Ixodid tick infestation in cattle and wild animals in Maswa and Iringa, Tanzania.

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are important in human and livestock health worldwide. In November 2012, ixodid ticks were collected and identified morphologically from cattle and wild animals in the Maswa district and Iringa urban, Tanzania. Amblyomma gemma, A. lepidum, and A. variegatum were identified from Maswa cattle, and A. variegatum was the predominant species. A. marmoreum, Hyalomma impeltatum, and Rhipicephalus pulchellus were identified from Iringa cattle in addition to the above 3 Amblyomma species, and A. gemma was the most abundant species. Total 4 Amblyomma and 6 Rhipicephalus species were identified from wild animals of the 2 areas. A. lepidum was predominant in Maswa buffaloes, whereas A. gemma was predominant in Iringa buffaloes. Overall, A. variegatum in cattle was predominant in the Maswa district and A. gemma was predominant in Iringa, Tanzania.

CD44v8-10 as a potential theranostic biomarker for targeting disseminated cancer cells in advanced gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer mortality, and the survival rate of stage IV advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients with distant metastasis is very low. Thus, the detection and eradication of disseminated cancer cells by targeting cell surface molecules in AGC would improve patient survival. The hyaluronic acid receptor, CD44, has various isoforms generated by alternative splicing, and some isoforms are known to be correlated to gastric cancer. In this study, to find out the most appropriate CD44v for targeting AGC, we analysed the expression differences of CD44 isoforms at the mRNA level in stomach cancer cell lines as well as in 74 patients with AGC by using exon-specific qRT-PCR. Among the CD44v isoforms, CD44v8-10 was determined as the most promising biomarker for the development of theranostic agents of gastric cancer. Next, we synthesised the conjugate of anti-CD44v9 antibody with near-infrared fluorophore or photosensitiser, and then demonstrated its feasibility for target cell-specific imaging and photoimmunotherapy in gastric cancer. As a result, these conjugates have clearly demarcated the surface of CD44v8-10 expressing cancer cells and showed efficient phototoxic effects. Therefore, this study revealed that CD44v8-10 is the efficient theranostic biomarker to target disseminated cancer cells in AGC.