TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification and expression of a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) homologue in the tropical liver fluke Fasciola gigantica
AU - Japa, Ornampai
AU - Prakhammin, Khanuengnij
AU - Flynn, Robin J
N1 - Funding Information:
This research project was supported by the Thailand Science Research and Innovation Fund and the University of Phayao (grant no. FF64-RIB007), Phayao, Thailand.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/10/4
Y1 - 2022/10/4
N2 - Liver flukes, Fasciola spp., are veterinary and medically important parasites infecting numerous species of economically important animals in addition to humans on a global scale. The components of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling are widely distributed throughout the animal kingdom and are considerably conserved. Through shared common signal transduction mechanisms, crosstalk of TGF-β signalling between a host and the parasite during infection is possible. Herein, we have identified and undertaken the molecular characterisation of a putative TGF-β homologue from the tropical liver fluke F. gigantica (FgTLM). A FgTLM cDNA was 3557 bp in length, it encoded for 620 amino acid polypeptide which consisted of 494 amino acids of prodomain and 126 amino acids comprising the mature protein. FgTLM displayed characteristic structures of mammalian TGF-β ligands that were unique to the inhibin-β chain, monomer of activin. A phylogenetic analysis revealed the high degree of conservation with TGF-β molecules from trematode species. Interestingly, the sequence of amino acid in the active domain of FgTLM was completely identical to FhTLM from F. hepatica. FgTLM expressed throughout the lifecycle of F. gigantica but was highly expressed in developmental active stages. The dynamics of expression of FgTLM during the developmental stages of F. gigantica was comparable to the pattern of TGF-β expression in F. hepatica. Our findings demonstrated that FgTLM exhibits a high level of similarity to FhTLM in the context of both amino acid sequence and the life stage expression patterns. These similarities underline the possibility that the FgTLM molecule might have the same properties and functions as FhTLM in biological processes of the immature parasites and host immune evasion. Consequently, the specific biological functions of FgTLM on either parasite or relevant hosts need to be defined experimentally.
AB - Liver flukes, Fasciola spp., are veterinary and medically important parasites infecting numerous species of economically important animals in addition to humans on a global scale. The components of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling are widely distributed throughout the animal kingdom and are considerably conserved. Through shared common signal transduction mechanisms, crosstalk of TGF-β signalling between a host and the parasite during infection is possible. Herein, we have identified and undertaken the molecular characterisation of a putative TGF-β homologue from the tropical liver fluke F. gigantica (FgTLM). A FgTLM cDNA was 3557 bp in length, it encoded for 620 amino acid polypeptide which consisted of 494 amino acids of prodomain and 126 amino acids comprising the mature protein. FgTLM displayed characteristic structures of mammalian TGF-β ligands that were unique to the inhibin-β chain, monomer of activin. A phylogenetic analysis revealed the high degree of conservation with TGF-β molecules from trematode species. Interestingly, the sequence of amino acid in the active domain of FgTLM was completely identical to FhTLM from F. hepatica. FgTLM expressed throughout the lifecycle of F. gigantica but was highly expressed in developmental active stages. The dynamics of expression of FgTLM during the developmental stages of F. gigantica was comparable to the pattern of TGF-β expression in F. hepatica. Our findings demonstrated that FgTLM exhibits a high level of similarity to FhTLM in the context of both amino acid sequence and the life stage expression patterns. These similarities underline the possibility that the FgTLM molecule might have the same properties and functions as FhTLM in biological processes of the immature parasites and host immune evasion. Consequently, the specific biological functions of FgTLM on either parasite or relevant hosts need to be defined experimentally.
KW - Fasciola spp. Fasciola gigantica
KW - Fasciolosis
KW - FgTLM
KW - Liver fluke
KW - TGF-β
KW - Transforming growth factor
KW - Humans
KW - Fasciola hepatica/genetics
KW - Phylogeny
KW - Mammals
KW - Animals
KW - Fasciola/genetics
KW - Amino Acids/genetics
KW - Fascioliasis/parasitology
KW - Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139428125&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00436-022-07679-1
DO - 10.1007/s00436-022-07679-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 36194274
SN - 0932-0113
VL - 121
SP - 3547
EP - 3559
JO - Parasitology Research
JF - Parasitology Research
IS - 12
ER -
