The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents

ABSTRACT Alveolar echinococcosis is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. The parasite is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and exhibits low genetic diversity among populations. To compare the differences among four E. multilocularis strains fr...

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Main Authors: Baoping Guo, Gang Guo, Wenjing Qi, Malike Aizezi, Chuanchuan Wu, Mengxiao Tian, Adriano Casulli, Wenbao Zhang, Jun Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2025-04-01
Series:Microbiology Spectrum
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Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01318-24
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author Baoping Guo
Gang Guo
Wenjing Qi
Malike Aizezi
Chuanchuan Wu
Mengxiao Tian
Adriano Casulli
Wenbao Zhang
Jun Li
author_facet Baoping Guo
Gang Guo
Wenjing Qi
Malike Aizezi
Chuanchuan Wu
Mengxiao Tian
Adriano Casulli
Wenbao Zhang
Jun Li
author_sort Baoping Guo
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Alveolar echinococcosis is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. The parasite is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and exhibits low genetic diversity among populations. To compare the differences among four E. multilocularis strains from different geographical locations, namely, Alaska (EM-AK), Japan (EM-JP), Xinjiang (EM-XJ), and Ningxia (EM-NX), their complete mitochondrial (mt) sequences were compared, and their induced pathological lesions were analyzed in mouse models. The complete mt sequence of EM-AK resulted in 0.84%–0.86% variation as compared with the other strains, which had a lower variation. Phylogenetic analysis and parsimony network indicated that EM-AK resulted in 30,000 years of evolutionary distance from the other three strains. EM-AK induced more pathological damage than the other three strains, which was likely to induce more host cell infiltration and acute granuloma in the liver. More importantly, EM-AK produced more protoscoleces than the other three strains, which may impact the transmission dynamics of the parasite. Given the geographical location of four strains, which is far from each other, and also the pathological differences, the strains of E. multilocularis are likely models for addressing the relationship and interfacial immune response between the host and the helminth.IMPORTANCEEchinococcus multilocularis is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis, which is considered the most serious parasitic disease in the Northern Hemisphere. There are many genotypes, but the pathogenic and mitochondria sequence and differences are still unclear. Therefore, this study showed both pathological and genetic differences between the four strains of E. multilocularis. EM-AK induced more severe immune responses and especially induced more host cell infiltration, which resulted in more severe granuloma in the liver. EM-JP has metacestode lesions morphologically closer to those of E. granulosus with clear cyst fluid. However, this strain produced much fewer protoscoleces (PSCs). Genetically, EM-AK is more distant from other strains.
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spelling doaj-art-d502dd40cdac4e8da034fda72dc07f322025-08-20T02:53:50ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972025-04-0113410.1128/spectrum.01318-24The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continentsBaoping Guo0Gang Guo1Wenjing Qi2Malike Aizezi3Chuanchuan Wu4Mengxiao Tian5Adriano Casulli6Wenbao Zhang7Jun Li8State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaXinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, Urumqi, ChinaBasic Medical College, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaBasic Medical College, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaWHO Collaborating Centre for the Epidemiology, Detection and Control of Cystic and Alveolar Echinococcosis, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, ItalyState Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaABSTRACT Alveolar echinococcosis is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. The parasite is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and exhibits low genetic diversity among populations. To compare the differences among four E. multilocularis strains from different geographical locations, namely, Alaska (EM-AK), Japan (EM-JP), Xinjiang (EM-XJ), and Ningxia (EM-NX), their complete mitochondrial (mt) sequences were compared, and their induced pathological lesions were analyzed in mouse models. The complete mt sequence of EM-AK resulted in 0.84%–0.86% variation as compared with the other strains, which had a lower variation. Phylogenetic analysis and parsimony network indicated that EM-AK resulted in 30,000 years of evolutionary distance from the other three strains. EM-AK induced more pathological damage than the other three strains, which was likely to induce more host cell infiltration and acute granuloma in the liver. More importantly, EM-AK produced more protoscoleces than the other three strains, which may impact the transmission dynamics of the parasite. Given the geographical location of four strains, which is far from each other, and also the pathological differences, the strains of E. multilocularis are likely models for addressing the relationship and interfacial immune response between the host and the helminth.IMPORTANCEEchinococcus multilocularis is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis, which is considered the most serious parasitic disease in the Northern Hemisphere. There are many genotypes, but the pathogenic and mitochondria sequence and differences are still unclear. Therefore, this study showed both pathological and genetic differences between the four strains of E. multilocularis. EM-AK induced more severe immune responses and especially induced more host cell infiltration, which resulted in more severe granuloma in the liver. EM-JP has metacestode lesions morphologically closer to those of E. granulosus with clear cyst fluid. However, this strain produced much fewer protoscoleces (PSCs). Genetically, EM-AK is more distant from other strains.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01318-24alveolar echinococcosisEchinococcus multilocularismitochondrialpathological lesionsstrainsphylogenetic analysis
spellingShingle Baoping Guo
Gang Guo
Wenjing Qi
Malike Aizezi
Chuanchuan Wu
Mengxiao Tian
Adriano Casulli
Wenbao Zhang
Jun Li
The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
Microbiology Spectrum
alveolar echinococcosis
Echinococcus multilocularis
mitochondrial
pathological lesions
strains
phylogenetic analysis
title The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
title_full The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
title_fullStr The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
title_full_unstemmed The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
title_short The genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of Echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
title_sort genetic variation of mitochondrial sequences and pathological differences of echinococcus multilocularis strains from different continents
topic alveolar echinococcosis
Echinococcus multilocularis
mitochondrial
pathological lesions
strains
phylogenetic analysis
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.01318-24
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