title: Progress on the transcriptomics of carcinogenic liver flukes of humans--unique biological and biotechnological prospects.
abstract: Liver flukes, such as Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini, are food-borne parasites that have a major impact on the health of humans and animals, particularly in Asia. However, the impact of C. sinensis and O. viverrini, in particular, is exacerbated in that these parasites can induce a malignant, untreatable cancer (cholangiocarcinoma, CCA) in chronically infected people. As a result, these flukes are classified as Group 1 carcinogens. Despite their substantial socio-economic importance, little is known about these parasites and their relationship with the definitive hosts at the molecular level. Here, we provide a background on these two carcinogenic flukes and review recent progress on characterizing their transcriptomes using next-generation technologies. We also describe the prospects that the transcriptomes of C. sinensis and O. viverrini provide as a resource for future -omic explorations and efforts to develop improved methods of intervention and control against these important pathogens and CCA, leading to biotechnological outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria, Australia. nyoung@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Neil D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jex
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantacessi
authors.forename: Bronwyn E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Thewarach
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laha
authors.forename: Woon-Mok
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Banchob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sripa
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brindley
authors.forename: Robin B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gasser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000469:parasitology / Q000628:therapy; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA