Transcriptional alterations in Caenorhabditis elegans following exposure to an anthelmintic fraction of the plant Picria fel-terrae Lour.

• Main Authors: Rasika Kumarasingha, Neil D. Young, Tiong-Chia Yeo, Diana S. L. Lim, Chu-Lee Tu, Enzo A. Palombo, Jillian M. Shaw, Robin B. Gasser, Peter R. Boag
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-04-01
• Series: Parasites & Vectors
• Subjects: Medicinal plant extracts; Picria fel-terrae Lour.; Anthelmintic activity; Caenorhabditis elegans; RNA sequencing; Bioinformatics
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-019-3429-4

Abstract Background Natural compounds from plants are known to provide a source of anthelmintic molecules. In previous studies, we have shown that plant extracts from the plant Picria fel-terrae Lour. and particular fractions thereof have activity against the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, causing quite pronounced stress responses in this nematode. We have also shown that a fraction, designated Pf-fraction 5, derived from this plant has a substantial adverse effect on this worm; however, nothing is known about the molecular processes affected in the worm. In the present study, we explored this aspect. Results Key biological processes linked to upregulated genes (n = 214) included ‘response to endoplasmic reticulum stress’ and ‘lipid metabolism’, and processes representing downregulated genes (n = 357) included ‘DNA-conformation change’ and ‘cellular lipid metabolism’. Conclusions Exposure of C. elegans to Pf-fraction 5 induces significant changes in the transcriptome. Gene ontology analysis suggests that Pf-fraction 5 induces endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial stress, and the changes in gene expression are either a direct or indirect consequence of this. Further work is required to assess specific responses to sub-fractions of Pf-fraction 5 in time-course experiments in C. elegans, to define the chemical(s) with potent anthelmintic properties, to attempt to unravel their mode(s) of action and to assess their selectivity against nematodes.