Cancer is still one of the leading causes of death, with an estimated 19.3 million new cases every year. Our paper presents the tumor-suppressing effect of Taenia crassiceps and Mesocestoides corti on B16F10 melanoma, the intraperitoneal application of which followed the experimental infection with these tapeworms, resulting in varying degrees of effectiveness in two strains of mice. In the case of M. corti-infected ICR mice, a strong tumor growth suppression occurred, which was accompanied by a significant reduction in the formation of distant metastases in the liver and lung. Tapeworm-infected C57BL/6J mice also showed a suppression of tumor growth and, in addition, the overall survival of infected C57BL/6J mice was significantly improved. Experiments with potential cross-reaction of melanoma and tapeworm antigens with respective specific antibodies, restimulation of spleen T cells, or the direct effect of tapeworm excretory-secretory products on melanoma cells in vitro could not explain the phenomenon. However, infections with T. crassiceps and M. corti increased the number of leukocytes possibly involved in anti-tumor immunity in the peritoneal cavity of both ICR and C57BL/6J mice. This study unveils the complex interplay between tapeworm infections, immune responses, and melanoma progression, emphasizing the need for further exploration of the mechanisms driving observed tumor-suppressive effects.

• Klíčová slova
• Mesocestoides, Taenia, cancer, melanoma, metastasis, suppression, tapeworm,
• MeSH
• Cestoda * MeSH
• cestodózy * komplikace   patologie   MeSH
• melanom * komplikace   MeSH
• Mesocestoides * fyziologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši inbrední ICR MeSH
• myši MeSH
• Taenia * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND: Larval toxocarosis is a zoonosis caused by larvae of Toxocara canis and T. cati, a gastrointestinal nematode of canids and felids, respectively. Diagnosis is usually performed by ELISA IgG using Toxocara excretory-secretory products as an antigen. Due to laboriousness of isolation of the products and subsequent process of standardization of antigenic compounds, routine use of this method is limited and can produce inaccurate diagnostical results. The purpose of this study was to discover new specific antigenic proteins that could be used in routine serological methods of larval toxocarosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Toxocara excretory-secretory products were collected and separated by SDS-PAGE. Proteins from the gel were electro-transferred to a membrane and incubated with mouse sera. Antigenic proteins were analyzed using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach. Selected proteins were prepared in recombinant form and tested with mice and human sera by ELISA and Western blot. RESULTS: A total of four recombinant protein antigens were prepared (rTc-TES-26, rTc-ASA, rTc-PDP, and rTc-ASP). They were analyzed by ELISA and Western blot using mice and human sera. For all sera, three of the four recombinant antigens correlated with Toxocara excretory-secretory products in ELISA analysis. By Western blot, the infection was confirmed in all experimentally infected mice and two out of seven human patients. CONCLUSION: Combination of the presented methods and analyses represents a possible method of effective identification of Toxocara protein antigens for the purpose of routine serodiagnosis.

• Klíčová slova
• Antigen, Diagnostics, Recombinant protein, Toxocara canis, Toxocariasis, Toxocarosis,
• MeSH
• antigeny helmintové MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• larva MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• Toxocara canis * MeSH
• Toxocara MeSH
• toxokaróza * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny helmintové MeSH

Helminth neuroinfections represent serious medical conditions, but the diversity of the host-parasite interplay within the nervous tissue often remains poorly understood, partially due to the lack of laboratory models. Here, we investigated the neuroinvasion of the mouse spinal cord by Trichobilharzia regenti (Schistosomatidae). Active migration of T. regenti schistosomula through the mouse spinal cord induced motor deficits in hindlimbs but did not affect the general locomotion or working memory. Histological examination of the infected spinal cord revealed eosinophilic meningomyelitis with eosinophil-rich infiltrates entrapping the schistosomula. Flow cytometry and transcriptomic analysis of the spinal cord confirmed massive activation of the host immune response. Of note, we recorded striking upregulation of the major histocompatibility complex II pathway and M2-associated markers, such as arginase or chitinase-like 3. Arginase also dominated the proteins found in the microdissected tissue from the close vicinity of the migrating schistosomula, which unselectively fed on the host nervous tissue. Next, we evaluated the pathological sequelae of T. regenti neuroinvasion. While no demyelination or blood-brain barrier alterations were noticed, our transcriptomic data revealed a remarkable disruption of neurophysiological functions not yet recorded in helminth neuroinfections. We also detected DNA fragmentation at the host-schistosomulum interface, but schistosomula antigens did not affect the viability of neurons and glial cells in vitro. Collectively, altered locomotion, significant disruption of neurophysiological functions, and strong M2 polarization were the most prominent features of T. regenti neuroinvasion, making it a promising candidate for further neuroinfection research. Indeed, understanding the diversity of pathogen-related neuroinflammatory processes is a prerequisite for developing better protective measures, treatment strategies, and diagnostic tools.

• MeSH
• arginasa metabolismus   MeSH
• biologické markery metabolismus   MeSH
• chemokiny metabolismus   MeSH
• eozinofily metabolismus   MeSH
• hlavní histokompatibilní komplex MeSH
• imunita MeSH
• infekce červy třídy Trematoda imunologie   metabolismus   patologie   MeSH
• interakce hostitele a parazita MeSH
• mícha parazitologie   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši MeSH
• neuroglie parazitologie   MeSH
• neurony parazitologie   MeSH
• Schistosomatidae imunologie   MeSH
• stanovení celkové genové exprese MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• arginasa MeSH
• biologické markery MeSH
• chemokiny MeSH

The aim of this work was to express the recombinant hexon protein of the hemorrhagic enteritis virus, to establish the diagnostic value of this protein for serological detection of antibodies in turkey serum samples and to assess seroprevalence of the infection in the Czech Republic. The N' terminal part of the hexon protein was expressed in a bacterial expression system and used as an antigen in an ELISA test for the detection of hemorrhagic enteritis virus specific antibodies in turkey sera. Validation of the test was performed by comparison with a commercially available ELISA test. Serological reactivity was assessed on a panel of 126 turkey sera by a newly developed ELISA test. Serum samples were taken from turkey farms with the history of hemorrhagic enteritis virus infection, from farms with animals free of infection, and from turkey farms following vaccination. Both ELISA kits gave identical results (100 %) with the tested sera. ELISA based on the recombinant hexon protein thus proved useful and cheaper for detection of antibodies in turkey flocks infected with the hemorrhagic enteritis virus.

• MeSH
• Adenoviridae klasifikace   genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• antigeny virové genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• exprese genu * MeSH
• krocani MeSH
• protilátky virové krev   imunologie   MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny genetika   imunologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• specificita protilátek imunologie   MeSH
• virové plášťové proteiny genetika   imunologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• western blotting MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny virové MeSH
• hexon capsid protein, Adenovirus MeSH Prohlížeč
• protilátky virové MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny MeSH
• virové plášťové proteiny MeSH

BACKGROUND: The nasal avian schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti spends part of its intravertebrate period of life within the central nervous system. Migration of the parasites can be accompanied by neuromotor disorders or paralysis in natural definitive hosts (ducks) and even in laboratory mammals. Cercariae are also able to penetrate human skin and induce cercarial dermatitis. While the cellular and antibody responses against cercariae and migrating schistosomula have been investigated in mice, little is known about immune reactions in birds. This study first describes the dynamics of antibody response in infected ducks and identifies frequently recognized antigens that may serve as diagnostic markers of infection by T. regenti. METHODS: Groups of 35 domestic ducks and 10 mallards were exposed to different doses of T. regenti cercariae. Sera were collected at predefined time intervals and tested by ELISA for the presence of specific anti-cercarial IgY and IgM. Antigens recognized by the antibodies were identified on Western blots of cercariae and schistosomula. The applicability in immunodiagnostics was statistically evaluated by expression of specificity and sensitivity values for individual antigens. RESULTS: In ELISA, the levels of anti-cercarial IgM peaked on day 15 pi. Increased production of IgY associated with the later phases of infection was observed in most individuals around 20 dpi and culminated 30 dpi. The time course of antibody response did not differ among experimental groups, variations were only observed in the levels of specific IgY which depended rather on the age of ducks at the time of infection than on the infectious dose. On Western blots, 40 cercarial and 7 schistosomular antigens were recognized by IgY from infected ducks. Among them, 4 cercarial antigens of 50, 47, 32 and 19 kDa provided the most sensitive and specific reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Antigens of cercariae and schistosomula elicited distinct antibody response in ducks, which correlated positively with the age of animals at the time of infection. Several antigens originating in cercariae and fewer in schistosomula were recognized by IgY with diverse sensitivity and specificity; only a few seemed to be common to both stages. Four of them were considered as the most promising candidates for immunodiagnostics.

• MeSH
• antigeny helmintové imunologie   MeSH
• imunoglobulin M krev   MeSH
• imunoglobuliny krev   MeSH
• infekce červy třídy Trematoda krev   imunologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• kachny * MeSH
• nemoci ptáků krev   imunologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• protilátky helmintové krev   MeSH
• Schistosomatidae * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny helmintové MeSH
• IgY MeSH Prohlížeč
• imunoglobulin M MeSH
• imunoglobuliny MeSH
• protilátky helmintové MeSH

UNLABELLED: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is an important human-pathogenic flavivirus endemic in large parts of Europe and Central and Eastern Asia. Neutralizing antibodies specific for the viral envelope protein E are believed to mediate long-lasting protection after natural infection and vaccination. To study the specificity and individual variation of human antibody responses, we developed immunoassays with recombinant antigens representing viral surface protein domains and domain combinations. These allowed us to dissect and quantify antibody populations of different fine specificities in sera of TBE patients and vaccinees. Postinfection and postvaccination sera both displayed strong individual variation of antibody titers as well as the relative proportions of antibodies to different domains of E, indicating that the immunodominance patterns observed were strongly influenced by individual-specific factors. The contributions of these antibody populations to virus neutralization were quantified by serum depletion analyses and revealed a significantly biased pattern. Antibodies to domain III, in contrast to what was found in mouse immunization studies with TBE and other flaviviruses, did not play any role in the human neutralizing antibody response, which was dominated by antibodies to domains I and II. Importantly, most of the neutralizing activity could be depleted from sera by a dimeric soluble form of the E protein, which is the building block of the icosahedral herringbone-like shell of flaviviruses, suggesting that antibodies to more complex quaternary epitopes involving residues from adjacent dimers play only a minor role in the total response to natural infection and vaccination in humans. IMPORTANCE: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is a close relative of yellow fever, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses and distributed in large parts of Europe and Central and Eastern Asia. Antibodies to the viral envelope protein E prevent viral attachment and entry into cells and thus mediate virus neutralization and protection from disease. However, the fine specificity and individual variation of neutralizing antibody responses are currently not known. We have therefore developed new in vitro assays for dissecting the antibody populations present in blood serum and determining their contribution to virus neutralization. In our analysis of human postinfection and postvaccination sera, we found an extensive variation of the antibody populations present in sera, indicating substantial influences of individual-specific factors that control the specificity of the antibody response. Our study provides new insights into the immune response to an important human pathogen that is of relevance for the design of novel vaccines.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• epitopy imunologie   MeSH
• klíšťová encefalitida imunologie   MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• neutralizující protilátky krev   MeSH
• proteiny virového obalu imunologie   MeSH
• protilátky virové krev   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• virové vakcíny aplikace a dávkování   imunologie   MeSH
• viry klíšťové encefalitidy imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• epitopy MeSH
• glycoprotein E, Flavivirus MeSH Prohlížeč
• neutralizující protilátky MeSH
• proteiny virového obalu MeSH
• protilátky virové MeSH
• virové vakcíny MeSH