Excretory-secretory products from adult helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis have in vitro bactericidal activity

Roxanne Pillay; Zilungile L. Mkhize-Kwitshana; William G.C. Horsnell; Christopher Icke; Ian Henderson; Murray E. Selkirk; Rita Berkachy; Pragalathan Naidoo; Abraham J. Niehaus; Ravesh Singh; Adam F. Cunningham; Matthew K. O'Shea

doi:10.1099/jmm.0.001762

Volume 72, Issue 11

Short Communication

Open Access

Excretory-secretory products from adult helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis have in vitro bactericidal activity

Roxanne Pillay^1,2,3, Zilungile L. Mkhize-Kwitshana^2,3, William G.C. Horsnell^4,5, Christopher Icke⁶, Ian Henderson⁷, Murray E. Selkirk⁸, Rita Berkachy⁸, Pragalathan Naidoo^2,3, Abraham J. Niehaus⁹, Ravesh Singh², Adam F. Cunningham¹⁰ and Matthew K. O'Shea¹⁰
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Affiliations: ¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Umlazi, South Africa ² Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, School of Laboratory Medicine & Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa ³ Division of Research Capacity Development, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa ⁴ Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Faculty of Health Science, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa ⁵ Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK ⁶ Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK ⁷ Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia ⁸ Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK ⁹ Department of Microbiology, Ampath Laboratories, Cape Town, South Africa ¹⁰ Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
*Correspondence: Roxanne Pillay, [email protected] *Correspondence: Matthew K. O'Shea, [email protected]
Published: 06 November 2023 https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001762

Abstract

Introduction. Intestinal helminths and microbiota share the same anatomical niche during infection and are likely to interact either directly or indirectly. Whether intestinal helminths employ bactericidal strategies that influence their microbial environment is not completely understood.

Hypothesis. In the present study, the hypothesis that the adult hookworm Nippostrongylus brasiliensis produces molecules that impair bacterial growth in vitro, is tested.

Aim. To investigate the in vitro bactericidal activity of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis against commensal and pathogenic bacteria.

Methodology. The bactericidal effect of somatic extract and excretory-secretory products of adult Nippostrongylus brasiliensis on Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus ) and Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli , Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Klebsiella pneumoniae ) bacteria was assessed using growth assays. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration assays were performed using excretory-secretory products released from the pathogen.

Results. Broad-spectrum in vitro bactericidal activity in excretory-secretory products, but not somatic extract of adult Nippostrongylus brasiliensis was detected. The bactericidal activity of excretory-secretory products was concentration-dependent, maintained after heat treatment, and preserved after repeated freezing and thawing.

Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate that helminths such as Nippostrongylus brasiliensis release molecules via their excretory-secretory pathway that have broad-spectrum bactericidal activity. The mechanisms responsible for this bactericidal activity remain to be determined and further studies aimed at isolating and identifying active bactericidal molecules are needed.

Received: 05/04/2023
Accepted: 21/09/2023
Published Online: 06/11/2023

Keyword(s): bactericidal activity , intestinal helminth , microbiota and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis

Funding

This study was supported by the:

Division of Research Capacity Development (Award HDID5149/KR/202)
- Principle Award Recipient: ZilungileL. Mkhize-Kwitshana

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.

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Excretory-secretory products from adult helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis have in vitro bactericidal activity

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Volume 72, Issue 11

Short Communication

Open Access

Excretory-secretory products from adult helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis have in vitro bactericidal activity

Abstract

Funding

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