more than 200 million people. Current models of the recent evolution of Schistosoma indicate multiple events of migration and speciation from an Asian ancestral species. Transposable elements are important drivers of genome evolution and have been hypothesised to have an important role in speciation. In this work, we describe a comprehensive inventory of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum retrotransposons, based on their recently published genomic data. We find a considerable difference in retrotransposon representation between the two species (22% and 13%, respectively). A large part of this difference can be attributed to higher representation of two previously described families of S. mansoni retrotransposons (SR2 and Perere-3/SR3), compared with the representation of their closest relative families in S. japonicum. A more detailed analysis suggests that these two S. mansoni families were the subject of recent bursts of transposition that were not paralleled by their S. japonicum counterparts. We hypothesise that these bursts could be a consequence of the evolutionary pressure resulting from migration of Schistosoma from Asia to Africa and their establishment in this new environment, helping both speciation and adaptation.     

Female biased sex-ratio in Schistosoma mansoni after exposure to an allopatric intermediate host strain of Biomphalaria glabrata

For parasites that require multiple hosts to complete their development, the interaction with the intermediate host may have an impact on parasite transmission and development in the definitive host. The human parasite Schistosoma mansoni needs two different hosts to complete its life cycle: the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata (in South America) as intermediate host and a human or rodents as final host. To investigate the influence of the host environment on life history traits in the absence of selection, we performed experimental infections of two B. glabrata strains of different geographic origin with the same clonal population of S. mansoni. One B. glabrata strain is the sympatric host and the other one the allopatric host. We measured prevalence in the snail, the cercarial infectivity, sex-ratio, immunopathology in the final host and microsatellite frequencies of individual larvae in three successive generations.     

Schistosoma mansoni Annexin 2: Molecular characterization and immunolocalization

We here describe the cloning and characterization of the Schistosoma mansoni Annexin 2, previously identified in the tegument by proteomic studies, and as an up-regulated gene in schistosomulum stage by microarray data. In silico analysis predicts a conserved core containing four repeat domains of Annexin (ANX) and a variable N-terminal region similar to that described for mammalian isoforms. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis determined that S. mansoni Annexin 2 is significantly up-regulated in the transition from free-living cercaria to schistosomulum and adult worm parasitic stages. Immunolocalization experiments and tegument membrane preparations confirmed Annexin 2 as a protein mainly localized in the tegument of schistosomula and adult worms. Furthermore, it binds to the tegument surface membranes in a calcium-dependent manner. These results suggest that S. mansoni Annexin 2 is closely associated to the tegument arrangement, being a potential target for immune intervention.     

Effect of amphotericin B on the infection success of Schistosoma mansoni in Biomphalaria glabrata

In the present study, we examined the effect of amphotericin B on larval stages (miracidia and primary sporocyst) of the helminth Schistosoma mansoni, the causative agent of human schistosomiasis. Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene macrolide that disturbs the function of the cell membrane; it is widely used as prophylactic antimycotic agent in in vitro culture. We show for the first time that S. mansoni miracidia infectivity is considerably reduced after AmB treatment. Moreover we demonstrate that AmB does not affect the development, growth, viability, and behavior of miracidia and primary sporocysts. Our data indicate that AmB effects on S. mansoni sporocyst prevalence are linked to the oxidative properties of AmB. These may alter the capacity of sporocysts to respond to the oxidative stress generated by the snail immune defence system.     

The extracellular release of Schistosoma mansoni HMGB1 nuclear protein is mediated by acetylation

Schistosoma mansoni HMGB1 (SmHMGB1) was revealed to be a substrate for the parasite histone acetyltransferases SmGCN5 and SmCBP1. We found that full-length SmHMGB1, as well as its HMG-box B (but not HMG-box A) were acetylated in vitro by SmGCN5 and SmCBP1. However, SmCBP1 was able to acetylate both substrates more efficiently than SmGCN5. Interestingly, the removal of the C-terminal acidic tail of SmHMGB1 (SmHMGB1ΔC) resulted in increased acetylation of the protein. We showed by mammalian cell transfection assays that SmHMGB1 and SmHMGB1ΔC were transported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm after sodium butyrate (NaB) treatment. Importantly, after NaB treatment, SmHMGB1 was also present outside the cell. Together, our data suggest that acetylation of SmHMGB1 plays a role in cellular trafficking, culminating with its secretion to the extracellular milieu. The possible role of SmHMGB1 acetylation in the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis is discussed.     

Schistosoma mansoni: Effect of dietary zinc supplement on egg granuloma in Swiss mice treated with praziqantel

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases in Egypt and chemotherapy is considered the most effective method of control. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of zinc administration against Schistosoma mansoni infection by evaluating the activities of arylesterase and paraoxonase (PON1) enzymes, and the degree of liver damage.One hundred and twenty albino mice were divided into two groups; one was an infected control and the other a treated group which was further subdivided into three according to the praziquantel and zinc supplementation given. Blood and liver samples, collected 10 weeks post-infection, were subjected to parasitological, histopathological, and enzyme assays, and immunological studies. The results showed that dietary zinc supplementation led to marked reduction in worm load, and egg deposition in the liver and intestine.Histopathological examination showed marked reduction in the number and diameter of hepatic granulomas in the treated groups. The activity of arylesterase and PON1 enzymes were partially restored in infected animals receiving zinc. IL-10 mRNA expression was higher in the treated groups than in the infection control group. In conclusion, zinc administration could be a promising adjuvant therapy for S. mansoni infection.     

Schistosoma mansoni: Developmental arrest of miracidia treated with histone deacetylase inhibitors

In the present study, we examined the effect of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA), valproic acid (VA) and sodium-butyrate on the metamorphosis of larvae of the human blood-fluke Schistosoma mansoni from the free-swimming miracidia into the intramolluskal sporocyst. We show that HDAC inhibitors block transformation in concentration dependant manner. TSA reversibly blocks this developmental process: only 13 ± 11% of TSA treated miracidia transform into sporocysts in-vitro, compared to 92 ± 3% in the mock-treated control. Other enzyme inhibitors such as cycloheximide or hydroxyurea had no effect on metamorphosis. For treatment of up to 4 h, the effect of TSA was completely reversible. Our data indicates that HDAC activity is necessary for the transformation of S. mansoni miracidia during infection of the snail host.     

Development of Schistosoma mansoni in the laboratory rat analyzed by light and confocal laser scanning microscopy

The kinetic of maturation (schistogram) of Schistosoma mansoni worms grown in laboratory rats was studied by light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Infected rats with the BH strain were weekly euthanized 3-9 weeks pi. Recovered flukes stained with hydrochloric carmine were preserved as whole-mounts and analyzed by confocal and brightfield microscopy. Worms displayed varying degrees of maturation of the reproductive system at weeks 3-6. Male worms showed complete maturation of the reproductive system at week 6, while female worms completed their maturation at week 7. Males presented few tubercles in tegument in all weeks. Despite the presence of a developing embryo within the ootype, no uterine egg was found. The schistogram in rats follows a pattern similar to that observed in mice hosts.     

Excreted/secreted Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like 9 (SmVAL9) modulates host extracellular matrix remodelling gene expression

The Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like (SmVAL) protein family consists of 29 members, each possessing a conserved α-β-α sandwich tertiary feature called the Sperm-coating protein/Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7 (SCP/TAPS) domain. While the SmVALs have been found in both excretory/secretory (E/S) products and in intra/sub-tegumental (non-E/S) fractions, the role(s) of this family in host/parasite relationships or schistosome developmental processes remains poorly resolved. In order to begin quantifying SmVAL functional diversity or redundancy, dissecting the specific activity (ies) of individual family members is necessary. Towards this end, we present the characterisation of SmVAL9; a protein previously found enriched in both miracidia/sporocyst larval transformation proteins and in egg secretions. While our study confirms that SmVAL9 is indeed found in soluble egg products and miracidia/sporocyst larval transformation proteins, we find it to be maximally transcribed/translated in miracidia and subsequently down-regulated during in vitro sporocyst development. SmVAL9 localisation within sporocysts appears concentrated in parenchymal cells/vesicles as well as associated with larval germinal cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that egg-derived SmVAL9 carries an N-linked glycan containing a schistosome-specific difucosyl element and is an immunogenic target during chronic murine schistosomiasis. Finally, we demonstrate that recombinant SmVAL9 affects the expression of extracellular matrix, remodelling matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) gene products in both Biomphalaria glabrata embryonic cell (BgMMP1) and Mus musculus bone marrow-derived macrophage (MmMMP2, MmMMP9, MmMMP12, MmMMP13, MmMMP14, MmMMP28, TIMP1 and TIMP2) in vitro cultures. These findings importantly suggest that excreted/secreted SmVAL9 participates in tissue reorganisation/extracellular matrix remodelling during intra-mammalian egg translocation, miracidia infection and intra-molluscan sporocyst development/migration.     

Developmental regulation of protein kinase A expression and activity in Schistosoma mansoni

cAMP-dependent protein kinases (PKAs) are the main transducers of cAMP signalling in eukaryotic cells. Recently we reported the identification and characterisation of a PKA catalytic subunit (SmPKA-C) in Schistosoma mansoni that is required for adult schistosome viability in vitro. To gain further insights into the role of SmPKA-C in biological processes during the schistosome life cycle, we undertook a quantitative analysis of SmPKA-C mRNA expression in different life cycle stages. Our data shows that SmPKA-C mRNA expression is developmentally regulated, with the highest levels of expression in cercariae and adult female worms. To evaluate the biological role of SmPKA-C in these developmental stages, cercariae and adult worms were treated with various concentrations of PKA inhibitors. Treatment of cercariae with H-89 or PKI 14-22 amide resulted in loss of viability suggesting that, as in adults, PKA is an essential enzyme activity in this infectious larval stage. In adult worms, in vitro exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of H-89 or PKI 14-22 amide resulted in inhibition of egg production in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, using a murine model of schistosome infection where S. mansoni fecundity is impaired, we show that reduced rates of egg production in vivo correlate with significant reductions in SmPKA-C mRNA expression and PKA activity. Finally, restoration of parasite egg production in vivo also resulted in normalisation of SmPKA-C mRNA expression and PKA activity. Taken together, our data suggest that PKA signalling is required for cercarial viability and may play a specific role in the reproductive activity of adult worms.     

Miltefosine, a promising novel agent for schistosomiasis mansoni

This research aims towards developing an alternative antischistosomal drug using miltefosine, which is primarily used in the treatment of leishmaniasis. The treatment and control of schistosomiasis, a notable neglected tropical disease (NTD), rely on a single drug, praziquantel (PZQ). The dependency on PZQ exclusively is quite alarming, given the spread of the disease (over 200 million people infected and close to 800 million people at risk in three continents) and the threat of drug resistance. This study shows that the oral administration of miltefosine in a daily dose of 20 mg/kg for five successive days to mice infected with either invasive, juvenile or adult stages of Schistosoma mansoni resulted in significant reduction of worm burden, hepatic granulomata size and amelioration of hepatic pathology. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that miltefosine induced severe tegumental damage in adult schistosomes. In conclusion, we believe this is the first study highlighting miltefosine as a promising novel agent for schistosomiasis mansoni.     

Human helminth co-infection: No evidence of common genetic control of hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity in a Brazilian community

Strong statistical associations between soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomes are frequently observed in co-endemic human populations, although the underlying explanations remain poorly understood. This study investigates the contribution of host genetics and domestic environment to hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity and evaluates the role of genetic and non-genetic factors in co-variation of infection intensity. Detailed genealogical information allowed assignment of 1303 individuals living in the Brazilian community of Americaninhas, Minas Gerais state, to 25 pedigrees (containing between two and 1159 members) residing in 303 households. The prevalence of co-infection with both hookworms and schistosomes was high (38.5%), with significant correlation between Necator americanus and S. mansoni faecal egg counts. Bivariate variance component analysis demonstrated a modest but significant species-specific heritability for intensity of N. americanus (h² = 0.196) and S. mansoni infection (h² = 0.230). However, after accounting for demographic, socio-economic and household risk factors, no evidence for common genetic control of intensity of hookworm and schistosome infection was observed. There was some evidence for residual clustering within households but the majority (63%) of the covariance between N. americanus and S. mansoni infection intensity remained specific to the individual and could not be explained by shared genes, shared environment or other shared demographic, socio-economic or environmental risk factors. Our results emphasize the importance of exposure to hookworm and schistosome infection in driving the association between levels of infection with these species in hosts resident in areas of high transmission and suggest that much of this common exposure occurs outside the home.     

Binding of von Willebrand factor and plasma proteins to the eggshell of Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosoma mansoni eggs have to cross the endothelium and intestinal wall to leave the host and continue the life cycle. Mechanisms involved in this essential step are largely unknown. Here we describe direct binding to the S. mansoni eggshell of von Willebrand factor and other plasma proteins involved in haemostasis. Using deletion-mutants, we demonstrated that it is the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor that binds to the eggshell. Our results suggest that binding of plasma proteins to the eggshell promotes binding to the endothelium, initiating the passage of the egg through the blood-vessel wall to be excreted in the end.     

Plasmodium yoelii: Adverse outcome of non-lethal P. yoelii malaria during co-infection with Schistosoma mansoni in BALB/c mouse model

Plasmodium yoelii and Schistosoma mansoni co-infections were studied in female BALB/c mice aged 4-6 weeks to determine the effect of time and stage of concomitant infections on malaria disease outcome. Patent S. mansoni infection in BALB/c mice increased malaria peak parasitemia and caused death from an otherwise non-lethal, self-resolving P. yoelii malaria infection. Exacerbation of malaria parasitemia occurred during both pre-patent and patent S. mansoni infection resulting in a delay of 4-8 days in malaria parasite resolution in co-infected mice. Praziquantel administered to mice with patent schistosome infection protected from fatal outcome during co-infection. However, this treatment did not completely clear the worm infestation, nor did it reduce the peak malaria parasitemia reached, which was nonetheless resolved completely. Hepatosplenomegaly was more marked in schistosome and malaria co-infected mice compared to either infection separately. The results suggest a complex relationship between schistosome co-infection and malaria disease outcome in which the timing of malaria infection in relation to schistosome acquisition is critical to disease outcome and pathology.     

Imatinib has a fatal impact on morphology, pairing stability and survival of adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro

Schistosomes cause bilharzia (schistosomiasis), one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases for human and animals worldwide. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only widely used drug for treatment and control of this parasitemia. Since a vaccine is not yet available, and in light of emerging resistance against PZQ, the search for alternatives has high priority. Here we present that Imatinib, a compound used in human cancer therapy (Gleevec; STI-571), significantly affected schistosome morphology and physiology in vitro. Besides its negative effect on gonad development and pairing stability, Imatinib led to pathological alterations of the gastrodermis, which finally caused the death of the parasite.