Global look at Schistosoma mansoni egg gene expression: differences among three strains and eggs from intestine vs. liver
Abstract
The eggs of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni are the main cause of the pathological manifestations of schistosomiasis. Adult worms reproduce in the mesenteric veins where they lay eggs which then either migrate from the blood vessel across the intestinal wall into the gut lumen or are carried away and become tissue-entrapped, typically in the liver.
During these processes, eggs secrete molecules that interact with host blood, and tissues, and modulate immunity. Our study aims to identify essential egg-derived proteins involved in this interplay.
We applied RNA-sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to investigate gene-expression dynamics among specifically defined egg samples. First, we compared immature (in blood vessel) and mature (tissue entrapped) eggs to describe the transcription changes during the migration of the egg.
Next, we examined differences between eggs isolated from the intestine vs. from the liver, as it is known that the character of the granulomatous immune response varies between those two organs. Lastly, we are currently analyzing eggs originating from three different laboratory strains: Puerto Rican, Brazilian and Liberian to determine what genes may be responsible for a distinct pathological manifestation of the defined mouse strain.
This comprehensive approach revealed distinct transcription patterns for various protein groups. Based on the findings of our ongoing studies, we revealed previously neglected molecules that are most likely important for the egg-host interaction and could help to further clarify sophisticated egg biology.