Assessment of the expression of Glycoprotein P gen in a novel Fasciola hepatica isolated triclabendazole resistant-strain in Argentina

SCARCELLA S.; LAMENZA P.; GUZMÁN M.; LARROSA M., ; OLAECHEA F.; TORT J., ; SOLANA H.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXIII Congreso Internacional De La Asociación Mundial Para el Avance de la Parasitología Veterinaria; 2011

Assessment of the expression of Glycoprotein P gen in a novel Fasciola hepatica isolated triclabendazole resistant-strain in Argentina   Scarcella1, S., Lamenza1, P., Guzmán3, M., Larroza2, M., Olaechea2, F., Tort4 J., Fernández1 V., Solana1, H. 1Lab. Biol. Cel. y Mol. FCV-UNCPBA – Tandil, Buenos Aires 2EEA INTA Bariloche. CC 277 – Bariloche, Rio Negro. 3Lab. Parasitologia FCV-UNCPBA – Tandil, Buenos Aires 4 Facultad de Medicina Universidad de la República- Montevideo, Uruguay E-mail: silvanas@vet.unicen.edu.ar   Fasciolosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica. Its control is mainly based on the use of triclabendazole (TCBZ), a halogenated benzimidazole thiol derivative which shows efficacy against juvenile and adult stages.  The intensive use of TCBZ has resulted in the development of resistant liver flukes. In H. contortus the resistance to the benzimidazoles is caused by genetic changes in β-tubulins. In F. hepatica TCBZ resistant were not detected these genetic changes for which the resistance obtained should be from other genetic or metabolic changes. In this case, the liver fluke could evade drug antiparasitic effects by overexpression of efflux transport pumps and/or overexpression of metabolic enzymatic systems. The P-glycoprotein (PgP) is a cell membrane transport protein and is known to participate in the expression of multiple drugs resistance (MDR) in different species. The objective of the present work was to identify the PgP gene and demonstrate its expression by RT-PCR in sensible and resistance adult flukes obtained to the efficacy test by Olaechea et al. (2011). Furthermore, the current knowledge on the role of PgP in molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in the parasitic F. hepatica is discussed. To identify the PgP gene were used specific primers. Were obtained a fragment of 338 bp which presented 96% homology with Schistosoma mansoni in both strains. In the expression of mRNA from both strains no significant difference was observed. These results confirm the presence of PgP in the fluke and there was no difference in mRNA expression between different strains analyzed.