Abstract
Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of the Trichinella nematode. With a worldwide incidence of approximately 10,000 cases per year, Trichinella spiralis is responsible for most human infections. There are no specific signs or symptoms of this parasitic infection. Muscle biopsy is the gold diagnostic standard for trichinellosis, but the technique is invasive and unable to detect the early stage of infection. Although immunodiagnostics are also available, antibody detection usually occurs after 3 weeks and prolonged up to 19 years after the acute phase. Therefore, additional diagnostic biomarkers must be identified to improve trichinellosis diagnosis. This study aimed to measure concentration changes in mouse serum proteins prior to T. spiralis infection and 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection, and to identify T. spiralis circulating proteins and antigens using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Mouse muscle-related proteins including inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H2, a protein involved in the response to muscle tissue damage, were up-regulated in mouse sera during the T. spiralis larvae invasion. Additionally, 33 circulatory parasite proteins were identified in infected mouse sera. Notably, T. spiralis long-chain fatty acid transport protein 1 could be detected in the early stage of infection and peroxidasin-like protein was identified 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection. Seventeen T. spiralis circulating antigens were detected in mouse immune complexes, with PX domain protein being found 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection. Because peroxidasin-like protein and PX domain protein were detected at all post-infection time points, sequence alignments of these proteins were performed, which showed they are conserved among Trichinella spp. and have less similarity to the human and murine sequences. Integrative analysis of T. spiralis biomarkers throughout the course of infection may reveal additional diagnostic targets to improve early diagnosis of trichinellosis.
Highlights
Trichinellosis called trichinosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of the intracellular nematode, Trichinella spp. via the consumption of undercooked or raw meat usually pork and has a worldwide incidence of 10,000 infections per year [1]
Seventeen T. spiralis circulating antigens were detected in mouse immune complexes, with PX domain protein being found 2, 4 and 8 weeks after infection
Because peroxidasin-like protein and PX domain protein were detected at all post-infection time points, sequence alignments of these proteins were performed, which showed they are conserved among Trichinella spp. and have less similarity to the human and murine sequences
Summary
Trichinellosis called trichinosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the ingestion of the intracellular nematode, Trichinella spp. via the consumption of undercooked or raw meat usually pork and has a worldwide incidence of 10,000 infections per year [1]. Following ingestion of encysted larvae, first-stage larvae are released in the stomach by the action of pepsin and hydrochloric acid. The new born larvae (NBL) invade the small intestine, where they develop into adults and mate. NBL can enter the lymphatic circulation and the blood, where they can reach oxygen-rich skeletal muscles, myocardium and brain. At least 13 Trichinella species/genotypes have been identified [3]. The species responsible for most human Trichinellosis infections is Trichinella spiralis, T. nativa, T. nelsoni, T. britovi, T. pseudospiralis, T. murelli and T. papuae [4, 5] can be involved
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