Parasitic coinfections among selected smallholder goat flocks in Malaysia

This paper describes the occurrence of multiple parasitic infection with special reference to emerging haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis. A cross-sectional survey of four selected goat flocks was conducted to collect samples and management information. Blood samples were processed using microhaematocrit centrifugation to determine the packed cell volume (PCV). Detection and morphological identification of blood protozoa and haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis from Giemsa-stained smears were done microscopically. M. ovis infection was classified mild (1-29% infected cells), moderate (30-59% infected cells), or severe (above 60% infected cells). Faecal floatation and McMaster faecal egg count were used to detect and classify strongyle infections as negative (no eggs/oocysts), light (< 500 epg), Moderate (500 - 1000 epg), or severe (>1000 epg) and coccidia infection as light (<1800 opg), moderate (1800 - 6000 opg), or severe (>6000 opg). There were 149 goats with blood protozoa (57.98%; 95% CI: 51.87 - 63.85) and 204 goats with GI parasites (79.38%; 95% CI: 74.02 - 83.87) involved in single (15.8%; 95% CI: 11.7 - 21.0) or multiple (84.2%; 95% CI: 79.0 - 88.3) infections. The risk of Strongyles increases by 2.49 (95% CI: 1.24 - 4.99) in females versus males and 6.79 (95% CI: 3.25 - 14.18, p =0.000) in adults versus young. The risk of Eimeria species increases by 7.32 (95% CI: 3.45 - 15.50, p =0.000) in adults versus young, while M. ovis coinfection risk increases by 4.51 (95% CI: 1.40 - 14.50, p =0.000) in female versus males. Thin animals had a significantly higher (p<0.05) mean burden of Strongyle (1370.37 ± 345.49) and Eimeria (1594.12 ± 695.26) than the moderate and fat goats. The PCV was negatively associated with mean faecal egg count (FEC) (p<0.05) such that a lower PCV was recorded in animals with a higher Strongyle epg output. A severe burden of M. ovis was accompanied by an increased nematode FEC and decreased haematocrit (p<0.05). Coinfections of Strongyles, or Eimeria species involving M. ovis were associated with a higher parasitaemia compared with single infections (p<0.05). This study highlights the importance of M. ovis and Strongyle or Eimeria species coinfections among goat flocks and provides valuable data for developing and implementing an integrated herd health management program for parasite control among low-input smallholder flocks.

mRNA transcriptome profiling of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2 treated with Catharanthus roseus-silver nanoparticles

BACKGROUND

The demand for the development of cancer nanomedicine has increased due to its great therapeutic value that can overcome the limitations of conventional cancer therapy. However, the presence of various bioactive compounds in crude plant extracts used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) makes its precise mechanisms of action unclear.

AIM

To assessed the mRNA transcriptome profiling of human HepG2 cells exposed to Catharanthus roseus G. Don (C. roseus)-AgNPs.

METHODS

The proliferative activity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and normal human liver (THLE3) cells treated with C. roseusAgNPs were measured using MTT assay. The RNA samples were extracted and sequenced using BGIseq500 platform. This is followed by data filtering, mapping, gene expression analysis, differentially expression genes analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, and pathway analysis.

RESULTS

The mean IC₅₀ values of C. roseusAgNPs on HepG2 was 4.38 ± 1.59 μg/mL while on THLE3 cells was 800 ± 1.55 μg/mL. Transcriptome profiling revealed an alteration of 296 genes. C. roseusAgNPs induced the expression of stress-associated genes such as MT, HSP and HMOX-1. Cellular signalling pathways were potentially activated through MAPK, TNF and TGF pathways that are responsible for apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The alteration of ARF6, EHD2, FGFR3, RhoA, EEA1, VPS28, VPS25, and TSG101 indicated the uptake of C. roseus-AgNPs via both clathrin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytosis.

CONCLUSION

This study provides new insights into gene expression study of biosynthesised AgNPs on cancer cells. The cytotoxicity effect is mediated by the aberrant gene alteration, and more interestingly the unique selective antiproliferative properties indicate the C. roseusAgNPs as an ideal anticancer candidate.