The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

Georgia Veterinary Scholars Program

GVSP Summer 2011 Scholars

Georgia Veterinary Scholar	Faculty Mentor

Brian Meyer University of Georgia Class of 2013	Dr. Andy Moorhead Department of Infectious Diseases UGA College of Veterinary Medicine

The role of host-derived factors in the early development of the filarial nematode:
Brugia malayi

Brian Meyer, Erica Burkman, Molly Riggs, Ray Kaplan, Andrew Moorhead

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a major threat to human health worldwide. Infection with the filarioid parasitic worms, Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti, can result in severe sequelae such as elephantiasis and hydrocoele. These parasites require both an arthropod intermediate and specific vertebrate definitive host for survival. Most likely, interactions between host-specific cues and the parasitic worms define the host and tissue specificity of filarial worms. Furthermore, these host-specific cues are likely a cell membrane-bound or soluble protein. We hypothesize these cues influence the host specificity early during infection within the mammalian host, as evidenced by visual observation using light microscopy of the molt from the infective third-stage larvae (L3) to the fourth-stage larvae (L4). Due to the complexity of filarial life cycles, identification of these cues must involve in vitro culture of worms. We first decided to determine whether the host cue was a cell-derived soluble factor. In order to test this hypothesis, we cultured 100 B. malayi L3 larvae in either media alone, with the African green monkey kidney epithelial Vero cell line, or conditioned media from cultured Vero cells. If the host-specific cue was determined to be a soluble protein, then we would expect that larvae would develop in greater numbers when cultured with Vero cells or conditioned media derived from cultured Vero cells, as opposed to larvae cultured in media only. This is evidenced by decreased larval morbidity, increased larval motility, and the molt of L3 to L4. Preliminary results indicate that the motility of larvae and larval survival are greater for larvae cultured with Vero cells or media derived from Vero cells, versus larvae cultured in media only. These results could suggest the host-specific cue is a protein that is constitutively secreted by cells.