Clonorchis sinensis, an oriental liver fluke, as a human biological agent of cholangiocarcinoma: a brief review

Abstract

Parasitic diseases remain an unarguable public health problem worldwide. Liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis is a high risk pathogenic parasitic helminth which is endemic predominantly in Asian countries, including Korea, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the far eastern parts of Russia, and is still actively transmitted. According to the earlier 8th National Survey on the Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in 2012, C. sinensis was revealed as the parasite with highest prevalence of 1.86% in general population among all parasite species surveyed in Korea. This fluke is now classified under one of the definite Group 1 human biological agents (carcinogens) by International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) along with two other parasites, Opisthorchis viverrini and Schistosoma haematobium. C. sinensis infestation is mainly linked to liver and biliary disorders, especially cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). For the purposes of this mini-review, we will only focus on C. sinensis and review pathogenesis and carcinogenesis of clonorchiasis, disease condition by C. sinensis infestation, and association between C. sinensis infestation and CCA. In this presentation, we briefly consider the current scientific status for progression of CCA by heavy C. sinensis infestation from the food-borne trematode and development of CCA.

Human liver flukes

“…Additionally there are some animal data suggesting cholangiocarcinoma as a sequalae of O. felineus infection (33) . Lower The mechanism of carcinogenesis is incompletely understood and is the subject of ongoing research (34,35). Much of the data relate to Opisthorchis viverrini induced cholangiocarcinoma.…”

Clonorchis sinensis MF6p/HDM (CsMF6p/HDM) induces pro-inflammatory immune response in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells via NF-κB-dependent MAPK pathways

“…Humans are usually infected with the parasite by eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish containing metacercariae. Inside the bile ducts, the parasite induces mechanical damage to biliary epithelium, and generates an inflammatory responses and diverse clinical manifestations such as epithelial hyperplasia, periductal fibrosis and cholangiocarcinoma [5]. Thus, C. sinensis has been regarded as a group I biological carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization [6].…”

Bacillus subtilis spore with surface display of paramyosin from Clonorchis sinensis potentializes a promising oral vaccine candidate

“…Metacercariae excyst in the duodenum of the host, migrate into the bile duct and then develop into adult worms [ 6 ]. Clonorchis sinensis has been classified as one of the definite Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) [ 7 ]. However, it is difficult to dissuade people from eating raw fish which is deeply rooted in the epidemic area and the molecular mechanism by which the C. sinensis causes pathological changes is still poorly understood at present [ 4 ].…”