A5089107234- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Parasitic infections in humans and animals
- Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Helminth infection and control
- Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways
- Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
- Liver Disease and Transplantation
- Trace Elements in Health
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Cytokine Signaling Pathways and Interactions
- Amoebic Infections and Treatments
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Vitamin K Research Studies
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Helicobacter pylori-related gastroenterology studies
- Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Vitamin D Research Studies
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Phytochemistry and Bioactivity Studies
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
University of Cape Town
2016-2025
Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation
2016-2025
South African Medical Research Council
2017-2024
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
2017-2024
Université de Dschang
2023
University of Würzburg
2012-2020
Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa
2018
Abstract The role of proinflammatory cytokines in cognitive function has been investigated with both beneficial and possible detrimental effects, depending on the cytokine. More recently, type 2 IL-4 demonstrated to play a cognition. In this study, using Morris water maze task, we demonstrate that IL-13–deficient mice are significantly impaired working memory as well attenuated reference memory, functions essential for effective complex learning. During learning process, wild-type increased...
Abstract Tissue fibrosis underlies the majority of human mortality to date with close half all reported deaths having a fibrotic etiology. The progression is very complex and reputed irreversible once established. Although some preventive options are being reported, therapeutic still scarce in high demand, given rise diseases linked fibroproliferative disorders. Our work explored four platforms, complementarily, order screen potentials antiparasitic drug Praziquantel as possible...
Background Alveolar echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus multilocularis larvae, is a chronic disease associated with considerable modulation of the host immune response. Dendritic cells (DC) are key effectors in shaping response and among first encountered parasite during an infection. Although it assumed that E.multilocularis, excretory/secretory (E/S)-products, specifically affects DC to deviate responses, little information available on molecular nature respective E/S-products their...
Background Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the metacestode of tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, is a lethal zoonosis associated with host immunomodulation. T helper cells are instrumental to control disease in host. Whereas Th1 can restrict parasite proliferation, Th2 immune responses proliferation. Although early phase colonization E. multilocularis dominated potentially parasitocidal response, molecular basis this response unknown. Principal Findings We describe EmTIP, an...
Significance Cutaneous leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis are neglected tropical diseases for which there no effective vaccines limited treatment strategies. To develop vaccine therapeutic alternatives, a detailed understanding of host immunity is essential. We show role IL-4Rα–responsive B cells in susceptibility to Leishmania major protection against Schistosoma mansoni infection through the production early IL-4, turn regulates Th2 cell polarization disease outcome mice. These important...
Background: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the metacestode larval stage of fox-tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, is a chronic zoonosis associated with significant modulation host immune response. A role regulatory T-cells (Treg) in generating an immunosuppressive environment around during disease has been reported, but molecular mechanisms Treg induction E. particularly parasite immunoregulatory factors involved, remain elusive so far. Methodology/Principal findings: We herein...
Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3+) regulatory T (Treg)-cell function is controlled by environmental cues of which cytokine-mediated signaling a dominant component. In vivo, interleukin-4 (IL-4)-mediated via IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) mediates Treg cell transdifferentiation into ex-Foxp3 helper 2 (Th2) or 17 (Th17) cells. However, IL-4-mediated also reinforces the Foxp3 compartment in vitro. We generated Foxp3-specific IL-4Rα-deficient mice and demonstrated differential efficiency IL-4Rα deletion...
Schistosomiasis is a potentially lethal parasitic disease that profoundly impacts systemic immune function in chronically infected hosts through mechanisms remain unknown. Given the immunoregulatory dysregulation experienced individuals, this study examined impact of chronic schistosomiasis on sustainability vaccine-induced immunity both children living endemic areas and experimental infections mice. Data show Schistosoma mansoni infection impaired persistence vaccine specific antibody...
Basic leucine zipper transcription factor 2 (Batf2) activation is detrimental in Type 1-controlled infectious diseases, demonstrated during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Listeria monocytogenes Lm. In Batf2-deficient mice (Batf2-/-), infected Mtb or Lm, survived displayed reduced tissue pathology compared to control mice. Indeed, pulmonary inflammatory macrophage recruitment, pro-inflammatory cytokines immune effectors were also decreased tuberculosis. This explains that...
Accumulating evidences have assigned a central role to parasite-derived proteins in immunomodulation. Here, we report on the proteomic identification and characterization of immunomodulatory excretory-secretory (ES) products from metacestode larva (tetrathyridium) tapeworm Mesocestoides corti (syn. M. vogae). We demonstrate that ES but not larval homogenates inhibit stimuli-driven release pro-inflammatory, Th1-inducing cytokine IL-12p70 by murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs)....
Background and Methods: Schistosomiasis is debilitating reported to impair immune responsiveness of infected hosts. In Cameroon, mass drug administration (MDA) used in schoolchildren reduce transmission S. haematobium mansoni. The effects MDA the impact schistosomiasis on titers antibodies vaccinated children have been poorly studied. We therefore assessed prevalence schoolchildren, eight months after MDA, two locations: Barombi Koto (BK), endemic for (N =169) Yoro (Y), mansoni = 356). Age,...
Background Currently available schistosomiasis diagnostic and monitoring tools are limited, the development of novel technologies is necessary to enhance disease surveillance by supporting elimination efforts. Novel disease-specific biomarkers can facilitate these technologies. Through comparison parasite burden host factors, we assessed whether plasma cytokines could be used as robust for intestinal associated pathology in school-aged children (SAC) living endemic areas. Methods Levels were...
Background: This study aimed to investigate the association of plasma levels IL-33, a mucosal alarmin known elicit type-2 immunity, with infection and liver fibrosis profiles school children from an endemic area for Schistosoma mansoni, malaria hepatitis (B & C) in rural Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional enrolling schoolchildren 5 public schools was conducted. Single schistosomiasis, infections or co-infections were assessed by kato katz, microscopy, rapid diagnostic tests, respectively....
Interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4Rα) is critical for the initiation of type-2 immune responses and implicated in pathogenesis experimental schistosomiasis. IL-4Rα mediated are control pathology during acute However, tightly associate with fibrogranulomatous inflammation that drives host chronic To address such controversy on role IL-4Rα, we generated a novel inducible IL-4Rα-deficient mouse model allows temporal knockdown il-4rα gene after oral administration Tamoxifen. Interrupting signaling...
Beyond transient control of the infection, additional benefits mass drug administration praziquantel in endemic communities have been suggested but not mechanistically investigated experimentally. The present study sought to evaluate and hitherto unreported repeated praziquantel. We used a tractable mouse model Schistosoma mansoni infection assess effects infection-treatment cycles on host susceptibility reinfection. Parasitaemia was assessed by quantification egg burden liver tissues...
Cestode-mediated diseases hold the interesting feature of persisting metacestode larvae dwelling within host tissues, in midst immune response. Excretory-secretory (ES) products larval stage modulate response and modify outcome disease. Therefore, isolation analysis axenic ES are crucial to study their properties. Here, we report development a system for long-term vitro cultivation parasitic cestode Mesocestoides corti (syn. vogae). Although feeder cells serum supported early growth...
Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is a parasitic helminth disease that can cause severe inflammatory pathology leading to organ damage in humans. Failure of the host regulate egg-driven granulomatous inflammation causes morbidity during chronic infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Although importance B cells regulating has been well defined, specific contribution IL-4Rα-expressing still unknown. To address this, we examined cell-specific IL-4Rα-deficient (mb1creIL-4Rα-/lox) mice three experimental...
There is currently no vaccine against parasitic nematodes and the knowledge on mechanisms by which protective immunity this class of parasites achieved continuously expanding. Nematode trigger a host type 2 immune response via interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα). Despite central role, it not known whether IL-4Rα has role in maintaining responses following polarization. To determine after polarization, we used recently established strain rosaCreERT2-/+IL-4Rα-/Lox mice where il4rα gene...