{
  "abstract": "Paragonimiasis, a food-borne zoonosis caused by Paragonimus spp., can cause severe pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. However, relationships among the host, parasite and lung microbiome at defined infection stages remain poorly understood. We compared independent groups of rats sampled at 14, 28 and 42 days post-infection (dpi), together with a separate group sampled after triclabendazole (TCBZ) treatment. Histopathological and molecular analyses were combined with multi-region (5R) 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Groups sampled at later post-infection time points showed greater pulmonary inflammation and collagen deposition, with the highest values in Pp-42d; both outcomes were lower in Pp-TCBZ than in Pp-42d. Th1-, eosinophil-, Th2- and Treg- associated markers differed among experimental groups. TLR4/NF-κB -related protein expression and pulmonary microbial profiles also differed among groups including enrichment of taxa such as Lactobacillus in infected animals. FISH detected bacterial signals within inflammatory lesions and Lactobacillus-associated signals spatially associated with parasite eggs. These repeated cross-sectional findings identify stage-associated differences in pulmonary pathology, immune markers and microbiota during P. proliferus infection, together with lower pathological measures in the Pp-TCBZ group than in the untreated Pp-42d group. The egg-associated bacterial signals warrant further investigation but do not establish a functional host-parasite-microbiome mechanism. Author summary: Paragonimiasis is a food-borne parasitic disease caused by lung flukes (Paragonimus species). It can resemble tuberculosis, which may delay appropriate treatment and contribute to lung damage. In this study, we compared separate groups of rats sampled at 14, 28 and 42 days after infection with Paragonimus proliferus, together with a separate group sampled after treatment with triclabendazole. Rats sampled at later post-infection time points had more extensive lung inflammation and scarring, with the greatest abnormalities in the 42-day group. The treated group had less pathological injury than the untreated 42-day group. Markers associated with several immune-response profiles, the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the lung microbiome differed among the experimental groups. Fluorescence microscopy also detected Lactobacillus associated signals near parasite eggs. However, this spatial association does not establish a functional interaction. Overall, our findings provide a group-level description of pulmonary pathology, immune markers, and microbial profiles in independent rat groups sampled at selected infection stages and identify questions for future mechanistic investigation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety & Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, PR China",
    "School of Medicine, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, PR China",
    "Department of Anesthesiology, Kunming Medical University First Clinical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, PR China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Danhong Cheng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Lei Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Le Sun"
    },
    {
      "name": "Min Yin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yu Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shuwen Yang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xing Yan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiaoyan Zhu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Cuiying Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Weixun Chunyu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dhh3x53hyw224.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760",
  "id": "dhh3x53hyw224",
  "issns": [
    "1935-2735"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2734|Parasitic infections in humans and animals"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Collagens"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Signal transduction/Cell signaling/Membrane receptor signaling/Immune receptor signaling"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genomics/Microbial genomics/Microbiome"
    ],
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Medical microbiology/Microbiome"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Microbial genomics/Microbiome"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Molecular biology/Molecular biology techniques/Molecular probe techniques/Probe hybridization/Fluorescent in situ hybridization"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Signs and symptoms/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune response/Inflammation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Parasitic diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Parasitic diseases/Helminth infections"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Radiology and imaging/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Cytogenetic techniques/Fluorescent in situ hybridization"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Imaging techniques/Diagnostic radiology/Pulmonary imaging"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Research and analysis methods/Molecular biology techniques/Molecular probe techniques/Probe hybridization/Fluorescent in situ hybridization"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214274706",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-25",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dhh3x53hyw224.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014760"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
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    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
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    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:diagnostic radiology",
      "subfield": "imaging"
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  ],
  "title": "Stage-specific remodeling of the pulmonary microenvironment during Paragonimus proliferus infection in a rat model",
  "title_text": "Stage-specific remodeling of the pulmonary microenvironment during Paragonimus proliferus infection in a rat model",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dhh3x53hyw224",
  "venue": "PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases",
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}