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Karaaslan H, Walker AR, Gil-Bona A, Depalle B, Bidlack FB. Posteruptive Loss of Enamel Proteins Concurs with Gain in Enamel Hardness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.23.595034. [PMID: 38979313 PMCID: PMC11230172 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.23.595034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Tooth enamel maturation requires the removal of proteins from the mineralizing enamel matrix to allow for crystallite growth until full hardness is reached to meet the mechanical needs of mastication. While this process takes up to several years in humans before the tooth erupts, it is greatly accelerated in in the faster developing pig. As a result, pig teeth erupt with softer, protein-rich enamel that is similar to hypomineralized human enamel but continues to harden quickly after eruption.Proteins, such as albumin, that bind to enamel crystals and prevent crystal growth and enamel hardening have been suggested as cause for hypomineralized human enamel that does not naturally harden after eruption. However, albumin is abundant in pig enamel. It is unclear whether fast posteruptive enamel hardening in pigs occurs despite the high protein content or requires a facilitated protein loss to allow for crystal growth. This study asked how the protein content in porcine enamel changes after eruption in relation to saliva. Based on previous data demonstrating the high albumin content in erupted porcine enamel, we hypothesize that following pre-eruptive maturation, enamel and saliva derived enzymes facilitate protein removal from porcine enamel after eruption. We analyzed enamel and the saliva proteome at three critical timepoints: at the time of tooth eruption, 2 weeks after eruption, and enamel 6 weeks after eruption. We used only fourth deciduous premolars and saliva samples from animals sacrificed at the respective time points to determine the organic content in tooth enamel, saliva, and saliva proteins within enamel. We found a decrease in the number of proteins and their abundancy in enamel with posteruptive time, including a decrease in serum albumin within enamel. The rapid decrease in the first two weeks is in line with previously reported rapid increase in mineral density of porcine enamel after eruption. In addition to the enamel proteases KLK-4 and MMP-20, we identified serine-, cysteine-, aspartic-, and metalloproteases. Some of these were only identified in enamel, while almost half of the enzymes are in common with saliva at all timepoints. Our findings suggest that the fast posteruptive enamel maturation in the porcine model coincides with saliva exchange and influx of saliva enzymes into porous enamel.
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Martinez-Castillo M, Ramírez-Rico G, Shibayama M, de la Garza M, Serrano-Luna J. Lactoferrin and Lysozyme Inhibit the Proteolytic Activity and Cytopathic Effect of Naegleria fowleri Enzymes. Pathogens 2024; 13:44. [PMID: 38251351 PMCID: PMC10819050 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a ubiquitous free-living amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. As a part of the innate immune response at the mucosal level, the proteins lactoferrin (Lf) and lysozyme (Lz) are secreted and eliminate various microorganisms. We demonstrate that N. fowleri survives the individual and combined effects of bovine milk Lf (bLf) and chicken egg Lz (cLz). Moreover, amoebic proliferation was not altered, even at 24 h of co-incubation with each protein. Trophozoites' ultrastructure was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy, and these proteins did not significantly alter their organelles and cytoplasmic membranes. Protease analysis using gelatin-zymograms showed that secreted proteases of N. fowleri were differentially modulated by bLf and cLz at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h. The bLf and cLz combination resulted in the inhibition of N. fowleri-secreted proteases. Additionally, the use of protease inhibitors on bLf-zymograms demonstrated that secreted cysteine proteases participate in the degradation of bLf. Nevertheless, the co-incubation of trophozoites with bLf and/or cLz reduced the cytopathic effect on the MDCK cell line. Our study suggests that bLf and cLz, alone or together, inhibited secreted proteases and reduced the cytopathic effect produced by N. fowleri; however, they do not affect the viability and proliferation of the trophozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moises Martinez-Castillo
- Liver, Pancreas and Motility Laboratory, Unit of Research in Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 06720, Mexico;
| | - Gerardo Ramírez-Rico
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (G.R.-R.); (M.d.l.G.)
- Faculty of Professional Studies Cuautitlan, Autonomous National University of Mexico, Mexico City 54714, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Mireya de la Garza
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (G.R.-R.); (M.d.l.G.)
| | - Jesús Serrano-Luna
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (G.R.-R.); (M.d.l.G.)
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3
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Yan SW, Cheng YK, Lu QQ, Zhang R, Dan Liu R, Long SR, Wang ZQ, Cui J. Characterization of a novel dipeptidyl peptidase 1 of Trichinella spiralis and its participation in larval invasion. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107076. [PMID: 37977254 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107076] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The research aimed to describe a new Trichinella spiralis dipeptidyl peptidase 1 (TsDPP1) and investigate its functions in the larval invasion of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). The gene TsDPP1 was successfully replicated and produced in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), showing a strong immune response. TsDPP1 was detected in diverse stages of T. spiralis and showed significant expression in the intestine infective larvae (IIL) and adult worms at 6 days post infection, as confirmed by qPCR and Western blot analysis. The primary localization of TsDPP1 in this parasite was observed in cuticles, stichosomes, and embryos by using the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA). rTsDPP1 exhibited the enzymatic function of natural dipeptidyl peptidase and showed specific binding to IECs, and the binding site was found to be localized on cell membrane. Following transfection with dsRNA-TsDPP1, the expression of TsDPP1 mRNA and protein in muscle larvae (ML) were decreased by approximately 63.52 % and 58.68 %, correspondingly. The activity of TsDPP1 in the ML and IIL treated with dsRNA-TsDPP1 was reduced by 42.98 % and 45.07 %, respectively. The acceleration of larval invasion of IECs was observed with rTsDPP1, while the invasion was suppressed by anti-rTsDPP1 serum. The ability of the larvae treated with dsRNA-TsDPP1 to invade IECs was hindered by 31.23 %. In mice infected with dsRNA-treated ML, the intestinal IIL, and adults experienced a significant decrease in worm burdens and a noticeable reduction in adult female length and fecundity compared to the PBS group. These findings indicated that TsDPP1 significantly impedes the invasion, growth, and reproductive capacity of T. spiralis in intestines, suggesting its potential as a target for anti-Trichinella vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Wei Yan
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Yong Kang Cheng
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Qi Qi Lu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Ru Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Ruo Dan Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Shao Rong Long
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China
| | - Zhong Quan Wang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China.
| | - Jing Cui
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, PR China.
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4
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Sharma V, Madia VN, Tudino V, Nguyen JV, Debnath A, Messore A, Ialongo D, Patacchini E, Palenca I, Basili Franzin S, Seguella L, Esposito G, Petrucci R, Di Matteo P, Bortolami M, Saccoliti F, Di Santo R, Scipione L, Costi R, Podust LM. Miconazole-like Scaffold is a Promising Lead for Naegleria fowleri-Specific CYP51 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:17059-17073. [PMID: 38085955 PMCID: PMC10758121 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Developing drugs for brain infection by Naegleria fowleri is an unmet medical need. We used a combination of cheminformatics, target-, and phenotypic-based drug discovery methods to identify inhibitors that target an essential N. fowleri enzyme, sterol 14-demethylase (NfCYP51). A total of 124 compounds preselected in silico were tested against N. fowleri. Nine primary hits with EC50 ≤ 10 μM were phenotypically identified. Cocrystallization with NfCYP51 focused attention on one primary hit, miconazole-like compound 2a. The S-enantiomer of 2a produced a 1.74 Å cocrystal structure. A set of analogues was then synthesized and evaluated to confirm the superiority of the S-configuration over the R-configuration and the advantage of an ether linkage over an ester linkage. The two compounds, S-8b and S-9b, had an improved EC50 and KD compared to 2a. Importantly, both were readily taken up into the brain. The brain-to-plasma distribution coefficient of S-9b was 1.02 ± 0.12, suggesting further evaluation as a lead for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandna Sharma
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Valentina Noemi Madia
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Valeria Tudino
- Dipartimento
di Biotecnologie, Università degli
Studi di Siena, Chimica e Farmacia via Aldo Moro 2, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Jennifer V. Nguyen
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Antonella Messore
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Davide Ialongo
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Elisa Patacchini
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Irene Palenca
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Silvia Basili Franzin
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Luisa Seguella
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Esposito
- Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, “Sapienza″ Università di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Rita Petrucci
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Paola Di Matteo
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Martina Bortolami
- Dipartimento
di Scienze di Base e Applicate per l’Ingegneria, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Via Castro Laurenziano 7, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Francesco Saccoliti
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Italian
Institute of Technology, Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Santo
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Luigi Scipione
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Roberta Costi
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci
Bolognetti, “Sapienza” Università
di Roma, p.le Aldo Moro 5, Rome I-00185, Italy
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery
and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University
of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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5
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Yang N, Matthew MA, Yao C. Roles of Cysteine Proteases in Biology and Pathogenesis of Parasites. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1397. [PMID: 37374899 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cysteine proteases, also known as thiol proteases, are a class of nucleophilic proteolytic enzymes containing cysteine residues in the enzymatic domain. These proteases generally play a pivotal role in many biological reactions, such as catabolic functions and protein processing, in all living organisms. They specifically take part in many important biological processes, especially in the absorption of nutrients, invasion, virulence, and immune evasion of parasitic organisms from unicellular protozoa to multicellular helminths. They can also be used as parasite diagnostic antigens and targets for gene modification and chemotherapy, as well as vaccine candidates, due to their species and even life-cycle stage specificity. This article highlights current knowledge on parasitic cysteine protease types, biological functions, and their applications in immunodiagnosis and chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawu Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Maurice A Matthew
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chaoqun Yao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
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6
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Ahmed U, Manzoor M, Qureshi S, Mazhar M, Fatima A, Aurangzeb S, Hamid M, Khan KM, Khan NA, Rashid Y, Anwar A. Anti-amoebic effects of synthetic acridine-9(10H)-one against brain-eating amoebae. Acta Trop 2023; 239:106824. [PMID: 36610529 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic A. castellanii and N. fowleri are opportunistic free-living amoebae. Acanthamoeba spp. are the causative agents of granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) and amebic keratitis (AK), whereas Naegleria fowleri causes a very rare but severe brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Acridinone is an important heterocyclic scaffold and both synthetic and naturally occurring derivatives have shown various valuable biological properties. In the present study, ten synthetic Acridinone derivatives (I-X) were synthesized and assessed against both amoebae for anti-amoebic and cysticidal activities in vitro. In addition, excystation, encystation, cytotoxicity, host cell pathogenicity was also performed in-vitro. Furthermore, molecular docking studies of these compounds with three cathepsin B paralogous enzymes of N. fowleri were performed in order to predict the possible docking mode with pathogen. Compound VII showed potent anti-amoebic activity against A. castellanii with IC50 53.46 µg/mL, while compound IX showed strong activity against N. fowleri in vitro with IC50 72.41 µg/mL. Compounds II and VII showed a significant inhibition of phenotypic alteration of A. castellanii, while compound VIII significantly inhibited N. fowleri cysts. Cytotoxicity assessment showed that these compounds caused minimum damage to human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT cells) at 100 µg/mL, while also effectively reduced the cytopathogenicity of Acanthamoeba to HaCaT cells. Moreover, Cathepsin B protease was investigated in-silico as a new molecular therapeutic target for these compounds. All compounds showed potential interactions with the catalytic residues. These results showed that acridine-9(10H)-one derivatives, in particular compounds II, VII, VIII and IX hold promise in the development of therapeutic agents against these free-living amoebae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mehwish Manzoor
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Qureshi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muzna Mazhar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Arj Fatima
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aurangzeb
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mehwish Hamid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Mohammed Khan
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan; Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, University City, United Arab Emirates; Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey
| | - Yasmeen Rashid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
| | - Ayaz Anwar
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
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7
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Rodríguez-Mera IB, Carrasco-Yépez MM, Vásquez-Moctezuma I, Correa-Basurto J, Salinas GR, Castillo-Ramírez DA, Rosales-Cruz É, Rojas-Hernández S. Role of cathepsin B of Naegleria fowleri during primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3287-3303. [PMID: 36125528 PMCID: PMC9485797 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07660-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in humans and experimental animals. It has been suggested that cysteine proteases of parasites play key roles in metabolism, nutrient uptake, host tissue invasion, and immune evasion. The aim of this work was to evaluate the presence, expression, and role of cathepsin B from N. fowleri in vitro and during PAM. Rabbit-specific polyclonal antibodies against cathepsin B were obtained from rabbit immunization with a synthetic peptide obtained by bioinformatic design. In addition, a probe was designed from mRNA for N. fowleri cathepsin B. Both protein and messenger were detected in fixed trophozoites, trophozoites interacted with polymorphonuclear and histological sections of infected mice. The main cathepsin B distribution was observed in cytoplasm or membrane mainly pseudopods and food-cups while messenger was in nucleus and cytoplasm. Surprisingly, both the messenger and enzyme were observed in extracellular medium. To determine cathepsin B release, we used trophozoites supernatant recovered from nasal passages or brain of infected mice. We observed the highest release in supernatant from recovered brain amoebae, and when we analyzed molecular weight of secreted proteins by immunoblot, we found 30 and 37 kDa bands which were highly immunogenic. Finally, role of cathepsin B during N. fowleri infection was determined; we preincubated trophozoites with E-64, pHMB or antibodies with which we obtained 60%, 100%, and 60% of survival, respectively, in infected mice. These results suggest that cathepsin B plays a role during pathogenesis caused by N. fowleri mainly in adhesion and contributes to nervous tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzel Berenice Rodríguez-Mera
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Díaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de México, CDMX, 11340, México
| | - María Maricela Carrasco-Yépez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Estado de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Grupo CyMA, UIICSE, FES Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, México
| | - Ismael Vásquez-Moctezuma
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - José Correa-Basurto
- Laboratorio de Modelado Molecular y Diseño de Fármacos, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Gema Ramírez- Salinas
- Laboratorio de Modelado Molecular y Diseño de Fármacos, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Diego Arturo Castillo-Ramírez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Díaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de México, CDMX, 11340, México
| | - Érika Rosales-Cruz
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Díaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de México, CDMX, 11340, México.
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8
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Lê HG, Kang JM, Võ TC, Na BK. Naegleria fowleri Cathepsin B Induces a Pro-Inflammatory Immune Response in BV-2 Microglial Cells via NF-κB and AP-1 Dependent-MAPK Signaling Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158388. [PMID: 35955520 PMCID: PMC9369353 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a ubiquitous protozoa parasite that can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a fatal brain infection in humans. Cathepsin Bs of N. fowleri (NfCBs) are multifamily enzymes. Although their pathogenic mechanism in PAM is not clearly understood yet, NfCBs have been proposed as pathogenic factors involved in the pathogenicity of amoeba. In this study, the immune response of BV-2 microglial cells induced by NfCB was analyzed. Recombinant NfCB (rNfCB) evoked enhanced expressions of TLR-2, TLR-4, and MyD88 in BV-2 microglial cells. This enzyme also induced an elevated production of several pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and iNOS in cells. The inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including JNK, p38, and ERK, effectively reduced the production of these pro-inflammatory cytokines. The rNfCB-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in BV-2 microglial cells was suppressed by inhibiting NF-kB and AP-1. Phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 in cells were also enhanced by rNfCB. These results suggest that NfCB can induce a pro-inflammatory immune response in BV-2 microglial cells via the NF-κB- and AP-1-dependent MAPK signaling pathways. Such a NfCB-induced pro-inflammatory immune response in BV-2 microglial cells might contribute to the pathogenesis of PAM caused by amoeba, by exacerbating deleterious immune responses and tissue damages in N. fowleri-infected foci of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; (H.G.L.); (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; (H.G.L.); (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; (H.G.L.); (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea; (H.G.L.); (J.-M.K.); (T.C.V.)
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Correspondence:
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9
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Comparative transcriptome profiling of virulent and avirulent isolates of Neoparamoeba perurans. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5860. [PMID: 35393457 PMCID: PMC8989968 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09806-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoparamoeba perurans, the aetiological agent of amoebic gill disease, remains a persistent threat to Atlantic salmon mariculture operations worldwide. Innovation in methods of AGD control is required yet constrained by a limited understanding of the mechanisms of amoebic gill disease pathogenesis. In the current study, a comparative transcriptome analysis of two N. perurans isolates of contrasting virulence phenotypes is presented using gill-associated, virulent (wild type) isolates, and in vitro cultured, avirulent (clonal) isolates. Differential gene expression analysis identified a total of 21,198 differentially expressed genes between the wild type and clonal isolates, with 5674 of these genes upregulated in wild type N. perurans. Gene set enrichment analysis predicted gene sets enriched in the wild type isolates including, although not limited to, cortical actin cytoskeleton, pseudopodia, phagocytosis, macropinocytic cup, and fatty acid beta-oxidation. Combined, the results from these analyses suggest that upregulated gene expression associated with lipid metabolism, oxidative stress response, protease activity, and cytoskeleton reorganisation is linked to pathogenicity in wild type N. perurans. These findings provide a foundation for future AGD research and the development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic AGD control measures for commercial aquaculture.
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Xie Y, Xiao J, Zhou X, Gu X, He R, Xu J, Jing B, Peng X, Yang G. Global transcriptome landscape of the rabbit protozoan parasite Eimeria stiedae. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:308. [PMID: 34099031 PMCID: PMC8186055 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04811-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria stiedae is a widespread and economically significant disease of rabbits. The lack of studies on the life-cycle development and host interactions of E. stiedae at the molecular level has hampered our understanding of its pathogenesis. Methods In this study, we present a comprehensive transcriptome landscape of E. stiedae to illustrate its dynamic development from unsporulated oocysts to sporulated oocysts, merozoites, and gametocytes, and to identify genes related to parasite-host interactions during parasitism using combined PacBio single-molecule real-time and Illumina RNA sequencing followed by bioinformatics analysis and qRT-PCR validation. Results In total, 12,582 non-redundant full-length transcripts were generated with an average length of 1808 bp from the life-cycle stages of E. stiedae. Pairwise comparisons between stages revealed 8775 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showing highly significant description changes, which compiled a snapshot of the mechanisms underlining asexual and sexual biology of E. stiedae including oocyst sporulation between unsporulated and sporulated oocysts; merozoite replication between sporulated oocysts and merozoites; and gametophyte development and gamete generation between merozoites and gametocytes. Further, 248 DEGs were grouped into nine series clusters and five groups by expression patterns, and showed that parasite–host interaction-related genes predominated in merozoites and gametocytes and were mostly involved in steroid biosynthesis and lipid metabolism and carboxylic acid. Additionally, co-expression analyses identified genes associated with development and host invasion in unsporulated and sporulated oocysts and immune interactions during gametocyte parasitism. Conclusions This is the first study, to our knowledge, to use the global transcriptome profiles to decipher molecular changes across the E. stiedae life cycle, and these results not only provide important information for the molecular characterization of E. stiedae, but also offer valuable resources to study other apicomplexan parasites with veterinary and public significance. Graphic Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04811-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Xie
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaobin Gu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Ran He
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Bo Jing
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuerong Peng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Life and Basic Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
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Botwright NA, Mohamed AR, Slinger J, Lima PC, Wynne JW. Host-Parasite Interaction of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) and the Ectoparasite Neoparamoeba perurans in Amoebic Gill Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:672700. [PMID: 34135900 PMCID: PMC8202022 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.672700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are susceptible to recurrent amoebic gill disease (AGD) caused by the ectoparasite Neoparamoeba perurans over the growout production cycle. The parasite elicits a highly localized response within the gill epithelium resulting in multifocal mucoid patches at the site of parasite attachment. This host-parasite response drives a complex immune reaction, which remains poorly understood. To generate a model for host-parasite interaction during pathogenesis of AGD in Atlantic salmon the local (gill) and systemic transcriptomic response in the host, and the parasite during AGD pathogenesis was explored. A dual RNA-seq approach together with differential gene expression and system-wide statistical analyses of gene and transcription factor networks was employed. A multi-tissue transcriptomic data set was generated from the gill (including both lesioned and non-lesioned tissue), head kidney and spleen tissues naïve and AGD-affected Atlantic salmon sourced from an in vivo AGD challenge trial. Differential gene expression of the salmon host indicates local and systemic upregulation of defense and immune responses. Two transcription factors, znfOZF-like and znf70-like, and their associated gene networks significantly altered with disease state. The majority of genes in these networks are candidates for mediators of the immune response, cellular proliferation and invasion. These include Aurora kinase B-like, rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 25-like and protein NDNF-like inhibited. Analysis of the N. perurans transcriptome during AGD pathology compared to in vitro cultured N. perurans trophozoites, as a proxy for wild type trophozoites, identified multiple gene candidates for virulence and indicates a potential master regulatory gene system analogous to the two-component PhoP/Q system. Candidate genes identified are associated with invasion of host tissue, evasion of host defense mechanisms and formation of the mucoid lesion. We generated a novel model for host-parasite interaction during AGD pathogenesis through integration of host and parasite functional profiles. Collectively, this dual transcriptomic study provides novel molecular insights into the pathology of AGD and provides alternative theories for future research in a step towards improved management of AGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Botwright
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amin R Mohamed
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Joel Slinger
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Woorim, QLD, Australia
| | - Paula C Lima
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - James W Wynne
- Livestock and Aquaculture, CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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12
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A Novel Cysteine Protease Inhibitor of Naegleria fowleri That Is Specifically Expressed during Encystation and at Mature Cysts. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040388. [PMID: 33804993 PMCID: PMC8063937 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040388] [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: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that is ubiquitous in diverse natural environments. It causes a fatal brain infection in humans known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Despite the medical importance of the parasitic disease, there is a great lack of knowledge about the biology and pathogenicity of N. fowleri. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel cysteine protease inhibitor of N. fowleri (NfCPI). NfCPI is a typical cysteine protease inhibitor belonging to the cystatin family with a Gln-Val-Val-Ala-Gly (QVVAG) motif, a characteristic motif conserved in the cystatin family of proteins. Bacterially expressed recombinant NfCPI has a dimeric structure and exhibits inhibitory activity against several cysteine proteases including cathespin Bs of N. fowleri at a broad range of pH values. Expression profiles of nfcpi revealed that the gene was highly expressed during encystation and cyst of the amoeba. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays also support its high level of expression in cysts. These findings collectively suggest that NfCPI may play a critical role in encystation or cyst formation of N. fowleri by regulating cysteine proteases that may mediate encystation or mature cyst formation of the amoeba. More comprehensive studies to investigate the roles of NfCPI in encystation and its target proteases are necessary to elucidate the regulatory mechanism and the biological significance of NfCPI.
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Debnath A. Drug discovery for primary amebic meningoencephalitis: from screen to identification of leads. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2021; 19:1099-1106. [PMID: 33496193 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1882302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Naegleria fowleri is responsible for primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) which has a fatality rate of >97%. Because of the rarity of the disease, pharmaceutical companies do not pursue new drug discovery for PAM. Yet, it is possible that the infection is underreported and finding a better drug would have an impact on people suffering from this deadly infection.Areas covered: This paper reports the efforts undertaken by different academic groups over the last 20 years to test different compounds against N. fowleri. The drug discovery research encompassed synthesis of new compounds, development and use of high-throughput screening methods and attempts to repurpose clinically developed or FDA-approved compounds for the treatment of PAM.Expert opinion: In absence of economic investment to develop new drugs for PAM, repurposing the FDA-approved drugs has been the best strategy so far to identify new leads against N. fowleri. Increasing use of high-throughput phenotypic screening has the potential to accelerate the identification of new leads, either in monotherapy or in combination treatment. Since phase II clinical trial is not possible for PAM, it is critical to demonstrate in vivo efficacy of a clinically safe compound to translate the discovery from lab to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Hahn HJ, Abagyan R, Podust LM, Roy S, Ali IKM, Debnath A. HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors as Drug Leads against Naegleria fowleri. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:3089-3096. [PMID: 32881478 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri, has a fatality rate of over 97%. Treatment of PAM relies on amphotericin B in combination with other drugs, but few patients have survived with the existing drug treatment regimens. Therefore, development of effective drugs is a critical unmet need to avert deaths from PAM. Since ergosterol is one of the major sterols in the membrane of N. fowleri, disruption of isoprenoid and sterol biosynthesis by small-molecule inhibitors may be an effective intervention strategy against N. fowleri. The genome of N. fowleri contains a gene encoding HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR); the catalytic domains of human and N. fowleri HMGR share <60% sequence identity with only two amino acid substitutions in the active site of the enzyme. Considering the similarity of human and N. fowleri HMGR, we tested well-tolerated and widely used HMGR inhibitors, known as cholesterol-lowering statins, against N. fowleri. We identified blood-brain-barrier-permeable pitavastatin as a potent amebicidal agent against the U.S., Australian, and European strains of N. fowleri. Pitavastatin was equipotent to amphotericin B against the European strain of N. fowleri; it killed about 80% of trophozoites within 16 h of drug exposure. Pretreatment of trophozoites with mevalonate, the product of HMGR, rescued N. fowleri from inhibitory effects of statins, demonstrating that HMGR of N. fowleri is the target of statins. Because of the good safety profile and availability for both adult and pediatric uses, consideration should be given to repurposing the fast-acting pitavastatin for the treatment of PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Jee Hahn
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0756, United States
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0756, United States
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0756, United States
| | - Shantanu Roy
- Free-Living and Intestinal Amebas (FLIA) Laboratory, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4018, United States
| | - Ibne Karim M. Ali
- Free-Living and Intestinal Amebas (FLIA) Laboratory, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4018, United States
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0756, United States
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15
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Thái TL, Kang JM, Lê HG, Lee J, Yoo WG, Shin HJ, Sohn WM, Na BK. Fowlerstefin, a cysteine protease inhibitor of Naegleria fowleri, induces inflammatory responses in BV-2 microglial cells in vitro. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:41. [PMID: 31996242 PMCID: PMC6988287 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3909-6] [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] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that causes an opportunistic fatal infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. Cysteine proteases produced by the amoeba may play critical roles in the pathogenesis of infection. In this study, a novel cysteine protease inhibitor of N. fowleri (fowlerstefin) was characterized to elucidate its biological function as an endogenous cysteine protease inhibitor of the parasite as well as a pathogenic molecule that induces immune responses in microglial cells. Methods Recombinant fowlerstefin was expressed in Escherichia coli. The inhibitory activity of fowlerstefin against several cysteine proteases, including human cathepsins B and L, papain and NfCPB-L, was analyzed. Fowlerstefin-induced pro-inflammatory response in BV-2 microglial cells was anayzed by cytokine array assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Fowlerstefin is a cysteine protease inhibitor with a monomeric structure, and belongs to the stefin family. Recombinant fowlerstefin effectively inhibited diverse cysteine proteases including cathepsin B-like cysteine proteases of N. fowleri (NfCPB-L), human cathepsins B and L, and papain. Expression of fowlerstefin in the amoeba was optimal during the trophozoite stage and gradually decreased in cysts. Fowlerstefin induced an inflammatory response in BV-2 microglial cells. Fowlerstefin induced the expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including IL-6 and TNF in BV-2 microglial cells. Fowlerstefin-induced expression of IL-6 and TNF in BV-2 microglial cells was regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs). The inflammatory response induced by fowlerstefin in BV-2 microglial cells was downregulated via inhibition of NF-κB and AP-1. Conclusions Fowlerstefin is a pathogenic molecule that stimulates BV-2 microglial cells to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines through NF-κB- and AP-1-dependent MAPK signaling pathways. Fowlerstefin-induced inflammatory cytokines exacerbate the inflammatory response in N. fowleri-infected areas and contribute to the pathogenesis of PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thị Lam Thái
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Lee
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Inha Research Institute for Medical Sciences, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Gi Yoo
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Woon-Mok Sohn
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea. .,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Republic of Korea.
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Jahangeer M, Mahmood Z, Munir N, Waraich U, Tahir IM, Akram M, Ali Shah SM, Zulfqar A, Zainab R. Naegleria fowleri: Sources of infection, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management; a review. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2019; 47:199-212. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Jahangeer
- Department of Biochemistry Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Zahed Mahmood
- Department of Biochemistry Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Naveed Munir
- Department of Biochemistry Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
- College of Allied Health Professionals Directorate of Medical Sciences Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | | | - Imtiaz Mahmood Tahir
- College of Allied Health Professionals Directorate of Medical Sciences Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Akram
- Department of Eastern Medicine Directorate of Medical Sciences Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Syed Muhammad Ali Shah
- Department of Eastern Medicine Directorate of Medical Sciences Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Zulfqar
- Department of Biochemistry Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Rida Zainab
- Department of Eastern Medicine Directorate of Medical Sciences Government College University Faisalabad Faisalabad Pakistan
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Liechti N, Schürch N, Bruggmann R, Wittwer M. Nanopore sequencing improves the draft genome of the human pathogenic amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16040. [PMID: 31690847 PMCID: PMC6831594 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52572-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is an environmental protist found in soil and warm freshwater sources worldwide and is known for its ability to infect humans and causing a rapid and mostly fatal primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. When contaminated water enters the nose, the facultative parasite follows the olfactory nerve and enters the brain by crossing the cribriform plate where it causes tissue damage and haemorrhagic necrosis. Although N. fowleri has been studied for several years, the mechanisms of pathogenicity are still poorly understood. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge on the genomic level and the current reference assembly is limited in contiguity. To improve the draft genome and to investigate pathogenicity factors, we sequenced the genome of N. fowleri using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT). Assembly and polishing of the long reads resulted in a high-quality draft genome whose N50 is 18 times higher than the previously published genome. The prediction of potentially secreted proteins revealed a large proportion of enzymes with a hydrolysing function, which could play an important role during the pathogenesis and account for the destructive nature of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. The improved genome provides the basis for further investigation unravelling the biology and the pathogenic potential of N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Liechti
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Schürch
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Bruggmann
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Wittwer
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Austrasse, Spiez, Switzerland.
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Betanzos A, Bañuelos C, Orozco E. Host Invasion by Pathogenic Amoebae: Epithelial Disruption by Parasite Proteins. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E618. [PMID: 31416298 PMCID: PMC6723116 DOI: 10.3390/genes10080618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelium represents the first and most extensive line of defence against pathogens, toxins and pollutant agents in humans. In general, pathogens have developed strategies to overcome this barrier and use it as an entrance to the organism. Entamoeba histolytica, Naegleriafowleri and Acanthamoeba spp. are amoebae mainly responsible for intestinal dysentery, meningoencephalitis and keratitis, respectively. These amoebae cause significant morbidity and mortality rates. Thus, the identification, characterization and validation of molecules participating in host-parasite interactions can provide attractive targets to timely intervene disease progress. In this work, we present a compendium of the parasite adhesins, lectins, proteases, hydrolases, kinases, and others, that participate in key pathogenic events. Special focus is made for the analysis of assorted molecules and mechanisms involved in the interaction of the parasites with epithelial surface receptors, changes in epithelial junctional markers, implications on the barrier function, among others. This review allows the assessment of initial host-pathogen interaction, to correlate it to the potential of parasite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Betanzos
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), Mexico City 03940, Mexico
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Cecilia Bañuelos
- Coordinación General de Programas de Posgrado Multidisciplinarios, Programa de Doctorado Transdisciplinario en Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico para la Sociedad, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Esther Orozco
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico City 07360, Mexico.
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Samba-Louaka A, Delafont V, Rodier MH, Cateau E, Héchard Y. Free-living amoebae and squatters in the wild: ecological and molecular features. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2019; 43:415-434. [DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Free-living amoebae are protists frequently found in water and soils. They feed on other microorganisms, mainly bacteria, and digest them through phagocytosis. It is accepted that these amoebae play an important role in the microbial ecology of these environments. There is a renewed interest for the free-living amoebae since the discovery of pathogenic bacteria that can resist phagocytosis and of giant viruses, underlying that amoebae might play a role in the evolution of other microorganisms, including several human pathogens. Recent advances, using molecular methods, allow to bring together new information about free-living amoebae. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the newly gathered insights into (1) the free-living amoeba diversity, assessed with molecular tools, (2) the gene functions described to decipher the biology of the amoebae and (3) their interactions with other microorganisms in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ascel Samba-Louaka
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA51106, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
| | - Vincent Delafont
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA51106, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Rodier
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA51106, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie, CHU La Milétrie, 2 rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers Cedex, France
| | - Estelle Cateau
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA51106, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Mycologie, CHU La Milétrie, 2 rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers Cedex, France
| | - Yann Héchard
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Equipe Microbiologie de l'Eau, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, 1 rue Georges Bonnet, TSA51106, 86073 POITIERS Cedex 9, France
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ridwane Mungroo
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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21
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Liu J, Fu Z, Hellman L, Svärd SG. Cleavage specificity of recombinant Giardia intestinalis cysteine proteases: Degradation of immunoglobulins and defensins. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 227:29-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Patel S, Homaei A, El-Seedi HR, Akhtar N. Cathepsins: Proteases that are vital for survival but can also be fatal. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 105:526-532. [PMID: 29885636 PMCID: PMC7172164 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.05.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The state of enzymes in the human body determines the normal physiology or pathology, so all the six classes of enzymes are crucial. Proteases, the hydrolases, can be of several types based on the nucleophilic amino acid or the metal cofactor needed for their activity. Cathepsins are proteases with serine, cysteine, or aspartic acid residues as the nucleophiles, which are vital for digestion, coagulation, immune response, adipogenesis, hormone liberation, peptide synthesis, among a litany of other functions. But inflammatory state radically affects their normal roles. Released from the lysosomes, they degrade extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and elastin, mediating parasite infection, autoimmune diseases, tumor metastasis, cardiovascular issues, and neural degeneration, among other health hazards. Over the years, the different types and isoforms of cathepsin, their optimal pH and functions have been studied, yet much information is still elusive. By taming and harnessing cathepsins, by inhibitors and judicious lifestyle, a gamut of malignancies can be resolved. This review discusses these aspects, which can be of clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Patel
- Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Ahmad Homaei
- Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran,Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Biomedical Centre, Box 574, SE-751 23, Uppsala, Sweden,Ecological Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nadeem Akhtar
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Zhou W, Debnath A, Jennings G, Hahn HJ, Vanderloop BH, Chaudhuri M, Nes WD, Podust LM. Enzymatic chokepoints and synergistic drug targets in the sterol biosynthesis pathway of Naegleria fowleri. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007245. [PMID: 30212566 PMCID: PMC6136796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that can also act as an opportunistic pathogen causing severe brain infection, primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), in humans. The high mortality rate of PAM (exceeding 97%) is attributed to (i) delayed diagnosis, (ii) lack of safe and effective anti-N. fowleri drugs, and (iii) difficulty of delivering drugs to the brain. Our work addresses identification of new molecular targets that may link anti-Naegleria drug discovery to the existing pharmacopeia of brain-penetrant drugs. Using inhibitors with known mechanism of action as molecular probes, we mapped the sterol biosynthesis pathway of N. fowleri by GC-MS analysis of metabolites. Based on this analysis, we chemically validated two enzymes downstream to CYP51, sterol C24-methyltransferase (SMT, ERG6) and sterol Δ8-Δ7 -isomerase (ERG2), as potential therapeutic drug targets in N. fowleri. The sterol biosynthetic cascade in N. fowleri displayed a mixture of canonical features peculiar to different domains of life: lower eukaryotes, plants and vertebrates. In addition to the cycloartenol→ergosterol biosynthetic route, a route leading to de novo cholesterol biosynthesis emerged. Isotopic labeling of the de novo-synthesized sterols by feeding N. gruberi trophozoites on the U13C-glucose-containing growth medium identified an exogenous origin of cholesterol, while 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) had enriched 13C-content, suggesting a dual origin of this metabolite both from de novo biosynthesis and metabolism of scavenged cholesterol. Sterol homeostasis in Naegleria may be orchestrated over the course of its life-cycle by a "switch" between ergosterol and cholesterol biosynthesis. By demonstrating the growth inhibition and synergistic effects of the sterol biosynthesis inhibitors, we validated new, potentially druggable, molecular targets in N. fowleri. The similarity of the Naegleria sterol Δ8-Δ7 -isomerase to the human non-opioid σ1 receptor, implicated in human CNS conditions such as addiction, amnesia, pain and depression, provides an incentive to assess structurally diverse small-molecule brain-penetrant drugs targeting the human receptor for anti-Naegleria activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxu Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Gareth Jennings
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Hye Jee Hahn
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Boden H. Vanderloop
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Minu Chaudhuri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - W. David Nes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Zyserman I, Mondal D, Sarabia F, McKerrow JH, Roush WR, Debnath A. Identification of cysteine protease inhibitors as new drug leads against Naegleria fowleri. Exp Parasitol 2018; 188:36-41. [PMID: 29551628 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rapidly fatal infection caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri. PAM occurs principally in healthy children of less than 13 years old with a history of recent exposure to warm fresh water. While as yet not a reportable disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documents a total of 143 cases in the United States. Only four patients have survived. Infection results from water containing N. fowleri entering the nose, followed by migration of the amebae to the brain. Within the brain, N. fowleri infection results in extensive necrosis, leading to death in 3-7 days. Mortality among patients with PAM is greater than 95%. The drugs of choice in treating PAM are the antifungal amphotericin B, and the antileishmanial, miltefosine. However neither drug is FDA-approved for this indication and the use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. Moreover, very few patients treated with amphotericin B have survived PAM. Therefore, development of new, safe and effective drugs is a critical unmet need to avert future deaths of children. The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of PAM are poorly understood but it is known that cysteine proteases of N. fowleri play a role in the progression of PAM. We therefore assessed the in vitro activity of the synthetic vinyl sulfone cysteine protease inhibitor, K11777, and 33 analogs with valine, phenylalanine or pyridylalanine at P2 position, against cysteine protease activity in the lysate of N. fowleri. Inhibitors with phenylalanine or pyridylalanine at P2 position were particularly effective in inhibiting the cysteine protease activity of N. fowleri cell lysate with IC50 ranging between 3 nM and 6.6 μM. Three of the 34 inhibitors also showed inhibitory activity against N. fowleri in a cell viability assay and were 1.6- to 2.5-fold more potent than the standard of care drug miltefosine. Our study provides the first evidence of the activity of synthetic, small molecule cysteine protease inhibitors against N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Zyserman
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA
| | - Deboprosad Mondal
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Francisco Sarabia
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA
| | - William R Roush
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA.
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25
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Debnath A, Nelson AT, Silva-Olivares A, Shibayama M, Siegel D, McKerrow JH. In Vitro Efficacy of Ebselen and BAY 11-7082 Against Naegleria fowleri. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:414. [PMID: 29559968 PMCID: PMC5845744 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fatal infection caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri, popularly known as the "brain-eating ameba." The drugs of choice in treating PAM are the antifungal amphotericin B and an antileishmanial miltefosine, but these are not FDA-approved for this indication and use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. Moreover, very few patients treated with the combination therapy have survived PAM. Therefore, development of efficient drugs is a critical unmet need to avert future deaths of children. Since N. fowleri causes extensive inflammation in the brain it is important to select compounds that can enter brain to kill ameba. In this study, we identified two central nervous system (CNS) active compounds, ebselen and BAY 11-7082 as amebicidal with EC50 of 6.2 and 1.6 μM, respectively. The closely related BAY 11-7085 was also found active against N. fowleri with EC50 similar to BAY 11-7082. We synthesized a soluble ebselen analog, which had amebicidal activity similar to ebselen. Transmission electron microscopy of N. fowleri trophozoites incubated for 48 h with EC50 concentration of ebselen showed alteration in the cytoplasmic membrane, loss of the nuclear membrane, and appearance of electron-dense granules. Incubation of N. fowleri trophozoites with EC50 concentrations of BAY 11-7082 and BAY 11-7085 for 48 h showed the presence of large lipid droplets in the cytoplasm, disruption of cytoplasmic and nuclear membranes and appearance of several vesicles and chromatin residues. Blood-brain barrier permeable amebicidal compounds have potential as new drug leads for Naegleria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrew T Nelson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Angélica Silva-Olivares
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dionicio Siegel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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26
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Debnath A, Calvet CM, Jennings G, Zhou W, Aksenov A, Luth MR, Abagyan R, Nes WD, McKerrow JH, Podust LM. CYP51 is an essential drug target for the treatment of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006104. [PMID: 29284029 PMCID: PMC5746216 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) is caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba that occasionally infects humans. While considered "rare" (but likely underreported) the high mortality rate and lack of established success in treatment makes PAM a particularly devastating infection. In the absence of economic inducements to invest in development of anti-PAM drugs by the pharmaceutical industry, anti-PAM drug discovery largely relies on drug 'repurposing'-a cost effective strategy to apply known drugs for treatment of rare or neglected diseases. Similar to fungi, N. fowleri has an essential requirement for ergosterol, a building block of plasma and cell membranes. Disruption of sterol biosynthesis by small-molecule inhibitors is a validated interventional strategy against fungal pathogens of medical and agricultural importance. The N. fowleri genome encodes the sterol 14-demethylase (CYP51) target sharing ~35% sequence identity to fungal orthologues. The similarity of targets raises the possibility of repurposing anti-mycotic drugs and optimization of their usage for the treatment of PAM. In this work, we (i) systematically assessed the impact of anti-fungal azole drugs, known as conazoles, on sterol biosynthesis and viability of cultured N. fowleri trophozotes, (ii) identified the endogenous CYP51 substrate by mass spectrometry analysis of N. fowleri lipids, and (iii) analyzed the interactions between the recombinant CYP51 target and conazoles by UV-vis spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography. Collectively, the target-based and parasite-based data obtained in these studies validated CYP51 as a potentially 'druggable' target in N. fowleri, and conazole drugs as the candidates for assessment in the animal model of PAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Claudia M. Calvet
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gareth Jennings
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Wenxu Zhou
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alexander Aksenov
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Madeline R. Luth
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - W. David Nes
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Seong GS, Sohn HJ, Kang H, Seo GE, Kim JH, Shin HJ. Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against cathepsin B and cathepsin B-Like proteins of Naegleria fowleri. Exp Parasitol 2017; 183:171-177. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Singh A, Nisha, Bains T, Hahn HJ, Liu N, Tam C, Cheng LW, Kim J, Debnath A, Land KM, Kumar V. Design, Synthesis and Preliminary Antimicrobial Evaluation of N-Alkyl Chain Tethered C-5 Functionalized Bis-Isatins. MEDCHEMCOMM 2017; 8:1982-1992. [PMID: 29449910 DOI: 10.1039/c7md00434f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
A series of N-alkyl tethered C-5 functionalized bis-isatins were synthesized and evaluated for antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. The preliminary evaluation studies revealed the compound 4t, with an optimal combination of bromo-substituent at the C-5 position of isatin ring along with propyl chain linker being most active among the synthesized series exhibiting an IC50 value of 3.72 μM against Trichomonas vaginalis while 4j exhibited an IC50 value of 14.8 μM against Naegleria fowleri, more effective than the standard drug Miltefosine. The compound 3f with an octyl spacer length was the most potent among the series against Giardia lamblia with an IC50 of 18.4 μM while 3d exhibited an IC50 of 23 μM against Entamoeba histolytica. This library was also screened against the fungal pathogen Aspergillus parasiticus. A number of the compounds demonstrated potency against this fungus, illustrating a possible broad-spectrum activity. Furthermore, an evaluation of these synthesized compounds against a panel of normal flora bacteria revealed them to be non-cytotoxic, demonstrating the selectivity of these compounds. This observation, in combination with previous studies that isatin is non-toxic to humans, presents a new possible scaffold for drug discovery against these important protozoal pathogens of humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandeep Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India
| | - Nisha
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India
| | - Trpta Bains
- Centre for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hye Jee Hahn
- Centre for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nicole Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
| | - Christina Tam
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Luisa W Cheng
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Jong Kim
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, USA
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Centre for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kirkwood M Land
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA
| | - Vipan Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, India
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Bashyal B, Li L, Bains T, Debnath A, LaBarbera DV. Larrea tridentata: A novel source for anti-parasitic agents active against Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia and Naegleria fowleri. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005832. [PMID: 28793307 PMCID: PMC5565192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan parasites infect and kill millions of people worldwide every year, particularly in developing countries where access to clean fresh water is limited. Among the most common are intestinal parasites, including Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica. These parasites wreak havoc on the epithelium lining the small intestines (G. lamblia) and colon (E. histolytica) causing giardiasis and amebiasis, respectively. In addition, there are less common but far more deadly pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri that thrive in warm waters and infect the central nervous systems of their victims via the nasal passages. Despite their prevalence and associated high mortality rates, there remains an unmet need to identify more effective therapeutics for people infected with these opportunistic parasites. To address this unmet need, we have surveyed plants and traditional herbal medicines known throughout the world to identify novel antiparasitic agents with activity against G. lamblia, E. histolytica, and N. fowleri. Herein, we report Larrea tridentata, known as creosote bush, as a novel source for secondary metabolites that display antiparasitic activity against all three pathogens. This report also characterizes the lignan compound classes, nordihydroguairetic acid and demethoxyisoguaiacin, as novel antiparasitic lead agents to further develop more effective drug therapy options for millions of people worldwide. Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Naegleria fowleri pathogens are widespread throughout the world infecting and killing hundreds of thousands of people every year. They are also listed as category B bioterrorism agents by the NIH and the CDC. However, there is a serious unmet need to develop more effective therapies to treat these deadly pathogens. Herein we describe that lignans isolated from the creosote bush, common to the southwestern U.S.A. and throughout Mexico, display relatively potent antiparasitic activity against E. histolytica, G. lamblia, and N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Bashyal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Trpta Bains
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DVL); (AD)
| | - Daniel V. LaBarbera
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DVL); (AD)
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30
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Martínez-Castillo M, Cárdenas-Guerra RE, Arroyo R, Debnath A, Rodríguez MA, Sabanero M, Flores-Sánchez F, Navarro-Garcia F, Serrano-Luna J, Shibayama M. Nf-GH, a glycosidase secreted by Naegleria fowleri, causes mucin degradation: an in vitro and in vivo study. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:781-799. [PMID: 28608712 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM The aim of this work was to identify, characterize and evaluate the pathogenic role of mucinolytic activity released by Naegleria fowleri. MATERIALS & METHODS Zymograms, protease inhibitors, anion exchange chromatography, MALDI-TOF-MS, enzymatic assays, Western blot, and confocal microscopy were used to identify and characterize a secreted mucinase; inhibition assays using antibodies, dot-blots and mouse survival tests were used to evaluate the mucinase as a virulence factor. RESULTS A 94-kDa protein with mucinolytic activity was inducible and abolished by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. MALDI-TOF-MS identified a glycoside hydrolase. Specific antibodies against N. fowleri-glycoside hydrolase inhibit cellular damage and MUC5AC degradation, and delay mouse mortality. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that secretory products from N. fowleri play an important role in mucus degradation during the invasion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Martínez-Castillo
- Department of Infectomics & Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Rosa Elena Cárdenas-Guerra
- Department of Infectomics & Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Rossana Arroyo
- Department of Infectomics & Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery & Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mario Alberto Rodríguez
- Department of Infectomics & Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Myrna Sabanero
- Department of Biology, University of Guanajuato, Noria Alta S/N, Noria Alta, Guanajuato 36050, Mexico
| | - Fernando Flores-Sánchez
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Fernando Navarro-Garcia
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Jesús Serrano-Luna
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics & Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research & Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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Lee J, Kang JM, Kim TI, Kim JH, Sohn HJ, Na BK, Shin HJ. Excretory and Secretory Proteins of Naegleria fowleri Induce Inflammatory Responses in BV-2 Microglial Cells. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2016; 64:183-192. [PMID: 27480446 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba that is found in diverse environmental habitats, can cause a type of fulminating hemorrhagic meningoencephalitis, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), in humans. The pathogenesis of PAM is not fully understood, but it is likely to be primarily caused by disruption of the host's nervous system via a direct phagocytic mechanism by the amoeba. Naegleria fowleri trophozoites are known to secrete diverse proteins that may indirectly contribute to the pathogenic function of the amoeba, but this factor is not clearly understood. In this study, we analyzed the inflammatory responses in BV-2 microglial cells induced by excretory and secretory proteins of N. fowleri (NfESP). Treatment of BV-2 cells with NfESP induced the expression of various cytokines and chemokines, including the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α and TNF-α. NfESP-induced IL-1α and TNF-α expression in BV-2 cells were regulated by p38, JNK, and ERK MAPKs. NfESP-induced IL-1α and TNF-α production in BV-2 cells were effectively downregulated by inhibition of NF-kB and AP-1. These results collectively suggest that NfESP stimulates BV-2 cells to release IL-1α and TNF-α via NF-kB- and AP-1-dependent MAPK signaling pathways. The released cytokines may contribute to inflammatory responses in microglia and other cell types in the brain during N. fowleri infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyoung Lee
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Tae Im Kim
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Korea
| | - Hae-Jin Sohn
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
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Martínez-Castillo M, Cárdenas-Zúñiga R, Coronado-Velázquez D, Debnath A, Serrano-Luna J, Shibayama M. Naegleria fowleri after 50 years: is it a neglected pathogen? J Med Microbiol 2016; 65:885-896. [PMID: 27381464 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been 50 years since the first case of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an acute and rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system (CNS), was reported in Australia. It is now known that the aetiological agent of PAM is Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that is commonly known as 'the brain-eating amoeba'. N. fowleri infects humans of different ages who are in contact with water contaminated with this micro-organism. N. fowleri is distributed worldwide and is found growing in bodies of freshwater in tropical and subtropical environments. The number of PAM cases has recently increased, and the rate of recovery from PAM has been estimated at only 5 %. Amphotericin B has been used to treat patients with PAM. However, it is important to note that there is no specific treatment for PAM. Moreover, this amoeba is considered a neglected micro-organism. Researchers have exerted great effort to design effective drugs to treat PAM and to understand the pathogenesis of PAM over the past 50 years, such as its pathology, molecular and cellular biology, diagnosis and prevention, and its biological implications, including its pathogenic genotypes, its distribution and its ecology. Given the rapid progression of PAM and its high mortality rate, it is important that investigations continue and that researchers collaborate to gain better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and, consequently, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this devastating infection of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Martínez-Castillo
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Roberto Cárdenas-Zúñiga
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Daniel Coronado-Velázquez
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jesús Serrano-Luna
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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Kang H, Seong GS, Sohn HJ, Kim JH, Lee SE, Park MY, Lee WJ, Shin HJ. Effective PCR-based detection of Naegleria fowleri from cultured sample and PAM-developed mouse. Eur J Protistol 2015; 51:401-8. [PMID: 26322498 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Increasing numbers of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) cases due to Naegleria fowleri are becoming a serious issue in subtropical and tropical countries as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). To establish a rapid and effective diagnostic tool, a PCR-based detection technique was developed based on previous PCR methods. Four kinds of primer pairs, Nfa1, Nae3, Nf-ITS, and Naegl, were employed in the cultured amoebic trophozoites and a mouse with PAM experimentally developed by N. fowleri inoculation (PAM-mouse). For the extraction of genomic DNA from N. fowleri trophozoites (1×10(6)), simple boiling with 10μl of PBS (pH 7.4) at 100°C for 30min was found to be the most rapid and efficient procedure, allowing amplification of 2.5×10(2) trophozoites using the Nfa-1 primer. The primers Nfa1 and Nae3 amplified only N. fowleri DNA, whereas the ITS primer detected N. fowleri and N. gruberi DNA. Using the PAM-mouse brain tissue, the Nfa1 primer was able to amplify the N. fowleri DNA 4 days post infection with 1ng/μl of genomic DNA being detectable. Using the PAM-mouse CSF, amplification of the N. fowleri DNA with the Nae3 primer was possible 5 days post infection showing a better performance than the Nfa1 primer at day 6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heekyoung Kang
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Sang Seong
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Jin Sohn
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Kim
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Eun Lee
- Division of Malaria and Parasitic Disease, Korea National Institute of Health, Osong 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Yeoun Park
- Division of Malaria and Parasitic Disease, Korea National Institute of Health, Osong 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ja Lee
- Division of Malaria and Parasitic Disease, Korea National Institute of Health, Osong 363-951, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon 443-721, Republic of Korea.
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Iron-Binding Protein Degradation by Cysteine Proteases of Naegleria fowleri. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:416712. [PMID: 26090408 PMCID: PMC4450812 DOI: 10.1155/2015/416712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri causes acute and fulminant primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. This microorganism invades its host by penetrating the olfactory mucosa and then traveling up the mesaxonal spaces and crossing the cribriform plate; finally, the trophozoites invade the olfactory bulbs. During its invasion, the protozoan obtains nutrients such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and cationic ions (e.g., iron, calcium, and sodium) from the host. However, the mechanism by which these ions are obtained, particularly iron, is poorly understood. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of N. fowleri to degrade iron-binding proteins, including hololactoferrin, transferrin, ferritin, and hemoglobin. Zymography assays were performed for each substrate under physiological conditions (pH 7 at 37°C) employing conditioned medium (CM) and total crude extracts (TCEs) of N. fowleri. Different degradation patterns with CM were observed for hololactoferrin, transferrin, and hemoglobin; however, CM did not cause ferritin degradation. In contrast, the TCEs degraded only hololactoferrin and transferrin. Inhibition assays revealed that cysteine proteases were involved in this process. Based on these results, we suggest that CM and TCEs of N. fowleri degrade iron-binding proteins by employing cysteine proteases, which enables the parasite to obtain iron to survive while invading the central nervous system.
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Genome mining offers a new starting point for parasitology research. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:399-409. [PMID: 25563615 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4299-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Parasites including helminthes, protozoa, and medical arthropod vectors are a major cause of global infectious diseases, affecting one-sixth of the world's population, which are responsible for enormous levels of morbidity and mortality important and remain impediments to economic development especially in tropical countries. Prevalent drug resistance, lack of highly effective and practical vaccines, as well as specific and sensitive diagnostic markers are proving to be challenging problems in parasitic disease control in most parts of the world. The impressive progress recently made in genome-wide analysis of parasites of medical importance, including trematodes of Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Schistosoma haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni; nematodes of Brugia malayi, Loa loa, Necator americanus, Trichinella spiralis, and Trichuris suis; cestodes of Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis, and Taenia solium; protozoa of Babesia bovis, B. microti, Cryptosporidium hominis, Eimeria falciformis, E. histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Leishmania braziliensis, L. donovani, L. major, Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, Trichomonas vaginalis, Trypanosoma brucei and T. cruzi; and medical arthropod vectors of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles darlingi, A. sinensis, and Culex quinquefasciatus, have been systematically covered in this review for a comprehensive understanding of the genetic information contained in nuclear, mitochondrial, kinetoplast, plastid, or endosymbiotic bacterial genomes of parasites, further valuable insight into parasite-host interactions and development of promising novel drug and vaccine candidates and preferable diagnostic tools, thereby underpinning the prevention and control of parasitic diseases.
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Vyas IK, Jamerson M, Cabral GA, Marciano-Cabral F. Identification of Peptidases in Highly Pathogenic vs. Weakly Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri
Amebae. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2014; 62:51-9. [DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ishan K. Vyas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; School of Medicine; Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond Virginia 23298
| | - Melissa Jamerson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; School of Medicine; Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond Virginia 23298
| | - Guy A. Cabral
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; School of Medicine; Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond Virginia 23298
| | - Francine Marciano-Cabral
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; School of Medicine; Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond Virginia 23298
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