Lun Xinchang, Wang Yiguan, Zhao Ning, Yue Yujuan, Meng Fengxia, Liu Qiyong, Song Xiuping, Liang Ying, Lu Liang
National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Front Immunol. 2024 Dec 12;15:1516382. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1516382. eCollection 2024.
The striped hamster, often parasitized by ectoparasites in nature, is an ideal model for studying host-ectoparasite molecular interactions. Investigating the response to ectoparasites under laboratory conditions helps elucidate the mechanism of host adaptations to ectoparasite pressure.
Using transcriptome sequencing, we analyzed gene expression in striped hamsters after short-term (3 days) and long-term (28 days) flea () parasitism. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Hub genes were pinpointed using protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and the MCODE in Cytoscape. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to further clarify the functional pathways of these hub genes. Validation of DEGs was performed via RT-qPCR. Additionally, the concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) were determined using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection kits for hamsters.
GO analysis revealed that during early parasitism, hosts primarily responded to the ectoparasites by adjusting the expression of genes related to metabolic functions. As parasitism persisted, the immune response became prominent, activating various immune pathways against ectoparasites. KEGG analysis confirmed the ongoing roles of metabolism and immunity. Notably, the chemical carcinogenesis - reactive oxygen species pathway was upregulated during flea parasitism, with downregulation of hub genes ATP5MC1 and ATP5MC2, highlighting the importance of mitochondrial function in oxidative stress. ELISA findings revealed that on day 3, flea parasitism groups showed elevated ROS expression and reduced SOD and CAT levels compared to the control group. By day 28, only SOD expression showed a significant decrease in both parasitism groups.
This study uncovered the dynamic changes in metabolism and immune responses of striped hamsters parasitized by . Hosts adjust their physiological and immune states to optimize survival strategies during different ectoparasite stages, enhancing our understanding of host-ectoparasite interactions. This also paves the way for further research into how hosts regulate complex biological processes in response to ectoparasite challenges.
条纹仓鼠在自然环境中常被体外寄生虫寄生，是研究宿主与体外寄生虫分子相互作用的理想模型。研究实验室条件下对体外寄生虫的反应有助于阐明宿主适应体外寄生虫压力的机制。
利用转录组测序，我们分析了条纹仓鼠在短期（3天）和长期（28天）跳蚤寄生后的基因表达。鉴定出差异表达基因（DEGs），并进行基因本体论（GO）和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）富集分析。使用蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络分析和Cytoscape中的MCODE确定枢纽基因。基因集富集分析（GSEA）用于进一步阐明这些枢纽基因的功能途径。通过RT-qPCR对DEGs进行验证。此外，使用针对仓鼠的特定酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）检测试剂盒测定活性氧（ROS）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）的浓度。
GO分析表明，在早期寄生过程中，宿主主要通过调节与代谢功能相关的基因表达来应对体外寄生虫。随着寄生持续，免疫反应变得突出，激活了针对体外寄生虫的各种免疫途径。KEGG分析证实了代谢和免疫的持续作用。值得注意的是，在跳蚤寄生期间，化学致癌作用-活性氧途径上调，枢纽基因ATP5MC1和ATP5MC2下调，突出了线粒体功能在氧化应激中的重要性。ELISA结果显示，在第3天，跳蚤寄生组与对照组相比，ROS表达升高，SOD和CAT水平降低。到第28天，两个寄生组中只有SOD表达显著下降。
本研究揭示了被跳蚤寄生的条纹仓鼠代谢和免疫反应的动态变化。宿主在不同的体外寄生虫阶段调整其生理和免疫状态，以优化生存策略，增进了我们对宿主-体外寄生虫相互作用的理解。这也为进一步研究宿主如何应对体外寄生虫挑战调节复杂生物过程铺平了道路。
