Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host

Whether host phenotypic alterations induced by parasites are reversible or not is a core issue to understand underlying mechanisms as well as the fitness costs of infection and recovery to the host. Clearing infection is an essential step to address this issue, which turns out to be challenging with...

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Main Authors: Musset Olivier, Balourdet Aude, Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2023-01-01
Series:EPJ Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2023/13/epjconf_eosam2023_03015.pdf
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author Musset Olivier
Balourdet Aude
Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne
author_facet Musset Olivier
Balourdet Aude
Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne
author_sort Musset Olivier
collection DOAJ
description Whether host phenotypic alterations induced by parasites are reversible or not is a core issue to understand underlying mechanisms as well as the fitness costs of infection and recovery to the host. Clearing infection is an essential step to address this issue, which turns out to be challenging with endoparasites of large size relative to that of their host. Here, we took advantage of the lethality, contactless and versatility of high-energy laser beam to design such tool, using thorny-headed worms and their amphipod intermediate host as a model system. We show that laser-based de-parasitization can be achieved using blue laser targeting carotenoid pigments in Polymorphus minutus but not in the larger and less pigmented Pomphorhynchus tereticollis. Using DNA degradation to establish parasite death, we found that 80% P. minutus died from within-host laser exposure. Survival rate of infected gammarids to laser treatment was higher than uninfected ones. The failure to kill P. tereticollis was also observed with nanosecond-green laser, an alternative laser source targeting lipid. We discuss the possible causes of amphipod death following parasite treatment and highlight the perspectives that this technology offers.
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spelling doaj.art-b59b5330b4fe4bd68b88189309e9eb452023-11-07T10:20:47ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2023-01-012870301510.1051/epjconf/202328703015epjconf_eosam2023_03015Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate hostMusset Olivier0Balourdet Aude1Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne2Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 6303 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-ComtéBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-ComtéBiogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-ComtéWhether host phenotypic alterations induced by parasites are reversible or not is a core issue to understand underlying mechanisms as well as the fitness costs of infection and recovery to the host. Clearing infection is an essential step to address this issue, which turns out to be challenging with endoparasites of large size relative to that of their host. Here, we took advantage of the lethality, contactless and versatility of high-energy laser beam to design such tool, using thorny-headed worms and their amphipod intermediate host as a model system. We show that laser-based de-parasitization can be achieved using blue laser targeting carotenoid pigments in Polymorphus minutus but not in the larger and less pigmented Pomphorhynchus tereticollis. Using DNA degradation to establish parasite death, we found that 80% P. minutus died from within-host laser exposure. Survival rate of infected gammarids to laser treatment was higher than uninfected ones. The failure to kill P. tereticollis was also observed with nanosecond-green laser, an alternative laser source targeting lipid. We discuss the possible causes of amphipod death following parasite treatment and highlight the perspectives that this technology offers.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2023/13/epjconf_eosam2023_03015.pdf
spellingShingle Musset Olivier
Balourdet Aude
Perrot-Minnot Marie-Jeanne
Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
EPJ Web of Conferences
title Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
title_full Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
title_fullStr Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
title_full_unstemmed Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
title_short Laser-based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
title_sort laser based killing of a macroparasite inside its live invertebrate host
url https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2023/13/epjconf_eosam2023_03015.pdf
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