Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41617897›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Development of Dirofilaria immitis adult worms in NSG mice, detection of parasite-derived microRNA and comparative analysis of laboratory isolates.

Mohini Nakhale, Jessica A Hess, Ellie Oliver, Nathan M Ryan, Kirsten Mallon, Omair Sultan, Elinor Willis, Esha Banerjee, Enrico Radaelli, Charles-Antoine Assenmacher and 8 more

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Mohini Nakhale *Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Jessica A Hess *Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Ellie OliverSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Nathan M RyanDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Kirsten MallonDepartment of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Omair SultanDepartment of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Elinor WillisComparative Pathology Core, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Esha BanerjeeComparative Pathology Core, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Enrico RadaelliComparative Pathology Core, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Charles-Antoine AssenmacherComparative Pathology Core, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Michael PovelonesDepartment of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Duncan WellsSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Russ MorphewDepartment of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK.
Jennifer Willingham-LaneBoehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Athens, GA, USA.
Christine HendersonBoehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Athens, GA, USA.
John HarringtonBoehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc., Athens, GA, USA.
Paul McVeighSchool of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
David AbrahamDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. david.abraham@jefferson.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Global efforts to control heartworm disease are challenged by increasing drug resistance and inadequate early detection methods, which hinder the effective diagnosis and treatment of Dirofilaria immitis infection. This study presents an in vivo model for investigating D. immitis development and host-parasite interactions. The growth and migration of the D. immitis JYD-34 isolate were analyzed in immunodeficient NSG mice over 177 days, revealing parasite migration to the heart and lungs, which mirrors infection dynamics in the natural canine host. Pathophysiological examination of host tissues revealed early adult-stage worms elicited minimal inflammation. However, with chronicity, mild pulmonary hemosiderin accumulation was observed. Plasma profiling identified 31 D. immitis-specific microRNAs (miRNAs), 22 of which have also been detected in D. immitis infected dogs. Infection resulted in nine differentially expressed murine miRNAs, providing insights into host-parasite interactions and potential diagnostic biomarkers. Comparative analysis of five D. immitis isolates revealed distinct growth dynamics and cardiopulmonary migration patterns, enhancing our understanding of isolate-specific variation. Overall, this study supports the use of NSG mice as a practical and reproducible in vivo model for heartworm disease to answer fundamental questions regarding parasite development, host interaction and inter-isolate variation, with broad applications in developing novel drugs and diagnostics.

Indexed as

Dirofilaria immitisDirofilariasisMicroRNAsRNA, HelminthAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalDogsFemaleHost-Parasite InteractionsLungMiceMicroRNAsRNA, HelminthDevelopmental morphologyDirofilaria immitisHeartwormImmunodeficient miceIsolatesmicroRNANSG mice

Identifiers

PMID41617897
PMCPMC12913780

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.