Comparative Study of Hirustasin Superfamily Gene Expression in Two Medicinal Leeches, Hirudinaria manillensis and Whitmania pigra
Sun R, Ai R, Yin J, Cheng J, Huang Z, Tang L, Liu Z, Zeng Q, Zhao F, Lin G (2025) · Genes · n=0
Study Profile
- Design
- comparative salivary-gland transcriptomic analysis of hirustasin gene superfamily expression in the hematophagous Hirudinaria manillensis and non-hematophagous Whitmania pigra (Chinese consortium led by Jinggangshan University)
- Sample size (n)
- 0
- Intervention
- Comparative transcriptomic profiling of hirustasin gene superfamily across two Asian medicinal-leech species and across multiple geographic populations
- Comparator
- Inter-species (H. manillensis vs W. pigra) and inter-population comparisons
- Primary endpoint
- Identification of dominantly expressed hirustasin genes and inter-population variation patterns
- Primary result
- Total hirustasin family TPM expression similar between species (~11800 vs ~8600, p=0.237); five dominantly expressed genes in H. manillensis, three in W. pigra; no phylogenetic correspondence of dominantly expressed genes between species; 5 high-priority candidates identified for downstream antithrombotic drug discovery
- Follow-up duration
- Not applicable — transcriptomic comparative study
- PMID
- 41300784
Key Findings
- Hirustasin family total expression similar between species despite different feeding ecologies
- Distinct sets of dominantly expressed genes per species — no phylogenetic correspondence
- Five high-priority candidate genes identified for drug discovery
- Marked inter-population expression variation, especially in H. manillensis
- Underscores need to characterize underrepresented species, not just H. medicinalis
Limitations
- Transcriptomic study only — no functional or biochemical validation
- Limited population sampling within each species
- Phylogenetic methods limited to gene family — not whole-genome reconciled
- No clinical applications directly demonstrated
- Hirudinaria and Whitmania species are not US-K040187-cleared device leeches
Clinical Implications
Sun 2025 contributes to the comparative-pharmacology foundation for next-generation antithrombotic drug discovery from underrepresented Asian medicinal-leech species. For ASH, the study reinforces species-specific pharmacology and the need to distinguish Hirudo-medicinalis-based K040187 clinical practice from broader Asian medicinal-leech research literature. No direct US clinical-practice implications.
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