Evaluation of Schistosoma mansoni retinoid X receptor (SmRXR1 and SmRXR2) activity and tissue distribution

Gene expression patterns during adaptation of a helminth parasite to different environmental niches

“…Genes involved in gonadal differentiation for both male and female worms, as well as genes coding for proteins for egg-associated proteins are readily identified. These include the anti-mullerian hormone receptor for males, and members of the RXR family and Smad family, which are cell signaling pathways previously associated with function of female gonads [37,38]. Highly expressed egg transcripts include eggshell protein precursor, major egg antigen, and several homologues of these proteins.…”

Evolution of a novel subfamily of nuclear receptors with members that each contain two DNA binding domains

“…Since Sm2DBDα-AB domain can self-activate as previously determined (data not shown), cDNA encoding Sm2DBDα C-F domain was inserted into pGBK-T7 to form pGBK-Sm2DBDα-C-F. Previously constructed SmRXR1, SmRXR1-C-F and SmRXR2 in activation domain vectors (pACT-SmRXR1 and pACT-SmRXR2), and in DNA binding domain vectors (pAS-SmRXR1-CF and pAS-SmRXR2-AF) were employed [17,18,56,57]. Yeast AH109 were transformed with 1 μg of the following co-transformants: pGBK-Sm2DBDα-C-F/pACT-SmRXR1, pGAD-Sm2DBDα/pAs-SmRXR1-C-F, pGBK-Sm2DBDα-C-F/pACT-SmRXR2, pGAD-Sm2DBDα/pAS-SmRXR2, pGBK-Sm2DBDα-C-F/pGAD-Sm2DBDα, positive control plasmid pSV40/p53 and negative control plasmid pSV40/plamin C. Transformations were performed using the Frozen-EZ transformation II kit (Zymo Research).…”

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“…We can speculate that this sequestration of retinoic acid may be an immunomodulatory mechanism used by the parasite in order to locally deplete retinoic acid from the host and therefore alter the local immune response, possibly by decreasing Th2 responses, and thus favouring its own survival, although this is yet to be confirmed. Interestingly, some parasites, such as S. mansoni have been shown to have RXR-like receptors which seem to be important for female gene expression (75). Therefore, it would be interesting to assess whether retinoic acid can affect worm viability or fecundity (especially given the link to female gene expression).…”