Authors

R Thomas²; A Irvine¹; D Mckenzie¹; C McCoy¹; MS Asif²; J Ashworth²; N Pionnier²; L Atkinson¹; A Mousley¹; R Shears²;  ¹ Queen’s University Belfast, UK;  ² Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Discussion

Host defence peptides (HDPs) are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system where they provide protection against microbial threat. In the context of parasitic helminth infection, worm-derived HDPs may play a critical role in modulating host-parasite-microbiome interactions, particularly in microbe-rich environments such as the gastrointestinal tract. HDPs have been identified in Ascaris and Anisakis species, Toxocara canis, Heligosomoides polygyrus, Onchocerca ochengi and the free-living nematode C. elegans. Using a computational approach, we have identified HDPs within the peptidomes of T. muris, T. trichiura and T. suis, some of which have antimicrobial and/or immunomodulatory activity in vitro. We have also identified several HDPs within T. muris and T. trichiura excretory/secretory content. Given that Trichuris infections alter the composition of the host’s gut microbiota to enable chronic infection, targeting Trichuris derived AMPs therapeutically, perhaps through vaccination, could be a novel opportunity for parasite control.