scholarly journals Evaluation of Actin-1 Expression in Wild Caught Wuchereria bancrofti-Infected Mosquito Vectors

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Moses Edache Entonu ◽  
Aliyu Muhammad ◽  
Iliya S. Ndams ◽  
Giovanna Franciosa

Background. Wuchereria bancrofti is the major cause of lymphatic filariasis transmitted by mosquito vectors. In the vector-parasite interaction and among other proteins, actin-1 has been implicated for successful transmission of the pathogen in laboratory-controlled experiments. However, validation of this finding from the pathogen’s natural environment is required. Objective. This study is aimed at evaluating actin-1 expression upon Wuchereria bancrofti infection in mosquito vectors collected during an epidemiology study in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nigeria. Methods. Mosquitoes were collected and identified using morphological keys, which include length of maxillary palps, pale spots on the wings, and scale patterns on the abdomen. This was followed by detection of the 188 bp SspI marker of Wuchereria bancrofti infection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA levels of the actin-1 gene were evaluated in the infected Anopheles gambiae sl and Culex quinquefasciatus and their controls, which were adult reared from the larvae in the study area. Results. The mosquitoes were identified to be Anopheles gambiae sl and Culex quinquefasciatus, while infection by Wuchereria bancrofti was confirmed by amplification of the 188 bp SspI marker. A 4.85 and 4.09 relative fold increase in actin-1 gene expression in Wuchereria bancrofti-infected Anopheles gambiae sl and Culex quinquefasciatus was observed. Thus, for the first time we reported that the actin-1 gene in wild caught mosquito vectors (Anopheles gambiae sl and Culex quinquefasciatus) infected with Wuchereria bancrofti is upregulated. Conclusion. The actin-1 gene is upregulated and similarly expressed during W. bancrofti infection in mosquito vectors in the study area and this may likely serve as a biomarker and viable strategy for the control of parasite transmission in endemic areas.

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34
Author(s):  
Godlisten S. Materu

Background: Wuchereria bancrofti is the most widely distributed of the 3 nematodes known to cause lymphatic filariasis, the other 2 being Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus are the main vectors. However, the relative contributions of mosquito vectors to disease burden and infectivity are becoming increasingly important in coastal East Africa, and this is particularly true in the urban and semiurban areas of Pangani District, Tanzania. Methods: Mosquitoes were sampled from 5 randomly selected villages of Pangani District, namely, Bweni, Madanga, Meka, Msaraza, and Pangani West. Sampling of mosquitoes was done using standard Centers for Disease Control light traps with incandescent light bulbs. The presence of W. bancrofti in mosquitoes was determined via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using NV1 and NV2 primers, and PoolScreen 2 software was used to determine the estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes. Results: A total of 951 mosquitoes were collected, of which 99.36% were Culex quinquefasciatus, 0.32% were Anopheles gambiae, and 0.32% other Culex species. The estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection among these mosquitoes was 3.3%. Conclusion: This was the first study employing the use of PoolScreen PCR to detect W. bancrofti circulating in mosquito vectors in Pangani District, northeastern Tanzania. The presence of W. bancrofti infection suggests the possibility of infected humans in the area. The high abundance of Cx. quinquefasciatus calls for integrated mosquito control interventions to minimise the risk of W. bancrofti transmission to humans. Further research is required to gain an in-depth understanding of the W. bancrofti larval stages in mosquitoes, their drug sensitivity and susceptibility profiles, and their fecundity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34
Author(s):  
Godlisten S. Materu

Background: Wuchereria bancrofti is the most widely distributed of the 3 nematodes known to cause lymphatic filariasis, the other 2 being Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus are the main vectors. However, the relative contributions of mosquito vectors to disease burden and infectivity are becoming increasingly important in coastal East Africa, and this is particularly true in the urban and semiurban areas of Pangani District, Tanzania. Methods: Mosquitoes were sampled from 5 randomly selected villages of Pangani District, namely, Bweni, Madanga, Meka, Msaraza, and Pangani West. Sampling of mosquitoes was done using standard Centers for Disease Control light traps with incandescent light bulbs. The presence of W. bancrofti in mosquitoes was determined via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using NV1 and NV2 primers, and PoolScreen 2 software was used to determine the estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes. Results: A total of 951 mosquitoes were collected, of which 99.36% were Culex quinquefasciatus, 0.32% were Anopheles gambiae, and 0.32% other Culex species. The estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection among these mosquitoes was 3.3%. Conclusion: This was the first study employing the use of PoolScreen PCR to detect W. bancrofti circulating in mosquito vectors in Pangani District, northeastern Tanzania. The presence of W. bancrofti infection suggests the possibility of infected humans in the area. The high abundance of Cx. quinquefasciatus calls for integrated mosquito control interventions to minimise the risk of W. bancrofti transmission to humans. Further research is required to gain an in-depth understanding of the W. bancrofti larval stages in mosquitoes, their drug sensitivity and susceptibility profiles, and their fecundity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-216
Author(s):  
A. A. Aliyu ◽  
G. J. Sow ◽  
I. S. Ndams

Entomological survey of mosquito vectors was carried out to determine species abundance and identify those responsible for the transmission of lymphatic filariasis in Talatan-mafara and Tsafe Local Government Areas of Zamfara State, Nigeria. Houses were randomly selected for mosquito collection. Aerosol (Baygon) was sprayed in the rooms to knockdown indoor resting mosquitoes. A total of 5,230 mosquitoes comprising of 3,104 females and 2,126 males were collected and 1,182 engorged females were dissected to isolate filarial worm, Wuchereria bancrofti. The species of mosquitoes encountered include Culex quinquefasciatus (84%), Anopheles funestus (10%) and Anopheles gambiae sl. (6%). The overall infection and infectivity rates of the mosquitoes with Wuchereria bancrofti were 1.86% and 1.44% respectively. The infection/infectivity rates of Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae sl. were 1.01%/0.51%, 2.97%/2.97% and 4.54%/4.14% respectively.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34
Author(s):  
Godlisten S. Materu

Background: Wuchereria bancrofti is the most widely distributed of the 3 nematodes known to cause lymphatic filariasis, the other 2 being Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus are the main vectors. However, the relative contributions of mosquito vectors to disease burden and infectivity are becoming increasingly important in coastal East Africa, and this is particularly true in the urban and semiurban areas of Pangani District, Tanzania. Methods: Mosquitoes were sampled from 5 randomly selected villages of Pangani District, namely, Bweni, Madanga, Meka, Msaraza, and Pangani West. Sampling of mosquitoes was done using standard Centers for Disease Control light traps with incandescent light bulbs. The presence of W. bancrofti in mosquitoes was determined via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using NV1 and NV2 primers, and PoolScreen 2 software was used to determine the estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection in mosquitoes. Results: A total of 951 mosquitoes were collected, of which 99.36% were Culex quinquefasciatus, 0.32% were Anopheles gambiae, and 0.32% other Culex species. The estimated rate of W. bancrofti infection among these mosquitoes was 3.3%. Conclusion: This was the first study employing the use of PoolScreen PCR to detect W. bancrofti circulating in mosquito vectors in Pangani District, northeastern Tanzania. The presence of W. bancrofti infection suggests the possibility of infected humans in the area. The high abundance of Cx. quinquefasciatus calls for integrated mosquito control interventions to minimise the risk of W. bancrofti transmission to humans. Further research is required to gain an in-depth understanding of the W. bancrofti larval stages in mosquitoes, their drug sensitivity and susceptibility profiles, and their fecundity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Silvia Fitrina Nasution ◽  
Chris Adhiyanto ◽  
Evi Indahwati

South Tangerang district is an endemic area for Wuchereria bancrofti filariasis with a prevalence rate of microfilaria (mf) at a range of 1 - 2.4% in 2008-2009. Culex quinquefasciatus plays an important role as the major vector of transmission for the parasite. It remains a problem on how to determine that the mosquitoe roles as a vector or disease transmitter when there is no evidence of filarial parasite larvae 3 (L3) by the microscopic examination. In assessing the transmission risk of the filarial parasite, a DNA-based detection method was carried out to specifically detect the presence of W. bancrofti infective L3 larvae in the mosquitoe. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed to detect a specific DNA obtained from W. bancrofti L3 larvae in a very low number or low antigen titer. The assay was purposed as preliminary study to detect the presence of L3 filarial of W.bancrofti in Cx. quinquefasciatus by utilizing the expression of L3-activated cuticlin transcript mRNA gene and tph-1 gene. The result of PCR based analysis of mosquitoes collected from the suggested area showed that there is a low but detectable number of L3 infected mosquito with W. bancrofti. Among the 18 isolated DNA samples of mosquitoes, we found 7 positive samples (38.89%) with the presence of filarial larvae DNA expressing L3-activated cuticlin transcript mRNA and tph-1 genes, which determined as 123 bp for Wb-cut-1.2 and 153bp for tph-1. In contrast by microscopic result, we found no evidence of L3 larvae of the parasite in the mosquitoe’s dissecting samples. The PCR assay in our study was proven sensitive to detect the presence of Wb-L3 filarial larvae in Cx. quinquefasciatus


Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. KRISHNAMOORTHY ◽  
S. SUBRAMANIAN ◽  
G. J. VAN OORTMARSSEN ◽  
J. D. F. HABBEMA ◽  
P. K. DAS

This paper investigates a cohort of 2187 laboratory reared Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 69 human volunteers, including 59 persons with different levels of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae and 10 without microfilaria. Mosquitoes were followed until death. Mosquito survival was analysed in relation to the level of microfilaria in the human and larval count in the dead mosquito. Vector mortality during the extrinsic incubation period (12 days post-engorgement) was significantly higher in mosquitoes fed on microfilaraemic volunteers (50%) than in those fed on amicrofilaraemics (29%). Both the percentage infected and the geometric mean parasite density was significantly higher among mosquitoes which died before 13 days (45% infected and 10 larvae per infected mosquito) than those surviving beyond 13 days (39% and 2·2), suggesting a parasite loss of more than 80% during the extrinsic incubation period. A large proportion (62%) of the mosquitoes that died during the early of phase of parasite development were infected (36% in low, 26% in medium and 90% in high human Mf-density). Survival analysis showed that the parasite load in mosquitoes and the human Mf-density for a given parasite load are independent risk factors of vector survival. Overall, the hazard of dying was found to be 11–15 times higher among mosquitoes fed on microfilaraemic volunteers than those fed on amicrofilaraemics. The hazard doubles for every increase of about 60–70 parasites in the vector. As a consequence of the parasite-induced reduction in vector survival, the transmission success of the parasite is reduced. The implication of the results on control/elimination of lymphatic filariasis using mass-drug administration is discussed.


2003 ◽  
Vol 370 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla ESPOSITO ◽  
Monica MARRA ◽  
Gaia GIUBERTI ◽  
Anna Maria D'ALESSANDRO ◽  
Raffaele PORTA ◽  
...  

The addition of 2500i.u./ml interferon α (IFNα) for 48h induced apoptosis, and caused an approx. 4-fold increase in the activity and expression of tissue transglutaminase (tTG), in human lung cancer H1355 cells. However, the increase in mRNA levels for tTG was just 1.6-fold. On the basis of these data, we investigated whether tTG levels may be regulated through regulation of its degradation via ubiquitination. It was found that 2500i.u./ml IFNα induced a time-dependent decrease in tTG ubiquitination. On the other hand, addition of the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin led to accumulation of the ubiquitinated form of the enzyme and to a consequent increase in its expression. Treatment of the cells with the two agents combined antagonized the accumulation of the ubiquitinated isoforms of tTG induced by lactacystin and caused a potentiation of tTG expression. Moreover, the tTG inducer retinoic acid was also able to cause increased expression and ubiquitination of tTG in H1355 cells. The addition of monodansylcadaverine (a tTG inhibitor) to IFNα-treated H1355 cells completely antagonized growth inhibition and apoptosis induced by the cytokine. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that tTG is ubiquitinated and degraded by a proteasome-dependent pathway. Moreover, IFNα can, at least in part, induce apoptosis through the modulation of this pathway.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Sirma Angelova ◽  
Ayshe Salim ◽  
Yoana Kiselova-Kaneva ◽  
Diana Ivanova ◽  
Stefan Peev

Nowadays, saliva is a subject of growing scientific interest because of its definite advantages as diagnostic medium. The aim of our study was to investigate the diagnostic potential and reliability of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of selected genes—interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) and glutathione synthetase (GSS)—as salivary markers in children with diagnosed pyelonephritis and to correlate their levels with typical urine para-clinical indicators of the disease. Analysis of the mRNA levels for IL-6, MMP-8 and GSS in 28 children hospitalized with the diagnosis of pyelonephritis was conducted applying the method of quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In the study group (n = 28), IL-6 mRNA levels demonstrated 64-fold increase (p < 0.001). MMP-8 and GSS mRNA levels were increased in 12 samples in patients with pyelonephritis 3.27 (p < 0.01) and 1.94 (p < 0.001) times, respectively. We found a strong and significant correlation (p < 0.001) between the investigated mRNA for IL-6 and MMP-8, IL-6 and GSS, MMP-8 and GSS. Moderate degree of correlation was established between IL-6 and the typical para-clinical indicator of leucocytes (0.43, p < 0.05) and between GSS and leucocytes (0.54, p < 0.01). Salivary IL-6, MMP-8 and GSS mRNA levels in combination with urine test analysis could be useful diagnostic tool for the very distributed disorder of pyelonephritis in childhood.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 311-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Letícia Martins Peçanha ◽  
Reinaldo Sousa dos Santos ◽  
Wagner Seixas da-Silva

The thyroid hormones (THs), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), are very important in organism metabolism and regulate glucose utilization. Hexokinase (HK) is responsible for the first step of glycolysis, catalyzing the conversion of glucose to glucose 6-phosphate. HK has been found in different cellular compartments, and new functions have been attributed to this enzyme. The effects of hyperthyroidism on subcellular glucose phosphorylation in mouse tissues were examined. Tissues were removed, subcellular fractions were isolated from eu- and hyperthyroid (T3, 0.25 µg/g, i.p. during 21 days) mice and HK activity was assayed. Glucose phosphorylation was increased in the particulate fraction in soleus (312.4% ± 67.1, n = 10), gastrocnemius (369.2% ± 112.4, n = 10) and heart (142.2% ± 13.6, n = 10) muscle in the hyperthyroid group compared to the control group. Hexokinase activity was not affected in brain or liver. No relevant changes were observed in HK activity in the soluble fraction for all tissues investigated. Acute T3 administration (single dose of T3, 1.25 µg/g, i.p.) did not modulate HK activity. Interestingly, HK mRNA levels remained unchanged and HK bound to mitochondria was increased by T3 treatment, suggesting a posttranscriptional mechanism. Analysis of the AKT pathway showed a 2.5-fold increase in AKT and GSK3B phosphorylation in the gastrocnemius muscle in the hyperthyroid group compared to the euthyroid group. Taken together, we show for the first time that THs modulate HK activity specifically in particulate fractions and that this action seems to be under the control of the AKT and GSK3B pathways.


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