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Tropical Medicine & International... Jan 1997Three species of rodents were immunized with 50 irradiated (35 krad) stage-3 larvae (L3) of the filaria Acanthocheilonema viteae and challenged with an infection of...
Three species of rodents were immunized with 50 irradiated (35 krad) stage-3 larvae (L3) of the filaria Acanthocheilonema viteae and challenged with an infection of normal L3. The immunization induced a significant reduction of the worm burden developing from the challenge infection in all host species, the jird (Meriones unguiculatus), the multimammate rat (Mastomys coucha) and the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). The induced resistance was highest in jirds (92.5 +/- 9.7) followed by golden hamsters (59.4 +/- 26.6) and multimammate rats (55.1 +/- 40.4). The time course of antibody response against antigens of L3, adult worms and microfilariae, as studied by ELISA, showed quantitative and qualitative differences between the species. The antibody response against L3 antigens in immunoblots was similar in all species. Only one of the golden hamsters developed an antibody response against the surface of vector derived L3, while sera of jirds and multimammate rats did not react with L3 surface.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Helminth; Cricetinae; Dipetalonema; Dipetalonema Infections; Female; Gerbillinae; Male; Mesocricetus; Muridae; Rodent Diseases; Vaccination
PubMed: 9018308
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-129.x -
The Biochemical Journal Dec 1996Heterotrimeric G-proteins have been found in eukaryotic cells, from yeast to humans, but have received little attention, to date, with respect to parasitic organisms. We...
Heterotrimeric G-proteins have been found in eukaryotic cells, from yeast to humans, but have received little attention, to date, with respect to parasitic organisms. We now present the first report of the characterization of heterotrimeric G-proteins expressed in a filarial nematode, Acanthocheilonema viteae. Using a combination of (i) affinity labelling with [alpha-32P]GTP; (ii) ADP-ribosylation with cholera toxin and pertussis toxin; (iii) Western blotting with a panel of anti-G-protein antibodies; and (iv) reverse transcriptase-PCR with degenerate G-protein oligonucleotide primers followed by hybridization analysis using oligonucleotides specific for individual G-protein subunits, we demonstrate that adult A. viteae expresses homologues of the beta 1- and/or beta 2-like subunits and alpha-subunits of the Gs, G1, Gq and G12 subfamilies found in mammals. The role which these G-proteins may play in the biology of the organism is discussed.
Topics: Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies; Blotting, Western; Cholera Toxin; DNA Primers; Dipetalonema; GTP-Binding Proteins; Guanosine Triphosphate; Humans; Macromolecular Substances; Molecular Sequence Data; NAD; Peptide Fragments; Pertussis Toxin; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Recombinant Proteins; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Virulence Factors, Bordetella
PubMed: 8973553
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of Biological Chemistry Jan 1996Acanthocheilonema viteae is a parasitic nematode of rodents. We identified the chitinase of A. viteae infective stage larvae (L3) as the main target of the humoral... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Acanthocheilonema viteae is a parasitic nematode of rodents. We identified the chitinase of A. viteae infective stage larvae (L3) as the main target of the humoral immune response of jirds, which were protected against challenge infection after vaccination with irradiation attenuated L3. The cDNA of the L3 chitinase has been sequenced, and the deduced amino acid sequence shows significant homologies to chitinases of Brugia malayi microfilariae, insects, yeast, bacteria, and Streptomyces sp. The protein has been characterized by monoclonal antibodies and substrate activity gels. The chitinase of L3 may contribute to degrading the nematode cuticle during molting and thus represents a target of protective immune responses in a phase where the parasite is highly vulnerable. In addition, it has been shown that a similar enzyme exists in uterine microfilariae, which probably has a role in casting the egg shell.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigens, Helminth; Bacteria; Base Sequence; Brugia malayi; Chitinases; DNA, Complementary; Dipetalonema; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Gerbillinae; Insecta; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Molecular Sequence Data; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Streptomyces; Ticks; Uterus; Vaccination
PubMed: 8576136
DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.3.1441 -
Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung. C,... 1994Antifilarial activity of 5/6/7/8-mono- or disubstituted 1 H/1-phenyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles (I) has been described. The 1,6- and 8-substituted 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Antifilarial activity of 5/6/7/8-mono- or disubstituted 1 H/1-phenyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles (I) has been described. The 1,6- and 8-substituted 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles (I) elicited interesting filaricidal activity against Litomosoides carinii and Acanthocheilonema viteae in rodent hosts.
Topics: Animals; Dipetalonema; Filaricides; Filarioidea; Indoles; Molecular Structure; Muridae; Sigmodontinae; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 7945675
DOI: 10.1515/znc-1994-7-821 -
Parasite (Paris, France) Jun 1994The structure of the PC-glycan of the major excretory-secretory product (ES-62) of Acanthocheilonema viteae has been investigated using endoglycosidases and lectins....
The structure of the PC-glycan of the major excretory-secretory product (ES-62) of Acanthocheilonema viteae has been investigated using endoglycosidases and lectins. Results obtained raise the possibility that it may be of the high mannose type. This, and the insensitivity of the PC-glycan to treatments which remove PC or choline from bacterial PC-glycans, suggests that it may be more analogous to fungal, than to bacterial PC-containing glycans.
Topics: Animals; Blotting, Western; Dipetalonema; Glycoside Hydrolases; Lectins; Phosphorylcholine; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 9140484
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/1994012179 -
The Canadian Veterinary Journal = La... Oct 1993In late November 1991, 1883 clinics in Canada were sent a questionnaire to assess the status of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in 1991 and there was a 60.0% response. There...
In late November 1991, 1883 clinics in Canada were sent a questionnaire to assess the status of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in 1991 and there was a 60.0% response. There were 344,031 dogs tested for heart-worm (HW), 627 were found infected and the prevalence of HW infection was 0.18%. There were 417 dogs with HW in Ontario, 116 in Manitoba, 38 in Quebec, 53 in British Columbia, three in Alberta, and one in Nova Scotia. In British Columbia, all of the infected dogs but one were from the Okanagan valley which, as from 1991, is a new focus of infection in Canada. Most dogs with HW had not been on preventive medication in 1990, and the prevalence among dogs tested and unprotected was 0.59%. That prevalence was considerably higher in endemic areas. Companion dogs, over three years of age and maintained primarily outdoors in rural areas, were most frequently infected. One cat was diagnosed with D. immitis and 33 dogs had Dipetalonema reconditium.
PubMed: 17424311
DOI: No ID Found -
Folia Parasitologica 1993For optimal solubilization of immunoreactive proteins of filarial parasites, adult worms of Acanthocheilonema viteae were extracted in different detergents including...
For optimal solubilization of immunoreactive proteins of filarial parasites, adult worms of Acanthocheilonema viteae were extracted in different detergents including anionic, cationic, nonionic and zwitterionic agents under varying incubation periods. Each preparation was then analysed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting using pooled sera from Mastomys natalensis infected with A. viteae. Amongst the detergents used, maximum immunoreactive proteins were exposed by sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), closely followed by sodium deoxycholate (DOC). Nevertheless, a few additional protein bands were recognized by infected sera in DOC preparations, but not in SDS, and vice versa. Most of the proteins were completely or partially dissolved within 2 hrs extraction time. It is felt that DOC may be used in place of SDS because of the strong denaturing character of the latter.
Topics: Animals; Antigens, Helminth; Blotting, Western; Detergents; Dipetalonema; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Helminth Proteins; Male; Muridae; Solubility
PubMed: 8314178
DOI: No ID Found -
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Nov 1991The possible involvement of transglutaminase-catalyzed reactions in survival of adult worms, microfilariae (mf), and infective larvae of the filarial parasite Brugia...
The possible involvement of transglutaminase-catalyzed reactions in survival of adult worms, microfilariae (mf), and infective larvae of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi was studied in vitro by using the specific pseudosubstrate monodansylcadaverine (MDC) and the active-site inhibitors cystamine or iodoacetamide. These inhibitors significantly inhibited parasite mobility in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was associated with irreversible biochemical lesions followed by filarial death. A structurally related, inactive analog of MDC, dimethyldansylcadaverine, did not affect the mobility or survival of the parasites. Adult worms failed to release mf when they were incubated in the presence of MDC or cystamine, and this inhibitory effect on mf release was concentration dependent. Similar embryostatic and macrofilaricidal effects of MDC were observed in Acanthocheilonema viteae adult worms. These studies suggest that transglutaminase-catalyzed reactions may play an important role in the growth, development, and survival of filarial parasites.
Topics: Animals; Brugia; Cadaverine; Cystamine; Dipetalonema; Female; Filaricides; Iodoacetamide; Male; Oxidation-Reduction; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles; Transglutaminases
PubMed: 1687106
DOI: 10.1128/AAC.35.11.2219 -
British Journal of Pharmacology Dec 19901. Isotonic contractions were recorded from the filarial nematode, Dipetalonema viteae (Acanthocheilonema viteae), in an isolated tissue chamber. 2. Nicotine (10(-6) M)...
1. Isotonic contractions were recorded from the filarial nematode, Dipetalonema viteae (Acanthocheilonema viteae), in an isolated tissue chamber. 2. Nicotine (10(-6) M) and pilocarpine (10(-5) M) increased the spontaneous contractions in the intact filariid, but acetylcholine (ACh, 10(-4) M) and muscarine (10(-5) M) were inactive. 3. When ACh was applied to an opened D. viteae, it was 10,000 times more potent. This indicates that the cuticle is an effective barrier to the penetration of ACh to the muscle cells. 4. The effects of ACh on the opened D. viteae were not affected by hexamethonium (10(-3) M) or atropine (10(-5) M) and were only partially reduced by (+)-tubocurarine (10(-4) M). 5. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA, 10(-3) M) reduced the spontaneous activity of the intact D. viteae; however, the effect of GABA had a slow onset and recovery. Muscimol (10(-5) M) was more potent than GABA and had a more rapid onset and recovery. 6. GABA was 1,000 times more potent on the opened D. viteae than on the intact D. viteae. Baclofen (10(-3) M) was inactive on both preparations. 7. The effect of GABA was not antagonized by bicuculline (10(-4) M), picrotoxin (10(-5) M or penicillin G (10(-3) M). 8. It is concluded that the filariid cuticle acts like a lipid structure and blocks the penetration of polar substances, such as ACh and GABA. Also, due to the lack of efficacy of the ACh and GABA antagonists, it was concluded that the nematode receptors are somewhat different from the mammalian ACh and GABA receptors.
Topics: Acetylcholine; Action Potentials; Animals; Cholinergic Antagonists; Cricetinae; Dipetalonema; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; Isotonic Contraction; Muscle Contraction; Muscles; Receptors, Cholinergic; Receptors, GABA-A; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 1964825
DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1990.tb14190.x -
The American Journal of Tropical... Sep 1989Clinical and biological evaluations were carried out on 84 Congolese patients with parasitologically confirmed Loa loa filariasis (without concurrent infection with...
Clinical and biological evaluations were carried out on 84 Congolese patients with parasitologically confirmed Loa loa filariasis (without concurrent infection with other filariae) and on 98 controls without filariasis. On the patients, 72 presented with microfilaremia; another 12 with negative blood tests were seen towards the end of an episode of subconjunctival migration of the adult worm. The incidence and severity of the clinical signs depended upon the method of recruitment. The 3 most common signs were pruritus and edema (both occurring in successive acute episodes affecting mainly the hands and forearms) and subconjunctival migration of adult filariae. Papulovesicular eruptions were located mainly on the arms. Headaches and arthralgia were noted more frequently than in the controls. No relation was found between the ABO blood groups and loiasis. Eosinophilia (higher in patients with symptoms) and raised serum IgE levels were found in nearly all patients and were strongly marked in approximately 66%. A positive correlation was observed between these 2 parameters. Fluorescent antibody levels (adult filaria Dipetalonema viteae antigen) were comparatively low in patients with microfilaremia.
Topics: ABO Blood-Group System; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies, Helminth; Child; Congo; Edema; Eosinophilia; Female; Filariasis; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; Loa; Loiasis; Male; Microfilariae; Middle Aged; Pruritus; Skin Tests
PubMed: 2679158
DOI: No ID Found