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Transcriptional alterations in Caenorhabditis elegans following exposure to an anthelmintic fraction of the plant Picria fel-terrae Lour

Kumarasingha R 1 , Young ND 2 , Yeo TC 3 , Lim DSL 3 , Tu CL 3 , Palombo EA 4 Show all authors , Shaw JM 5 , Gasser RB 6 , Boag PR 7

Affiliations 

  • 1 Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
  • 2 Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
  • 3 Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, KM 20 Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, Locked Bag 3032, 93990, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122, Australia
  • 5 Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122, Australia
  • 6 Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia. robinbg@unimelb.edu.au
  • 7 Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia. peter.boag@monash.edu.au
Parasit Vectors, 2019 Apr 25;12(1):181.
PMID: 31023350 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3429-4

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Natural compounds from plants are known to provide a source of anthelmintic molecules. In previous studies, we have shown that plant extracts from the plant Picria fel-terrae Lour. and particular fractions thereof have activity against the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, causing quite pronounced stress responses in this nematode. We have also shown that a fraction, designated Pf-fraction 5, derived from this plant has a substantial adverse effect on this worm; however, nothing is known about the molecular processes affected in the worm. In the present study, we explored this aspect.

RESULTS: Key biological processes linked to upregulated genes (n = 214) included 'response to endoplasmic reticulum stress' and 'lipid metabolism', and processes representing downregulated genes (n = 357) included 'DNA-conformation change' and 'cellular lipid metabolism'.

CONCLUSIONS: Exposure of C. elegans to Pf-fraction 5 induces significant changes in the transcriptome. Gene ontology analysis suggests that Pf-fraction 5 induces endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress, and the changes in gene expression are either a direct or indirect consequence of this. Further work is required to assess specific responses to sub-fractions of Pf-fraction 5 in time-course experiments in C. elegans, to define the chemical(s) with potent anthelmintic properties, to attempt to unravel their mode(s) of action and to assess their selectivity against nematodes.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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