Instruct: Identify the main category of Biorxiv papers based on the titles and abstracts
Query: Characterization of the Endogenous DAF-12 Ligand and Its Use as an Anthelmintic Agent in Strongyloides stercoralis A prevalent feature of Strongyloides stercoralis is a life-long and potentially lethal infection that is due to the nematode parasites ability to autoinfect and, thereby, self-replicate within its host. Here, we investigated the role of the parasites nuclear receptor, Ss-DAF-12, in governing infection. We identified {Delta}7-DA as the endogenous Ss-DAF-12 ligand and elucidated the hormones biosynthetic pathway. Genetic loss of function of the ligands rate-limiting enzyme demonstrated that {Delta}7-DA synthesis is necessary for parasite reproduction, whereas its absence is required for development of infectious larvae. Availability of the ligand permits Ss-DAF-12 to function as an on/off switch governing autoinfection, making it vulnerable to therapeutic intervention. In a preclinical model of hyperinfection, pharmacologic activation of DAF-12 suppressed autoinfection and markedly reduced lethality. Moreover, when {Delta}7-DA was administered with ivermectin, the current but limited drug of choice for treating strongyloidiasis, the combinatorial effects of the two drugs resulted in a near cure of the disease.
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The categories of this paper are: cell
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The categories of this paper are: plant
2
The categories of this paper are: biology
12
The categories of this paper are: behavior
27
The categories of this paper are: pathology
1
The categories of this paper are: bioinformatics
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The categories of this paper are: microbiology
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The categories of this paper are: ecology
32
The categories of this paper are: zoology
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The categories of this paper are: neuroscience
30
The categories of this paper are: scientific
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The categories of this paper are: genetics
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The categories of this paper are: physiology
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The categories of this paper are: genomics
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The categories of this paper are: developmental
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The categories of this paper are: molecular