Ivermectin-induced gene expression changes in adult Parascaris univalens and Caenorhabditis elegans: a comparative approach to study anthelminthic metabolism and resistance in vitro.
- Journal Article
Summary
The research study explores the molecular mechanisms of ivermectin (an anti-parasitic drug) metabolism and resistance in Parascaris univalens, a common parasitic worm infecting horses. The study compares gene expression changes induced by ivermectin in P. univalens and Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism often used in biological research.
Research Objectives and Methodology
The researchers aimed to understand how ivermectin affects P. univalens and whether C. elegans can serve as an appropriate model for studying ivermectin treatment in P. univalens. They used comparative gene expression techniques post-exposure to ivermectin in both worms.
- P. univalens and C. elegans worms underwent exposure to different ivermectin concentrations for 24 hours and 4 hours at respective temperatures of 37°C and 20°C.
- Total RNA was then extracted and sequenced to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs).
- Particular attention was given to DEGs involved in metabolism, transport, or gene expression which had annotated C. elegans orthologues (equivalent genes).
- Quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed on RNA from C. elegans to compare the expression of selected genes to their counterparts in P. univalens after ivermectin exposure.
Results
Following ivermectin treatment, the researchers identified 1085 DEGs in P. univalens. However, the gene expression changes were minor, and considerable variability was observed between different worm samples. After some comparative bioinformatics analysis, 15 of these DEGs were selected for further characterization in C. elegans.
- These candidate genes, including the putative drug target lgc-37, demonstrated response to ivermectin in P. univalens, but little to no response in C. elegans, despite the drug causing dose-dependent behavioral effects in the latter.
- The researchers hence concluded that the overlap in ivermectin-induced gene expression changes between P. univalens and C. elegans was minor.
Conclusions and Future Directions
This study was the first to use a comparative gene expression approach to assess if C. elegans can serve as a model for understanding ivermectin metabolism/resistance in P. univalens. While the scientists identified P. univalens genes that responded to ivermectin treatment, finding conserved genes in both P. univalens and C. elegans proved challenging.
- The research showed potential but was limited by the number of genes studied.
- The authors suggested that future investigations comparing more genes between the two worm species may result in the identification of more candidate genes involved in drug metabolism and resistance.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7036, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. faruk.dube@slu.se.
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7036, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Section of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7036, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7036, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
- Ascaridoidea
- Caenorhabditis elegans
- Drug Resistance / genetics
- Gene Expression
- Horses
- Ivermectin / therapeutic use
- RNA / metabolism
Grant Funding
- 2018-01049 / Svenska Forskningsru00e5det Formas
Conflict of Interest Statement
References
- Laugier C, Sevin C, Ménard S, Maillard K. Prevalence of Parascaris equorum infection in foals on French stud farms and first report of ivermectin-resistant P. equorum populations in France.. Vet Parasitol 2012 Aug 13;188(1-2):185-9.
- Relf VE, Morgan ER, Hodgkinson JE, Matthews JB. Helminth egg excretion with regard to age, gender and management practices on UK Thoroughbred studs.. Parasitology 2013 Apr;140(5):641-52.
- Armstrong SK, Woodgate RG, Gough S, Heller J, Sangster NC, Hughes KJ. The efficacy of ivermectin, pyrantel and fenbendazole against Parascaris equorum infection in foals on farms in Australia.. Vet Parasitol 2014 Oct 15;205(3-4):575-80.
- Alanazi AD, Mukbel RM, Alyousif MS, AlShehri ZS, Alanazi IO, Al-Mohammed HI. A field study on the anthelmintic resistance of Parascaris spp. in Arab foals in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia.. Vet Q 2017 Dec;37(1):200-205.
- Cribb NC, Cote NM, Bouré LP, Peregrine AS. Acute small intestinal obstruction associated with Parascaris equorum infection in young horses: 25 cases (1985-2004).. N Z Vet J 2006 Dec;54(6):338-43.
- Clayton HM, Duncan JL. The migration and development of Parascaris equorum in the horse.. Int J Parasitol 1979 Aug;9(4):285-92.
- Clayton HM. Ascarids. Recent advances.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1986 Aug;2(2):313-28.
- Nielsen MK. Evidence-based considerations for control of Parascaris spp. infections in horses.. Equine Vet Educ 2016;28:224–231.
- Shoop WL, Mrozik H, Fisher MH. Structure and activity of avermectins and milbemycins in animal health.. Vet Parasitol 1995 Sep;59(2):139-56.
- Wolstenholme AJ, Rogers AT. Glutamate-gated chloride channels and the mode of action of the avermectin/milbemycin anthelmintics.. Parasitology 2005;131 Suppl:S85-95.
- Reinemeyer CR. Diagnosis and control of anthelmintic-resistant Parascaris equorum.. Parasit Vectors 2009 Sep 25;2 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S8.
- Cooper LG, Caffe G, Cerutti J, Nielsen MK, Anziani OS. Reduced efficacy of ivermectin and moxidectin against Parascaris spp. in foals from Argentina.. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2020 Apr;20:100388.
- Lindgren K, Ljungvall O, Nilsson O, Ljungström BL, Lindahl C, Höglund J. Parascaris equorum in foals and in their environment on a Swedish stud farm, with notes on treatment failure of ivermectin.. Vet Parasitol 2008 Feb 14;151(2-4):337-43.
- Martin F, Svansson V, Eydal M, Oddsdóttir C, Ernback M, Persson I, Tydén E. First Report of Resistance to Ivermectin in Parascaris univalens in Iceland.. J Parasitol 2021 Jan 1;107(1):16-22.
- Whittaker JH, Carlson SA, Jones DE, Brewer MT. Molecular mechanisms for anthelmintic resistance in strongyle nematode parasites of veterinary importance.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2017 Apr;40(2):105-115.
- James CE, Hudson AL, Davey MW. Drug resistance mechanisms in helminths: is it survival of the fittest?. Trends Parasitol 2009 Jul;25(7):328-35.
- Njue AI, Hayashi J, Kinne L, Feng XP, Prichard RK. Mutations in the extracellular domains of glutamate-gated chloride channel alpha3 and beta subunits from ivermectin-resistant Cooperia oncophora affect agonist sensitivity.. J Neurochem 2004 Jun;89(5):1137-47.
- McCavera S, Rogers AT, Yates DM, Woods DJ, Wolstenholme AJ. An ivermectin-sensitive glutamate-gated chloride channel from the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus.. Mol Pharmacol 2009 Jun;75(6):1347-55.
- El-Abdellati A, De Graef J, Van Zeveren A, Donnan A, Skuce P, Walsh T, Wolstenholme A, Tait A, Vercruysse J, Claerebout E, Geldhof P. Altered avr-14B gene transcription patterns in ivermectin-resistant isolates of the cattle parasites, Cooperia oncophora and Ostertagia ostertagi.. Int J Parasitol 2011 Aug 1;41(9):951-7.
- Williamson SM, Storey B, Howell S, Harper KM, Kaplan RM, Wolstenholme AJ. Candidate anthelmintic resistance-associated gene expression and sequence polymorphisms in a triple-resistant field isolate of Haemonchus contortus.. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2011 Dec;180(2):99-105.
- Dicker AJ, Nisbet AJ, Skuce PJ. Gene expression changes in a P-glycoprotein (Tci-pgp-9) putatively associated with ivermectin resistance in Teladorsagia circumcincta.. Int J Parasitol 2011 Aug 1;41(9):935-42.
- Raza A, Kopp SR, Bagnall NH, Jabbar A, Kotze AC. Effects of in vitro exposure to ivermectin and levamisole on the expression patterns of ABC transporters in Haemonchus contortus larvae.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2016 Aug;6(2):103-15.
- Schinkel AH, Jonker JW. Mammalian drug efflux transporters of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) family: an overview.. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2003 Jan 21;55(1):3-29.
- Xu M, Molento M, Blackhall W, Ribeiro P, Beech R, Prichard R. Ivermectin resistance in nematodes may be caused by alteration of P-glycoprotein homolog.. Mol Biochem Parasitol 1998 Mar 15;91(2):327-35.
- Matoušková P, Vokřál I, Lamka J, Skálová L. The Role of Xenobiotic-Metabolizing Enzymes in Anthelmintic Deactivation and Resistance in Helminths.. Trends Parasitol 2016 Jun;32(6):481-491.
- Yilmaz E, Ramünke S, Demeler J, Krücken J. Comparison of constitutive and thiabendazole-induced expression of five cytochrome P450 genes in fourth-stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus isolates with different drug susceptibility identifies one gene with high constitutive expression in a multi-resistant isolate.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2017 Dec;7(3):362-369.
- Matoušková P, Lecová L, Laing R, Dimunová D, Vogel H, Raisová Stuchlíková L, Nguyen LT, Kellerová P, Vokřál I, Lamka J, Szotáková B, Várady M, Skálová L. UDP-glycosyltransferase family in Haemonchus contortus: Phylogenetic analysis, constitutive expression, sex-differences and resistance-related differences.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018 Dec;8(3):420-429.
- Janssen IJ, Krücken J, Demeler J, Basiaga M, Kornaś S, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Genetic variants and increased expression of Parascaris equorum P-glycoprotein-11 in populations with decreased ivermectin susceptibility.. PLoS One 2013;8(4):e61635.
- Martin F, Dube F, Karlsson Lindsjö O, Eydal M, Höglund J, Bergström TF, Tydén E. Transcriptional responses in Parascaris univalens after in vitro exposure to ivermectin, pyrantel citrate and thiabendazole.. Parasit Vectors 2020 Jul 9;13(1):342.
- Scare JA, Dini P, Norris JK, Steuer AE, Scoggin K, Gravatte HS, Howe DK, Slusarewicz P, Nielsen MK. Ascarids exposed: a method for in vitro drug exposure and gene expression analysis of anthelmintic naïve Parascaris spp.. Parasitology 2020 May;147(6):659-666.
- Martin F, Eydal M, Höglund J, Tydén E. Constitutive and differential expression of transport protein genes in Parascaris univalens larvae and adult tissues after in vitro exposure to anthelmintic drugs.. Vet Parasitol 2021 Oct;298:109535.
- Gibson SB, Harper CS, Lackner LL, Andersen EC. The Caenorhabditis elegans and Haemonchus contortus beta-tubulin genes cannot substitute for loss of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae beta-tubulin gene.. MicroPubl Biol 2021 Jun 30;2021.
- Ondua M, Mfotie Njoya E, Abdalla MA, McGaw LJ. Investigation of anthelmintic activity of the acetone extract and constituents of Typha capensis against animal parasitic Haemonchus contortus and free-living Caenorhabditis elegans.. Parasitol Res 2021 Oct;120(10):3437-3449.
- Yates DM, Portillo V, Wolstenholme AJ. The avermectin receptors of Haemonchus contortus and Caenorhabditis elegans.. Int J Parasitol 2003 Sep 30;33(11):1183-93.
- Stasiuk SJ, MacNevin G, Workentine ML, Gray D, Redman E, Bartley D, Morrison A, Sharma N, Colwell D, Ro DK, Gilleard JS. Similarities and differences in the biotransformation and transcriptomic responses of Caenorhabditis elegans and Haemonchus contortus to five different benzimidazole drugs.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2019 Dec;11:13-29.
- Gerhard AP, Krücken J, Neveu C, Charvet CL, Harmache A, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Pharyngeal Pumping and Tissue-Specific Transgenic P-Glycoprotein Expression Influence Macrocyclic Lactone Susceptibility in Caenorhabditis elegans.. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021 Feb 13;14(2).
- Janssen IJ, Krücken J, Demeler J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Transgenically expressed Parascaris P-glycoprotein-11 can modulate ivermectin susceptibility in Caenorhabditis elegans.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2015 Aug;5(2):44-7.
- Cully DF, Vassilatis DK, Liu KK, Paress PS, Van der Ploeg LH, Schaeffer JM, Arena JP. Cloning of an avermectin-sensitive glutamate-gated chloride channel from Caenorhabditis elegans.. Nature 1994 Oct 20;371(6499):707-11.
- Dent JA, Smith MM, Vassilatis DK, Avery L. The genetics of ivermectin resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000 Mar 14;97(6):2674-9.
- Gilleard JS. The use of Caenorhabditis elegans in parasitic nematode research.. Parasitology 2004;128 Suppl 1:S49-70.
- Chen S, Zhou Y, Chen Y, Gu J. fastp: an ultra-fast all-in-one FASTQ preprocessor.. Bioinformatics 2018 Sep 1;34(17):i884-i890.
- Patro R, Duggal G, Love MI, Irizarry RA, Kingsford C. Salmon provides fast and bias-aware quantification of transcript expression.. Nat Methods 2017 Apr;14(4):417-419.
- Soneson C, Love MI, Robinson MD. Differential analyses for RNA-seq: transcript-level estimates improve gene-level inferences.. F1000Res 2015;4:1521.
- Benjamini Y, Hochberg Y. Controlling the false discovery rate: a practical and powerful approach to multiple testing.. J R Stat Soc Ser B (Methodol) 1995;57:289–300.
- Chen H, Boutros PC. VennDiagram: a package for the generation of highly-customizable Venn and Euler diagrams in R.. BMC Bioinformatics 2011 Jan 26;12:35.
- Yang J, Yan R, Roy A, Xu D, Poisson J, Zhang Y. The I-TASSER Suite: protein structure and function prediction.. Nat Methods 2015 Jan;12(1):7-8.
- Brenner S. The genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans.. Genetics 1974 May;77(1):71-94.
- Stiernagle T. Maintenance of C. elegans.. WormBook 2006 Feb 11;:1-11.
- Porta-de-la-Riva M, Fontrodona L, Villanueva A, Cerón J. Basic Caenorhabditis elegans methods: synchronization and observation.. J Vis Exp 2012 Jun 10;(64):e4019.
- Johnson JR, Ferdek P, Lian LY, Barclay JW, Burgoyne RD, Morgan A. Binding of UNC-18 to the N-terminus of syntaxin is essential for neurotransmission in Caenorhabditis elegans.. Biochem J 2009 Feb 15;418(1):73-80.
- Howe KL, Bolt BJ, Shafie M, Kersey P, Berriman M. WormBase ParaSite - a comprehensive resource for helminth genomics.. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2017 Jul;215:2-10.
- Chen N, Harris TW, Antoshechkin I, Bastiani C, Bieri T, Blasiar D, Bradnam K, Canaran P, Chan J, Chen CK, Chen WJ, Cunningham F, Davis P, Kenny E, Kishore R, Lawson D, Lee R, Muller HM, Nakamura C, Pai S, Ozersky P, Petcherski A, Rogers A, Sabo A, Schwarz EM, Van Auken K, Wang Q, Durbin R, Spieth J, Sternberg PW, Stein LD. WormBase: a comprehensive data resource for Caenorhabditis biology and genomics.. Nucleic Acids Res 2005 Jan 1;33(Database issue):D383-9.
- Livak KJ, Schmittgen TD. Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2(-Delta Delta C(T)) Method.. Methods 2001 Dec;25(4):402-8.
- Martin F, Höglund J, Bergström TF, Karlsson Lindsjö O, Tydén E. Resistance to pyrantel embonate and efficacy of fenbendazole in Parascaris univalens on Swedish stud farms.. Vet Parasitol 2018 Dec 15;264:69-73.
- Ballesteros C, Tritten L, O'Neill M, Burkman E, Zaky WI, Xia J, Moorhead A, Williams SA, Geary TG. The Effects of Ivermectin on Brugia malayi Females In Vitro: A Transcriptomic Approach.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016 Aug;10(8):e0004929.
- Schurch NJ, Schofield P, Gierliński M, Cole C, Sherstnev A, Singh V, Wrobel N, Gharbi K, Simpson GG, Owen-Hughes T, Blaxter M, Barton GJ. How many biological replicates are needed in an RNA-seq experiment and which differential expression tool should you use?. RNA 2016 Jun;22(6):839-51.
- Hahnel SR, Dilks CM, Heisler I, Andersen EC, Kulke D. Caenorhabditis elegans in anthelmintic research - Old model, new perspectives.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2020 Dec;14:237-248.
- Holden-Dye L, Walker RJ. Anthelmintic drugs and nematicides: studies in Caenorhabditis elegans.. WormBook 2014 Dec 16;:1-29.
- Salinas G, Risi G. Caenorhabditis elegans: nature and nurture gift to nematode parasitologists.. Parasitology 2018 Jul;145(8):979-987.
- Jex AR, Liu S, Li B, Young ND, Hall RS, Li Y, Yang L, Zeng N, Xu X, Xiong Z, Chen F, Wu X, Zhang G, Fang X, Kang Y, Anderson GA, Harris TW, Campbell BE, Vlaminck J, Wang T, Cantacessi C, Schwarz EM, Ranganathan S, Geldhof P, Nejsum P, Sternberg PW, Yang H, Wang J, Wang J, Gasser RB. Ascaris suum draft genome.. Nature 2011 Oct 26;479(7374):529-33.
- Blaxter ML, De Ley P, Garey JR, Liu LX, Scheldeman P, Vierstraete A, Vanfleteren JR, Mackey LY, Dorris M, Frisse LM, Vida JT, Thomas WK. A molecular evolutionary framework for the phylum Nematoda.. Nature 1998 Mar 5;392(6671):71-5.
- . Comparative genomics of the major parasitic worms.. Nat Genet 2019 Jan;51(1):163-174.
- Viney M. The genomic basis of nematode parasitism.. Brief Funct Genomics 2018 Jan 1;17(1):8-14.
- Wang J, Gao S, Mostovoy Y, Kang Y, Zagoskin M, Sun Y, Zhang B, White LK, Easton A, Nutman TB, Kwok PY, Hu S, Nielsen MK, Davis RE. Comparative genome analysis of programmed DNA elimination in nematodes.. Genome Res 2017 Dec;27(12):2001-2014.
- Feng XP, Hayashi J, Beech RN, Prichard RK. Study of the nematode putative GABA type-A receptor subunits: evidence for modulation by ivermectin.. J Neurochem 2002 Nov;83(4):870-8.
- Paulsen IT, Brown MH, Skurray RA. Proton-dependent multidrug efflux systems.. Microbiol Rev 1996 Dec;60(4):575-608.
- Yan N. Structural advances for the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters.. Trends Biochem Sci 2013 Mar;38(3):151-9.
- Arena JP, Liu KK, Paress PS, Frazier EG, Cully DF, Mrozik H, Schaeffer JM. The mechanism of action of avermectins in Caenorhabditis elegans: correlation between activation of glutamate-sensitive chloride current, membrane binding, and biological activity.. J Parasitol 1995 Apr;81(2):286-94.
- Avery L, Horvitz HR. Effects of starvation and neuroactive drugs on feeding in Caenorhabditis elegans.. J Exp Zool 1990 Mar;253(3):263-70.
- Geary TG, Sims SM, Thomas EM, Vanover L, Davis JP, Winterrowd CA, Klein RD, Ho NF, Thompson DP. Haemonchus contortus: ivermectin-induced paralysis of the pharynx.. Exp Parasitol 1993 Aug;77(1):88-96.
- Gerhard AP, Krücken J, Heitlinger E, Janssen IJI, Basiaga M, Kornaś S, Beier C, Nielsen MK, Davis RE, Wang J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. The P-glycoprotein repertoire of the equine parasitic nematode Parascaris univalens.. Sci Rep 2020 Aug 12;10(1):13586.
- De Graef J, Demeler J, Skuce P, Mitreva M, Von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Vercruysse J, Claerebout E, Geldhof P. Gene expression analysis of ABC transporters in a resistant Cooperia oncophora isolate following in vivo and in vitro exposure to macrocyclic lactones.. Parasitology 2013 Apr;140(4):499-508.
- Cvilink V, Szotáková B, Krízová V, Lamka J, Skálová L. Phase I biotransformation of albendazole in lancet fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum).. Res Vet Sci 2009 Feb;86(1):49-55.
- Cvilink V, Szotáková B, Vokrál I, Bártíková H, Lamka J, Skálová L. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric identification of benzimidazole anthelminthics metabolites formed ex vivo by Dicrocoelium dendriticum.. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2009 Sep;23(17):2679-84.
- Prchal L, Bártíková H, Bečanová A, Jirásko R, Vokřál I, Stuchlíková L, Skálová L, Kubíček V, Lamka J, Trejtnar F, Szotáková B. Biotransformation of anthelmintics and the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the tapeworm Moniezia expansa.. Parasitology 2015 Apr;142(5):648-59.
- Solana HD, Rodriguez JA, Lanusse CE. Comparative metabolism of albendazole and albendazole sulphoxide by different helminth parasites.. Parasitol Res 2001 Apr;87(4):275-80.
- Stuchlíková LR, Matoušková P, Vokřál I, Lamka J, Szotáková B, Sečkařová A, Dimunová D, Nguyen LT, Várady M, Skálová L. Metabolism of albendazole, ricobendazole and flubendazole in Haemonchus contortus adults: Sex differences, resistance-related differences and the identification of new metabolites.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018 Apr;8(1):50-58.
- Laing ST, Ivens A, Butler V, Ravikumar SP, Laing R, Woods DJ, Gilleard JS. The transcriptional response of Caenorhabditis elegans to Ivermectin exposure identifies novel genes involved in the response to reduced food intake.. PLoS One 2012;7(2):e31367.
- Jones LM, Rayson SJ, Flemming AJ, Urwin PE. Adaptive and specialised transcriptional responses to xenobiotic stress in Caenorhabditis elegans are regulated by nuclear hormone receptors.. PLoS One 2013;8(7):e69956.
- Laing ST, Ivens A, Laing R, Ravikumar S, Butler V, Woods DJ, Gilleard JS. Characterization of the xenobiotic response of Caenorhabditis elegans to the anthelmintic drug albendazole and the identification of novel drug glucoside metabolites.. Biochem J 2010 Dec 15;432(3):505-14.
- Ménez C, Alberich M, Courtot E, Guegnard F, Blanchard A, Aguilaniu H, Lespine A. The transcription factor NHR-8: A new target to increase ivermectin efficacy in nematodes.. PLoS Pathog 2019 Feb;15(2):e1007598.
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Dube F, Hinas A, Delhomme N, Åbrink M, Svärd S, Tydén E. Transcriptomics of ivermectin response in Caenorhabditis elegans: Integrating abamectin quantitative trait loci and comparison to the Ivermectin-exposed DA1316 strain.. PLoS One 2023;18(5):e0285262.