Biology of the angiogenins and their function in gastro intestinal nematode infection

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Intestinal worms are extraordinarily common infections of domestic animals. They affect the wellbeing and productivity of livestock and thus present a large economic cost to society. Although worm infections can be cleared with drugs, animals become reinfected and many drugs are losing their effectiveness as worms develop drug resistance. Further there are consumer concerns over drug residues in meat. Thus a vaccine to protect animals from infection would be beneficial in terms of both animal welfare and the economy of the livestock industry. For most intestinal worms, we know the type of response required to control infection. Further, mechanisms are beginning to emerge relating to how the body rids itself of infection. Much of this knowledge has come from laboratory models such as whipworm infection in the mouse. Using this model we have identified an unusual family of proteins called angiogenins known to be important in defence against bacteria and which we think are also anti-parasitic. Thus these proteins are only expressed at high levels in mice able to clear the infection; mice unable to rid themselves of worms do not make these proteins. We will explore these molecules in terms of their basic biology and role in defence against worms.