AUTHOR=Banerjee Samiddha , Pal Aruna , Pal Abantika , Mandal Subhas Chandra , Chatterjee Paresh Nath , Chatterjee Jayanta Kumar 

TITLE=RIG-I Has a Role in Immunity Against Haemonchus contortus, a Gastrointestinal Parasite in Ovis aries: A Novel Report

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2020

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.534705

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2020.534705

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=RIG-I belongs to the DExD/H box RNA Helicases. It is a Pattern Recognition Receptor (PRR), playing a crucial role in the immune system and is a germ line encoded host sensor to detect Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns or PAMPs. So far reports were available for the role of RIG-I in antiviral immunity. This is the first report we have documented the role of RIG-I in parasitic immunity. Haemonchus contortus  is a deadly parasite affecting sheep industry which has a tremendous economic importance and the parasite reported to be prevalent in the hot and humid agroclimatic region. We had characterized  RIG-I gene in sheep (Ovis aries) and identified the important domains or binding site with Haemonchus contortus through in silico studies. Differential mRNA expression analysis  revealed upregulation of RIG-I gene in abomassum of infected  sheep compared to that of healthy sheep, further confirming the findings. Thus it is evident that in infected sheep, expression of RIG-I is triggered for binding to more pathogen (Haemonchus contortus).  Genetic similar studies with human and other livestock species to reveal that  sheep may be efficiently used a model organism for studying the role of RIG-I  in  antiparasitic immunity of human.