Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis
Abstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a prevalent intestinal pathogen causing giardiasis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and frequently linked to malnutrition and growth impairments in children. The virulence of Giardiavirus (GLV) may efficiently clear Giardia parasites from infected pati...
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06692-4 |
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| author | Lu Li Lili Cao Qiankun Yang Zhiteng Zhao Jianqi Yuan Shaoxiong Liu Qinqin Jin Jianhua Li Xin Li Xiaocen Wang Nan Zhang Weina Jiang Pengtao Gong |
| author_facet | Lu Li Lili Cao Qiankun Yang Zhiteng Zhao Jianqi Yuan Shaoxiong Liu Qinqin Jin Jianhua Li Xin Li Xiaocen Wang Nan Zhang Weina Jiang Pengtao Gong |
| author_sort | Lu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a prevalent intestinal pathogen causing giardiasis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and frequently linked to malnutrition and growth impairments in children. The virulence of Giardiavirus (GLV) may efficiently clear Giardia parasites from infected patients. However, we have a limited understanding of GLV transmission among Giardia species and GLV-infected Giardia’s impact on pathogenicity. Methods This study investigated extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated via ultracentrifugation or exosome assay kit to detect the presence of GLV in EVs, the results were detected using ultrastructure and molecular methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and dot blot. Transwell migration assays confirmed the spread of GLV-enveloped EVs among Giardia species using inhibitor experiments and immunofluorescence. Mice gavaged with Giardia, with or without GLV infection, were assessed for disease progression, including growth parameters (weight and size gains), intestinal permeability, and pathology. Results Parts of GLV exploit the Giardia EVs pathway to reach the extracellular environment, allowing GLV to spread among Giardia species via these EVs. The uptake of GLV-containing EVs by Giardia results in rapid trophozoite infection, and GLV wrapped in EVs also offers protection against external interference. Importantly, EV-coated GLV-infected Giardia leads to divergent clinical symptoms in mice, posing less risk to mice and reducing symptoms, such as emaciation, stunted growth, and lesion damage, compared with GLV-free Giardia-infected mice. Conclusions Our studies show that GLV wrapped in EVs can spread among Giardia species, and GLV infection alleviates the lesions caused by Giardia. These findings reveal that GLV could be a target for the development of novel intervention strategies against Giardia. Graphical abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fffa65287c0a4faf86a6c3dbdce7eacd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj-art-fffa65287c0a4faf86a6c3dbdce7eacd2025-08-20T02:59:35ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-02-0118111510.1186/s13071-025-06692-4Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalisLu Li0Lili Cao1Qiankun Yang2Zhiteng Zhao3Jianqi Yuan4Shaoxiong Liu5Qinqin Jin6Jianhua Li7Xin Li8Xiaocen Wang9Nan Zhang10Weina Jiang11Pengtao Gong12State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityJilin Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary MedicineState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityDeparment of Pathology, Qingdao Municipal HospitalState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, and College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin UniversityAbstract Background Giardia duodenalis is a prevalent intestinal pathogen causing giardiasis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and frequently linked to malnutrition and growth impairments in children. The virulence of Giardiavirus (GLV) may efficiently clear Giardia parasites from infected patients. However, we have a limited understanding of GLV transmission among Giardia species and GLV-infected Giardia’s impact on pathogenicity. Methods This study investigated extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated via ultracentrifugation or exosome assay kit to detect the presence of GLV in EVs, the results were detected using ultrastructure and molecular methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and dot blot. Transwell migration assays confirmed the spread of GLV-enveloped EVs among Giardia species using inhibitor experiments and immunofluorescence. Mice gavaged with Giardia, with or without GLV infection, were assessed for disease progression, including growth parameters (weight and size gains), intestinal permeability, and pathology. Results Parts of GLV exploit the Giardia EVs pathway to reach the extracellular environment, allowing GLV to spread among Giardia species via these EVs. The uptake of GLV-containing EVs by Giardia results in rapid trophozoite infection, and GLV wrapped in EVs also offers protection against external interference. Importantly, EV-coated GLV-infected Giardia leads to divergent clinical symptoms in mice, posing less risk to mice and reducing symptoms, such as emaciation, stunted growth, and lesion damage, compared with GLV-free Giardia-infected mice. Conclusions Our studies show that GLV wrapped in EVs can spread among Giardia species, and GLV infection alleviates the lesions caused by Giardia. These findings reveal that GLV could be a target for the development of novel intervention strategies against Giardia. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06692-4Giardia duodenalisGiardiavirusExtracellular vesiclesEVs-coated GLVGrowth restrictionIntestinal damage |
| spellingShingle | Lu Li Lili Cao Qiankun Yang Zhiteng Zhao Jianqi Yuan Shaoxiong Liu Qinqin Jin Jianhua Li Xin Li Xiaocen Wang Nan Zhang Weina Jiang Pengtao Gong Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis Parasites & Vectors Giardia duodenalis Giardiavirus Extracellular vesicles EVs-coated GLV Growth restriction Intestinal damage |
| title | Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis |
| title_full | Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis |
| title_fullStr | Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis |
| title_short | Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis |
| title_sort | giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite giardia duodenalis |
| topic | Giardia duodenalis Giardiavirus Extracellular vesicles EVs-coated GLV Growth restriction Intestinal damage |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06692-4 |
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