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
Характеристика исследования
- Дизайн
- 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)
- Размер выборки (n)
- —
- Вмешательство
- Comparative transcriptomic profiling of hirustasin gene superfamily across two Asian medicinal-leech species and across multiple geographic populations
- Компаратор
- Inter-species (H. manillensis vs W. pigra) and inter-population comparisons
- Первичная конечная точка
- Identification of dominantly expressed hirustasin genes and inter-population variation patterns
- Основной результат
- 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
- Длительность наблюдения
- Not applicable — transcriptomic comparative study
- PMID
- 41300784
Ключевые выводы
- 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
Ограничения
- 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
Клиническое значение
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.
Связанные исследования
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Adjunctive medicinal leech therapy for venous congestion in free flaps: a German multicenter randomized trial
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Medicinal leeches and the microsurgeon: a four-year study, clinical series and risk benefit review
Whitaker IS, Josty IC, Hawkins S, Azzopardi E, Naderi N, Graf J, Damaris L, Lineaweaver WC, Kon M (2011)
Medicinal leeches for surgically uncorrectable venous congestion after free flap breast reconstruction
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