GHSR gene knockout alleviates the liver pathological response in Echinococcus granulosus infection by reducing parasite survival

Abstract Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, and the immunosuppressive microenvironment exacerbates disease progression. Ghrelin, a peptide hormone, plays a role in modulating immune inflammation and may influence the progression of E. granulosus infection through its receptor, GHSR (growth hormone secretagogue receptor). However, whether GHSR downregulation can inhibit E. granulosus infection remains unclear. In this study, we extracted liver tissues from E. granulosus-infected mice and those treated with the GHSR antagonist [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6. Proteomic analysis revealed 341 differentially expressed proteins, of which 185 were upregulated and 156 were downregulated. Metabolomic sequencing revealed 101 differentially expressed metabolites, including 62 upregulated and 39 downregulated metabolites. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of both proteomic and metabolomic data revealed seven key signalling pathways, 11 key proteins, and 26 key metabolites that interact through metabolic and organic system networks. Next, we examined the disease progression of E. granulosus infection in GHSR-knockout mice. Compared with the E. granulosus (Eg) group, the GHSR-KO group presented a significant reduction in the number of liver infection foci. The serum and liver ghrelin levels were significantly greater in the E. granulosus group than in the control group, along with increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and decreased secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). In contrast, the GHSR-KO group presented significantly lower ghrelin levels in both the serum and liver, with reduced proinflammatory cytokine secretion and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion, similar to those of the control group. Furthermore, ghrelin and inflammation-related factors, including MyD88, NF-κB p65, iNOS, and Arg-1, exhibited coordinated expression changes in liver lesions and surrounding areas. These findings suggest that GHSR gene knockout can ameliorate the progression of liver E. granulosus infection and associated liver inflammation.