Investigating anthelmintic mode of action and resistance using the Xenopus oocyte as a heterologous expression system
Abstract
The control of parasitic nematode infections in humans, livestock and companion animals is critically dependent on anthelmintic treatment. However, the indiscriminate use of anthelmintic drugs has inevitably led to the selection of resistant parasites. Most of the currently available anthelmintic drug classes target ion-channels. By permanently activating or inhibiting these ion channels, anthelmintics induce a paralysis of the worms. Our ability to identify and characterize ion-channels targeted by anthelmintics in parasitic nematode species mainly relies on C. elegans data and the use of the African frog (Xenopus laevis) oocyte as a heterologous expression system. However, there is a need for complementary approaches to validate “in wormo” the results obtained from the experiments carried out on the Xenopus oocyte. In the present talk, advantages and limitations of the use of a vertebrate oocyte as an expression system for parasitic nematode ion-channels will be discussed.