Research Interests:
The evolutionary perspective of cancer (which origins and dynamics result from evolutionary processes) has gained significant international recognition over the past decade and generated a wave of enthusiasm among researchers. In this... more
The evolutionary perspective of cancer (which origins and dynamics result from evolutionary processes) has gained significant international recognition over the past decade and generated a wave of enthusiasm among researchers. In this context, several authors proposed that insights into evolutionary and adaptation dynamics of cancers can be gained by studying the evolutionary strategies of organisms. Although this reasoning is fundamentally correct, in our opinion, it contains a potential risk of excessive adaptationism, potentially leading to the suggestion of complex adaptations that are unlikely to evolve among cancerous cells. For example, the ability of recognizing related conspecifics and adjusting accordingly behaviors as in certain free-living species appears unlikely in cancer. Indeed, despite their rapid evolutionary rate, malignant cells are under selective pressures for their altered lifestyle for only few decades. In addition, even though cancer cells can theoretically ...
Research Interests:
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family that includes Dengue, West Nile, Yellow Fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses, causing a mosquito-borne disease transmitted by the Aedes genus, with recent outbreaks... more
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family that includes Dengue, West Nile, Yellow Fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses, causing a mosquito-borne disease transmitted by the Aedes genus, with recent outbreaks in the South Pacific. Here, we determine the importance of the human skin in the entry of ZIKV and its contribution to the induction of anti-viral immune responses. We show that human dermal fibroblasts, epidermal keratinocytes and immature dendritic cells are permissive to the most recent ZIKV isolate, responsible for the epidemic in French Polynesia. Several entry and/or adhesion factors, among which DC-SIGN, AXL, TYRO3, and to a lesser extent, TIM-1, permitted ZIKV entry with a major role for the TAM receptor AXL. ZIKV permissiveness of human skin fibroblasts was confirmed by the use of a neutralizing Ab and specific RNA silencing. ZIKV induced the transcription of TLR-3, RIG-I and MDA5, as well as several interferon-stimulated genes, including OAS2, ISG15 and MX1, characterized by a strongly enhanced interferon-β gene expression. ZIKV was found to be sensitive to the antiviral effect of both type I and type II interferons. Finally, infection of skin fibroblasts resulted in the formation of autophagosomes whose presence was associated with enhanced viral replication, as shown by the use of Torin 1, a chemical inducer of autophagy or the specific autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenine. The results presented herein permit to gain better insight in the biology of ZIKV and to devise strategies aiming to interfere with the pathology caused by this emerging Flavivirus. Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus belonging to Flaviviridae family. Vector-mediated transmission of ZIKV is initiated when a blood-feeding female Aedes mosquito injects the virus into the skin of its mammalian host, followed by infection of permissive cells via specific receptors. Indeed, skin immune cells, including dermal fibroblasts, epidermal keratinocytes and immature dendritic cells, were all found to be permissive to ZIKV infection. The results also show a major role for the phosphatidylserine receptor AXL as a ZIKV entry receptor, and cellular autophagy in enhancing ZIKV replication in permissive cells. ZIKV replication leads to activation of an antiviral innate immune response and the production of type I interferons in infected cells. Taken together, these results provide for the first time a general insight into the interaction between ZIKV and its mammalian host.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Arboviruses represent an emerging threat to human. They are transmitted to vertebrates by the bite of infected arthropods. Early transmission to vertebrates is initiated by skin puncture and deposition of virus in this organ. However,... more
Arboviruses represent an emerging threat to human. They are transmitted to vertebrates by the bite of infected arthropods. Early transmission to vertebrates is initiated by skin puncture and deposition of virus in this organ. However, events at the bite site remain largely unknown. Here, we report that Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and West Nile virus (WNV), despite belonging to distinct viral families, elicit a common antiviral signature in primary human dermal fibroblasts, attesting for the up regulation of interferon signalling pathways and leading to an increased expression of IFN-β, interleukins and chemokines. Remarkably, CHIKV and WNV enhance IL-1β expression and induce maturation of caspase-1, indicating the capacity of these pathogens to elicit activation of the inflammasome program in resident skin cells. CHIKV and WNV also induce the expression of the inflammasome sensor AIM2 in dermal fibroblasts, whereas inhibition of caspase-1 and AIM2 with siRNA interferes with both CHIKV...
Research Interests:
Many parasites modify their host behaviour to improve their own transmission and survival, but the proximate mechanisms remain poorly understood. An original model consists of the parasitoid Dinocampus coccinellae and its coccinellid... more
Many parasites modify their host behaviour to improve their own transmission and survival, but the proximate mechanisms remain poorly understood. An original model consists of the parasitoid Dinocampus coccinellae and its coccinellid host, Coleomegilla maculata; during the behaviour manipulation, the parasitoid is not in contact with its host anymore. We report herein the discovery and characterization of a new RNA virus of the parasitoid (D. coccinellae paralysis virus, DcPV). Using a combination of RT-qPCR and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that DcPV is stored in the oviduct of parasitoid females, replicates in parasitoid larvae and is transmitted to the host during larval development. Next, DcPV replication in the host's nervous tissue induces a severe neuropathy and antiviral immune response that correlate with the paralytic symptoms characterizing the behaviour manipulation. Remarkably, virus clearance correlates with recovery of normal coccinellid behavio...
Research Interests:
The effect of host manipulation by parasites on trophic transmission to final hosts remains unclear. The transmission benefits gained by manipulative parasites are difficult to assess, and evidence for a causal link between manipulation... more
The effect of host manipulation by parasites on trophic transmission to final hosts remains unclear. The transmission benefits gained by manipulative parasites are difficult to assess, and evidence for a causal link between manipulation and trophic transmission is missing. In addition, infected intermediate hosts can also be more vulnerable to predation by nonhosts, whereas recent theoretical advances indicate that the evolution of host manipulation does not require increased specificity in trophic transmission. We propose that a deeper consideration of the evolution of complex life cycles in helminth parasites might provide a different perspective on the evolution of host manipulation by parasites.
Research Interests:
Compared with most animal phyla, the Nematomorpha, also known as hair worms, is a relatively understudied metazoan phylum. Although nematomorphs make up only 1 of 3 animal phyla specializing solely on a parasitic life style, little... more
Compared with most animal phyla, the Nematomorpha, also known as hair worms, is a relatively understudied metazoan phylum. Although nematomorphs make up only 1 of 3 animal phyla specializing solely on a parasitic life style, little attention has been focused on this enigmatic group scientifically. The phylum contains two main groups. The nectonematids are parasites of marine invertebrates such as hermit crabs. The gordiids are parasites of terrestrial arthropods, such as mantids, beetles, and crickets. Members of both of these groups are free-living as adults in marine and freshwaters respectively. In recent years, large strides have been made to understand this group more fully. New information has come from collection efforts, new approaches in organismal biology, modern techniques in microscopy and molecular biology. This review will focus on the advances made in four main areas of research: (1) morphology, (2) taxonomy and systematics, (3) life cycle and ecology and (4) host beh...
Research Interests: Microbiology, Parasitology, Molecular Biology, Medical Microbiology, Life Style, and 15 moreLife history, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Morphology, Parasite, Animals, Host-parasite interactions, Life Cycle, Arthropods, Water Use, Anomura, Intraspecific Variation, Nervous System, Veterinary Sciences, Helminths, and Marine Invertebrate
Research Interests:
Feather lice were collected from 2S0 chicks of the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus Pallas) captured alive in the Camargue, southern France, in July 1997. Five louse species were identified: Colpocephalum heterosoma Piaget,... more
Feather lice were collected from 2S0 chicks of the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus Pallas) captured alive in the Camargue, southern France, in July 1997. Five louse species were identified: Colpocephalum heterosoma Piaget, Colpocephalum salimalii Clay and Trinoton femoratum Piaget of the family Menoponidae; Anaticola phoenicopteri (Coinde) and Anatoecus pygaspis (Nitzsch [in Giebel]) of the family Philopteridae. Our collecting results
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Water, Animal Behavior, and 26 moreCarbon Dioxide, Public Health Policy, Biology, Public Health, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Beer, Humans, Developing Country, Burkina Faso, Female, Animals, Alcohol Drinking, Male, Risk factors, Feeding Behavior, PLoS one, Anopheles gambiae, Alcohol Consumption, Body Temperature, Odors, Adult, Risk Factors, Water Consumption, Biological Assay, and Whole Body
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The diversity of ways in which parasites reduce the fitness of their hosts has been documented during the past decades, and clearly indicates that parasites can often be considered as direct agents of selection. In natural systems,... more
The diversity of ways in which parasites reduce the fitness of their hosts has been documented during the past decades, and clearly indicates that parasites can often be considered as direct agents of selection. In natural systems, however, the outcome of a host-parasite interaction might be strongly determined by other ecological factors. Parasites can be detrimental to host fitness in one environment, whereas they can be beneficial to it in another. From an evolutionary perspective, this phenomenon is of considerable importance for understanding the dynamics of coevolution among geographically structured populations evolving under different ecological pressures. Here, Frédéric Thomas and colleagues review several ecological situations in which parasitized individuals enjoy a selective advantage over unparasitized conspecifics.
Research Interests: Coevolution, Adaptation, Cannibalism, Sexual Selection, Ecology, and 25 moreFitness, Mutualism, Biological Sciences, Drosophila, Bacillus thuringiensis, Deer, Predation, Female, Animals, Male, Smallpox, Host-parasite interactions, Songbirds, Sciuridae, Mollusca, Biological evolution, Host Parasite Interaction, Poecilia, Diptera, Nematoda, Moths, Co Evolution, Predatory Behavior, Helminthiasis, and Interspecific Interactions
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Despite increasing evidence of behavioural manipulation of their vectors by pathogens, the underlying mechanisms causing infected vectors to act in ways that benefit pathogen transmission remain enigmatic in most cases. Here, 2-D DIGE... more
Despite increasing evidence of behavioural manipulation of their vectors by pathogens, the underlying mechanisms causing infected vectors to act in ways that benefit pathogen transmission remain enigmatic in most cases. Here, 2-D DIGE coupled with MS were employed to analyse and compare the head proteome of mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (Giles)) infected with the malarial parasite (Plasmodium berghei) with that of uninfected mosquitoes. This approach detected altered levels of 12 protein spots in the head of mosquitoes infected with sporozoites. These proteins were subsequently identified using MS and functionally classified as belonging to metabolic, synaptic, molecular chaperone, signalling, and cytoskeletal groups. Our results indicate an altered energy metabolism in the head of sporozoite-infected mosquitoes. Some of the up-/down-regulated proteins identified, such as synapse-associated protein, 14-3-3 protein and calmodulin, have previously been shown to play critical roles in the CNS of both invertebrates and vertebrates. Furthermore, a heat shock response (HSP 20) and a variation of cytoarchitecture (tropomyosins) have been shown. Discovery of these proteins sheds light on potential molecular mechanisms that underlie behavioural modifications and offers new insights into the study of intimate interactions between Plasmodium and its Anopheles vector.
Research Interests: Mass Spectrometry, Malaria, Proteomics, Molecular Mechanics, Energy Metabolism, and 11 moreBiological Sciences, Animals, Host-parasite interactions, Central Nervous System, Anopheles gambiae, Head, Calmodulin, Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis, Two dimensional Gel Electrophoresis, Plasmodium berghei, and Down-Regulation
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Animal Behavior, Proteomics, Biological Sciences, Brain, Circadian Rhythm, and 12 moreAnimals, Host-parasite interactions, Central Nervous System, Comparative Analysis, Molecular Mimicry, Extended Phenotype, Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis, Grasshoppers, Helminths, Two dimensional Gel Electrophoresis, Gene Expression Regulation, and Differential expression
Research Interests:
Understanding the in£uence of parasites onthe community ecology of free-living organisms is an emerging theme in ecology.The cockleAustrovenusstutchburyi is an abundant mollusc inhabiting the sheltered shores of New Zealand.This species,... more
Understanding the in£uence of parasites onthe community ecology of free-living organisms is an emerging theme in ecology.The cockleAustrovenusstutchburyi is an abundant mollusc inhabiting the sheltered shores of New Zealand.This species, which lives just a few centimetres under the surface, plays a key role for many benthic invertebrate species, because in these habitats the cockle shell is the only available hard
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Microbiology, Immunology, Immune response, Medical Microbiology, Functional Genomics, and 19 moreDengue Virus, Aedes aegypti, Humans, Kidney, Circular Dichroism, Female, Animals, Dengue, Antibacterial activity, Spectrum, Immune system, SIGNAL PEPTIDE, Host Pathogen Interactions, Salivary Gland, Cell Surface Markers, Cell Survival, Aedes, Salivary Glands, and Insect Vectors
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Microbiology, Parasitology, Polymorphism, Medical Microbiology, and 12 moreGenetic Diversity, Animals, Polymerase Chain Reaction, DNA fingerprinting, Genetic variation, Host Specificity, Cestoda, Veterinary Sciences, Genetic Relatedness, Base Sequence, Random amplified polymorphic DNA, and Molecular Sequence Data
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
We investigated the influence of infection by the trematode Curtuteria australis on the burrowing behaviour of its intermediate host, the bivalve Austrovenus stutchburyi. Laboratory experiments and field observations revealed that... more
We investigated the influence of infection by the trematode Curtuteria australis on the burrowing behaviour of its intermediate host, the bivalve Austrovenus stutchburyi. Laboratory experiments and field observations revealed that cockles, unable to bury completely or even partially under the sediment, have a reduced foot length compared with buried individuals. The ability to bury proved to be highly repeatable in field experiments: cockles found at the surface and transplanted to an experimental area did not bury themselves, and cockles found buried stayed buried when relocated. All metacercariae of C. australis were found strictly in the foot and for each of 3 samples collected in different sites, there was a negative and significant relationship between the relative length of the foot and the parasite load. A predation test conducted under natural conditions indicated that cockles with the stunted foot and the altered behaviour are significantly more susceptible to predation by aquatic birds than other cockles. Given that the definitive host of C. australis is an oystercatcher, we first discuss our results in the context of transmission strategy. Comparisons with other studies on more or less related trematode species parasitic in bivalves and evolving under similar constraints for their transmission, shed light on the origin of this adaptation in C. australis.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Size-assortative pairing was significant, although infected males were found with smaller females compared to uninfected males of the same size. There was also a positive assort-ative pairing by parasitic prevalence. ... Results... more
... Size-assortative pairing was significant, although infected males were found with smaller females compared to uninfected males of the same size. There was also a positive assort-ative pairing by parasitic prevalence. ... Results Parasitic prevalence and intensity ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, and 53 moreMarine Biology, Neuroscience, Environmental Science, Geophysics, Physics, Materials Science, Quantum Physics, Developmental Biology, Immunology, Climate Change, Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Genomics, RNA, Computational Biology, Transcriptomics, Biotechnology, Systems Biology, Cancer, Biology, Metabolomics, Cell Cycle, Proteomics, Ecology, Drug Discovery, Evolution, Nanotechnology, Astrophysics, Neurobiology, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Palaeobiology, Functional Genomics, Nature, Signal Transduction, Astronomy, DNA, Virulence, Animals, Parasites, Fishes, Cell Signalling, Medical Research, Host-parasite interactions, Life Cycle, Eating, Digestive Tract, Time Factors, Ranidae, Predatory Behavior, Earth Science, Gryllidae, and Motor activity
Research Interests: Climate Change, Conservation Biology, Polymorphism, Economic Development, Public Health, and 18 moreMolecular Ecology, Biological Sciences, Molecular, Virulence, Humans, Infectious Disease, Animals, Parasites, Human Activities, Habitat fragmentation, Biological evolution, Protected Area, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, Human Activity, Conservation of Natural Resources, Large Scale, Species Specificity, and Environment
Research Interests:
There are many impressive examples of host manipulation by parasites, but mechanisms underlying these ethological changes, as well as their physiological consequences, are not well characterized. Here, we analyzed part of the cerebral... more
There are many impressive examples of host manipulation by parasites, but mechanisms underlying these ethological changes, as well as their physiological consequences, are not well characterized. Here, we analyzed part of the cerebral proteome of brine shrimp Artemia infected by manipulative cestodes, using for the first time the ProteinChip Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization and Time of Fly Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) system, which has been proposed as an excellent way to analyze the host genome during the host-parasite interaction processes. We found 2 peptides downregulated in individuals infected by the dilepidid, Anomotaenia tringae (4.5 kDa), and by the 2 hymenolepidids, Flamingolepis liguloides and Confluaria podicipina (3.9 kDa), which are potential candidates for involvement with the manipulation process. The identification of 2 head peptides (4.1 and 4.2 kDa) overexpressed in all the categories in brine shrimp living at the surface (both infected individuals and uninfected controls) suggests its association with the different environmental conditions experienced at the water surface. In parallel, brine shrimp infected by C. podicipina showed significant values of triglycerides, potentially augmenting their profitability and attractiveness for the predaceous definitive host (grebes). We discuss our findings in relationship with current ideas on the complexity of parasitically modified organisms.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Most of the evidence for a key role of parasites in structuring communities is based on the idea of a differential susceptibility of host species to infection and its consequences. Recent advances in community ecology suggest that... more
Most of the evidence for a key role of parasites in structuring communities is based on the idea of a differential susceptibility of host species to infection and its consequences. Recent advances in community ecology suggest that life-history traits of free-living species can be an important determinant of their co-existence within communities. On the other hand, parasites have the potential to indirectly alter the life-history traits of their hosts, such as developmental time or dispersal. We discuss the idea that these indirect effects could influence the structure of free-living and parasite communities. We explore this idea in relation to related concepts including 'parasitic arbitration' and engineering processes.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Infections are often followed by a change in body odours. For a long time, these changes were considered as non-specific (with no adaptive value) but recent evidences suggest that this may not always be true. Odour modifications due to an... more
Infections are often followed by a change in body odours. For a long time, these changes were considered as non-specific (with no adaptive value) but recent evidences suggest that this may not always be true. Odour modifications due to an infection may either be of adaptive value for the parasite or the host. Here, we describe the observations in support of this idea, discuss the potential roles these modifications may play for the parasite and the host and propose a set of future directions that we think should allow to better understand the mechanisms at the origin of these modifications and how they may be used by both parasites and their human hosts.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Algorithms, Population Dynamics, Mathematical Modeling, France, and 15 moreDisease Outbreaks, Humans, influenza A, Avian Influenza, Birds, Animals, Density dependence, Population Density, Avian Influenza Viruses, Mathematical Model, influenza A virus, Wild Bird, Water Microbiology, Host Pathogen Interactions, and Bird Communities
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Human Ecology, Nutrition, Fertility, Physical Activity, and 23 moreMenopause, Adolescent, Linear models, Human, Human Biology, Humans, Child, Variability, Female, Energy Balance, Menarche, Life Expectancy, Energy Expenditure, Nutritional Status, Vegetables, Aged, Middle Aged, Birth Rate, General Linear Model, Educational Status, Large Scale, Reference Values, and Energy Intake
Research Interests: Microbiology, Zoology, Ecology, Fish Physiology, Polyamines, and 23 moreInsecticides, Brain, vitamin C, Female, Animals, Male, Acetylcholinesterase, Host-parasite interactions, Acetylcholine, Endosulfan, Fisheries Sciences, Life Cycle, Amino Acids, Perciformes, Analysis of Variance, Time Factors, Enzyme activity, Amino Acid Profile, Veterinary Sciences, Helminths, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, Mitotic Index, and Gryllidae
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Reproduction, Life history, Fertility, Evolution, and 15 moreCommunicable Diseases, Linear models, Multivariate Analysis, Survival, Humans, Female, Population Control, Comparative Analysis, Life Expectancy, Disease Control, Population Growth, Biological evolution, Life-History Traits, Human Disease, and Monte Carlo Method
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Geography, Ecohealth, Southeast Asia, Medical Microbiology, Indonesia, and 30 moreEcology, Agriculture, China, Ecological Niche Modeling, Emerging Infectious Diseases, India, Biological Sciences, Virulence, Humans, General, Birds, Animals, Temperature, Population Density, Risk factors, Clinical Sciences, Ducks, POULTRY DISEASES, Ecosystem, Chickens, Public health systems and services research, Time Factors, Feathers, influenza A virus, Risk Factors, Veterinary Sciences, Logistic Models, Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Viral Load, and Socioeconomic Factors
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
One of the most fascinating examples of parasite-induced host manipulation is that of hairworms, first, because they induce a spectacular ''suicide'' water-seeking behavior in their terrestrial insect hosts and, second, because the... more
One of the most fascinating examples of parasite-induced host manipulation is that of hairworms, first, because they induce a spectacular ''suicide'' water-seeking behavior in their terrestrial insect hosts and, second, because the emergence of the parasite is not lethal per se for the host that can live several months following parasite release. The mechanisms hairworms use to increase the encounter rate between their host and water remain, however, poorly understood. Considering the selective landscape in which nematomorph manipulation has evolved as well as previously obtained proteomics data, we predicted that crickets harboring mature hairworms would display a modified behavioral response to light. Since following parasite emergence in water, the cricket host and parasitic worm do not interact physiologically anymore, we also predicted that the host would recover from the modified behaviors. We examined the effect of hairworm infection on different behavioral responses of the host when stimulated by light to record responses from uninfected, infected, and ex-infected crickets. We showed that hairworm infection fundamentally modifies cricket behavior by inducing directed responses to light, a condition from which they mostly recover once the parasite is released. This study supports the idea that host manipulation by parasites is subtle, complex, and multidimensional.