Monogenean bioactive molecules at the parasite-host interface
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Hematophagous parasites have to avoid the host's hemostasis (blood coagulation) to facilitate blood intake. Therefore, they release anticoagulant peptides and anti-platelet aggregation agents into the site of feeding. These are usually produced by specialized glands and inhibit thrombosis and clot formation in the host. Antihemostatic molecules often act as protease inhibitors that target one or more serine proteases comprising the coagulation cascade. Protease inhibitors can be involved also in regulation of other biological processes, e.g., the course of host immune response. Transcriptome project on the haematophagous diplozoid monogenean Eudiplozoon nipponicum rendered view on the spectrum of bioactive molecules which can be involved in manipulation of host’s physiological processes by the parasite. Using homology searches and, successively, molecular methods, some important groups of substances with potential antihemostatic, profibrinolytic, antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory functions were disclosed, namely serpins, Kunitz-domain proteins, annexins and cystatins. Their exact involvement in monogenean-fish interactions requires further extensive research. |
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