Find in Library

<i>Fasciola hepatica</i> is a widespread pathogen that is known for its harmful effects on the health and productivity of ruminant animals. To identify the proteins present in all periods of infection with <i>F. hepatica</i> but not in those with <i>Fasciola gigantica</i> by shotgun liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), we collected the ESPs and sera of <i>F. hepatica</i> and <i>F. gigantica</i>. In this study, the sheep were artificially infected with <i>F. hepatica</i> and the sera were collected at five different periods: 3 days post-infection (dpi), 7 dpi, 21 dpi, 63 dpi, and 112 dpi. The interacting proteins were pulled down from the sheep sera of all five periods and the sera with <i>F. gigantica</i> by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay, before being identified by LC–MS/MS analysis. Thirty, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-seven, and twenty-two proteins were pulled down by the infected sera at 3 dpi, 7 dpi, 21 dpi, 63 dpi, and 112 dpi, respectively. Among them, 12 proteins existed in all periods, while six proteins could be detected in all periods in <i>F. hepatica</i> but not in <i>F. gigantica</i>. Protein relative pathway analysis revealed that these proteins mainly refer to the metabolism, regulation of genetic activity, and signal transduction of <i>F. hepatica</i>. In conclusion, this study provides meaningful data for the diagnosis of fasciolosis and to understand the interactions between <i>F. hepatica</i> and the host.