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Springer AL, Agrawal S, Chang EP. Malate dehydrogenase in parasitic protozoans: roles in metabolism and potential therapeutic applications. Essays Biochem 2024:EBC20230075. [PMID: 38938216 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20230075] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The role of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) in the metabolism of various medically significant protozoan parasites is reviewed. MDH is an NADH-dependent oxidoreductase that catalyzes interconversion between oxaloacetate and malate, provides metabolic intermediates for both catabolic and anabolic pathways, and can contribute to NAD+/NADH balance in multiple cellular compartments. MDH is present in nearly all organisms; isoforms of MDH from apicomplexans (Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium spp.), trypanosomatids (Trypanosoma brucei, T. cruzi) and anaerobic protozoans (Trichomonas vaginalis, Giardia duodenalis) are presented here. Many parasitic species have complex life cycles and depend on the environment of their hosts for carbon sources and other nutrients. Metabolic plasticity is crucial to parasite transition between host environments; thus, the regulation of metabolic processes is an important area to explore for therapeutic intervention. Common themes in protozoan parasite metabolism include emphasis on glycolytic catabolism, substrate-level phosphorylation, non-traditional uses of common pathways like tricarboxylic acid cycle and adapted or reduced mitochondria-like organelles. We describe the roles of MDH isoforms in these pathways, discuss unusual structural or functional features of these isoforms relevant to activity or drug targeting, and review current studies exploring the therapeutic potential of MDH and related genes. These studies show that MDH activity has important roles in many metabolic pathways, and thus in the metabolic transitions of protozoan parasites needed for success as pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Springer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, U.S.A
| | - Swati Agrawal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A
| | - Eric P Chang
- Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Pace University, New York, NY, U.S.A
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Silva MA, Izidoro MA, Aricó M, Juliano L, Schenkman S. The effect of nutritional and oxidative stress on the metabolome of Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38814666 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15279] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan, is the causative agent of Chagas disease. The parasite has developed various mechanisms to get through its intricate life cycle and adapt to different evolutionary phases. T. cruzi proliferates in the insect vector's digestive tract as an epimastigote form, encountering fluctuating nutrient availability and oxidative stress caused by the digestion of red blood cells from the mammalian host blood meal. To unravel how the parasite's metabolism adapts to these changing conditions, we conducted an analysis of the chemical species present in epimastigote forms. This involved comparing cultured parasites with those subjected to nutritional deficiency or oxidative stress using untargeted metabolomics. We looked at 21 samples: seven biological copies of parasites that were actively growing, seven samples that were put in a medium without nutrients for 3 h, and seven samples that were treated with glucose oxidase for 30 min to make H2O2 continuously. Importantly, in all conditions, parasite viability was maintained when the samples were collected. Upon nutrient removal, we observed a substantial decrease in amino acids and carbohydrate metabolites, accompanied by the accumulation of fatty acids and steroids, with the predominance of inositol and sphingolipid metabolism, along with a simultaneous decrease in the levels of H2O2. In the presence of H2O2, a significant rise in components of the pentose pathway and specific amino acids such as methionine and serine occurred, along with pathways related to an increase in antioxidant species metabolism such as ribulose 5-phosphate and glyceric acid. Conversely, fatty acid and steroid levels decrease. We found no common increase in metabolites or lipids. In contrast, eight species (succinic acid, glutamic acid, valine, 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid, alanine, indolelactic acid, proline, and lanosterol) were consumed under both stresses. These findings underscore the rapid and distinct enrichment responses in amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates required to cope with each different environmental condition. We concluded that T. cruzi presents a flexible metabolism that rapidly adapts to variable changes in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Augusto Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Mirella Aricó
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Juliano
- Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Fall F, Mamede L, Vast M, De Tullio P, Hayette MP, Michels PAM, Frédérich M, Govaerts B, Quetin-Leclercq J. First comprehensive untargeted metabolomics study of suramin-treated Trypanosoma brucei: an integrated data analysis workflow from multifactor data modelling to functional analysis. Metabolomics 2024; 20:25. [PMID: 38393408 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-024-02094-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human African trypanosomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, is a vector-borne parasitic disease prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and transmitted by the tsetse fly. Suramin, a medication with a long history of clinical use, has demonstrated varied modes of action against Trypanosoma brucei. This study employs a comprehensive workflow to investigate the metabolic effects of suramin on T. brucei, utilizing a multimodal metabolomics approach. OBJECTIVES The primary aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the metabolic impact of suramin on T. brucei using a combined liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) approach. Statistical analyses, encompassing multivariate analysis and pathway enrichment analysis, are applied to elucidate significant variations and metabolic changes resulting from suramin treatment. METHODS A detailed methodology involving the integration of high-resolution data from LC-MS and NMR techniques is presented. The study conducts a thorough analysis of metabolite profiles in both suramin-treated and control T. brucei brucei samples. Statistical techniques, including ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA), principal component analysis (PCA), ANOVA 2 analysis, and bootstrap tests, are employed to discern the effects of suramin treatment on the metabolomics outcomes. RESULTS Our investigation reveals substantial differences in metabolic profiles between the control and suramin-treated groups. ASCA and PCA analysis confirm distinct separation between these groups in both MS-negative and NMR analyses. Furthermore, ANOVA 2 analysis and bootstrap tests confirmed the significance of treatment, time, and interaction effects on the metabolomics outcomes. Functional analysis of the data from LC-MS highlighted the impact of treatment on amino-acid, and amino-sugar and nucleotide-sugar metabolism, while time effects were observed on carbon intermediary metabolism (notably glycolysis and di- and tricarboxylic acids of the succinate production pathway and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle). CONCLUSION Through the integration of LC-MS and NMR techniques coupled with advanced statistical analyses, this study identifies distinctive metabolic signatures and pathways associated with suramin treatment in T. brucei. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the pharmacological impact of suramin and have the potential to inform the development of more efficacious therapeutic strategies against African trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanta Fall
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Avenue E. Mounier, B1 72.03, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Lucia Mamede
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Madeline Vast
- Institute of Statistics, Biostatistics and Actuarial Sciences (ISBA/LIDAM), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pascal De Tullio
- Clinical Metabolomics Group (CliMe), Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marie-Pierre Hayette
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Domaine Universitaire, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Paul A M Michels
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Michel Frédérich
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Bernadette Govaerts
- Institute of Statistics, Biostatistics and Actuarial Sciences (ISBA/LIDAM), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Joëlle Quetin-Leclercq
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Avenue E. Mounier, B1 72.03, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
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Fairlamb AH, Wyllie S. The critical role of mode of action studies in kinetoplastid drug discovery. FRONTIERS IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2023; 3:fddsv.2023.1185679. [PMID: 37600222 PMCID: PMC7614965 DOI: 10.3389/fddsv.2023.1185679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the target and mode of action of compounds identified by phenotypic screening can greatly facilitate the process of drug discovery and development. Here, we outline the tools currently available for target identification against the neglected tropical diseases, human African trypanosomiasis, visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease. We provide examples how these tools can be used to identify and triage undesirable mechanisms, to identify potential toxic liabilities in patients and to manage a balanced portfolio of target-based campaigns. We review the primary targets of drugs that are currently in clinical development that were initially identified via phenotypic screening, and whose modes of action affect protein turnover, RNA trans-splicing or signalling in these protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan H. Fairlamb
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
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Asogwa FC, Izuchukwu UD, Louis H, Eze CC, Ekeleme CM, Ezugwu JA, Benjamin I, Attah SI, Agwamba EC, Ekoh OC, Adeyinka AS. Synthesis, Characterization and Theoretical Investigations on the Molecular Structure, Electronic Property and anti-Trypanosomal Activity of Benzenesulphonamide-Based Carboxamide and Its Derivatives. Polycycl Aromat Compd 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10406638.2022.2150653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fredrick C. Asogwa
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
| | - Ugwu D. Izuchukwu
- Department of Pure & Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Hitler Louis
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
| | - Cosmas C. Eze
- Department of Pure & Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Chinedu M. Ekeleme
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
| | - James A. Ezugwu
- Department of Pure & Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Innocent Benjamin
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
| | - Solomon I. Attah
- Department of Pure & Industrial Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Ernest C. Agwamba
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Clifford University, Owerrinta, Nigeria
| | - Ogechi C. Ekoh
- Department of Chemistry, Evangel University, Akaeze, Nigeria
| | - Adedapo S. Adeyinka
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Sandes JM, de Figueiredo RCBQ. The endoplasmic reticulum of trypanosomatids: An unrevealed road for chemotherapy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1057774. [PMID: 36439218 PMCID: PMC9684732 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1057774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of higher eukaryotic cells forms an intricate membranous network that serves as the main processing facility for folding and assembling of secreted and membrane proteins. The ER is a highly dynamic organelle that interacts with other intracellular structures, as well as endosymbiotic pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. A strict ER quality control (ERQC) must work to ensure that proteins entering the ER are folded and processed correctly. Unfolded or misfolded proteins are usually identified, selected, and addressed to Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation (ERAD) complex. Conversely, when there is a large demand for secreted proteins or ER imbalance, the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins activates the Unfold Protein Response (UPR) to restore the ER homeostasis or, in the case of persistent ER stress, induces the cell death. Pathogenic trypanosomatids, such as Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp are the etiological agents of important neglected diseases. These protozoans have a complex life cycle alternating between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The ER of trypanosomatids, like those found in higher eukaryotes, is also specialized for secretion, and depends on the ERAD and non-canonical UPR to deal with the ER stress. Here, we reviewed the basic aspects of ER biology, organization, and quality control in trypanosomatids. We also focused on the unusual way by which T. cruzi, T. brucei, and Leishmania spp. respond to ER stress, emphasizing how these parasites' ER-unrevealed roads might be an attractive target for chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Messias Sandes
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Molecular de Patógenos, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Recife, Brazil
- Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Keizo Assami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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Yang Z, Shi M, Zhang X, Yao D. Genome-Wide Screening for Pathogenic Proteins and microRNAs Associated with Parasite-Host Interactions in Trypanosoma brucei. INSECTS 2022; 13:968. [PMID: 36354791 PMCID: PMC9695099 DOI: 10.3390/insects13110968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tsetse flies are a type of blood-sucking insect living in diverse locations in sub-Saharan Africa. These insects can transmit the unicellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) which causes African trypanosomiasis in mammals. There remain huge unmet needs for prevention, early detection, and effective treatments for this disease. Currently, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms of parasite-host interactions underlying African trypanosomiasis, mainly due to a lack of understanding of the T. brucei genome. In this study, we dissected the genomic and transcriptomic profiles of T. brucei by annotating the genome and analyzing the gene expression. We found about 5% of T. brucei proteins in the human proteome, while more than 80% of T. brucei protein in other trypanosomes. Sequence alignment analysis showed that 142 protein homologs were shared among T. brucei and mammalian genomes. We identified several novel proteins with pathogenic potential supported by their molecular functions in T. brucei, including 24 RNA-binding proteins and six variant surface glycoproteins. In addition, 26 novel microRNAs were characterized, among which five miRNAs were not found in the mammalian genomes. Topology analysis of the miRNA-gene network revealed three genes (RPS27A, UBA52 and GAPDH) involved in the regulation of critical pathways related to the development of African trypanosomiasis. In conclusion, our work opens a new door to understanding the parasite-host interaction mechanisms by resolving the genome and transcriptome of T. brucei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Yang
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Mai Shi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- School of Physics and Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Danyu Yao
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
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