DUSP4 modulates RIG-I- and STING-mediated IRF3-type I IFN response.

Detection of cytosolic nucleic acids by pattern recognition receptors, including STING and RIG-I, leads to the activation of multiple signalling pathways that culminate in the production of type I interferons (IFNs) which are vital for host survival during virus infection. In addition to protective immune modulatory functions, type I IFNs are also associated with autoimmune diseases. Hence, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms that govern their expression.

Colonization with ubiquitous protist Blastocystis ST1 ameliorates DSS-induced colitis and promotes beneficial microbiota and immune outcomes.

Blastocystis is a species complex that exhibits extensive genetic diversity, evidenced by its classification into several genetically distinct subtypes (ST). Although several studies have shown the relationships between a specific subtype and gut microbiota, there is no study to show the effect of the ubiquitous Blastocystis ST1 on the gut microbiota and host health. Here, we show that Blastocystis ST1 colonization increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria Alloprevotella and Akkermansia, and induced Th2 and Treg cell responses in normal healthy mice.

Colonization with two different subtypes in DSS-induced colitis mice is associated with strikingly different microbiome and pathological features.

The gut microbiota plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the role of infection and -altered gut microbiota in the development of inflammatory diseases and their underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated the effect of ST4 and ST7 infection on the intestinal microbiota, metabolism, and host immune responses, and then explored the role of -altered gut microbiome in the development of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.

Resistance of Blastocystis to chlorine and hydrogen peroxide.

Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, widely distributed protist inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other animals. The organism is genetically diverse, and so far, at least 28 subtypes (STs) have been identified with ST1-ST9 being the most common in humans. The pathogenicity of Blastocystis is controversial.

Infection with pathogenic Blastocystis ST7 is associated with decreased bacterial diversity and altered gut microbiome profiles in diarrheal patients.

Background: Blastocystis is a common protistan parasite inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. While there are increasing reports characterizing the associations between Blastocystis and the gut microbiome in healthy individuals, only a few studies have investigated the relationships between Blastocystis and the gut microbiota in diarrheal patients.

Methods: The effects of a specific subtype (ST7) of Blastocystis on the composition of gut microbiota in diarrheal patients were investigated using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and bioinformatic analyses.

Changes in Gut Microbiota Composition Associated with the Presence of Enteric Protist in Captive Forest Musk Deer ().

is a common protistan parasite inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of a wide range of hosts including humans and domestic and wild animals. Many studies have revealed the associations between and gut microbiome in humans. However, only a few studies have focused on the associations between and gut microbiome of animals, especially in forest musk deer ().

Experimental colonization with Blastocystis ST4 is associated with protective immune responses and modulation of gut microbiome in a DSS-induced colitis mouse model.

Background: Blastocystis is a common gut protistan parasite in humans and animals worldwide, but its interrelationship with the host gut microbiota and mucosal immune responses remains poorly understood. Different murine models of Blastocystis colonization were used to examine the effect of a common Blastocystis subtype (ST4) on host gut microbial community and adaptive immune system.

Results: Blastocystis ST4-colonized normal healthy mice and Rag1 mice asymptomatically and was able to alter the microbial community composition, mainly leading to increases in the proportion of Clostridia vadinBB60 group and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, respectively.

Interactions between Blastocystis subtype ST4 and gut microbiota in vitro.

Background: Blastocystis ST4 is a common protistan parasite of the gastrointestinal tract of humans and a wide range of animals. While it has been suggested that colonization with ST4 is associated with healthy gut microbiota, how ST4 influences the gut microbiota remains poorly studied. This study aimed to examine the interactions between ST4 and several intestinal bacteria using in vitro co-culture systems, and to further investigate the mechanism of interaction and its effect on the epithelial barrier integrity of HT-29 cells.

High-Content Phenotypic Screen of a Focused TCAMS Drug Library Identifies Novel Disruptors of the Malaria Parasite Calcium Dynamics.

The search for new antimalarial drugs with unexplored mechanisms of action is currently one of the main objectives to combat the resistance already in the clinic. New drugs should target specific mechanisms that once initiated lead inevitably to the parasite's death and clearance and cause minimal toxicity to the host. One such new mode of action recently characterized is to target the parasite's calcium dynamics.

Combination Treatment With Remdesivir and Ivermectin Exerts Highly Synergistic and Potent Antiviral Activity Against Murine Coronavirus Infection.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency to develop effective antiviral therapies against the disease. Murine hepatitis virus (MHV) is a coronavirus that infects mice and shares some sequence identity to SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses belong to the genus, and MHV thus serves as a useful and safe surrogate model for SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Prevalence and molecular subtyping of Blastocystis in patients with Clostridium difficile infection, Singapore.

Background: Blastocystis is a common anaerobic colonic protist in humans with controversial pathogenicity. Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is the commonest cause of infectious diarrhea in healthcare settings.

New insights into the interactions between Blastocystis, the gut microbiota, and host immunity.

The human gut microbiota is a diverse and complex ecosystem that is involved in beneficial physiological functions as well as disease pathogenesis. Blastocystis is a common protistan parasite and is increasingly recognized as an important component of the gut microbiota. The correlations between Blastocystis and other communities of intestinal microbiota have been investigated, and, to a lesser extent, the role of this parasite in maintaining the host immunological homeostasis.

Taming the Sentinels: Microbiome-Derived Metabolites and Polarization of T Cells.

A global increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndromes and digestive tract disorders, like food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has become a severe problem in the modern world. Recent decades have brought a growing body of evidence that links the gut microbiome's complexity with host physiology. Hence, understanding the mechanistic aspects underlying the synergy between the host and its associated gut microbiome are among the most crucial questions.

Antimalarial , -Dialkyldioxonaphthoimidazoliums: Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Structure-activity Relationships.

Here we report the nanomolar potencies of , -dialkyldioxonaphthoimidazoliums against asexual forms of sensitive and resistant . Activity was dependent on the presence of the fused quinone-imidazolium entity and lipophilicity imparted by the N/N alkyl residues on the scaffold. Gametocytocidal activity was also detected, with most members active at IC < 1 μM.

Robust continuous in vitro culture of the Plasmodium cynomolgi erythrocytic stages.

The ability to culture pathogenic organisms substantially enhances the quest for fundamental knowledge and the development of vaccines and drugs. Thus, the elaboration of a protocol for the in vitro cultivation of the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum revolutionized research on this important parasite. However, for P.

Hepatic spheroids used as an in vitro model to study malaria relapse.

Hypnozoites are the liver stage non-dividing form of the malaria parasite that are responsible for relapse and acts as a natural reservoir for human malaria Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale as well as a phylogenetically related simian malaria P. cynomolgi.

Interactions between a pathogenic Blastocystis subtype and gut microbiota: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Background: Blastocystis is a common gut eukaryote detected in humans and animals. It has been associated with gastrointestinal disease in the past although recent metagenomic studies also suggest that it is a member of normal microbiota. This study investigates interactions between pathogenic human isolates belonging to Blastocystis subtype 7 (ST7) and bacterial representatives of the gut microbiota.

Successful Genetic Transfection of the Colonic Protistan Parasite Blastocystis for Reliable Expression of Ectopic Genes.

The microbial parasite Blastocystis colonizes the large intestines of numerous animal species and increasing evidence has linked Blastocystis infection to enteric diseases with signs and symptoms including abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence. It has also recently been reported to be an important member of the host intestinal microbiota. Despite significant advances in our understanding of Blastocystis cell biology and host-parasite interactions, a genetic modification tool is absent.

Viability Screen of LOPAC Reveals Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Tyrphostin A9 as a Novel Partner Drug for Artesunate Combinations To Target the Ring Stage.

The emergence of artemisinin-resistant poses a major threat to current frontline artemisinin combination therapies. Artemisinin resistance is widely associated with mutations in the Kelch13 (PfKelch13) propeller region, leading to delayed parasite clearance and increased survival of early-ring-stage parasites. There is therefore a need to discover novel drugs that are effective against artemisinin-resistant In view of this, our study aimed to identify compounds from the Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds (LOPAC) that could increase the efficacy of artesunate and be used as a potential partner drug for treatment against artemisinin-resistant falciparum malaria.

Membrane Surface Features of Subtypes.

is a common intestinal protistan parasite with global distribution. is a species complex composed of several isolates with biological and morphological differences. The surface coats of from three different isolates representing three subtypes were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.