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Cristovão-Silva AC, Brelaz-de-Castro MCA, Dionisio da Silva E, Leite ACL, Santiago LBAA, Conceição JMD, da Silva Tiburcio R, de Santana DP, Bedor DCG, de Carvalho BÍV, Ferreira LFGR, de Freitas E Silva R, Alves Pereira VR, Hernandes MZ. Trypanosoma cruzi killing and immune response boosting by novel phenoxyhydrazine-thiazole against Chagas disease. Exp Parasitol 2024; 261:108749. [PMID: 38593864 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) causes Chagas, which is a neglected tropical disease (NTD). WHO estimates that 6 to 7 million people are infected worldwide. Current treatment is done with benznidazole (BZN), which is very toxic and effective only in the acute phase of the disease. In this work, we designed, synthesized, and characterized thirteen new phenoxyhydrazine-thiazole compounds and applied molecular docking and in vitro methods to investigate cell cytotoxicity, trypanocide activity, nitric oxide (NO) production, cell death, and immunomodulation. We observed a higher predicted affinity of the compounds for the squalene synthase and 14-alpha demethylase enzymes of T. cruzi. Moreover, the compounds displayed a higher predicted affinity for human TLR2 and TLR4, were mildly toxic in vitro for most mammalian cell types tested, and LIZ531 (IC50 2.8 μM) was highly toxic for epimastigotes, LIZ311 (IC50 8.6 μM) for trypomastigotes, and LIZ331 (IC50 1.9 μM) for amastigotes. We observed that LIZ311 (IC50 2.5 μM), LIZ431 (IC50 4.1 μM) and LIZ531 (IC50 5 μM) induced 200 μg/mL of NO and JM14 induced NO production in three different concentrations tested. The compound LIZ331 induced the production of TNF and IL-6. LIZ311 induced the secretion of TNF, IFNγ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17, cell death by apoptosis, decreased acidic compartment formation, and induced changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Taken together, LIZ311 is a promising anti-T. cruzi compound is not toxic to mammalian cells and has increased antiparasitic activity and immunomodulatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Catarina Cristovão-Silva
- Laboratory of Immunopathology and Molecular Biology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 50670-42, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Maria Carolina Accioly Brelaz-de-Castro
- Laboratory of Immunopathology and Molecular Biology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 50670-42, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Laboratory of Parasitology, Vitória Academic Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, 55608-680, Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Elis Dionisio da Silva
- Laboratory of Immunopathology and Molecular Biology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 50670-42, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Lima Leite
- Laboratory of Planning and Synthesis in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Lizandra Beatriz Amorim Alves Santiago
- Laboratory of Planning and Synthesis in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Juliana Maria da Conceição
- Laboratory of Planning and Synthesis in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Robert da Silva Tiburcio
- Laboratory of Planning and Synthesis in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Davi Pereira de Santana
- Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Development Center (NUDFAC), Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Danilo Cesar Galindo Bedor
- Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Development Center (NUDFAC), Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Breno Ítalo Valença de Carvalho
- Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Development Center (NUDFAC), Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Luiz Felipe Gomes Rebello Ferreira
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Rafael de Freitas E Silva
- Laboratory of Immunopathology and Molecular Biology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 50670-42, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Valéria Rêgo Alves Pereira
- Laboratory of Immunopathology and Molecular Biology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 50670-42, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Zaldini Hernandes
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-520, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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de Souza W. Contribution of microscopy to a better understanding of the anatomy of pathogenic protists. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321515121. [PMID: 38621128 PMCID: PMC11046605 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321515121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In this Inaugural Article the author briefly revises its scientific career and how he starts to work with parasitic protozoa. Emphasis is given to his contribution to topics such as a) the structural organization of the surface of protozoa using freeze-fracture and deep-etching; b) the cytoskeleton of protozoa, especially structures such as the subpellicular microtubules of trypanosomatids, the conoid of Toxoplasma gondii, microtubules and inner membrane complex of this protozoan, and the costa of Tritrichomonas foetus; c) the flagellulm of trypanosomatids, that in addition to the axoneme contains a complex network of filaments that constitute the paraflagellar rod; d) special organelles such as the acidocalcisome, hydrogenosome, and glycosome; and e) the highly polarized endocytic pathway found in epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina de Precisão, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro21941-902, Brazil
- Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro21941-902, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem—Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro21941-902, Brazil
- Centro Multiusuário para Análise de Fenômenos Biomédicos, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Amazonas69065-001, Brazil
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Won MM, Krüger T, Engstler M, Burleigh BA. The Intracellular Amastigote of Trypanosoma cruzi Maintains an Actively Beating Flagellum. mBio 2023; 14:e0355622. [PMID: 36840555 PMCID: PMC10128032 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03556-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout its complex life cycle, the uniflagellate parasitic protist, Trypanosoma cruzi, adapts to different host environments by transitioning between elongated motile extracellular stages and a nonmotile intracellular amastigote stage that replicates in the cytoplasm of mammalian host cells. Intracellular T. cruzi amastigotes retain a short flagellum that extends beyond the opening of the flagellar pocket with access to the extracellular milieu. Contrary to the long-held view that the T. cruzi amastigote flagellum is inert, we report that this organelle is motile and displays quasiperiodic beating inside mammalian host cells. Kymograph analysis determined an average flagellar beat frequency of ~0.7 Hz for intracellular amastigotes and similar beat frequencies for extracellular amastigotes following their isolation from host cells. Inhibitor studies reveal that flagellar motility in T. cruzi amastigotes is critically dependent on parasite mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. These novel observations reveal that flagellar motility is an intrinsic property of T. cruzi amastigotes and suggest that this organelle may play an active role in the parasite infection process. IMPORTANCE Understanding the interplay between intracellular pathogens and their hosts is vital to the development of new treatments and preventive strategies. The intracellular "amastigote" stage of the Chagas disease parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, is a critical but understudied parasitic life stage. Previous work established that cytosolically localized T. cruzi amastigotes engage physically and selectively with host mitochondria using their short, single flagellum. The current study was initiated to examine the dynamics of the parasite flagellum-host mitochondrial interaction through live confocal imaging and led to the unexpected discovery that the T. cruzi amastigote flagellum is motile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalyn M. Won
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Timothy Krüger
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Engstler
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Barbara A. Burleigh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Smircich P, Pérez-Díaz L, Hernández F, Duhagon MA, Garat B. Transcriptomic analysis of the adaptation to prolonged starvation of the insect-dwelling Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1138456. [PMID: 37091675 PMCID: PMC10117895 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1138456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a digenetic unicellular parasite that alternates between a blood-sucking insect and a mammalian, host causing Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis. In the insect gut, the parasite differentiates from the non-replicative trypomastigote forms that arrive upon blood ingestion to the non-infective replicative epimastigote forms. Epimastigotes develop into infective non-replicative metacyclic trypomastigotes in the rectum and are delivered via the feces. In addition to these parasite stages, transitional forms have been reported. The insect-feeding behavior, characterized by few meals of large blood amounts followed by long periods of starvation, impacts the parasite population density and differentiation, increasing the transitional forms while diminishing both epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes. To understand the molecular changes caused by nutritional restrictions in the insect host, mid-exponentially growing axenic epimastigotes were cultured for more than 30 days without nutrient supplementation (prolonged starvation). We found that the parasite population in the stationary phase maintains a long period characterized by a total RNA content three times smaller than that of exponentially growing epimastigotes and a distinctive transcriptomic profile. Among the transcriptomic changes induced by nutrient restriction, we found differentially expressed genes related to managing protein quality or content, the reported switch from glucose to amino acid consumption, redox challenge, and surface proteins. The contractile vacuole and reservosomes appeared as cellular components enriched when ontology term overrepresentation analysis was carried out, highlighting the roles of these organelles in starving conditions possibly related to their functions in regulating cell volume and osmoregulation as well as metabolic homeostasis. Consistent with the quiescent status derived from nutrient restriction, genes related to DNA metabolism are regulated during the stationary phase. In addition, we observed differentially expressed genes related to the unique parasite mitochondria. Finally, our study identifies gene expression changes that characterize transitional parasite forms enriched by nutrient restriction. The analysis of the here-disclosed regulated genes and metabolic pathways aims to contribute to the understanding of the molecular changes that this unicellular parasite undergoes in the insect vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Smircich
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- *Correspondence: Beatriz Garat, ; Pablo Smircich,
| | - Leticia Pérez-Díaz
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Fabricio Hernández
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María Ana Duhagon
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Beatriz Garat
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- *Correspondence: Beatriz Garat, ; Pablo Smircich,
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Fader Kaiser CM, Romano PS, Vanrell MC, Pocognoni CA, Jacob J, Caruso B, Delgui LR. Biogenesis and Breakdown of Lipid Droplets in Pathological Conditions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:826248. [PMID: 35198567 PMCID: PMC8860030 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.826248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid droplets (LD) have long been considered as mere fat drops; however, LD have lately been revealed to be ubiquitous, dynamic and to be present in diverse organelles in which they have a wide range of key functions. Although incompletely understood, the biogenesis of eukaryotic LD initiates with the synthesis of neutral lipids (NL) by enzymes located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The accumulation of NL leads to their segregation into nanometric nuclei which then grow into lenses between the ER leaflets as they are further filled with NL. The lipid composition and interfacial tensions of both ER and the lenses modulate their shape which, together with specific ER proteins, determine the proneness of LD to bud from the ER toward the cytoplasm. The most important function of LD is the buffering of energy. But far beyond this, LD are actively integrated into physiological processes, such as lipid metabolism, control of protein homeostasis, sequestration of toxic lipid metabolic intermediates, protection from stress, and proliferation of tumours. Besides, LD may serve as platforms for pathogen replication and defense. To accomplish these functions, from biogenesis to breakdown, eukaryotic LD have developed mechanisms to travel within the cytoplasm and to establish contact with other organelles. When nutrient deprivation occurs, LD undergo breakdown (lipolysis), which begins with the LD-associated members of the perilipins family PLIN2 and PLIN3 chaperone-mediated autophagy degradation (CMA), a specific type of autophagy that selectively degrades a subset of cytosolic proteins in lysosomes. Indeed, PLINs CMA degradation is a prerequisite for further true lipolysis, which occurs via cytosolic lipases or by lysosome luminal lipases when autophagosomes engulf portions of LD and target them to lysosomes. LD play a crucial role in several pathophysiological processes. Increased accumulation of LD in non-adipose cells is commonly observed in numerous infectious diseases caused by intracellular pathogens including viral, bacterial, and parasite infections, and is gradually recognized as a prominent characteristic in a variety of cancers. This review discusses current evidence related to the modulation of LD biogenesis and breakdown caused by intracellular pathogens and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio M Fader Kaiser
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Patricia S Romano
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - M Cristina Vanrell
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Cristian A Pocognoni
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Julieta Jacob
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Benjamín Caruso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas y Tecnologicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Laura R Delgui
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
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Alves AA, Alcantara CL, Dantas-Jr MVA, Sunter JD, De Souza W, Cunha-E-Silva NL. Dynamics of the orphan myosin MyoF over Trypanosoma cruzi life cycle and along the endocytic pathway. Parasitol Int 2022; 86:102444. [PMID: 34464754 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi proliferative forms perform endocytosis through a specialized structure named the cytostome-cytopharynx complex (SPC). The SPC is a specialized invagination of the cell membrane that extends through the cell body towards the posterior regions, with its aperture close to the flagellar pocket. Recently, diverse proteins were found along the cytopharynx, including two myosin motors. One of these is the orphan myosin MyoF, that was proved to be essential for endocytosis in epimastigotes. However, the dynamics of MyoF localization along the endocytic pathway and through the T. cruzi life cycle remain unclear. Using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, we generated epimastigotes expressing MyoF fused to mNeonGreen from its endogenous locus. Using these cells, we observed that during the epimastigote cell cycle MyoF signal disappeared during G2, reappearing at early cytokinesis. Additionally, we show that MyoF localization during metacyclogenesis is compatible with the progressive disappearance of the SPC, being absent in metacyclic trypomastigotes. Detergent fractionation showed that MyoF was predominantly present in the insoluble fraction and immunolocalized at the SPC microtubules in whole-mount cytoskeleton preparations. Moreover, during tracer uptake through the SPC, MyoF followed the tracer along the endocytic pathway and was found in posterior compartments after 30 min. Taken together, the data suggest that MyoF may play a role not only at the cargo entry site but also along the endocytic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Alves
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - C L Alcantara
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - M V A Dantas-Jr
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J D Sunter
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - W De Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - N L Cunha-E-Silva
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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7
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Attias M, Vidal JC, Takata CSA, Campaner M, Camargo EP, Teixeira MMG, De Souza W. Remarkable kinetoplast, cytostome-cytopharynx complex, and storage-related structures as dissected by three-dimensional reconstruction of Trypanosoma sp. 858 isolated from a toad (Amphibia: Anura). Micron 2021; 152:103180. [PMID: 34798356 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In Brazil, the Trypanosoma sp. 858 was isolated from a toad (Anura: Bufonidae: Rhinella ictericus) and successfully maintained in cultures. We previously demonstrated that this trypanosome is different but tightly clustered phylogenetically with other trypanosomes from anurans. In this study, we addressed the ultrastructural features of cultured epimastigotes of this new trypanosome. Our results showed very long and thin free motile forms exhibiting a long flagellum and remarkable large and loose K-DNA network. In addition, the anterior portion contained many acidocalcisomes and a well-developed spongiome tubules-contractile vacuole system. One of the main morphological features of this anuran trypanosome was the presence of a complex cytostome-cytopharynx with a specialized membrane coating at the entrance, which is often hidden by the flagellum. Other conspicuous features are the presence of lipid-like droplets, lamellar membrane limited inclusions, and one very large reservosome, all at the posterior portion of the cell body. This new trypanosome may constitute an excellent model for organelles studies related to endocytosis and lipid storage, as demonstrated herein using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional models obtained by either electron microscopy tomography or dual-beam slice and view series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Attias
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens-INBEB, and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem-CENABIO, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Juliana C Vidal
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Carmem S A Takata
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Marta Campaner
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Erney P Camargo
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Marta M G Teixeira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Wanderley De Souza
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens-INBEB, and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem-CENABIO, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ21941-902, Brazil
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8
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Sousa G, de Carvalho SS, Atella GC. Trypanosoma cruzi Affects Rhodnius prolixus Lipid Metabolism During Acute Infection. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.737909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between Rhodnius prolixus and Trypanosoma cruzi has huge medical importance because it responds to the transmission of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that affects about eight million people worldwide. It is known that trypanosomatid pathogens depend on active lipid endocytosis from the insect host to meet growth and differentiation requirements. However, until now, knowledge on how the parasite affects the lipid physiology of individual insect organs was largely unknown. Herein, the biochemical and molecular dynamics of the triatomine R. prolixus lipid metabolism in response to T. cruzi acute infection were investigated. A qRT-PCR approach was used to determine the expression profile of 12 protein-coding genes involved in R. prolixus lipid physiology. In addition, microscopic and biochemical assays revealed the lipid droplet profile and the levels of the different identified lipid classes. Finally, spectrometry analyses were used to determine fatty acid and sterol composition and their modulation towards the infection. T. cruzi infection downregulated the transcript levels of protein-coding genes for lipid biosynthetic and degrading pathways in individual triatomine organs. On the other hand, upregulation of lipid receptor transcripts indicates an attempt to capture more lipids from hemolymphatic lipoproteins. Consequently, several lipid classes (such as monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, triacylglycerol, cholesteryl ester, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine) were involved in the response to the parasite challenge, although modulating only the insect fat body. T. cruzi never leaves the insect gut and yet it modulates non-infected tissues, suggesting that the association between the parasite and the vector organs is reached by cell signaling molecules. This hypothesis raises several intriguing issues to inspire future studies in the parasite-vector interaction field.
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Parreira de Aquino G, Mendes Gomes MA, Köpke Salinas R, Laranjeira-Silva MF. Lipid and fatty acid metabolism in trypanosomatids. MICROBIAL CELL 2021; 8:262-275. [PMID: 34782859 PMCID: PMC8561143 DOI: 10.15698/mic2021.11.764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomiases and leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases that have been spreading to previously non-affected areas in recent years. Identification of new chemotherapeutics is needed as there are no vaccines and the currently available treatment options are highly toxic and often ineffective. The causative agents for these diseases are the protozoan parasites of the Trypanosomatidae family, and they alternate between invertebrate and vertebrate hosts during their life cycles. Hence, these parasites must be able to adapt to different environments and compete with their hosts for several essential compounds, such as amino acids, vitamins, ions, carbohydrates, and lipids. Among these nutrients, lipids and fatty acids (FAs) are essential for parasite survival. Trypanosomatids require massive amounts of FAs, and they can either synthesize FAs de novo or scavenge them from the host. Moreover, FAs are the major energy source during specific life cycle stages of T. brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania. Therefore, considering the distinctive features of FAs metabolism in trypanosomatids, these pathways could be exploited for the development of novel antiparasitic drugs. In this review, we highlight specific aspects of lipid and FA metabolism in the protozoan parasites T. brucei, T. cruzi, and Leishmania spp., as well as the pathways that have been explored for the development of new chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Roberto Köpke Salinas
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Lopinavir and Nelfinavir Induce the Accumulation of Crystalloid Lipid Inclusions within the Reservosomes of Trypanosoma cruzi and Inhibit Both Aspartyl-Type Peptidase and Cruzipain Activities Detected in These Crucial Organelles. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6030120. [PMID: 34287373 PMCID: PMC8293474 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several research groups have explored the repositioning of human immunodeficiency virus aspartyl peptidase inhibitors (HIV-PIs) on opportunistic infections caused by bacteria, fungi and protozoa. In Trypanosoma cruzi, HIV-PIs have a high impact on parasite viability, and one of the main alterations promoted by this treatment is the imbalance in the parasite’s lipid metabolism. However, the reasons behind this phenomenon are unknown. In the present work, we observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that the treatment of T. cruzi epimastigotes with the HIV-PIs lopinavir and nelfinavir induced a huge accumulation of crystalloid-shaped lipids within the reservosomes, most of them deforming these key organelles. As previously reported, those structures are characteristic of lipid inclusions formed mostly of cholesterol and cholesterol-esters. The fractionation of nontreated epimastigotes generated two distinct fractions enriched in reservosomes: one mostly composed of lipid inclusion-containing reservosomes (Fraction B1) and one where lipid inclusions were much less abundant (Fraction B2). Interestingly, the extract of Fraction B2 presented enzymatic activity related to aspartyl-type peptidases 3.5 times higher than that found in the extract obtained from Fraction B1. The cleavage of cathepsin D substrate by this class of peptidases was strongly impaired by pepstatin A, a prototypical aspartyl PI, and the HIV-PIs lopinavir and nelfinavir. In addition, both HIV-PIs also inhibited (to a lesser extent) the cruzipain activity present in reservosomes. Finally, our work provides new evidence concerning the presence and supposed participation of aspartyl peptidases in T. cruzi, even as it adds new information about the mechanisms behind the alterations promoted by lopinavir and nelfinavir in the protozoan.
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11
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Zuma AA, Dos Santos Barrias E, de Souza W. Basic Biology of Trypanosoma cruzi. Curr Pharm Des 2021; 27:1671-1732. [PMID: 33272165 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826999201203213527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The present review addresses basic aspects of the biology of the pathogenic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and some comparative information of Trypanosoma brucei. Like eukaryotic cells, their cellular organization is similar to that of mammalian hosts. However, these parasites present structural particularities. That is why the following topics are emphasized in this paper: developmental stages of the life cycle in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts; the cytoskeleton of the protozoa, especially the sub-pellicular microtubules; the flagellum and its attachment to the protozoan body through specialized junctions; the kinetoplast-mitochondrion complex, including its structural organization and DNA replication; glycosome and its role in the metabolism of the cell; acidocalcisome, describing its morphology, biochemistry, and functional role; cytostome and the endocytic pathway; the organization of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex; the nucleus, describing its structural organization during interphase and division; and the process of interaction of the parasite with host cells. The unique characteristics of these structures also make them interesting chemotherapeutic targets. Therefore, further understanding of cell biology aspects contributes to the development of drugs for chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline A Zuma
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emile Dos Santos Barrias
- Laboratorio de Metrologia Aplicada a Ciencias da Vida, Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada a Ciencias da Vida - Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (Inmetro), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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12
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Dias GG, Paz ERS, Nunes MP, Carvalho RL, Rodrigues MO, Rodembusch FS, da Silva Júnior EN. Imidazoles and Oxazoles from Lapachones and Phenanthrene-9,10-dione: A Journey through their Synthesis, Biological Studies, and Optical Applications. CHEM REC 2021; 21:2702-2738. [PMID: 34170622 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202100138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Diverse structural frameworks are found in natural compounds and are well known for their chemical and biological properties; such compounds include the imidazoles and oxazoles. Researchers worldwide are continually working on the development of methods for synthesizing new molecules bearing these basic moiety and evaluating their properties and applications. To expand the knowledge related to azoles, this review summarizes important examples of imidazole and oxazole derivatives from 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds, such as lapachones and phenanthrene-9,10-diones, not only regarding their synthesis and biological applications but also their photophysical properties and uses. The data concerning the latter are particularly scarce in the literature, which leads to underestimation of the potential applications that can be envisaged for these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gleiston G Dias
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Esther R S Paz
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Mateus P Nunes
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Renato L Carvalho
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marieli O Rodrigues
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabiano S Rodembusch
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Eufrânio N da Silva Júnior
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, UFMG, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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13
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Alcantara CL, de Souza W, Cunha E Silva NL. The cytostome-cytopharynx complex of intracellular and extracellular amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi exhibit structural and functional differences. Cell Microbiol 2021; 23:e13346. [PMID: 33900003 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Endocytosis in Trypanosoma cruzi is mainly performed through a specialised membrane domain called cytostome-cytopharynx complex. Its ultrastructure and dynamics in endocytosis are well characterized in epimastigotes, being absent in trypomastigotes, that lack endocytic activity. Intracellular amastigotes also possess a cytostome-cytopharynx but participation in endocytosis of these forms is not clear. Extracellular amastigotes can be obtained from the supernatant of infected cells or in vitro amastigogenesis. These amastigotes share biochemical and morphological features with intracellular amastigotes but retain trypomastigote's ability to establish infection. We analysed and compared the ultrastructure of the cytostome-cytopharynx complex of intracellular amastigotes and extracellular amastigotes using high-resolution tridimensional electron microscopy techniques. We compared the endocytic ability of intracellular amastigotes, obtained through host cell lysis, with that of extracellular amastigotes. Intracellular amastigotes showed a cytostome-cytopharynx complex similar to epimastigotes'. However, after isolation, the complex undergoes ultrastructural modifications that progressively took to an impairment of endocytosis. Extracellular amastigotes do not possess a cytostome-cytopharynx complex nor the ability to endocytose. Those observations highlight morpho functional differences between intra and extracellular amastigotes regarding an important structure related to cell metabolism. TAKE AWAYS: T. cruzi intracellular amastigotes endocytose through the cytostome-cytopharynx complex. The cytostome-cytopharynx complex of intracellular amastigotes is ultrastructurally similar to the epimastigote. Intracellular amastigotes, once outside the host cell, disassembles the cytostome-cytopharynx membrane domain. Extracellular amastigotes do not possess a cytostome-cytopharynx either the ability to endocytose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina L Alcantara
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO)-Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO)-Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Narcisa L Cunha E Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO)-Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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14
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Hernández J, Gabrielli M, Costa J, Uttaro AD. Phagocytic and pinocytic uptake of cholesterol in Tetrahymena thermophila impact differently on gene regulation for sterol homeostasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9067. [PMID: 33907281 PMCID: PMC8079401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88737-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila can either synthesize tetrahymanol or when available, assimilate and modify sterols from its diet. This metabolic shift is mainly driven by transcriptional regulation of genes for tetrahymanol synthesis (TS) and sterol bioconversion (SB). The mechanistic details of sterol uptake, intracellular trafficking and the associated gene expression changes are unknown. By following cholesterol incorporation over time in a conditional phagocytosis-deficient mutant, we found that although phagocytosis is the main sterol intake route, a secondary endocytic pathway exists. Different expression patterns for TS and SB genes were associated with these entry mechanisms. Squalene synthase was down-regulated by a massive cholesterol intake only attainable by phagocytosis-proficient cells, whereas C22-sterol desaturase required ten times less cholesterol and was up-regulated in both wild-type and mutant cells. These patterns are suggestive of at least two different signaling pathways. Sterol trafficking beyond phagosomes and esterification was impaired by the NPC1 inhibitor U18666A. NPC1 is a protein that mediates cholesterol export from late endosomes/lysosomes in mammalian cells. U18666A also produced a delay in the transcriptional response to cholesterol, suggesting that the regulatory signals are triggered between lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings could hint at partial conservation of sterol homeostasis between eukaryote lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefina Hernández
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Matías Gabrielli
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Joaquín Costa
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Antonio D Uttaro
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2000FHQ, Ocampo y Esmeralda, Rosario, Argentina.
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15
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Halliday C, de Castro-Neto A, Alcantara CL, Cunha-E-Silva NL, Vaughan S, Sunter JD. Trypanosomatid Flagellar Pocket from Structure to Function. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:317-329. [PMID: 33308952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The trypanosomatids Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania spp. are flagellate eukaryotic parasites that cause serious diseases in humans and animals. These parasites have cell shapes defined by a subpellicular microtubule array and all share a number of important cellular features. One of these is the flagellar pocket, an invagination of the cell membrane around the proximal end of the flagellum, which is an important organelle for endo/exocytosis. The flagellar pocket plays a crucial role in parasite pathogenicity and persistence in the host and has a great influence on cell morphogenesis and cell division. Here, we compare the morphology and function of the flagellar pockets between different trypanosomatids, with their life cycles and ecological niches likely influencing these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Halliday
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Artur de Castro-Neto
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Carolina L Alcantara
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil; Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Narcisa L Cunha-E-Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil; Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem (CENABIO), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Sue Vaughan
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Jack D Sunter
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
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16
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Gupta CM, Ambaru B, Bajaj R. Emerging Functions of Actins and Actin Binding Proteins in Trypanosomatids. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:587685. [PMID: 33163497 PMCID: PMC7581878 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.587685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Actin is the major protein constituent of the cytoskeleton that performs wide range of cellular functions. It exists in monomeric and filamentous forms, dynamics of which is regulated by a large repertoire of actin binding proteins. However, not much was known about existence of these proteins in trypanosomatids, till the genome sequence data of three important organisms of this class, viz. Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, became available. Here, we have reviewed most of the findings reported to date on the intracellular distribution, structure and functions of these proteins and based on them, we have hypothesized some of their functions. The major findings are as follows: (1) All the three organisms encode at least a set of ten actin binding proteins (profilin, twinfilin, ADF/cofilin, CAP/srv2, CAPz, coronin, two myosins, two formins) and one isoform of actin, except that T. cruzi encodes for three formins and several myosins along with four actins. (2) Actin 1 and a few actin binding proteins (ADF/cofilin, profilin, twinfilin, coronin and myosin13 in L. donovani; ADF/cofilin, profilin and myosin1 in T. brucei; profilin and myosin-F in T.cruzi) have been identified and characterized. (3) In all the three organisms, actin cytoskeleton has been shown to regulate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking. (4) Leishmania actin1 has been the most characterized protein among trypanosomatid actins. (5) This protein is localized to the cytoplasm as well as in the flagellum, nucleus and kinetoplast, and in vitro, it binds to DNA and displays scDNA relaxing and kDNA nicking activities. (6) The pure protein prefers to form bundles instead of thin filaments, and does not bind DNase1 or phalloidin. (7) Myosin13, myosin1 and myosin-F regulate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking, respectively, in Leishmania, T. brucei and T. cruzi. (8) Actin-dependent myosin13 motor is involved in dynamics and assembly of Leishmania flagellum. (9) Leishmania twinfilin localizes mostly to the nucleolus and coordinates karyokinesis by effecting splindle elongation and DNA synthesis. (10) Leishmania coronin binds and promotes actin filament formation and exists in tetrameric form rather than trimeric form, like other coronins. (11) Trypanosomatid profilins are essential for survival of all the three parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhitar M Gupta
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, India
| | - Bindu Ambaru
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Rani Bajaj
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bengaluru, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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17
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Booth LA, Smith TK. Lipid metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi: A review. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2020; 240:111324. [PMID: 32961207 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2020.111324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membranes of Trypanosoma cruzi, like all eukaryotes, contain varying amounts of phospholipids, sphingolipids, neutral lipids and sterols. A multitude of pathways exist for the de novo synthesis of these lipid families but Trypanosoma cruzi has also become adapted to scavenge some of these lipids from the host. Completion of the TriTryp genomes has led to the identification of many putative genes involved in lipid synthesis, revealing some interesting differences to higher eukaryotes. Although many enzymes involved in lipid synthesis have yet to be characterised, completed experiments have shown the indispensability of some lipid metabolic pathways. Furthermore, the bioactive lipids of Trypanosoma cruzi and their effects on the host are becoming increasingly studied. Further studies on lipid metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi will no doubt reveal some attractive targets for therapeutic intervention as well as reveal the interplay between parasite lipids, host response and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh-Ann Booth
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Scotland, KY16 9ST, United Kingdom
| | - Terry K Smith
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Scotland, KY16 9ST, United Kingdom.
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18
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The Functional Characterization of TcMyoF Implicates a Family of Cytostome-Cytopharynx Targeted Myosins as Integral to the Endocytic Machinery of Trypanosoma cruzi. mSphere 2020; 5:5/3/e00313-20. [PMID: 32554712 PMCID: PMC7300353 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00313-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease and chronically infects upwards of 7 million people in the Americas. Current diagnostics and treatments remain grossly inadequate due, in part, to our general lack of understanding of this parasite’s basic biology. One aspect that has resisted detailed scrutiny is the mechanism employed by this parasite to extract nutrient resources from the radically different environments that it encounters as it transitions between its invertebrate and mammalian hosts. These parasites engulf food via a tubular invagination of its membrane, a strategy used by many protozoan species, but how this structure is formed or functions mechanistically remains a complete mystery. The significance of our research is in the identification of the mechanistic underpinnings of this feeding organelle that may bring to light new potential therapeutic targets to impede parasite feeding and thus halt the spread of this deadly human pathogen. Of the pathogenic trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma cruzi alone retains an ancient feeding apparatus known as the cytostome-cytopharynx complex (SPC) that it uses as its primary mode of endocytosis in a manner akin to its free-living kinetoplastid relatives who capture and eat bacterial prey via this endocytic organelle. In a recent report, we began the process of dissecting how this organelle functions by identifying the first SPC-specific proteins in T. cruzi. Here, we continued these studies and report on the identification of the first enzymatic component of the SPC, a previously identified orphan myosin motor (MyoF) specifically targeted to the SPC. We overexpressed MyoF as a dominant-negative mutant, resulting in parasites that, although viable, were completely deficient in measurable endocytosis in vitro. To our surprise, however, a full deletion of MyoF demonstrated only a decrease in the overall rate of endocytosis, potentially indicative of redundant myosin motors at work. Thereupon, we identified three additional orphan myosin motors, two of which (MyoB and MyoE) were targeted to the preoral ridge region adjacent to the cytostome entrance and another (MyoC) which was targeted to the cytopharynx tubular structure similar to that of MyoF. Additionally, we show that the C-terminal tails of each myosin are sufficient for targeting a fluorescent reporter to SPC subregions. This work highlights a potential mechanism used by the SPC to drive the inward flow of material for digestion and unveils a new level of overlapping complexity in this system with four distinct myosin isoforms targeted to this feeding structure. IMPORTANCE The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease and chronically infects upwards of 7 million people in the Americas. Current diagnostics and treatments remain grossly inadequate due, in part, to our general lack of understanding of this parasite’s basic biology. One aspect that has resisted detailed scrutiny is the mechanism employed by this parasite to extract nutrient resources from the radically different environments that it encounters as it transitions between its invertebrate and mammalian hosts. These parasites engulf food via a tubular invagination of its membrane, a strategy used by many protozoan species, but how this structure is formed or functions mechanistically remains a complete mystery. The significance of our research is in the identification of the mechanistic underpinnings of this feeding organelle that may bring to light new potential therapeutic targets to impede parasite feeding and thus halt the spread of this deadly human pathogen.
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19
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Vizcaíno-Castillo A, Osorio-Méndez JF, Ambrosio JR, Hernández R, Cevallos AM. The complexity and diversity of the actin cytoskeleton of trypanosomatids. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2020; 237:111278. [PMID: 32353561 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2020.111278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are a monophyletic group of parasitic flagellated protists belonging to the order Kinetoplastida. Their cytoskeleton is primarily made up of microtubules in which no actin microfilaments have been detected. Although all these parasites contain actin, it is widely thought that their actin cytoskeleton is reduced when compared to most eukaryotic organisms. However, there is increasing evidence that it is more complex than previously thought. As in other eukaryotic organisms, trypanosomatids encode for a conventional actin that is expected to form microfilament-like structures, and for members of three conserved actin-related proteins probably involved in microfilament nucleation (ARP2, ARP3) and in gene expression regulation (ARP6). In addition to these canonical proteins, also encode for an expanded set of actins and actin-like proteins that seem to be restricted to kinetoplastids. Analysis of their amino acid sequences demonstrated that, although very diverse in primary sequence when compared to actins of model organisms, modelling of their tertiary structure predicted the presence of the actin fold in all of them. Experimental characterization has been done for only a few of the trypanosomatid actins and actin-binding proteins. The most studied is the conventional actin of Leishmania donovani (LdAct), which unusually requires both ATP and Mg2+ for polymerization, unlike other conventional actins that do not require ATP. Additionally, polymerized LdAct tends to assemble in bundles rather than in single filaments. Regulation of actin polymerization depends on their interaction with actin-binding proteins. In trypanosomatids, there is a reduced but sufficient core of actin-binding proteins to promote microfilament nucleation, turnover and stabilization. There are also genes encoding for members of two families of myosin motor proteins, including one lineage-specific. Homologues to all identified actin-family proteins and actin-binding proteins of trypanosomatids are also present in Paratrypanosoma confusum (an early branching trypanosomatid) and in Bodo saltans (a closely related free-living organism belonging to the trypanosomatid sister order of Bodonida) suggesting they were all present in their common ancestor. Secondary losses of these genes may have occurred during speciation within the trypanosomatids, with salivarian trypanosomes having lost many of them and stercorarian trypanosomes retaining most.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vizcaíno-Castillo
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Juan Felipe Osorio-Méndez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Laboratorio de Microbiología y Biología Molecular, Programa de Medicina, Corporación Universitaria Empresarial Alexander von Humboldt, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Javier R Ambrosio
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología de la Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal, 4510, D.F., Mexico
| | - Roberto Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ana María Cevallos
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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20
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Quiñones W, Acosta H, Gonçalves CS, Motta MCM, Gualdrón-López M, Michels PAM. Structure, Properties, and Function of Glycosomes in Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:25. [PMID: 32083023 PMCID: PMC7005584 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosomes are peroxisome-related organelles that have been identified in kinetoplastids and diplonemids. The hallmark of glycosomes is their harboring of the majority of the glycolytic enzymes. Our biochemical studies and proteome analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi glycosomes have located, in addition to enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, enzymes of several other metabolic processes in the organelles. These analyses revealed many aspects in common with glycosomes from other trypanosomatids as well as features that seem specific for T. cruzi. Their enzyme content indicates that T. cruzi glycosomes are multifunctional organelles, involved in both several catabolic processes such as glycolysis and anabolic ones. Specifically discussed in this minireview are the cross-talk between glycosomal metabolism and metabolic processes occurring in other cell compartments, and the importance of metabolite translocation systems in the glycosomal membrane to enable the coordination between the spatially separated processes. Possible mechanisms for metabolite translocation across the membrane are suggested by proteins identified in the organelle's membrane-homologs of the ABC and MCF transporter families-and the presence of channels as inferred previously from the detection of channel-forming proteins in glycosomal membrane preparations from the related parasite T. brucei. Together, these data provide insight in the way in which different parts of T. cruzi metabolism, although uniquely distributed over different compartments, are integrated and regulated. Moreover, this information reveals opportunities for the development of drugs against Chagas disease caused by these parasites and for which currently no adequate treatment is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilfredo Quiñones
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Héctor Acosta
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Camila Silva Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina M Motta
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Melisa Gualdrón-López
- Instituto Salud Global, Hospital Clinic-Universitat de Barcelona, and Institute for Health Sciences Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paul A M Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Chasen NM, Coppens I, Etheridge RD. Identification and Localization of the First Known Proteins of the Trypanosoma cruzi Cytostome Cytopharynx Endocytic Complex. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:445. [PMID: 32010635 PMCID: PMC6978632 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects an estimated 7 million people in the Americas, with an at-risk population of 70 million. Despite its recognition as the highest impact parasitic infection of the Americas, Chagas disease continues to receive insufficient attention and resources in order to be effectively combatted. Unlike the other parasitic trypanosomatids that infect humans (Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp.), T. cruzi retains an ancestral mode of phagotrophic feeding via an endocytic organelle known as the cytostome-cytopharynx complex (SPC). How this tubular invagination of the plasma membrane functions to bring in nutrients is poorly understood at a mechanistic level, partially due to a lack of knowledge of the protein machinery specifically targeted to this structure. Using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9 mediated endogenous tagging, fluorescently labeled overexpression constructs and endocytic assays, we have identified the first known SPC targeted protein (CP1). The CP1 labeled structure co-localizes with endocytosed protein and undergoes disassembly in infectious forms and reconstitution in replicative forms. Additionally, through the use of immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry techniques, we have identified two additional CP1-associated proteins (CP2 and CP3) that also target to this endocytic organelle. Our localization studies using fluorescently tagged proteins and surface lectin staining have also allowed us, for the first time, to specifically define the location of the intriguing pre-oral ridge (POR) surface prominence at the SPC entrance through the use of super-resolution light microscopy. This work is a first glimpse into the proteome of the SPC and provides the tools for further characterization of this enigmatic endocytic organelle. A better understanding of how this deadly pathogen acquires nutrients from its host will potentially direct us toward new therapeutic targets to combat infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Michael Chasen
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases (CTEGD), University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ronald Drew Etheridge
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases (CTEGD), University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Alcantara CDL, de Souza W, da Cunha E Silva NL. Tridimensional Electron Microscopy Analysis of the Early Endosomes and Endocytic Traffic in Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes. Protist 2018; 169:887-910. [PMID: 30447618 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes internalize macromolecules avidly by endocytosis. Previously, we identified a tubule-vesicular network likely to correspond to the early-endosomes. However, a detailed ultrastructural characterization of these endosomes was missing. Here, we combined endocytosis assays with ultrastructural data from high-resolution electron microscopy to produce a 3D analysis of epimastigote endosomes and their interactions with endocytic organelles. We showed that endocytic cargo was found in carrier vesicles budding from the cytopharynx. These vesicles appeared to fuse with a tubule-vesicular network of early endosomes identified by ultrastructural features including the presence of intermembrane invaginations and coated membrane sections. Within the posterior region of the cell, endosomes localized preferentially on the side nearest to the cytopharynx microtubules. At 4°C, cargo accumulated at a shortened cytopharynx, and subsequent temperature shift to 12°C led to slow cargo delivery to endosomes and, later, to reservosomes. Bridges between reservosomes and endosomes resemble heterotypic fusion. Reservosomes are excluded from the posterior end of the cell, with no preferential cargo delivery to reservosomes closer to the nucleus. Our 3D analysis indicates that epimastigotes accomplish high-speed endocytic traffic by cargo transfer to a bona fide early-endosome and then directly from endosomes to reservosomes, via multiple and simultaneous heterotypic fusion events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina de Lima Alcantara
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO) - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO) - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Narcisa L da Cunha E Silva
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil; Núcleo de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens (CENABIO) - Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Biomagens (INBEB), Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
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Batista CM, Kessler RL, Eger I, Soares MJ. Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi with 2-bromopalmitate alters morphology, endocytosis, differentiation and infectivity. BMC Cell Biol 2018; 19:19. [PMID: 30170543 PMCID: PMC6119340 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-018-0170-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The palmitate analogue 2-bromopalmitate (2-BP) is a non-selective membrane tethered cysteine alkylator of many membrane-associated enzymes that in the last years emerged as a general inhibitor of protein S-palmitoylation. Palmitoylation is a post-translational protein modification that adds palmitic acid to a cysteine residue through a thioester linkage, promoting membrane localization, protein stability, regulation of enzymatic activity, and the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Little is known on such important process in the pathogenic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Results The effect of 2-BP was analyzed on different developmental forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. The IC50/48 h value for culture epimastigotes was estimated as 130 μM. The IC50/24 h value for metacyclic trypomastigotes was 216 nM, while for intracellular amastigotes it was 242 μM and for cell derived trypomasigotes was 262 μM (IC50/24 h). Our data showed that 2-BP altered T. cruzi: 1) morphology, as assessed by bright field, scanning and transmission electron microscopy; 2) mitochondrial membrane potential, as shown by flow cytometry after incubation with rhodamine-123; 3) endocytosis, as seen after incubation with transferrin or albumin and analysis by flow cytometry/fluorescence microscopy; 4) in vitro metacyclogenesis; and 5) infectivity, as shown by host cell infection assays. On the other hand, lipid stress by incubation with palmitate did not alter epimastigote growth, metacyclic trypomastigotes viability or trypomastigote infectivity. Conclusion Our results indicate that 2-BP inhibits key cellular processes of T. cruzi that may be regulated by palmitoylation of vital proteins and suggest a metacyclic trypomastigote unique target dependency during the parasite development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12860-018-0170-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassiano Martin Batista
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Fiocruz-PR, 81310-020 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rafael Luis Kessler
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics, Carlos Chagas Institute/Fiocruz-PR, 81310-020 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.,Mammalian Cell Biotechnology Laboratory, Molecular Biology Institute of Paraná (IBMP), 81310-020 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Iriane Eger
- Department of General Biology, State University of Ponta Grossa, 84010-290 Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Maurilio José Soares
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Fiocruz-PR, 81310-020 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
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Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes store cholesteryl esters in lipid droplets after cholesterol endocytosis. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2018; 224:6-16. [PMID: 30016698 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The Chagas disease agent Trypanosoma cruzi proliferates in the insect vector as highly endocytic epimastigotes that store nutrients, including lipids in reservosomes (lysosome related compartments). Although nutrient storage is important for epimastigote transformation into infective metacyclics, the epimastigote lipid droplets (LDs) remain uncharacterized. Here, we characterized the epimastigote LDs and examined their relationship with the endocytic pathway. Fluorescence microscopy using BODIPY showed that LDs have high neutral lipid content and harbor Rab18, differently from other lipid-rich organelles (such as reservosomes). Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we observed a close relationship between LDs and the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and glycosomes. We developed a reproducible protocol to isolate LDs, and showed (by HTPLC and GC/MS analyses) that they have 89% neutral lipids and 11% phospholipids, which are likely to form the LD monolayer seen by TEM. The LD neutral lipids were mostly sterols, although triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol and free fatty acids (FFA) were also found. Endocytosis of 3H-labeled cholesterol-BSA showed that internalized cholesterol is stored in LDs mostly in the cholesteryl ester form. Together, these results suggest that exogenous cholesterol internalized by endocytosis reaches the reservosomes and is then stored into LDs after esterification.
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Kalem MC, Gerasimov ES, Vu PK, Zimmer SL. Gene expression to mitochondrial metabolism: Variability among cultured Trypanosoma cruzi strains. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197983. [PMID: 29847594 PMCID: PMC5976161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The insect-transmitted protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi experiences changes in nutrient availability and rate of flux through different metabolic pathways across its life cycle. The species encompasses much genetic diversity of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes among isolated strains. The genetic or expression variation of both genomes are likely to impact metabolic responses to environmental stimuli, and even steady state metabolic function, among strains. To begin formal characterization these differences, we compared aspects of metabolism between genetically similar strains CL Brener and Tulahuen with less similar Esmeraldo and Sylvio X10 strains in a culture environment. Epimastigotes of all strains took up glucose at similar rates. However, the degree of medium acidification that could be observed when glucose was absent from the medium varied by strain, indicating potential differences in excreted metabolic byproducts. Our main focus was differences related to electron transport chain function. We observed differences in ATP-coupled respiration and maximal respiratory capacity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial morphology between strains, despite the fact that abundances of two nuclear-encoded proteins of the electron transport chain are similar between strains. RNA sequencing reveals strain-specific differences in abundances of mRNAs encoding proteins of the respiratory chain but also other metabolic processes. From these differences in metabolism and mitochondrial phenotypes we have generated tentative models for the differential metabolic fluxes or differences in gene expression that may underlie these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murat C. Kalem
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus, Duluth, Minnesota, United States of America
| | | | - Pamela K. Vu
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Sara L. Zimmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus, Duluth, Minnesota, United States of America
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Brosson S, Bottu G, Pays E, Bousbata S, Salmon D. Identification and preliminary characterization of a putative C-type lectin receptor-like protein in the T. cruzi tomato lectin endocytic-enriched proteome. Microbiol Res 2017; 205:73-79. [PMID: 28942847 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of the Chagas' disease in Latin America undergoes a complex life cycle involving two hosts, a mammalian host and a reduviid insect vector (triatomine). In the insect midgut the parasite multiplies as epimastigote forms, which rely on endocytosis for their energy requirement. We recently showed that posttranslational modification of endocytic N-glycoproteins by tomato lectin (TL) binding-N-glycans is crucial for receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) in epimastigote forms. In an attempt to characterize the endocytic proteome we used a TL affinity chromatography, which significantly enriched glycoproteins of the trypanosomal endocytic pathway. In addition to various lysosomal hydrolases, we found an endosomal C-type lectin-like protein, which displays some structural and topological characteristics of the mammalian lectin receptor superfamily. This lectin encoding a large transmembrane protein of around 375kDa contained three putative extracellular N-terminal C-type lectin domains (CTLD) and located inside the flagellar pocket (FP)/cytostome and endosomal compartments of the insect stage of the parasite and on the surface of the plasma membrane of intracellular amastigote parasites. Noteworthy, this endogenous lectin displayed similar sugar-binding specificity to that of TL and therefore could be important in either the N-glycan mediated endocytosis or parasite adhesion to host cells. We postulated that during the evolution of trypanosomatids, genes encoding lectin harboring 3 CTDLs represent an old acquisition present in free-living, monoxenic and heteroxenic trypanosomatids, which would have been secondarily lost in extracellular parasites from the T. brucei clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Brosson
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Guy Bottu
- VIB BioInformatics Training and Services (BITS), Rijvisschestraat 126 3/R, Ghent B-9052, Belgium
| | - Etienne Pays
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Bousbata
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Didier Salmon
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Brigadeiro Trompowsky, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Brazil.
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de Lima Stein ML, Icimoto MY, de Castro Levatti EV, Oliveira V, Straus AH, Schenkman S. Characterization and role of the 3-methylglutaconyl coenzyme A hidratase in Trypanosoma brucei. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2017; 214:36-46. [PMID: 28366667 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei, the agent of African Trypanosomiasis, is a flagellated protozoan parasite that develops in tsetse flies and in the blood of various mammals. The parasite acquires nutrients such as sugars, lipids and amino acids from their hosts. Amino acids are used to generate energy and for protein and lipid synthesis. However, it is still unknown how T. brucei catabolizes most of the acquired amino acids. Here we explored the role of an enzyme of the leucine catabolism, the 3-methylglutaconyl-Coenzyme A hydratase (3-MGCoA-H). It catalyzes the hydration of 3-methylglutaconyl-Coenzyme A (3-MGCoA) into 3-hydroxymethylglutaryl-Coenzyme A (3-HMGCoA). We found that 3-MGCoA-H localizes in the mitochondrial matrix and is expressed in both insect and mammalian bloodstream forms of the parasite. The depletion of 3-MGCoA-H by RNA interference affected minimally the proliferation of both forms. However, an excess of leucine in the culture medium caused growth defects in cells depleted of 3-MGCoA-H, which could be reestablished by mevalonate, a precursor of isoprenoids and steroids. Indeed, procyclics depleted of the 3-MGCoA-H presented reduced levels of synthesized steroids relative to cholesterol that is scavenged by the parasite, and these levels were also reestablished by mevalonate. These results suggest that accumulation of leucine catabolites could affect the level of mevalonate and consequently inhibit the sterol biosynthesis, required for T. brucei growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Leão de Lima Stein
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Yudi Icimoto
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Vitor Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anita Hilda Straus
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Lysosome-like compartments of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes may originate directly from epimastigote reservosomes. Parasitology 2017; 144:841-850. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016002602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYTrypanosoma cruzi epimastigote reservosomes store nutrients taken up during the intense endocytic activity exhibited by this developmental form. Reservosomes were classified as pre-lysosomal compartments. In contrast, trypomastigote forms are not able to take up nutrients from the medium. Interestingly, trypomastigotes also have acidic organelles with the same proteases contained in epimastigote reservosomes. Nevertheless, the origin and function of these organelles have not been disclosed so far. Given the similarities between the compartments of epimastigotes and trypomastigotes, the present study aimed to investigate the origin of metacyclic trypomastigote protease-containing organelles by tracking fluorospheres or colloidal gold particles previously stored in epimastigotes’ reservosomes throughout metacyclogenesis. Using three-dimensional reconstruction of serial electron microscopy images, it was possible to find trypomastigote compartments containing the tracer. Our observations demonstrate that the protease-containing compartments from metacyclic trypomastigotes may originate directly from the reservosomes of epimastigotes.
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Vidal JC, Alcantara CDL, de Souza W, Cunha-e-Silva NL. Loss of the cytostome-cytopharynx and endocytic ability are late events in Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis. J Struct Biol 2016; 196:319-328. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Brosson S, Fontaine F, Vermeersch M, Perez-Morga D, Pays E, Bousbata S, Salmon D. Specific Endocytosis Blockade of Trypanosoma cruzi Exposed to a Poly-LAcNAc Binding Lectin Suggests that Lectin-Sugar Interactions Participate to Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163302. [PMID: 27685262 PMCID: PMC5042520 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite transmitted by a triatomine insect, and causing human Chagas disease in South America. This parasite undergoes a complex life cycle alternating between non-proliferative and dividing forms. Owing to their high energy requirement, replicative epimastigotes of the insect midgut display high endocytic activity. This activity is mainly restricted to the cytostome, by which the cargo is taken up and sorted through the endosomal vesicular network to be delivered to reservosomes, the final lysosomal-like compartments. In African trypanosomes tomato lectin (TL) and ricin, respectively specific to poly-N-acetyllactosamine (poly-LacNAc) and β-D-galactose, allowed the identification of giant chains of poly-LacNAc in N-glycoproteins of the endocytic pathway. We show that in T. cruzi epimastigote forms also, glycoproteins of the endocytic pathway are characterized by the presence of N-linked glycans binding to both ricin and TL. Affinity chromatography using both TL and Griffonia simplicifolia lectin II (GSLII), specific to non-reducing terminal residue of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), led to an enrichment of glycoproteins of the trypanosomal endocytic pathway. Incubation of live parasites with TL, which selectively bound to the cytostome/cytopharynx, specifically inhibited endocytosis of transferrin (Tf) but not dextran, a marker of fluid endocytosis. Taken together, our data suggest that N-glycan modification of endocytic components plays a crucial role in receptor-mediated endocytosis of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Brosson
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Frédéric Fontaine
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Marjorie Vermeersch
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging-CMMI, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 8 rue Adrienne Bolland, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - David Perez-Morga
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging-CMMI, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 8 rue Adrienne Bolland, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Etienne Pays
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Bousbata
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
- * E-mail: (DS); (SB)
| | - Didier Salmon
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Brigadeiro Trompowsky, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Brazil
- * E-mail: (DS); (SB)
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Lipophorin Drives Lipid Incorporation and Metabolism in Insect Trypanosomatids. Protist 2015; 166:297-309. [DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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A Novel Trypanosoma cruzi Protein Associated to the Flagellar Pocket of Replicative Stages and Involved in Parasite Growth. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130099. [PMID: 26086767 PMCID: PMC4472858 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The flagellar pocket constitutes an active and strategic site in the body of trypanosomatids (i.e. parasitic protozoa that cause important human and/or livestock diseases), which participates in several important processes such as cell polarity, morphogenesis and replication. Most importantly, the flagellar pocket is the unique site of surface protein export and nutrient uptake in trypanosomatids, and thus constitutes a key portal for the interaction with the host. In this work, we identified and characterized a novel Trypanosoma cruzi protein, termed TCLP 1, that accumulates at the flagellar pocket area of parasite replicative forms, as revealed by biochemical, immuno-cytochemistry and electron microscopy techniques. Different in silico analyses revealed that TCLP 1 is the founding member of a family of chimeric molecules restricted to trypanosomatids bearing, in addition to eukaryotic ubiquitin-like and protein-protein interacting domains, a motif displaying significant structural homology to bacterial multi-cargo chaperones involved in the secretion of virulence factors. Using the fidelity of an homologous expression system we confirmed TCLP 1 sub-cellular distribution and showed that TCLP 1-over-expressing parasites display impaired survival and accelerated progression to late stationary phase under starvation conditions. The reduced endocytic capacity of TCLP 1-over-expressors likely underlies (at least in part) this growth phenotype. TCLP 1 is involved in the uptake of extracellular macromolecules required for nutrition and hence in T. cruzi growth. Due to the bacterial origin, sub-cellular distribution and putative function(s), we propose TCLP 1 and related orthologs in trypanosomatids as appealing therapeutic targets for intervention against these health-threatening parasites.
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Pereira MG, Visbal G, Salgado LT, Vidal JC, Godinho JLP, De Cicco NNT, Atella GC, de Souza W, Cunha-e-Silva N. Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes Are Able to Manage Internal Cholesterol Levels under Nutritional Lipid Stress Conditions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128949. [PMID: 26068009 PMCID: PMC4466137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes store high amounts of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in reservosomes. These unique organelles are responsible for cellular digestion by providing substrates for homeostasis and parasite differentiation. Here we demonstrate that under nutritional lipid stress, epimastigotes preferentially mobilized reservosome lipid stocks, instead of lipid bodies, leading to the consumption of parasite cholesterol reservoirs and production of ergosterol. Starved epimastigotes acquired more LDL-NBD-cholesterol by endocytosis and distributed the exogenous cholesterol to their membranes faster than control parasites. Moreover, the parasites were able to manage internal cholesterol levels, alternating between consumption and accumulation. With normal lipid availability, parasites esterified cholesterol exhibiting an ACAT-like activity that was sensitive to Avasimibe in a dose-dependent manner. This result also implies that exogenous cholesterol has a role in lipid reservoirs in epimastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miria Gomes Pereira
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídios e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Gonzalo Visbal
- Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia—INMETRO, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Leonardo T. Salgado
- Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Juliana Cunha Vidal
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Joseane L. P. Godinho
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Nuccia N. T. De Cicco
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídios e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Geórgia C. Atella
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídios e Lipoproteínas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia—INMETRO, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Narcisa Cunha-e-Silva
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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Batista CM, Kessler RL, Eger I, Soares MJ. Trypanosoma cruzi Intracellular Amastigotes Isolated by Nitrogen Decompression Are Capable of Endocytosis and Cargo Storage in Reservosomes. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130165. [PMID: 26057131 PMCID: PMC4461355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (the etiologic agent of Chagas disease) internalize and store extracellular macromolecules in lysosome-related organelles (LROs) called reservosomes, which are positive for the cysteine protease cruzipain. Despite the importance of endocytosis for cell proliferation, macromolecule internalization remains poorly understood in the most clinically relevant proliferative form, the intracellular amastigotes found in mammalian hosts. The main obstacle was the lack of a simple method to isolate viable intracellular amastigotes from host cells. In this work we describe the fast and efficient isolation of viable intracellular amastigotes by nitrogen decompression (cavitation), which allowed the analysis of amastigote endocytosis, with direct visualization of internalized cargo inside the cells. The method routinely yielded 5x107 amastigotes—with typical shape and positive for the amastigote marker Ssp4—from 5x106 infected Vero cells (48h post-infection). We could visualize the endocytosis of fluorescently-labeled transferrin and albumin by isolated intracellular amastigotes using immunofluorescence microscopy; however, only transferrin endocytosis was detected by flow cytometry (and was also analyzed by western blotting), suggesting that amastigotes internalized relatively low levels of albumin. Transferrin binding to the surface of amastigotes (at 4°C) and its uptake (at 37°C) were confirmed by binding dissociation assays using acetic acid. Importantly, both transferrin and albumin co-localized with cruzipain in amastigote LROs. Our data show that isolated T. cruzi intracellular amastigotes actively ingest macromolecules from the environment and store them in cruzipain-positive LROs functionally related to epimastigote reservosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassiano Martin Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas/Fiocruz-PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Rafael Luis Kessler
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional, Instituto Carlos Chagas/Fiocruz-PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Iriane Eger
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas/Fiocruz-PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Maurilio José Soares
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas/Fiocruz-PR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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Strategies of Intracellular Pathogens for Obtaining Iron from the Environment. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:476534. [PMID: 26120582 PMCID: PMC4450229 DOI: 10.1155/2015/476534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Most microorganisms are destroyed by the host tissues through processes that usually involve phagocytosis and lysosomal disruption. However, some organisms, called intracellular pathogens, are capable of avoiding destruction by growing inside macrophages or other cells. During infection with intracellular pathogenic microorganisms, the element iron is required by both the host cell and the pathogen that inhabits the host cell. This minireview focuses on how intracellular pathogens use multiple strategies to obtain nutritional iron from the intracellular environment in order to use this element for replication. Additionally, the implications of these mechanisms for iron acquisition in the pathogen-host relationship are discussed.
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Trypanosoma cruzi infection and host lipid metabolism. Mediators Inflamm 2014; 2014:902038. [PMID: 25276058 PMCID: PMC4168237 DOI: 10.1155/2014/902038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease. Approximately 8 million people are thought to be affected worldwide. Several players in host lipid metabolism have been implicated in T. cruzi-host interactions in recent research, including macrophages, adipocytes, low density lipoprotein (LDL), low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and high density lipoprotein (HDL). All of these factors are required to maintain host lipid homeostasis and are intricately connected via several metabolic pathways. We reviewed the interaction of T. cruzi with each of the relevant host components, in order to further understand the roles of host lipid metabolism in T. cruzi infection. This review sheds light on the potential impact of T. cruzi infection on the status of host lipid homeostasis.
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Uttaro AD. Acquisition and biosynthesis of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids by trypanosomatids. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2014; 196:61-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Abstract
Background Clathrin-mediated vesicular trafficking, the mechanism by which proteins and lipids are transported between membrane-bound organelles, accounts for a large proportion of import from the plasma membrane (endocytosis) and transport from the trans-Golgi network towards the endosomal system. Clathrin-mediated events are still poorly understood in the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in Latin America. In this study, clathrin heavy (TcCHC) and light (TcCLC) chain gene expression and protein localization were investigated in different developmental forms of T. cruzi (epimastigotes, trypomastigotes and amastigotes), using both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies raised against T. cruzi recombinant proteins. Results Analysis by confocal microscopy revealed an accumulation of TcCHC and TcCLC at the cell anterior, where the flagellar pocket and Golgi complex are located. TcCLC partially colocalized with the Golgi marker TcRAB7-GFP and with ingested albumin, but did not colocalize with transferrin, a protein mostly ingested via uncoated vesicles at the cytostome/cytopharynx complex. Conclusion Clathrin heavy and light chains are expressed in T. cruzi. Both proteins typically localize anterior to the kinetoplast, at the flagellar pocket and Golgi complex region. Our data also indicate that in T. cruzi epimastigotes clathrin-mediated endocytosis of albumin occurs at the flagellar pocket, while clathrin-independent endocytosis of transferrin occurs at the cytostome/cytopharynx complex.
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mAb CZP-315.D9: an antirecombinant cruzipain monoclonal antibody that specifically labels the reservosomes of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:714749. [PMID: 24587988 PMCID: PMC3920967 DOI: 10.1155/2014/714749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Reservosomes are large round vesicles located at the posterior end of epimastigote forms of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. They are the specific end organelles of the endocytosis pathway of T. cruzi, and they play key roles in nutrient uptake and cell differentiation. These lysosome-like organelles accumulate ingested macromolecules and contain large amounts of a major cysteine proteinase (cruzipain or GP57/51 protein). Aim of this study was to produce a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against a recombinant T. cruzi cruzipain (TcCruzipain) that specifically labels the reservosomes. BALB/c mice were immunized with purified recombinant TcCruzipain to obtain the mAb. After fusion of isolated splenocytes with myeloma cells and screening, a mAb was obtained by limiting dilution and characterized by capture ELISA. We report here the production of a kappa-positive monoclonal IgG antibody (mAb CZP-315.D9) that recognizes recombinant TcCruzipain. This mAb binds preferentially to a protein with a molecular weight of about 50 kDa on western blots and specifically labels reservosomes by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. The monoclonal CZP-315.D9 constitutes a potentially powerful marker for use in studies on the function of reservosomes of T. cruzi.
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Alcantara CDL, Vidal JC, de Souza W, Cunha-e-Silva NL. The three-dimensional structure of the cytostome-cytopharinx complex of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. J Cell Sci 2014; 127:2227-37. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.135491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytostome-cytopharinx complex is the main site of endocytosis of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Little is known about the detailed morphology of this remarkable structure. We used serial electron tomography and focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy to reconstruct the entire complex, including the surrounding cytoskeleton and vesicles. Focusing on cells that had taken up gold-labeled tracers, we produced 3D snapshots of the process of endocytosis. The cytostome cytoskeleton was composed of two microtubule sets: a triplet that started underneath the cytostome membrane and a quartet that originated underneath the flagellar pocket membrane and followed the preoral ridge before reaching the cytopharinx. The two sets accompanied the cytopharinx forming a ‘gutter’ and leaving a microtubule-free side, where vesicles were found associated. Cargo was unevenly distributed along the lumen of the cytopharinx, forming clusters. The cytopharinx was slightly longer in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, although it did not reach post nuclear region due to a bend in its path. Therefore, the cytopharinx is a dynamic structure, undergoing remodeling, likely associated with endocytic activity and the preparation for cell division.
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Rodrigues JCF, Godinho JLP, de Souza W. Biology of human pathogenic trypanosomatids: epidemiology, lifecycle and ultrastructure. Subcell Biochem 2014; 74:1-42. [PMID: 24264239 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7305-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania and Trypanosoma belong to the Trypanosomatidae family and cause important human infections such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness. Leishmaniasis, caused by protozoa belonging to Leishmania, affects about 12 million people worldwide and can present different clinical manifestations, i.e., visceral leishmaniasis (VL), cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL), diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL), and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and is mainly prevalent in Latin America but is increasingly occurring in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by two sub-species of Trypanosoma brucei (i.e., T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense), occurs only in sub-Saharan Africa countries. These pathogenic trypanosomatids alternate between invertebrate and vertebrate hosts throughout their lifecycles, and different developmental stages can live inside the host cells and circulate in the bloodstream or in the insect gut. Trypanosomatids have a classical eukaryotic ultrastructural organization with some of the same main organelles found in mammalian host cells, while also containing special structures and organelles that are absent in other eukaryotic organisms. For example, the mitochondrion is ramified and contains a region known as the kinetoplast, which houses the mitochondrial DNA. Also, the glycosomes are specialized peroxisomes containing glycolytic pathway enzymes. Moreover, a layer of subpellicular microtubules confers mechanic rigidity to the cell. Some of these structures have been investigated to determine their function and identify potential enzymes and metabolic pathways that may constitute targets for new chemotherapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliany Cola Fernandes Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
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Extracellular vesicles shed by Trypanosoma cruzi are linked to small RNA pathways, life cycle regulation, and susceptibility to infection of mammalian cells. Parasitol Res 2013; 113:285-304. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3655-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Kessler RL, Soares MJ, Probst CM, Krieger MA. Trypanosoma cruzi response to sterol biosynthesis inhibitors: morphophysiological alterations leading to cell death. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55497. [PMID: 23383204 PMCID: PMC3561218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi displays similarities to fungi in terms of its sterol lipid biosynthesis, as ergosterol and other 24-alkylated sterols are its principal endogenous sterols. The sterol pathway is thus a potential drug target for the treatment of Chagas disease. We describe here a comparative study of the growth inhibition, ultrastructural and physiological changes leading to the death of T. cruzi cells following treatment with the sterol biosynthesis inhibitors (SBIs) ketoconazole and lovastatin. We first calculated the drug concentration inhibiting epimastigote growth by 50% (EC(50)/72 h) or killing all cells within 24 hours (EC(100)/24 h). Incubation with inhibitors at the EC(50)/72 h resulted in interesting morphological changes: intense proliferation of the inner mitochondrial membrane, which was corroborated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy of the parasites stained with rhodamine 123, and strong swelling of the reservosomes, which was confirmed by acridine orange staining. These changes to the mitochondria and reservosomes may reflect the involvement of these organelles in ergosterol biosynthesis or the progressive autophagic process culminating in cell lysis after 6 to 7 days of treatment with SBIs at the EC(50)/72 h. By contrast, treatment with SBIs at the EC(100)/24 h resulted in rapid cell death with a necrotic phenotype: time-dependent cytosolic calcium overload, mitochondrial depolarization and reservosome membrane permeabilization (RMP), culminating in cell lysis after a few hours of drug exposure. We provide the first demonstration that RMP constitutes the "point of no return" in the cell death cascade, and propose a model for the necrotic cell death of T. cruzi. Thus, SBIs trigger cell death by different mechanisms, depending on the dose used, in T. cruzi. These findings shed new light on ergosterol biosynthesis and the mechanisms of programmed cell death in this ancient protozoan parasite.
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Eger I, Soares MJ. Endocytosis in Trypanosoma cruzi (Euglenozoa: Kinetoplastea) epimastigotes: visualization of ingested transferrin-gold nanoparticle complexes by confocal laser microscopy. J Microbiol Methods 2012; 91:101-5. [PMID: 22820201 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/09/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Here we describe the visualization by confocal microscopy of ingested gold (15 nm)-labeled transferrin in epimastigote forms of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Intracellular gold labeling was evident at two sites, which represent the bottom of the cytopharynx and the reservosomes. The gold tracer was best observed by confocal microscopy by using the 633 nm excitation wavelength. Intracellular gold clusters larger than 60 nm could be visualized by either gold reflection (light scattering) or photoluminescence modes. The gold reflection mode, the gold photoluminescence mode and the anti-transferrin immunofluorescence image of gold-labeled transferrin showed co-localization, thus demonstrating that the gold visualization modes did not represent artifacts or mislocalization of the biomarker. Visualization of protein-gold nanoparticle complexes by confocal microscopy thus emerges as a promising imaging tool to explore the endocytic pathway in trypanosomes and other cell types, as well as to perform immunolocalization studies using gold-labeled secondary antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iriane Eger
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas/Fiocruz, 81.350-010 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
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De Cicco NNT, Pereira MG, Corrêa JR, Andrade-Neto VV, Saraiva FB, Chagas-Lima AC, Gondim KC, Torres-Santos EC, Folly E, Saraiva EM, Cunha-E-Silva NL, Soares MJ, Atella GC. LDL uptake by Leishmania amazonensis: involvement of membrane lipid microdomains. Exp Parasitol 2012; 130:330-40. [PMID: 22381219 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2012.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2011] [Revised: 02/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania amazonensis lacks a de novo mechanism for cholesterol synthesis and therefore must scavenge this lipid from the host environment. In this study we show that the L. amazonensis takes up and metabolizes human LDL(1) particles in both a time and dose-dependent manner. This mechanism implies the presence of a true LDL receptor because the uptake is blocked by both low temperature and by the excess of non-labelled LDL. This receptor is probably associated with specific microdomains in the membrane of the parasite, such as rafts, because this process is blocked by methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MCBD). Cholesteryl ester fluorescently-labeled LDL (BODIPY-cholesteryl-LDL) was used to follow the intracellular distribution of this lipid. After uptake it was localized in large compartments along the parasite body. The accumulation of LDL was analyzed by flow cytometry using FITC-labeled LDL particles. Together these data show for the first time that L. amazonensis is able to compensate for its lack of lipid synthesis through the use of a lipid importing machinery largely based on the uptake of LDL particles from the host. Understanding the details of the molecular events involved in this mechanism may lead to the identification of novel targets to block Leishmania infection in human hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuccia N T De Cicco
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21.941-902, Brazil
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Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes are able to store and mobilize high amounts of cholesterol in reservosome lipid inclusions. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22359. [PMID: 21818313 PMCID: PMC3144899 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2010] [Accepted: 06/26/2011] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reservosomes are lysosome-related organelles found in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. They represent the last step in epimastigote endocytic route, accumulating a set of proteins and enzymes related to protein digestion and lipid metabolism. The reservosome matrix contains planar membranes, vesicles and lipid inclusions. Some of the latter may assume rectangular or sword-shaped crystalloid forms surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer, resembling the cholesterol crystals in foam cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using Nile Red fluorimetry and fluorescence microscopy, as well as electron microscopy, we have established a direct correlation between serum concentration in culture medium and the presence of crystalloid lipid inclusions. Starting from a reservosome purified fraction, we have developed a fractionation protocol to isolate lipid inclusions. Gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that lipid inclusions are composed mainly by cholesterol and cholesterol esters. Moreover, when the parasites with crystalloid lipid-loaded reservosomes were maintained in serum free medium for 48 hours the inclusions disappeared almost completely, including the sword shaped ones. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Taken together, our results suggest that epimastigote forms of T. cruzi store high amounts of neutral lipids from extracellular medium, mostly cholesterol or cholesterol esters inside reservosomes. Interestingly, the parasites are able to disassemble the reservosome cholesterol crystalloid inclusions when submitted to serum starvation.
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Attachment of flagellum to the cell body is important to the kinetics of transferrin uptake by Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitol Int 2010; 59:629-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2010.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2010] [Revised: 07/20/2010] [Accepted: 07/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Capriles PVSZ, Guimarães ACR, Otto TD, Miranda AB, Dardenne LE, Degrave WM. Structural modelling and comparative analysis of homologous, analogous and specific proteins from Trypanosoma cruzi versus Homo sapiens: putative drug targets for chagas' disease treatment. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:610. [PMID: 21034488 PMCID: PMC3091751 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2010] [Accepted: 10/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, an endemic infection that causes thousands of deaths every year in Latin America. Therapeutic options remain inefficient, demanding the search for new drugs and/or new molecular targets. Such efforts can focus on proteins that are specific to the parasite, but analogous enzymes and enzymes with a three-dimensional (3D) structure sufficiently different from the corresponding host proteins may represent equally interesting targets. In order to find these targets we used the workflows MHOLline and AnEnΠ obtaining 3D models from homologous, analogous and specific proteins of Trypanosoma cruzi versus Homo sapiens. Results We applied genome wide comparative modelling techniques to obtain 3D models for 3,286 predicted proteins of T. cruzi. In combination with comparative genome analysis to Homo sapiens, we were able to identify a subset of 397 enzyme sequences, of which 356 are homologous, 3 analogous and 38 specific to the parasite. Conclusions In this work, we present a set of 397 enzyme models of T. cruzi that can constitute potential structure-based drug targets to be investigated for the development of new strategies to fight Chagas' disease. The strategies presented here support the concept of structural analysis in conjunction with protein functional analysis as an interesting computational methodology to detect potential targets for structure-based rational drug design. For example, 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (EC 1.3.1.34) and triacylglycerol lipase (EC 3.1.1.3), classified as analogous proteins in relation to H. sapiens enzymes, were identified as new potential molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila V S Z Capriles
- Grupo de Modelagem Molecular de Sistemas Biológicos, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, LNCC/MCT, Petrópolis, CEP 25651-075, Brazil.
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Abstract
Iron is almost ubiquitous in living organisms due to the utility of its redox chemistry. It is also dangerous as it can catalyse the formation of reactive free radicals - a classical double-edged sword. In this review, we examine the uptake and usage of iron by trypanosomatids and discuss how modulation of host iron metabolism plays an important role in the protective response. Trypanosomatids require iron for crucial processes including DNA replication, antioxidant defence, mitochondrial respiration, synthesis of the modified base J and, in African trypanosomes, the alternative oxidase. The source of iron varies between species. Bloodstream-form African trypanosomes acquire iron from their host by uptake of transferrin, and Leishmania amazonensis expresses a ZIP family cation transporter in the plasma membrane. In other trypanosomatids, iron uptake has been poorly characterized. Iron-withholding responses by the host can be a major determinant of disease outcome. Their role in trypanosomatid infections is becoming apparent. For example, the cytosolic sequestration properties of NRAMP1, confer resistance against leishmaniasis. Conversely, cytoplasmic sequestration of iron may be favourable rather than detrimental to Trypanosoma cruzi. The central role of iron in both parasite metabolism and the host response is attracting interest as a possible point of therapeutic intervention.
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