Project description:Broad-spectrum antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children. The period of early-childhood represents a time where the developing microbiota may be more sensitive to environmental perturbations, which thus might have long-lasting host consequences. We hypothesized that even a single early-life broad-spectrum antibiotic course at a therapeutic dose (PAT) leads to durable alterations in both the gut microbiota and host immunity. In C57BL/6 mice, a single early-life tylosin (macrolide) course markedly altered the intestinal microbiome, and affected specific intestinal T-cell populations and secretory IgA expression, but PAT-exposed adult dams had minimal immunologic alterations. No immunological effects were detected in PAT-exposed germ-free animals; indicating that microbiota are required for the observed activities. Together these results indicate the impact of a single therapeutic early-life antibiotic course altering the microbiota and modulating host immune phenotypes that persist long after exposure has ceased.
Project description:Opisthorchis felineus is one of the three most medically important species belonging to the family of fish-borne zoonotic trematodes known as Opisthorchiidae. O. felineus is endemic to the river plains of Western Siberia and Eastern Europe and it is estimated that more than 1.6 million people could be infected with this parasite. To aid in the development of better control and diagnosis strategies for opisthorchiasis, we set out to deduce the secreted proteome of O. felineus. Adult flukes were collected from experimentally infected hamsters and cultured in vitro in serum-free media. We extracted proteins from different compartments of the O. felineus secretome, including (i) soluble excretory/secretory (ES) products; (ii) secreted microvesicles (MVs); and (iii) tegument. The tegument was further separated into three fractions of varying solubility via sequential extraction.
Project description:Opisthorchis felineus is one of the three most medically important species belonging to the family of fish-borne zoonotic trematodes known as Opisthorchiidae. O. felineus is endemic to the river plains of Western Siberia and Eastern Europe and it is estimated that more than 1.6 million people could be infected with this parasite. To aid in the development of better control and diagnosis strategies for opisthorchiasis, we set out to deduce the secreted proteome of O. felineus. Adult flukes were collected from experimentally infected hamsters and cultured in vitro in serum-free media. We extracted proteins from different compartments of the O. felineus secretome, including (i) soluble excretory/secretory (ES) products; (ii) secreted microvesicles (MVs); and (iii) tegument. The tegument was further separated into three fractions of varying solubility via sequential extraction.
Project description:A significant number of pathological conditions, accompanied by chronic non-healing wounds, demands searching for new modern therapeutic approaches. Well-documented ability of O. felineus to initiate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and liver epithelium regeneration suggests that its bioactive molecules may stimulate skin wound healing processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the wound healing potential of the Opisthorchis felineus excretory-secretory and lysate proteins on a murine model. The following methods were used for the study: histological (wounded skin condition), immunohistochemical (ECM, neoangiogenesis, O. felineus GST and TPx proteins), gene expression analysis (inflammation, angiogenesis, ECM condition). O. felineus excretory-secretory product (ESP) and lysate proteins have revealed wound-healing potential, they: i) reduce inflammation levels, ii) modulate vascular response, iii) stimulate collagen deposition and dermal ECM remodeling. Additional proteomic analysis of adult O. felineus ESP and lysate samples was conducted. Proteomic analysis approach called GeLC-MS / MS was chosen to study of the excretory-secretory product and lysate proteins. This approach is based on one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), in-gel protein digestion with trypsin followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The SDS-PAGE step allow to removes hemozoin also as detergents, buffers and salts from the protein extract that may interfere with mass spectrometry analysis