Parasitic Biology and Immunology (BIPAR) UMR
Head of Unit: Sara Moutailler
The Parasitic Biology and Immunology (BIPAR) joint research unit (UMR), created in 1998, brings together employees from ANSES, INRAE and the Alfort National Veterinary School. Its activities focus on the study of host-pathogen interactions. The unit is divided into three teams: Paralim, which specialises in foodborne parasites; ParaNEm, which is dedicated to neglected and emerging parasites; and MiTick, which focuses on ticks and the pathogens they transmit.
Reference activities
The unit has two National Reference Laboratory (NRL) mandates, for foodborne parasites except Echinococcus, and for besnoitiosis.
It is also a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Collaborating Centre for foodborne parasites.
Surveillance activities
Within the unit, the Paralim team carries out surveillance activities under the NRL and WOAH Collaborating Centre mandates on foodborne zoonotic parasites. These include the detection, control and surveillance of studied or emerging parasitic diseases. The unit, as an NRL, also helps coordinate networks of about 60 regional laboratories.
Research activities
The BIPAR joint research unit's activities focus on the study of host-pathogen interactions. Three main lines of research are pursued:
• Vectors (ticks, mosquitoes) and the pathogens they transmit (bacteria, parasites and viruses) – MiTick team;
• Foodborne zoonotic parasites, such as Trichinella, Toxoplasma, Giardia and Cryptosporidium – Paralim team;
• Neglected and emerging parasites – ParaNEm team.
The work carried out spans the continuum from fundamental to applied research, in order to better understand these interactions at various levels: molecules, cells, tissues (salivary glands, food matrices), hosts and ecosystems, including the microbiota of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The unit also develops innovative strategies for controlling ticks, pathogens vectored by arthropods, foodborne zoonotic parasites and neglected or emerging parasites. These approaches include:
- improving detection and surveillance methods,
- developing "universal" vaccination strategies,
- researching green alternatives to antiparasitic treatments and acaricides.
Research projects
European contracts, as a partner
Application of metabolomics to the detection of anthelmintic resistance among gastrointestinal nematodes in goats
Funding: International Coordination of Research on Infectious Animal Diseases (ICRAD)
The objective of the METABOL-AR project is to quantify the metabolome of the larval stages of gastrointestinal nematodes in goats, to determine which ones are susceptible or resistant to benzimidazoles. This entails using the metabolomic MxP Quant 500 XL assay to quantify over 1,000 metabolites from over 30 chemical classes in the larvae of gastrointestinal nematodes.
European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare
Funding: European Union
The objective of this project is to work towards improving prevention, detection and control efforts supporting animal health and welfare. It also aims to enhance the preparedness of all stakeholders against imminent and emerging threats to animal health, including zoonoses and vector-borne diseases.
National contracts, as a leader
Trichinella-host interactions: evaluation of extracellular vesicles and soluble products
Funding: French National Research Agency
The aim of the TrichinEVs project is to explore a potential communication vector involved in Trichinella infection: extracellular vesicles (EVs).
The project's main questions will focus on the:
- protein and microRNA content of EVs from the parasite and from host muscle cells at different stages of infection, and in two different Trichinella species (T. spiralis versus T. pseudospiralis),
- effect of Trichinella-derived EVs on the activation of host muscle and immune cells,
- effect of a previously described parasite protein, NBL1, on EV production by host muscle cells.
National contracts, as a partner
Assessment of the risk of emergence of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in southern France
Funding: PREZODE PEPR – France 2030
Using a multidisciplinary "One Health" approach, combining social sciences, epidemiology, medicine, ecology, ornithology, acarology and virology, the ARCHE project aims to analyse the factors driving the emergence of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in various parts of southern France. Its objectives are to:
- Identify the multiple factors that promote both the emergence and risk of transmission of CCHFV,
- Improve the methods used to detect CCHFV and estimate the circulation of this virus and other species of Orthonairovirus,
- Model the spread of CCHFV,
- Jointly develop and disseminate preventive actions by adopting socio-ecological and citizen science approaches.
Amazonian orbiviruses Emergence Risk
Funding: PREZODE PEPR – France 2030
The AMAZED project will study the mechanisms behind the emergence of orbiviruses in several French overseas territories (French Guiana, Caribbean, South Pacific), as well as in Cameroon and mainland France, as part of a "One Health" approach. It will test the impact of human-induced changes on the emergence of these vector-borne viruses (including climate change and human encroachment on natural areas through resource exploitation and agricultural expansion). Comparing tropical, temperate, island and mainland environments will provide a way to verify the project's hypotheses and assess risks associated with entomological or human factors. The anticipated results of the project could also be used to develop strategies and tools to prevent the risk of emergence of these viruses, and thus prevent certain epidemics.
Targeting host-parasite interactions through the inhibition of excreted Leishmania casein kinase 1
Funding: French National Research Agency
There is an urgent need to develop new human and veterinary medicinal products for leishmaniasis, capable of limiting this parasite's resistance to antiparasitic treatments. Whereas most of the treatments currently available or under development act directly on the biological functions of Leishmania, the TEXLEISH project is targeting the exoproteome – particularly excreted kinases – to inhibit host-parasite interactions. This novel strategy has two advantages: it restores the host cells' ability to combat the parasite while limiting the risk of parasite resistance. To this end, we have validated Leishmania casein kinase 1 paralogue 2 (L-CK1.2) as a drug target for antileishmanial therapy. Despite the demonstrated efficacy of this molecule in animals, two main issues remain to be addressed: its specificity and its toxicity. The aims of the TEXLEISH consortium are thus to optimise this compound, to make it an orally active, safe and effective drug candidate that could reach preclinical trial level, and to study its mechanism of action.
Integrative pathobiology of tick-borne encephalitis virus in humans and ticks
Funding: French National Research Agency
The BEATNIC project is seeking to understand how arboviruses are able to hijack the cellular machinery of phylogenetically distant species. It is focusing more particularly on a relatively understudied flavivirus: tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). TBEV is a medically significant arbovirus in Europe, where it is principally transmitted by Ixodes ricinus ticks. To elucidate how TBEV usurps the cellular machinery of evolutionarily distant species, state-of-the-art RNA-centric proteomics will be applied to establish the RNA interactome of TBEV – for both genomic and subgenomic RNA – in human cell models, in particular in primary human neural cells, as well as in I. ricinus cell lines.
The functional role of the identified RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the viral life cycle and in neurovirulence will be investigated through RNA interference approaches. The role of selected I. ricinus proteins, not only in viral replication but also in vector competence, will be explored in vivo, in ticks themselves, using a gene perturbation strategy. The impact of the RBPs that condition TBEV replication will also be assessed for other arboviruses. Moreover, the project will study the specific role of subgenomic flaviviral RNA in TBEV replication – including in ticks – and in neurovirulence.
Bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-based biotherapies to fight giardiasis
Funding: French National Research Agency
The project's partners have discovered a molecular mechanism based on the action of enzymes called bile-salt hydrolases (BSHs) that are produced by certain probiotic strains. These enzymes are able to control the growth of Giardia in culture by metabolising certain non-toxic bile components into their deconjugated derivatives that are toxic to the parasite. BileBaG aims to test the effects of BSH-based therapies on host-microbiota-parasite interactions using a mouse model infected with various strains of Giardia. The therapeutic approaches we are considering include improving the anti-Giardia properties of current probiotic candidates by enhancing their BSH activity/stability and developing recombinant probiotics.