scholarly journals Sertraline as a new potential anthelmintic against Haemonchus contortus: toxicity, efficacy, and biotransformation

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markéta Zajíčková ◽  
Lukáš Prchal ◽  
Martina Navrátilová ◽  
Nikola Vodvárková ◽  
Petra Matoušková ◽  
...  

AbstractHaemonchus contortus is a parasitic nematode of ruminants which causes significant losses to many farmers worldwide. Since the drugs currently in use for the treatment of haemonchosis are losing their effectiveness due to the drug-resistance of this nematode, a new or repurposed drug is highly needed. As the antipsychotic drug sertraline (SRT) has been shown to be effective against the parasitic nematodes Trichuris muris, Ancylostoma caninum and Schistosoma mansoni, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible effect of SRT on H. contortus. The potential hepatotoxicity of SRT was tested in sheep, a common H. contortus host. In addition, the main metabolic pathways of SRT in H. contortus and the ovine liver were identified. While no effect of SRT on H. contortus egg hatching was observed, SRT was found to significantly decrease the viability of H. contortus adults in drug-sensitive and resistant strains, with its effect comparable to the commonly used anthelmintics levamisole and monepantel. Moreover, SRT in anthelmintically active concentrations showed no toxicity to the ovine liver. Biotransformation of SRT in H. contortus was weak, with most of the drug remaining unmetabolized. Production of the main metabolite hydroxy-SRT did not differ significantly between strains. Other minor metabolites such as SRT-O-glucoside, dihydroxy-SRT, and SRT-ketone were also identified in H. contorts adults. Compared to H. contortus, the ovine liver metabolized SRT more extensively, mainly via desmethylation and glucuronidation. In conclusion, the potency of SRT against H. contortus was proven, and it should be tested further toward possible repurposing.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R Doyle ◽  
Roz Laing ◽  
David Bartley ◽  
Alison Morrison ◽  
Nancy Holroyd ◽  
...  

Understanding the genetic basis of anthelmintic drug resistance in parasitic nematodes is key to tracking and combatting their spread. Here, we use a genetic cross in a natural host-parasite system to simultaneously map resistance loci for the three major classes of anthelmintics. This approach identifies novel alleles for resistance to benzimidazoles and levamisole and implicates the transcription factor, cky-1, in ivermectin resistance. This gene is within a locus under selection in ivermectin resistant populations worldwide; functional validation using knockout and gene expression experiments supports a role for cky-1 overexpression in ivermectin resistance. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of high-resolution forward genetics in a parasitic nematode, and identifies variants for the development of molecular diagnostics to combat drug resistance in the field.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Urda Dolinská ◽  
A. Königová ◽  
M. Babják ◽  
M. Várady

SummaryGastrointestinal parasitic nematodes in sheep cause severe economic losses. Anthelmintics are the most commonly used drugs for prophylaxis and therapy against parasitic helminths. The problem of drug resistance has developed for all commercially available anthelmintics in several genera and classes of helminths. In vitro and in vivo tests are used to detect anthelmintic resistance. Two in vitro methods (larval migration inhibition test and micromotility test) for the detection of ivermectin (IVM) resistance were compared using IVM-resistant and IVM-susceptible isolates of Haemonchus contortus. The degree of resistance for each test was expressed as a resistance factor (RF). The micromotility test was more sensitive for quantitatively measuring the degree of resistance between susceptible and resistant isolates. The RFs for this test for IVM and eprinomectin ranged from 1.00 to 108.05 and from 3.87 to 32.32, respectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavlína Kellerová ◽  
Martina Navrátilová ◽  
Linh Thuy Nguyen ◽  
Diana Dimunová ◽  
Lucie Raisová Stuchlíková ◽  
...  

The nematode Haemonchus contortus, a gastrointestinal parasite of ruminants, can severely burden livestock production. Although anthelmintics are the mainstay in the treatment of haemonchosis, their efficacy diminishes due to drug-resistance development in H. contortus. An increased anthelmintics inactivation via biotransformation belongs to a significant drug-resistance mechanism in H. contortus. UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) participate in the metabolic inactivation of anthelmintics and other xenobiotic substrates through their conjugation with activated sugar, which drives the elimination of the xenobiotics due to enhanced solubility. The UGTs family, in terms of the biotransformation of commonly used anthelmintics, has been well described in adults as a target stage. In contrast, the free-living juvenile stages of H. contortus have attracted less attention. The expression of UGTs considerably varies throughout the life cycle of the juvenile nematodes, suggesting their different roles. Furthermore, the constitutive expression in a susceptible strain with two resistant strains shows several resistance-related changes in UGTs expression, and the exposure of juvenile stages of H. contortus to albendazole (ABZ) and ABZ-sulfoxide (ABZSO; in sublethal concentrations) leads to the increased expression of several UGTs. The anthelmintic drug ABZ and its primary metabolite ABZSO biotransformation, tested in the juvenile stages, shows significant differences between susceptible and resistant strain. Moreover, higher amounts of glycosidated metabolites of ABZ are formed in the resistant strain. Our results show similarly, as in adults, the UGTs and glycosidations significant for resistance-related differences in ABZ biotransformation and warrant further investigation in their individual functions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iara Tersia Freitas Macedo ◽  
Lorena Mayana Beserra de Oliveira ◽  
Wesley Lyeverton Correia Ribeiro ◽  
Jessica Maria Leite dos Santos ◽  
Kaline das Chagas Silva ◽  
...  

Parasitic nematodes are of major economic importance in livestock. An alternative for the control of parasites is phytotherapy. This study evaluated the efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus decoction (CcD), C. citratus essential oil (CcEo) and citral against Haemonchus contortus using in vitro egg hatch test (EHT) and larval development test (LDT) and an in vivo test using a Meriones unguiculatus (gerbil) model. The effect of 800 mg/kg CcEo was evaluated in gerbils that had been artificially infected with 5,000 third-stage H. contortus larvae. The effective concentrations required to inhibit 50% (EC50) of egg hatching were 0.46, 0.14 and 0.13 mg/mL for CcD, CcEo and citral, respectively. The EC50 values in the LDT were 5.04, 1.92 and 1.37 mg/mL for CcD, CcEo and citral, respectively. H. contortus population in the group treated with C. citratus essential oil was reduced by 38.5% (P< 0.05) in comparison to the control group. These results suggest that it may be possible to use C. citratusessential oil to control of H. contortus parasite of small ruminant.


Author(s):  
Janneke Wit ◽  
Clayton Dilks ◽  
Erik Andersen

Anthelmintic drugs are the major line of defense against parasitic nematode infections, but the arsenal is limited and resistance threatens sustained efficacy of the available drugs. Discoveries of the modes of action of these drugs and mechanisms of resistance have predominantly come from studies of a related non-parasitic nematode species, Caenorhabditis elegans, and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Here, we discuss how our understanding of anthelmintic resistance and modes of action came from the interplay of results from each of these species. We argue that this &ldquo;cycle of discovery&rdquo;, where results from one species inform the design of experiments in the other, can use the complementary strengths of both to understand anthelmintic modes of action and mechanisms of resistance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 30-36
Author(s):  
D. O. Olayemi ◽  
M. M. Onakpa ◽  
O. C. Jegede

Abstract The development of host resistance to anthelmintics and the increasing cost of commercial anthelmintics have encouraged the need for the in vitro anthelmintic evaluation of crude extract and fractions of Hymenodictyon pachyanta plant as alternative drugs against Haemonchus contortus. H. contortus is one of the most prevalent and highly pathogenic parasitic nematodes in small ruminant farming globally. H. pachyanta stem bark is a prospective plant used by the local and indigenous farmers of Nsukka, Enugu state, Nigeria. The stem bark of H. pachyanta were collected, dried, pulverized and extracted with 80 % methanol. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro anthelmintic effects of these crude extract and fractions against H. contortus in sheep and goats. The two extracts (crude and fractions) of H. pachyanta were tested by the egg hatch assay (EHA) and the larval development inhibition assays (LDIA) and to compared the results with albendazole (as the positive control). The concentrations for the crude extract and albendazole used for this study were 0.78, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25 and 12.5 mg.ml−1. The results demonstrated that the crude extracts, fractions and albendazole all at the concentration doses of 12.5 mg.ml−1 produced 100 % inhibition of egg hatching and larval development. Statistically, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean percentage inhibition of egg hatching and larval development inhibition of the crude extracts and fractions when compared with albendazole. However, a significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed with n-butanol fraction which inhibited 96.17 % of egg hatchability. All of the extracts and albendazole showed ovicidal and larvicidal effects and were able to induce over 50 % of the egg hatching and mortality of larvae at the concentration ranges of 0.78—12.5 mg.ml−1. The results obtained from our study suggest that H. pachyanta had ovicidal and larvicidal activity against H. contortus and that the bioactive plants compounds responsible for this effect could be attributed to the presence of tannins, alkaloids and the saponins contained in the crude extracts.


Author(s):  
Yan Huang ◽  
Jie Wu ◽  
Xueqiu Chen ◽  
Danni Tong ◽  
Jingru Zhou ◽  
...  

Molting is of great importance for the survival and development of nematodes. Nematode astacins (NAS), a large family of zinc metalloproteases, have been proposed as novel anthelmintic targets due to their multiple roles in biological processes of parasitic nematodes. In this study, we report a well conserved nas-33 gene in nematodes of clade V and elucidate how this gene is involved in the molting process of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. A predominant transcription of nas-33 is detected in the larval stages of these worms, particularly in the molting process. Knockdown of this gene results in marked molecular changes of genes involved in cuticle synthesis and ecdysis, compromised shedding of the old cuticle, and reduced worm viability in H. contortus. The crucial role of nas-33 in molting is closely associated with a G protein beta subunit (GPB-1). Suppression of both nas-33 and gpb-1 blocks shedding of the old cuticle, compromises the connection between the cuticle and hypodermis, and leads to an increased number of sick and dead worms, indicating essentiality of this module in nematode development and survival. These findings reveal the functional role of nas-33 in nematode molting process and identify astacins as novel anthelmintic targets for parasitic nematodes of socioeconomic significance.


Author(s):  
Janneke Wit ◽  
Clayton Dilks ◽  
Erik Andersen

Parasitic nematode infections impact human and animal health globally, especially in the developing world. Anthelmintic drugs are the major line of defense against these infections, but the arsenal is limited. Additionally, anthelmintic resistance is widespread in veterinary parasites and an emerging threat in human parasites. Discoveries of the mode of action of these drugs and mechanisms of resistance have predominantly come from studies of a related non-parasitic nematode species, Caenorhabditis elegans, and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Here, we discuss recent progress understanding anthelmintic resistance using these two species and how that progress relates to laboratory and field-based studies of veterinary helminths. We present a powerful approach enabled by the strengths of both nematode species to understand mechanisms of resistance and modes of action of anthelmintic drugs.


Author(s):  
Caixian Zhou ◽  
Yao Zhang ◽  
Simin Wu ◽  
Zhiheng Wang ◽  
Waresi Tuersong ◽  
...  

CircRNAs, a novel class of ncRNA family, are endogenous transcriptional products involved in various biological and physiological processes in plants and animals. However, almost no information is available for circRNAs of parasitic helminths. In the present study, the circRNAs repertoire was comprehensively explored in Haemonchus contortus, a blood-sucking parasitic nematode of ruminants. In total, 20073 circRNAs were identified and annotated from three key developmental stages/genders of H. contortus including the free-living infective third-stage larvae (L3, 18883), parasitic adult female (Af, 3491), and male worms (Am, 2550) via deep-sequencing technology and bioinformatic analysis. Among these identified circRNAs, 71% were derived from exonic regions of protein-coding genes. The number of circRNAs transcribed from the X chromosome (4704) was higher than that from Chromosome I-V (3143, 3273, 3041, 3030, 2882). The amount of highly expressed circRNAs in third-stage larvae was significantly more abundant than that in adult stage. 15948 and 16847 circRNAs were differentially expressed between Af and L3s and between Am and L3, respectively. Among them, 13409 circRNAs existed in both comparisons. Furthermore, 1119 circRNAs were differentially expressed between Af_and_Am. GO enrichment analysis indicated that source genes of circRNAs differentially expressed between Am and L3 as well as between Af and L3 were significantly enriched in many biological processes, primarily including signaling, signal transduction and cell communication terms. KEGG analysis revealed that parental genes of differentially expressed circRNAs were mainly related to metabolism (pyruvate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and carbon metabolism), MAPK signaling pathway, and phosphatidylinositol signaling system. Moreover, many circRNAs contained one or more miRNA potential binding sites, suggesting that they could regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Furthermore, the correctness of head-to-tail back splicing site and alternative circularization events were verified by Sanger sequencing using both divergent and convergent primers. Finally, the reliability of RNA-Seq data and the resistance of circRNAs to RNase R digestion were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Taken together, our findings provide a foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in H. contortus, which will advance the understanding of circRNAs in parasitic nematodes.


Parasitology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. FORRESTER ◽  
S. Z. SIDDIQUI

SUMMARYLigand-gated chloride channels (LGCCs) are key components of the nervous system of parasitic nematodes and important targets for anthelmintics. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of a novel member of the LGCC gene family (HcLGCC1) from the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Sequence analysis revealed that the channel subunit encoded by HcLGCC1 is anion selective and a member of a group of channels characterized as having two Cys-loops in the N-terminal ligand-binding domain†. Although the overall function of HcLGCC1 is presently unknown, the gene may play a key role in the early developmental stages of the parasite. Further investigations into the function of LGCCs, such as HcLGCC1, in parasitic nematodes should have implications for the discovery of new anthelmintic targets.


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