Starvation-induced changes in the proteome and transcriptome of the salivary glands of leech (Hirudo nipponia)
Omics article published in PLoS ONE (2024)
Abstract
Hirudo nipponia is an important medicinal animal in China. Its salivary gland secretions contain a variety of protein bioactive substances. Investigations of its salivary glands are of great significance in the study of the medicinal value and mechanism of leech secretions. Illumina RNA-Seq technology was used to perform transcriptome sequencing of salivary gland tissue of H. nipponia under starvation (D30) and fed (D0) states. A total of 2,650 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. Using the label-free protein quantification technique and bioinformatics analysis, the expression of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the salivary gland tissue of H. nipponia was compared. A total of 2,021 proteins were identified, among which 181 proteins were differentially expressed between the starvation and fed states, with 72 significantly upregulated and 109 significantly downregulated. The salivary glands of H. nipponia synthesized protein-based active substances after 30 days of starvation and adapted to the starvation environment by weakening respiratory activity and reducing metabolic activity to reduce energy expenditure. Energy was produced by glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle for the synthesis of substances such as antibiotics. This study combined transcriptome and proteome sequencing data to provide a data reference for an in-depth study of the regulatory mechanism of salivary gland secretions of H. nipponia under starvation stress by analyzing DEGs and DEPs.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Paired transcriptome and label-free proteome of Hirudo nipponia salivary glands under starvation (D30) versus fed (D0) identifies 2650 differentially expressed genes and 181 differentially expressed proteins, revealing metabolic adaptation and bioactive substance synthesis.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This study used Illumina RNA-Seq and label-free proteomic quantification to compare salivary gland gene and protein expression in Hirudo nipponia under 30-day starvation versus fed conditions, identifying 2,650 differentially expressed genes and 181 differentially expressed proteins. The investigators found that after 30 days of starvation, salivary glands continued synthesizing protein-based bioactive substances while reducing metabolic and respiratory activity, shifting energy production toward glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. For ASH's domain, this study is directly relevant to understanding how medicinal leech salivary secretions—the basis of hirudotherapy—are regulated and maintained under different physiological states. Caveat: this is a preclinical molecular biology study focused on starvation physiology; it does not directly evaluate therapeutic efficacy or clinical hirudotherapy outcomes.
Citation
Starvation-induced changes in the proteome and transcriptome of the salivary glands of leech (Hirudo nipponia).
Cai M, Shen H, Xing Y, Wang W, Guan F, Luo Y · PLoS one, 2024
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