An Echinococcus multilocularis coproantigen is a surface glycoprotein with unique O-gycosylation

A major surface constituent of Echinococcus multilocularis adult worms, referred to as EmA9 antigen, was immunoaffinity purified and identified as a high molecular weight glycoconjugate. Labelling studies using the monoclonal antibody MAbEmA9 indicated that this antigen undergoes a regulated expression during the development from the larval to the adult parasite. Chemical modification of carbohydrate by periodate oxidation resulted in a reduced reactivity with antigen specific antibodies. Non-reductive beta-elimination of the purified molecule indicated the presence of O-linked glycans attached to threonine residues. Carbohydrate compositional analyses indicated the presence of N- and O-glycans with the ratio of carbohydrate to protein being 1.5:1 (w/w). N- and O-linked glycans were released by hydrazinolysis and analysed as 2-aminobenzamide derivatised glycans by mass spectrometry together with HPLC and enzymatic sequencing. Novel linear O-linked saccharides with multiple beta-HexNAc extensions of reducing end Gal were identified. N-linked glycans were also detected with oligomannose and mono-, bi-, tri- and tetra-antennary type structures, most of which were found to be core-fucosylated. Taken together, the results indicate that the EmA9 antigen is a glycoprotein located at the outer surface of the adult E. multilocularis. The observation that the EmA9 antigen expression is developmentally regulated suggests an involvement of this glycoprotein in the establishment of the parasite in its canine hos

Bacteria as potential tumour fighter

Despite significant progress in the development of therapeutic drugs and treatments, deaths due to cancer still remains high. These therapies are also not specific to tumour regions, hence causing adverse effects to the patients. Bacteria had long been studied for its ability to multiple within tumour regions and also reducing tumour volumes. Salmonella had also been studied and shown to be able to attack cancerous cells. To ensure the bacteria therapy is safe for clinical trial purposes, the bacteria need to undergo the process of silencing and in vivo assessment. This study was carried out to assess the use of SPI knockout S. Typhimurium and S. Agona as a possible tumour reduction agent and to investigate the effect of the SPI knockout strains on the survival of mice with induced tumour. 3 x 106 CT26 cells suspended in PBS were inoculated subcutaneously on the thigh to induce solid tumour. The subjects were then treated with the four bacterial treatments via intraperitoneal and intratumoural route of administration. The changes in the sizes of the tumours were observed daily using a calipher. The subjects were then sacrificed and the organs were harvested for histopathological analysis. One-way ANOVA indicated that the treatments had significant effects at p < 0.05, on both the changes of the tumour volumes and also the survival periods of the subjects. Subjects treated with S. Agona showed better survival compared to subjects treated with S. Typhimurium. S. Agona is found to be a better candidate as a tumour reduction agent, compared to S. Typhimurium, since it showed longer survival period of subjects after treatment and yet, had similar capacity as a tumour reduction agent

Mini-Laparoscopy or Single-Site Robotic Surgery in Gynecology? Let\u2019s Think out of the Box

none7sinoneLagana A.S.; Garzon S.; D'Alterio M.N.; Noventa M.; Stabile G.; Naem A.; Ghezzi F.Lagana, A. S.; Garzon, S.; D'Alterio, M. N.; Noventa, M.; Stabile, G.; Naem, A.; Ghezzi, F

Dopant depth profiling by anodic sectioning using 0.1 M HCl electrolyte

A new procedure for dopant depth profiling by anodic sectioning is presented. It consists of using anodic oxidation in aqueous 0.1 M HCl solution at constant potential and offers several advantages over the previously used procedures for accomplishing the anodic sectioning. Constant voltage oxidation is insensitive to the sample size, and is highly uniform and very rapid. Removing the electrolyte from the sample is easy. The amount of Si removed per cycle can be determined accurately and is much less than in the traditional technique, indicating that the new procedure is more suitable for ultrashallow implants.NRC publication: Ye

An Echinococcus multilocularis coproantigen is a surface glycoprotein with unique O-gycosylation

A major surface constituent of Echinococcus multilocularis adult worms, referred to as EmA9 antigen, was immunoaffinity purified and identified as a high molecular weight glycoconjugate. Labelling studies using the monoclonal antibody MAbEmA9 indicated that this antigen undergoes a regulated expression during the development from the larval to the adult parasite. Chemical modification of carbohydrate by periodate oxidation resulted in a reduced reactivity with antigen specific antibodies. Non-reductive beta-elimination of the purified molecule indicated the presence of O-linked glycans attached to threonine residues. Carbohydrate compositional analyses indicated the presence of N- and O-glycans with the ratio of carbohydrate to protein being 1.5:1 (w/w). N- and O-linked glycans were released by hydrazinolysis and analysed as 2-aminobenzamide derivatised glycans by mass spectrometry together with HPLC and enzymatic sequencing. Novel linear O-linked saccharides with multiple beta-HexNAc extensions of reducing end Gal were identified. N-linked glycans were also detected with oligomannose and mono-, bi-, tri- and tetra-antennary type structures, most of which were found to be core-fucosylated. Taken together, the results indicate that the EmA9 antigen is a glycoprotein located at the outer surface of the adult E. multilocularis. The observation that the EmA9 antigen expression is developmentally regulated suggests an involvement of this glycoprotein in the establishment of the parasite in its canine host

A Survey of Nematode Parasites of Small Mammals in Tunisia, North Africa: Diversity of Species and Zoonotic Implications

International audienceThe presence of nematodes was investigated in 84 small mammals belonging to 10 species living in arid wildhabitats from Central Tunisia. Hosts were infected with a total of 7 species of nematodes. The dominant parasite species wasGongylonema neoplasticum, which was found in the stomach of 7 host species with prevalences varying from 15.4% inGerbillus campestris to 50% in Meriones shawi. Several nematodes, such as Syphacia obvelata, Acanthocheilonema viteae,Trichuris gerbilli, and G. neoplasticum, are potential zoonotic parasites. These latter species were collected from M. shawi,Meriones libycus, Mus musculus, Mus spretus, Rattus rattus, G. campestris, Psammomys obesus, and Ctenodactylus goundi,raising concern that these rodents and their associated rodent-borne helminths could be of potential concern for public healthin this region