Inhibition of release of intestinal extracellular vesicles in Ascaris suum and immune modulation by the anthelmintic ivermectin

The mode of action for Ivermectin is understood to involve activation of inhibitory glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls). Ivermectin has also been reported to inhibit the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs).

We found that EVs are released from the whole intestine of the gastro-intestinal parasite, Ascaris suum. Proteomic analysis identified 1,574 proteins within these intestinal EVs, including 96 nematode proteins with putative immune-associated functions based on homology to proteins involved in host immune processes and 130 proteins with predicted digestive functions. Comparative analysis following ivermectin exposure revealed 38 differentially abundant proteins that included the putative immune-related proteins: transthyretin-like proteins, a small heat-shock antigen, a phospholipase A2, and the NF-κB subunit p105.