MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF FASCIOLA HEPATICA TRICLABENDAZOLE-SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT BY RAPD-PCR METHOD

SOLANA H., CERIANI C., SCARCELLA S. & LANUSSE C.

Cordoba, Argentina

Congreso; XXXVIII Reunión Anual de la Asociación Argentina de Farmacología Experimental (SAFE); 2006

Triclabendazole (TCBZ) is an halogenated benzimidazole antihelmintic widely used to control  the fluke Fasciola hepatica. TCBZ has excellent activity against mature and immature stages, but its intensive use has resulted in the development of resistant liver flukes having a high economic significance in animal production. Previous work in our lab demonstrated that TCBZ metabolism into their sulphoxide metabolites was significantly higher in TCBZ-resistant flukes than in TCBZ-susceptible ones. Certain mechanisms of resistance appear as a result of  mutations at the genomic level modifying the primary structure of the target molecule of the drug. The aim of the present work is to  approach  a molecular characterization of F. hepatica TCBZ-susceptible and TCBZ-resistant strains using  the RAPD-PCR method. DNA extracted from two strains of F. hepatica was used, Sligo strain (TCBZ-resistant) and Cullompton strain (TCBZ-susceptible). Comparing the obtained pattern of bands with three different initiators (primers) we can  infer that by this technique it is not possible to  detect genomic differences. These results reinforce the importance of the enhanced metabolic activity in the resistant strain like a fundamental mechanism in the presentation of the resistance activity. These results are a further step to understand the differential pharmacological activity of this drugs against helminth parasites and contribute to understand the mechanisms of resistant to TCBZ in liver flukes