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Lewis MD, Francisco AF, Jayawardhana S, Langston H, Taylor MC, Kelly JM. Imaging the development of chronic Chagas disease after oral transmission. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11292. [PMID: 30050153 PMCID: PMC6062536 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29564-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Transmission cycles are maintained by haematophagous triatomine bug vectors that carry infective T. cruzi in their faeces. Most human infections are acquired by contamination of mucosal membranes with triatomine faeces after being bitten, however, T. cruzi can be transmitted by several other routes. Oral transmission is an increasingly important aspect of Chagas disease epidemiology, typically involving food or drink products contaminated with triatomines. This has recently caused numerous outbreaks and been linked to unusually severe acute infections. The long-term impact of oral transmission on infection dynamics and disease pathogenesis is unclear. We used highly sensitive bioluminescence imaging and quantitative histopathology to study orally transmitted T. cruzi infections in mice. Both metacyclic and bloodform trypomastigotes were infectious via the oral cavity, but only metacyclics led to established infections by intra-gastric gavage. Mice displayed only mild acute symptoms but later developed significantly increased myocardial collagen content (p = 0.017), indicative of fibrosis. Gastrointestinal tissues and skin were the principal chronic infection reservoirs. Chronic phase parasite load profiles, tissue distribution and myocardial fibrosis severity were comparable to needle-injected controls. Thus, the oral route neither exacerbates nor ameliorates experimental Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Lewis
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
| | - Amanda F Francisco
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Langston
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Martin C Taylor
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
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Expanding the toolbox for Trypanosoma cruzi: A parasite line incorporating a bioluminescence-fluorescence dual reporter and streamlined CRISPR/Cas9 functionality for rapid in vivo localisation and phenotyping. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006388. [PMID: 29608569 PMCID: PMC5897030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease, a major public health problem throughout Latin America. There is no vaccine and the only drugs have severe side effects. Efforts to generate new therapies are hampered by limitations in our understanding of parasite biology and disease pathogenesis. Studies are compromised by the complexity of the disease, the long-term nature of the infection, and the fact that parasites are barely detectable during the chronic stage. In addition, functional dissection of T. cruzi biology has been restricted by the limited flexibility of the genetic manipulation technology applicable to this parasite. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we describe two technical innovations, which will allow the role of the parasite in disease progression to be better assessed. First, we generated a T. cruzi reporter strain that expresses a fusion protein comprising red-shifted luciferase and green fluorescent protein domains. Bioluminescence allows the kinetics of infection to be followed within a single animal, and specific foci of infection to be pinpointed in excised tissues. Fluorescence can then be used to visualise individual parasites in tissue sections to study host-parasite interactions at a cellular level. Using this strategy, we have been routinely able to find individual parasites within chronically infected murine tissues for the first time. The second advance is the incorporation of a streamlined CRISPR/Cas9 functionality into this reporter strain that can facilitate genome editing using a PCR-based approach that does not require DNA cloning. This system allows the rapid generation of null mutants and fluorescently tagged parasites in a background where the in vivo phenotype can be rapidly assessed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The techniques described here will have multiple applications for studying aspects of T. cruzi biology and Chagas disease pathogenesis previously inaccessible to conventional approaches. The reagents and cell lines have been generated as a community resource and are freely available on request.
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Bivona AE, Sánchez Alberti A, Matos MN, Cerny N, Cardoso AC, Morales C, González G, Cazorla SI, Malchiodi EL. Trypanosoma cruzi 80 kDa prolyl oligopeptidase (Tc80) as a novel immunogen for Chagas disease vaccine. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006384. [PMID: 29601585 PMCID: PMC5895069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi that affects about 8 million people around the world where more than 25 million are at risk of contracting the infection. Despite of being endemic on 21 Latin-American countries, Chagas disease has become a global concern due to migratory movements. Unfortunately, available drugs for the treatment have several limitations and they are generally administered during the chronic phase of the infection, when its efficacy is considered controversial. Thus, prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines are emerging as interesting control alternatives. In this work, we proposed Trypanosoma cruzi 80 kDa prolyl oligopeptidase (Tc80) as a new antigen for vaccine development against Chagas disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In a murine model, we analyzed the immune response triggered by different immunization protocols based on Tc80 and evaluated their ability to confer protection against a challenge with the parasite. Immunized mice developed Tc80-specific antibodies which were able to carry out different functions such as: enzymatic inhibition, neutralization of parasite infection and complement-mediated lysis of trypomastigotes. Furthermore, vaccinated mice elicited strong cell-mediated immunity. Spleen cells from immunized mice proliferated and secreted Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α) upon re-stimulation with rTc80. Moreover, we found Tc80-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against one Tc80 MHC-I peptide. Immunization protocols conferred protection against a T. cruzi lethal challenge. Immunized groups showed a decreased parasitemia and higher survival rate compared with non-immunized control mice. Moreover, during the chronic phase of the infection, immunized mice presented: lower levels of myopathy-linked enzymes, parasite burden, electrocardiographic disorders and inflammatory cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Considering that an early control of parasite burden and tissue damage might contribute to avoid the progression towards symptomatic forms of chronic Chagas disease, the efficacy of Tc80-based vaccines make this molecule a promising immunogen for a mono or multicomponent vaccine against T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto E. Bivona
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Sánchez Alberti
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina N. Matos
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natacha Cerny
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro C. Cardoso
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Celina Morales
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Patología, Instituto de Fisiopatología Cardiovascular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Germán González
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Patología, Instituto de Fisiopatología Cardiovascular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia I. Cazorla
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (CERELA-CONICET). Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Emilio L. Malchiodi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Flores-Ferrer A, Marcou O, Waleckx E, Dumonteil E, Gourbière S. Evolutionary ecology of Chagas disease; what do we know and what do we need? Evol Appl 2017; 11:470-487. [PMID: 29636800 PMCID: PMC5891055 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The aetiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is a key human pathogen afflicting most populations of Latin America. This vectorborne parasite is transmitted by haematophageous triatomines, whose control by large‐scale insecticide spraying has been the main strategy to limit the impact of the disease for over 25 years. While those international initiatives have been successful in highly endemic areas, this systematic approach is now challenged by the emergence of insecticide resistance and by its low efficacy in controlling species that are only partially adapted to human habitat. In this contribution, we review evidences that Chagas disease control shall now be entering a second stage that will rely on a better understanding of triatomines adaptive potential, which requires promoting microevolutionary studies and –omic approaches. Concomitantly, we show that our knowledge of the determinants of the evolution of T. cruzi high diversity and low virulence remains too limiting to design evolution‐proof strategies, while such attributes may be part of the future of Chagas disease control after the 2020 WHO's target of regional elimination of intradomiciliary transmission has been reached. We should then aim at developing a theory of T. cruzi virulence evolution that we anticipate to provide an interesting enrichment of the general theory according to the specificities of transmission of this very generalist stercorarian trypanosome. We stress that many ecological data required to better understand selective pressures acting on vector and parasite populations are already available as they have been meticulously accumulated in the last century of field research. Although more specific information will surely be needed, an effective research strategy would be to integrate data into the conceptual and theoretical framework of evolutionary ecology and life‐history evolution that provide the quantitative backgrounds necessary to understand and possibly anticipate adaptive responses to public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alheli Flores-Ferrer
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Olivier Marcou
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Etienne Waleckx
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Mérida Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Tulane University New Orleans LA USA
| | - Sébastien Gourbière
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
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Antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal drug identification. Emerg Top Life Sci 2017; 1:613-620. [PMID: 33525851 DOI: 10.1042/etls20170103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although the treatments for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), leishmaniasis and Chagas disease (CD) still rely on drugs developed several decades ago, there has been significant progress in the identification, development and use of novel drugs and formulations. Notably, there are now two drugs in clinical trial for HAT, fexinidazole and acoziborole; the liposomal amphotericin B formulation AmBisome has become an essential tool for both treatment and control of visceral leishmaniasis; and antifungal triazoles, posoconazole and ravuconazole, together with fexinidazole, have reached clinical trials for CD. Several other novel and diverse candidates are moving through the pipeline; sustained funding for their clinical development will now be the key to bring new safe, oral, shorter-course treatments to the clinic.
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Palace-Berl F, Pasqualoto KFM, Zingales B, Moraes CB, Bury M, Franco CH, da Silva Neto AL, Murayama JS, Nunes SL, Silva MN, Tavares LC. Investigating the structure-activity relationships of N'-[(5-nitrofuran-2-yl) methylene] substituted hydrazides against Trypanosoma cruzi to design novel active compounds. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 144:29-40. [PMID: 29247858 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected chronic tropical infection endemic in Latin America. New and effective treatments are urgently needed because the two available drugs - benznidazole (BZD) and nifurtimox (NFX) - have limited curative power in the chronic phase of the disease. We have previously reported the design and synthesis of N'-[(5-nitrofuran-2-yl) methylene] substituted hydrazides that showed high trypanocidal activity against axenic epimastigote forms of three T. cruzi strains. Here we show that these compounds are also active against a BZD- and NFX-resistant strain. Herein, multivariate approaches (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) were applied to a set of thirty-six formerly characterized compounds. Based on the findings from exploratory data analysis, novel compounds were designed and synthesized. These compounds showed two-to three-fold higher trypanocidal activity against epimastigote forms than the previous set and were 25-30-fold more active than BZD. Their activity was also evaluated against intracellular amastigotes by high content screening (HCS). The most active compounds (BSF-38 to BSF-40) showed a selective index (SI') greater than 200, in contrast to the SI' values of reference drugs (NFX, 16.45; BZD, > 3), and a 70-fold greater activity than BZD. These findings indicate that nitrofuran compounds designed based on the activity against epimastigote forms show promising trypanocidal activity against intracellular amastigotes, which correspond to the predominant parasite stage in the chronic phase of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Palace-Berl
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Bianca Zingales
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina Borsoi Moraes
- Laboratório Nacional de Biociências (LNBio), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Mariana Bury
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caio Haddad Franco
- Laboratório Nacional de Biociências (LNBio), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Adelson Lopes da Silva Neto
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - João Sussumu Murayama
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Solange Lessa Nunes
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Nunes Silva
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry Institute, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leoberto Costa Tavares
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Vinuesa T, Herráez R, Oliver L, Elizondo E, Acarregui A, Esquisabel A, Pedraz JL, Ventosa N, Veciana J, Viñas M. Benznidazole Nanoformulates: A Chance to Improve Therapeutics for Chagas Disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 97:1469-1476. [PMID: 29016287 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes the characterization of various encapsulated formulations of benznidazole, the current first-line drug for the treatment of Chagas disease. Given the adverse effects of benznidazole, safer formulations of this drug have a great interest. In fact, treatment of Chagas disease with benznidazole has to be discontinued in as much as 20% of cases due to side effects. Furthermore, modification of delivery and formulations could have potential effects on the emergence of drug resistance. The trypanocidal activity of new nanostructured formulations of benznidazole to eliminate Trypanosoma cruzi was studied in vitro as well as their toxicity in two cultured mammalian cell lines (HepG2 and Fibroblasts). Nanoparticles tested included nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, quatsomes, and cyclodextrins. The in vitro cytotoxicity of cyclodextrins-benznidazole complexes was significantly lower than that of free benznidazole, whereas their trypanocidal activity was not hampered. These results suggest that nanostructured particles may offer improved therapeutics for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Vinuesa
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rocio Herráez
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Oliver
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Elizondo
- Ciber-BBN (Nanomol), Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Argia Acarregui
- Ciber-BBN (NanoBioCel), Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria, Spain
| | - Amaia Esquisabel
- Ciber-BBN (NanoBioCel), Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Pedraz
- Ciber-BBN (NanoBioCel), Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria, Spain
| | - Nora Ventosa
- Ciber-BBN (Nanomol), Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jaume Veciana
- Ciber-BBN (Nanomol), Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Miguel Viñas
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Ramírez-Toloza G, Ferreira A. Trypanosoma cruzi Evades the Complement System as an Efficient Strategy to Survive in the Mammalian Host: The Specific Roles of Host/Parasite Molecules and Trypanosoma cruzi Calreticulin. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1667. [PMID: 28919885 PMCID: PMC5585158 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
American Trypanosomiasis is an important neglected reemerging tropical parasitism, infecting about 8 million people worldwide. Its agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, exhibits multiple mechanisms to evade the host immune response and infect host cells. An important immune evasion strategy of T. cruzi infective stages is its capacity to inhibit the complement system activation on the parasite surface, avoiding opsonizing, immune stimulating and lytic effects. Epimastigotes, the non-infective form of the parasite, present in triatomine arthropod vectors, are highly susceptible to complement-mediated lysis while trypomastigotes, the infective form, present in host bloodstream, are resistant. Thus T. cruzi susceptibility to complement varies depending on the parasite stage (amastigote, trypomastigotes or epimastigote) and on the T. cruzi strain. To avoid complement-mediated lysis, T. cruzi trypomastigotes express on the parasite surface a variety of complement regulatory proteins, such as glycoprotein 58/68 (gp58/68), T. cruzi complement regulatory protein (TcCRP), trypomastigote decay-accelerating factor (T-DAF), C2 receptor inhibitor trispanning (CRIT) and T. cruzi calreticulin (TcCRT). Alternatively, or concomitantly, the parasite captures components with complement regulatory activity from the host bloodstream, such as factor H (FH) and plasma membrane-derived vesicles (PMVs). All these proteins inhibit different steps of the classical (CP), alternative (AP) or lectin pathways (LP). Thus, TcCRP inhibits the CP C3 convertase assembling, gp58/68 inhibits the AP C3 convertase, T-DAF interferes with the CP and AP convertases assembling, TcCRT inhibits the CP and LP, CRIT confers ability to resist the CP and LP, FH is used by trypomastigotes to inhibit the AP convertases and PMVs inhibit the CP and LP C3 convertases. Many of these proteins have similar molecular inhibitory mechanisms. Our laboratory has contributed to elucidate the role of TcCRT in the host-parasite interplay. Thus, we have proposed that TcCRT is a pleiotropic molecule, present not only in the parasite endoplasmic reticulum, but also on the trypomastigote surface, participating in key processes to establish T. cruzi infection, such as inhibition of the complement system and serving as an important virulence factor. Additionally, TcCRT interaction with key complement components, participates as an anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor molecule, inhibiting at least in important part, tumor growth in infected animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galia Ramírez-Toloza
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Animal Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Sciences, University of ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Arturo Ferreira
- Program of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of ChileSantiago, Chile
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Antinori S, Galimberti L, Bianco R, Grande R, Galli M, Corbellino M. Chagas disease in Europe: A review for the internist in the globalized world. Eur J Intern Med 2017; 43:6-15. [PMID: 28502864 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) or American trypanosomiasis identified in 1909 by Carlos Chagas, has become over the last 40years a global health concern due to the huge migration flows from Latin America to Europe, United States, Canada and Japan. In Europe, most migrants from CD-endemic areas are concentrated in Spain, Italy, France, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Pooled seroprevalence studies conducted in Europe show an overall 4.2% prevalence, with the highest infection rates observed among individuals from Bolivia (18.1%). However, in most European countries the disease is neglected with absence of screening programmes and low access to diagnosis and treatment. Physicians working in Europe should also be aware of the risk of autochthonous transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi to newborns by their infected mothers and to recipients of blood or transplanted organs from infected donors. Finally, physicians should be able to recognize and treat the most frequent and serious complications of chronic Chagas disease, namely cardiomyopathy, megacolon and megaesophagus. This review aims to highlights the problem of CD in Europe by reviewing papers published by European researchers on this argument, in order to raise the awareness of internists who are bound to increasingly encounter patients with the disease in their routine daily activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spinello Antinori
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Italy; III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy.
| | - Laura Galimberti
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto Bianco
- Department of Radiology, Luigi Sacco Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Romualdo Grande
- Clinical Microbiology, Virology and Bioemergence Diagnostics, Luigi Sacco Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Galli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milano, Italy; III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
| | - Mario Corbellino
- III Division of Infectious Diseases, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milano, Italy
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Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by infection with the insect-transmitted protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, and is the most important parasitic infection in Latin America. The current drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are characterized by limited efficacy and toxic side-effects, and treatment failures are frequently observed. The urgent need for new therapeutic approaches is being met by a combined effort from the academic and commercial sectors, together with major input from not-for-profit drug development consortia. With the disappointing outcomes of recent clinical trials against chronic Chagas disease, it has become clear that an incomplete understanding of parasite biology and disease pathogenesis is impacting negatively on the development of more effective drugs. In addition, technical issues, including difficulties in establishing parasitological cure in both human patients and animal models, have greatly complicated the assessment of drug efficacy. Here, we outline the major questions that need to be addressed and discuss technical innovations that can be exploited to accelerate the drug development pipeline.
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Lovo-Martins MI, Malvezi AD, da Silva RV, Zanluqui NG, Tatakihara VLH, Câmara NOS, de Oliveira APL, Peron JPS, Martins-Pinge MC, Fritsche KL, Pinge-Filho P. Fish oil supplementation benefits the murine host during the acute phase of a parasitic infection from Trypanosoma cruzi. Nutr Res 2017; 41:73-85. [PMID: 28506517 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) are known to modulate a variety of immune cell functions. On occasion, this has led to diminished host resistance to certain viral and bacterial infections. Little is known about the impact of n-3 PUFA on host resistance to parasitic infection, however, based on results from a small study conducted more than two decades ago, we hypothesized that providing mice LC n-3 PUFA will diminish host resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic pathogen responsible for Chagas disease. To investigate this, C57BL/6 mice were supplemented by gavage (0.6% v/w) with phosphate-buffered saline, corn oil (CO), or menhaden fish oil (FO, a fat source rich in LC n-3 PUFA) for 15 days prior to T cruzi (Y strain) challenge and throughout the acute phase of infection. FO supplementation was associated with a transient 2-fold greater peak of blood parasitemia at 7 days postinfection (dpi), whereas subsequent cardiac parasitemia was ~60% lower at 12 dpi. FO treatment also ameliorated the leukopenia and thrombocytopenia observed in the early stages of a T cruzi infection. FO supplementation reduced circulating and cardiac nitric oxide at 7 and 12 dpi, respectively. FO supplementation altered ex vivo prostaglandin E2 and cytokine and chemokine production by splenocytes isolated from uninfected and infected mice. Overall, our results suggest that oral administration of LC n-3 PUFA from FO can have beneficial effects on the host in the early course of a T cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Lovo-Martins
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Aparecida D Malvezi
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rosiane V da Silva
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Nágela G Zanluqui
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Vera L H Tatakihara
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Niels O S Câmara
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula L de Oliveira
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jean P S Peron
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marli C Martins-Pinge
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Kevin L Fritsche
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, 65211, MO, USA
| | - Phileno Pinge-Filho
- Department of Pathological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Immunopathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, 86051-970, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
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Dumonteil E, Herrera C. Ten years of Chagas disease research: Looking back to achievements, looking ahead to challenges. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005422. [PMID: 28426735 PMCID: PMC5398480 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
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