Host_parasite_interactions_of_Schistosoma_mansoni__co_culture_experiments

This project focuses on a parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni which is a causative agent of Schistosomiasis - a neglected tropical disease affecting 200 million people in 74 countries. Once schistosomes have entered their mammalian host (for examples, human or laboratory mice), they undergo extensive migration within the blood circulatory system and eventually remain in blood vessel close to the liver while developing into adult worms. Despite their extensive migration and site-specific maturation, the molecular interactions of Schistosoma spp and their mammalian hosts have not been much investigated. In this present study, early stage S. mansoni are co-cultured with 3 types of human cell lines (representing the different tissue types the parasite encounters during infection). Transcriptomics analysis of the host cells and the parasites at different time points is expected to provide reliable information on the effect of the parasite on specific host tissue types. Potentially, the results from this study could provide deeper insight into mechanisms that are required for a successful infection by S. mansoni. This project focuses on a parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni which is a causative agent of Schistosomiasis - a neglected tropical disease affecting 200 million people in 74 countries. Once schistosomes have entered their mammalian host (for examples, human or laboratory mice), they undergo extensive migration within the blood circulatory system and eventually remain in blood vessel close to the liver while developing into adult worms. Despite their extensive migration and site-specific maturation, the molecular interactions of Schistosoma spp and their mammalian hosts have not been much investigated. In this present study, early stage S. mansoni are co-cultured with 3 types of human cell lines (representing the different tissue types the parasite encounters during infection). Transcriptomics analysis of the host cells and the parasites at different time points is expected to provide reliable information on the effect of the parasite on specific host tissue types. Potentially, the results from this study could provide deeper insight into mechanisms that are required for a successful infection by S. mansoni. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/