0000000000286143
AUTHOR
Ana Espert
showing 11 related works from this author
An experimental study of the reproductive success of Echinostoma friedi (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in the golden hamster
2003
Viable eggs produced weekly per infective stage was used as a measure of the reproductive success of Echinostoma friedi during the first 12 weeks of infection in hamsters. The weekly reproductive success was not constant during the experiment in relation to the egg output and the proportion of viable eggs produced. The egg release started during week 2 post-inoculation, attaining a maximum during week 3. A decline in egg output was observed from week 9. Viable eggs were only produced from week 3 post-inoculation and a maximum was attained at week 4 of the experiment. A decline in egg viability was observed from week 9. Considering together the egg output and the egg viability, the maximum w…
Specific tyrosine phosphorylation in response to bile in Fasciola hepatica and Echinostoma friedi
2003
Protein tyrosine phosphorylation (PY) is a well-known signalling mechanism which is also involved in host-parasite interactions. Despite its transcendence, PY has been poorly studied in parasitic helminths. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of bile salts on the PY pattern in parasitic trematodes. Two distinct adult models were analysed: Echinostoma friedi, of intestinal habitat, and Fasciola hepatica, naturally inhabitant of host biliary channels. Our results show that bile salts induce specific and distinct protein PY in both trematode species, indicating that this signalling process seems to be also involved in host-trematode relationships.
Kinetics of antibodies and antigens in serum of mice experimentally infected with echinostoma caproni (trematoda: echinostomatidae)
2005
The present study reports on the kinetics of antibodies and antigens in serum of mice experimentally infected with 75 metacercariae of Echinostoma caproni during the first 12 wk postinfection (wpi). Antibody titers in the serum of mice were determined by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using excretory/secretory (ES) antigens of E. caproni. The early detection of antibodies against ES antigens of E. caproni is feasible using indirect ELISA. Mice developed significant antibody responses at 2 wpi, and the values progressively increased until the end of the experiment. This may be related to the intestinal absorption of adult worm antigens that induces humoral responses. T…
A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO THE EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSION SUCCESS OF ECHINOSTOMA FRIEDI (TREMATODA: ECHINOSTOMATIDAE) IN RATS
2006
Using a range of parameters, the ability of rats (Rattus norvegicus) to successfully transmit Echinostoma friedi to the next host was examined under experimental conditions. The concept of Experimental Transmission Success (TM), defined as the number of hosts that become successfully infected after exposure to a number of infective stages produced by a previous host per unit of inoculation at which this latter host was exposed, was introduced. Using data for the egg output and miracidium hatching and infectivity, the TM permits us to estimate the ability of a particular defintive host species to successfully transmit a parasite species. This concept may be also useful to compare the transmi…
Echinostoma caproni: intestinal pathology in the golden hamster, a highly compatible host, and the Wistar rat, a less compatible host.
2005
The histopathological changes induced by Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in a high (golden hamster) and a low compatible host (rat) were compared at 15 and 30 days post-infection. Infection of rats was characterized by a progressive increase in erosion of villi and elevated numbers of goblet cells, which could be related to the early expulsion of the parasite in a host of low compatibility. In contrast to rats, the number of goblet cell in E. caproni-infected hamsters was low, but increased numbers of neutrophils and mesenteric inflammatory cells were observed. This indicated that local inflammatory responses in hamsters were greater than in rats. An immunohistochemical st…
Kinetics of echinostoma caproni (trematoda: echinostomatidae) antigens in feces and serum of experimentally infected hamsters and rats
2004
This study reports on the kinetics of antibody production to Echinostoma caproni and the dynamics of antigens in feces and sera in 2 experimental hosts (hamsters and rats) that display different degrees of susceptibility with this echinostome. Echinostoma caproniproduced chronic infections in hamsters, whereas rats lost the infection at 49-56 days postinfection (DPI). Hamsters developed higher antibody responses than rats, probably in relation to different intestinal absorptions of worm antigens in each host species. The levels of coproantigens were indicative of the course of infection in each host. Positive coproantigen levels were detected at 1-2 DPI in both hosts, and the values remaine…
Identification of proteins in excretory/secretory extracts of Echinostoma friedi (Trematoda) from chronic and acute infections.
2006
In the present study, we describe the investigation of Echinostoma friedi excretory/secretory products using a proteomic approach combined with the use of heterologous antibodies. We have identified 18 protein spots corresponding to ten proteins, including cytoskeletal proteins like actin, tropomyosin, and paramyosin; glycolytic enzymes like enolase, glyceraldehyde 3P dehydrogenase, and aldolase; detoxifying enzymes like GSTs; and stress proteins like heat shock protein (Hsp) 70. Among these proteins, both actin and, to a lesser extent, Hsp70, exhibited differential expression patterns between chronic and acute infections in the Echinostoma-rodent model, suggesting that these proteins may p…
Immunological Characterization of Somatic and Excretory–Secretory Antigens of Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) in Experimentally Inf…
2004
The antigenic properties of somatic (SoP) and excretory-secretory products (ESP) of Echinostoma caproni were studied in experimentally infected rats. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a total of 15 and 9 major polypeptides, in the molecular weight range 10-165 kDa, in SoP and ESP products, respectively. Further analysis revealed some common as well as several unique polypeptides for each type of extract. A total of 2 polypeptides, weighing 58 and 115 kDa, were found in both types of antigen. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis using both types of antigens showed that rats developed a weak and slow response in infections with E. caproni. …
Echinostoma caproni: identification of enolase in excretory/secretory products, molecular cloning, and functional expression.
2007
In order to investigate molecules that could be involved in host-trematode relationships, we have analysed the excretory/secretory products (ESP) of Echinostoma caproni following a proteomic approach. Actin, Gluthathione S-transferase (GST) and enolase have been identified in the ESP. Enolase, observed to be one of the most abundant proteins, was further characterized. The molecular cloning and in vitro expression in Escherichia coli of E. caproni enolase allowed us to determine that the protein contains 431 amino acids and a theoretical MW of 46272 Da. E. caproni enolase shows high homology to other trematode enolases. The recombinant protein binds specifically to human plasminogen in vitr…
Echinostoma friedi: the effect of age of adult worms on the infectivity of miracidia.
2004
AbstractThe effect of ageing of adults ofEchinostoma friedi(Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) on the infectivity of miracidia yielded was analysed. Miracidia were obtained after hatching of eggs obtained from adult worms ofE. friedicollected weekly during the course of experimental infections in golden hamsters. Miracidial infectivity, measured in terms of percentage of infection inLymnaea peregra, was significantly influenced by the age of the adult worms from which the miracidia were derived. Infective miracidia only were obtained from adult worms in the age range from 4 to 9 weeks post-infection. Infectivity was maximal in those miracidia derived from adults collected 8 and 9 weeks post-infec…
Development of an antibody-based capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting echinostoma caproni (trematoda) in experimentally infected r…
2003
The present study reports on the development of a coproantigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting Echinostoma caproni in experimentally infected rats. The capture ELISA was based on polyclonal rabbit antibodies that recognize excretory–secretory (ES) antigens. The detection limit of pure ES was 3 ng/ml in sample buffer and 60 ng/ml in fecal samples. The test was evaluated using a follow-up of 10 rats experimentally infected with 100 metacercariae of E. caproni, and the results were compared with those of other diagnostic methods such as parasitological examination and antibody titers determined by indirect ELISA. Coproantigens were detected in all the infected r…