Genetic and immune responses characterization associated with the phenotype of parasite resistance in a sheep flock of Morada Nova

• Grant number: 17/01626-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: March 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina de Souza Chagas
• Grantee: Ana Carolina de Souza Chagas
• Host Institution: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alessandro Francisco Talamini Do Amarante ; Cintia Hiromi Okino ; Fernanda de Freitas Anibal ; Helio Jose Montassier ; Magda Vieira Benavides ; Marcia Cristina de Sena Oliveira ; Patricia Tholon ; Sergio Novita Esteves ; Simone Cristina Méo Niciura ; Waldomiro Barioni Júnior

Abstract

Brazil has great diversity of exotic sheep breeds and their crosses, as well as hair-sheep breeds adapted to tropical conditions, as Santa Ines and Morada Nova. However, the gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major constrain in these production systems, in particular Haemonchus contortus, due to parasitic resistance widespread in the Brazilian flocks. In this way, economic losses are high due to the reduction in production, intensive use of dewormers and deaths. Hair breeds, such as Morada Nova, are more resistant to worms, which is an extremely important feature due to the impact of this disease in sheep production. Even in the pre- and post-partum periods, when GIN infections tend to increase significantly, the health of Morada Nova sheep is not affected. This breed also has as characteristics: hardiness, prolificacy, excellent leather quality, sexual precocity, maternal ability, lack of reproductive seasonality and excellent adaptation to tropical climate. In this way, the present project aims to characterize the Morada Nova flock from Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste in relation to its resistance, using phenotypic and genotypic tools, as well as to evaluate the immune responses to the main helminth of occurrence in Brazil, H. contortus. It is expected to reach a better knowledge of molecular markers for resistance to parasitic diseases in the breed and of the mechanisms of immune responses induced by H. contortus. The identification of cytokines, cells or other mediators directly related to resistance can be used to improving the immuno-prophylactic management of this disease and the development of recombinant vaccines. It would it be possible, in the future, to get generations of mating, with homogeneous populations with respect to its composition, to offer resistant Morada Nova animals to producers, encouraging the sheep meat production. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HAEHLING, MAREI B.; CRUVINEL, GIOVANNA G.; TOSCANO, JOAO H. B.; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA A.; SANTOS, ISABELLA B.; ESTEVES, SERGIO N.; BENAVIDES, V, MAGDA; BARIONI JUNIOR, WALDOMIRO; NICIURA, SIMONE C. M.; CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA S.. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with resistance and resilience to Haemonchus contortus in Brazilian Morada Nova sheep. Veterinary Parasitology, v. 279, MAR 2020. (17/24289-0, 17/01626-1, 17/00373-2)

BARBOSA TOSCANO, JOAO HENRIQUE; LOPES, LOUYSE GABRIELLI; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA APARECIDA; DA SILVA, MATHEUS HENRIQUE; OKINO, CINTIA HIROMI; DE SOUZA CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. Identification of appropriate reference genes for local immune-related studies in Morada Nova sheep infected with Haemonchus contortus. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS, v. 45, n. 5, p. 1253-1262, OCT 2018. (17/00373-2, 17/24289-0, 17/01626-1)

BARBOSA TOSCANO, JOAO HENRIQUE; DOS SANTOS, ISABELLA BARBOSA; VON HAEHLING, MAREI BORSCH; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA APARECIDA; LOPES, LOUYSE GABRIELLI; DA SILVA, MATHEUS HENRIQUE; FIGUEIREDO, AMANDA; ESTEVES, SERGIO NOVITA; DE SOUZA CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. Morada Nova sheep breed: Resistant or resilient to Haemonchus contortus infection?. Veterinary Parasitology, v. 276, p. 9-pg., 2019-01-01. (17/00373-2, 17/24289-0, 17/01626-1)

MEO NICIURA, SIMONE CRISTINA; CRUVINEL, GIOVANNA GABRIELLE; MORAES, CAROLINE VALERIO; BRESSANI, FLAVIA ALINE; MALAGO JUNIOR, WILSON; BENAVIDES, MAGDA VIEIRA; SOUZA DE CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. PCR-based genotyping of SNP markers in sheep. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS, v. 45, n. 4, p. 651-656, AUG 2018. (17/01626-1)

BARBOSA TOSCANO, JOAO HENRIQUE; OKINO, CINTIA HIROMI; BARBOSA DOS SANTOS, ISABELLA; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA APARECIDA; BORSCH VON HAEHLING, MAREI; NOVITA ESTEVES, SERGIO; BASSETTO, CESAR CRISTIANO; TALAMINI DO AMARANTE, ALESSANDRO FRANCISCO; DE SOUZA CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. Local and systemic immune mediators of Morada Nova lambs with divergentHaemonchus contortusresistance phenotypes. PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, v. 42, n. 12, DEC 2020. (17/01626-1, 17/24289-0, 17/00373-2)

HAEHLING, MAREI B.; TOSCANO, JOAO HENRIQUE B.; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA A.; SANTOS, ISABELLA B.; ESTEVES, SERGIO N.; BENAVIDES, V, MAGDA; THOLON, PATRICIA; CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. S.. Is selection for resistance and resilience to Haemonchus contortus possible in Morada Nova sheep?. Small Ruminant Research, v. 201, AUG 2021. (17/00373-2, 17/01626-1, 17/24289-0)

BARBOSA TOSCANO, JOAO HENRIQUE; OKINO, CINTIA HIROMI; DOS SANTOS, ISABELLA BARBOSA; GIRALDELO, LUCIANA APARECIDA; VON HAEHLING, MAREI BORSCH; ESTEVES, SERGIO NOVITA; DE SOUZA CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA. Innate Immune Responses Associated with Resistance against Haemonchus contortus in Morada Nova Sheep. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH, v. 2019, NOV 11 2019. (17/24289-0, 17/01626-1, 17/00373-2)

NICIURA, SIMONE CRISTINA MEO; BENAVIDES, MAGDA VIEIRA; OKINO, CINTIA HIROMI; IBELLI, ADRIANA MERCIA GUARATINI; MINHO, ALESSANDRO PELEGRINE; ESTEVES, SERGIO NOVITA; CHAGAS, ANA CAROLINA DE SOUZA. Genome-Wide Association Study for Haemonchus contortus Resistance in Morada Nova Sheep. PATHOGENS, v. 11, n. 8, p. 12-pg., 2022-08-01. (19/02967-2, 17/01626-1, 19/02929-3)