Polyamines in Trichomonas vaginalis

Proteomic profile approach of effect of putrescine depletion over Trichomonas vaginalis

Infection with Trichomonas vaginalis produces a malodorous seropurulent vaginal discharge due to several chemicals, including polyamines. The presence of 1,4-diamino-2-butanone (DAB) reduces the amount of intracellular putrescine by 90%, preventing the cotransport of exogenous spermine. DAB-treated parasites present morphological changes, which are restored by adding exogenous putrescine into the culture medium. However, the effect of polyamines over the trichomonad proteomic profile is unknown. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to analyze the polyamine-depletion and restoration effect by exogenous putrescine on T. vaginalis proteome. In the presence of inhibitor DAB, we obtained 369 spots in polyamine-depleted condition and observed 499 spots in the normal culture media. With DAB treatment, the intensity of 43 spots was increased but was found to be reduced in 39 spots, as compared to normal conditions. Interestingly, in DAB-treated parasites restored with a medium with added exogenous putrescine, 472 spots were found, of which 33 were upregulated and 63 were downregulated in protein intensity. Some of these downregulated proteins in DAB-treated parasites are involved in several cellular pathways such as glycolysis, glycolytic fermentation, arginine dihydrolase pathway, redox homeostasis, host cell binding mediated by carbohydrate, chaperone function, and cytoskeletal remodeling. Interestingly, the intensity of some of the proteins was restored by adding exogenous putrescine. In conclusion, the presence of DAB altered the proteomic profile of T. vaginalis, resulting in a decrease in the intensity of 130 proteins and an increase in the intensity of 43 proteins that was restored by the addition of putrescine.

Trichomonas vaginalis: characterization, expression, and phylogenetic analysis of a carbamate kinase gene sequence

The gene encoding carbamate kinase (CBK, ATP:carbamate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.2.2) from Trichomonas vaginalis has been sequenced and its expression in this protozoon has been verified using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The codon usage and percentage nucleotide composition in the coding and noncoding regions are consistent with other genes isolated from this parasite. Phylogenetic analysis of this gene has suggested possible speciation events that are congruent with other studies, with suggestions of lateral gene transfer. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli using the pQE-30 expression system, and the recombinant protein was purified using affinity chromatography. The expression of the recombinant protein was identified via Western blotting and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides. Preliminary kinetic assays have revealed that the recombinant enzyme has a K(m) similar to that of the native enzyme and size-exclusion chromatography has shown that the enzyme is active as the homodimer.

Subcellular localization of the enzymes of the arginine dihydrolase pathway in Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus

The enzymes of the arginine dihydrolase pathway were demonstrated in Tritrichomonas foetus and their subcellular localization determined for both T. foetus and Trichomonas vaginalis. Ornithine carbamyltransferase (anabolic and catabolic activities), ornithine decarboxylase and carbamate kinase activity were localized predominately (56-80%) in the non sedimentable fraction of both species. A large proportion (35-40%) of the arginine deiminase was, however, recovered in the large granular fraction, and this distribution was unchanged by increasing the ionic strength of the buffer. Upon density gradient centrifugation the particles containing arginine deiminase activity had an isopycnic density of 1.09 g/ml in percoll, and separated from hydrogenosomes (1.18 g/ml) and lysosomes (1.12 g/ml). Arginine deiminase was also the only enzyme of the dihydrolase pathway which demonstrated latency upon treatment of the 1.09 g/ml fraction with non-ionic detergents. The results demonstrate the presence of the arginine dihydrolase pathway in T. foetus and indicate that at least a portion of the arginine deiminase in trichomonads is membrane associated.

Inhibition of Trichomonas vaginalis ornithine decarboxylase by amino acid analogs

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) from Trichomonas vaginalis was inhibited irreversibly by several substrate analogs. Of these, DL-alpha-monofluoromethyldehydroornithine (MFMDO) and DL-alpha-monofluoromethylornithine (MFMO) were the most potent. The enzyme was unaffected by putrescine analogs suggesting that differences exist between the regulation of the trichomonad enzyme and that in other eukaryotes. In culture the ornithine analogs strongly inhibited putrescine synthesis and increased the generation time after 24 hr of exposure. In a semi-defined growth medium MFMDO methyl and ethyl esters increased the generation time from 4.5 hr to 9.0 and 8.2 hr, respectively. In standard undefined growth medium the trichomonad ODC was fully induced only after 15 hr (late log) and had an extended half-life of greater than 8 hr.

Effect of DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine on polyamine synthesis and interconversion in Trichomonas vaginalis grown in a semi-defined medium

Growth of Trichomonas vaginalis in a semi-defined medium was inhibited by 5 mM DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). Using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, putrescine and cadaverine levels were found to be 90 and 100% reduced, respectively after 120 h exposure, whilst spermidine and spermine levels were unchanged. Putrescine (40 microM) and cadaverine (6 microM) were detected in the spent media from control cultures. Neither of these diamines was detected in spent media from 72 h DFMO-treated cultures. Changes in intracellular levels of amine precursors were also determined by HPLC. There was a transient increase in ornithine to 39 nmol (mg protein)-1 at 48 h in the DFMO-treated cells while it remained undetectable in control cells throughout the experiment. Arginine and citrulline levels remained high, decreasing to control levels only after 72 h. Only spermine (1 mM) rescued DFMO-treated cells, and this is discussed with respect to the presence of a putative spermine-specific oxidase designated by its sensitivity to aminoguanidine. Aerobic incubation of growing (normal) cells with [14C]spermine resulted in the production of an unknown metabolite (19% of total label), whose content was reduced to 5% under anaerobic conditions. Decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine remained undetectable in DFMO-treated cells, and the methylation index (ratio of S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine) did not change from the control value of 9.3. Ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, S-adenosylmethionine:L-homocysteine methyltransferase, and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase enzyme activities were detected. However, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, spermidine synthase or spermine synthase were not detected. These findings are discussed with reference to the arginine dihydrolase pathway whose end products are putrescine and ATP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Plasmodium falciparum: purification, properties, and immunochemical study of ornithine decarboxylase, the key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis

Ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway has been purified 7,600 fold from Plasmodium falciparum by affinity chromatography on a pyridoxamine phosphate column. The partially purified enzyme was specifically tagged with radioactive DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine and subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. A major protein band of 49 kilodalton was obtained while with the purified mouse enzyme, a typical 53 kilodalton band, was observed. The catalytic activity of parasite enzyme was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and was optimal at pH 8.0. The apparent Michaelis constant for L-ornithine was 52 microM. DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine efficiently and irreversibly inhibited ornithine decarboxylase activity from P. falciparum grown in vitro or Plasmodium berghei grown in vivo. The Ki of the human malarial enzyme for this inhibitor was 16 microM. Ornithine decarboxylase activity in P. falciparum cultures was rapidly lost upon exposure to the direct product, putrescine. Despite the profound inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide in vitro, parasite enzyme activity was only slightly reduced by 75 min of treatment, suggesting a relatively long half-life for the malarial enzyme. Ornithine decarboxylase activity from P. falciparum and P. berghei was not eliminated by antiserum prepared against purified mouse enzyme. Furthermore, RNA or DNA extracted from P. falciparum failed to hybridize to a mouse ornithine decarboxylase cDNA probe. These results suggest that ODC from P. falciparum bears some structural differences as compared to the mammalian enzyme.

Polyamine metabolism in filarial worms

The human and animal filarial parasites Onchocerca volvulus, Dirofilaria immitis, Brugia patei and Litomosoides carinii contained low levels of putrescine but much higher levels of spermidine and spermine as estimated by ion-pair high pressure liquid chromatography; N-acetylated polyamines were present only in minute amounts. Enzyme activities of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) and arginine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.19), respectively, were not detectable. Experiments carried out with O. volvulus and D. immitis demonstrated the uptake and bioconversion of labeled polyamines. There is evidence for the existence of a complete reverse pathway generating putrescine from spermidine and spermine, respectively, in both worms. N-Acetylating enzyme activities were detected in 100,000 X g preparations of homogenates from D. immitis which were capable to acetylate putrescine, spermidine and spermine. Long term incubation of the worms in the presence of labeled polyamines resulted in the excretion of putrescine and N-acetylputrescine.

Putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase from Acanthamoeba culbertsoni

Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, the free living pathogenic amoeba responsible for fatal meningoencephalitis, contains an S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) which is strongly activated by putrescine and to a lesser extent by cadaverine; spermidine, spermine, diaminopropane and 1,6-diaminohexane are inactive. Methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) competitively inhibited the enzyme with a Ki value of 123 microM. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by berenil (Ki = 0.5 microM) and to a lesser extent by pentamidine. The putrescine-activated enzyme is inhibited by MgCl2. The apparent molecular weight of 110,000 and its enzymatic properties indicate that the enzyme has characteristics intermediate between the bacterial and eukaryotic S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases.

Plasmodium falciparum: S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase

Putrescine-dependent S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase has been detected in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Mg2+ did not affect the enzyme activity. The apparent Km value of the plasmodial enzyme for adenosyl-methionine was found to be 33 microM. Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) competitively inhibited the enzyme activity with respect to adenosylmethionine. The inhibition constant for methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was determined to be 0.46 microM. Spermidine was the main polyamine detected in the parasite. There was significant decrease in the S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase activity when the infected erythrocytes were incubated with chloroquine and mefloquine for 2 hr at 1 and 10 microM, respectively. Since at similar concentrations these drugs did not directly affect the plasmodial enzyme activity, the interaction of these drugs with the polyamine biosynthesis remains unclear.

S-adenosylmethionine and transmethylation reactions in trichomonads

S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels in trichomonads, a range of trypanosomatids and mouse liver were measured using HPLC techniques. The concentrations were found to be similar in each with the exception of Herpetomonas muscarum ingenoplastis, which contained approximately ten-fold more. Living trichomonads were found to incorporate exogenous L-methionine into intracellular SAM and its methyl carbon was also detected in lipids and nucleic acids, presumably through its involvement in transmethylation reactions. Norleucine and cycloleucine inhibited L-methionine uptake and incorporation into living Trichomonas vaginalis. Both the rates of incorporation of exogenous L-methionine into intracellular SAM and its involvement in transmethylation reactions were greater for Trichomonas vaginalis than for Tritrichomonas foetus. The results suggest that Trichomonas vaginalis and other trichomonads contain enzymes equivalent to SAM synthetase (EC 2.5.1.6) and SAM-dependent methyltransferases (EC 2.1.1).

Cytostatic effect of DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine against Plasmodium falciparum and its reversal by diamines and spermidine

DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) inhibited ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and arrested the growth of Plasmodium falciparum at the early trophozoite stage. The inhibition of ODC activity did not result in the formation of an alternative diamine such as cadaverine. When putrescine or spermidine were added to the parasites grown in culture, the arrest was reversed, and normal schizogony was completed even in the presence of DFMO. Some reversal of the inhibition was achieved with cadaverine at high concentrations, while 1,3-diaminopropane and spermine failed to restore the development. Resumption of growth could be detected when putrescine was added even after 67 h of DFMO treatment. Electron microscopy did not reveal any changes in the morphology of parasites treated for 47 h, while 73 h of treatment with DFMO induced massive accumulation of pigment. Death was observed a few hours later. These results suggest that DFMO acts as a cytostatic rather than as a cytocidal agent. The four carbon diamine restored cell growth while the shorter or the longer homologous compounds showed little activity.

Polyamine biosynthesis in trichomonads

Trichomonas vaginalis, Tritrichomonas foetus and Trichomitus batrachorum grown in modified Diamond's medium all had high concentrations of putrescine and lower concentrations of spermidine and spermine. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; EC 4.1.1.17) was detectable in all three species although at significantly different levels. Trichomonas vaginalis had the highest activity (typically around 1.85 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1), Trichomitus batrachorum the lowest (0.11 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1). The Trichomonas vaginalis ODC had an apparent Mr of 230 000 and was severely inhibited by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). S-Adenosyl-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) could not be detected in T. batrachorum but was present in the other two species. Arginine decarboxylase was apparently absent from all three. All three trichomonad species were able to accumulate spermidine and putrescine from the medium. When T. vaginalis was grown in the presence of DFMO (4 mM), which had little effect on parasite growth, ODC activity was reduced by over 99% and the polyamine content was altered; putrescine concentrations were decreased, those of spermidine and spermine remained the same or were raised. DFMO-treated cells accumulated more exogenous putrescine than untreated control cells. The results suggest that the lack of effect of DFMO on T. vaginalis in culture was due to the parasite being able to accumulate polyamines from the growth medium. It appears, therefore, that testing DFMO and similar compounds in axenic trichomonad cultures may well not give a true indication of their effectiveness in vivo where sources of exogenous polyamines may not be available.

Amine production by Leishmania mexicana

Growing promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana mexicana excreted large amounts of urea and ammonia into the culture medium. Both promastigotes and amastigotes in short-term, high-density cultures also produced urea and ammonia; the excretion rate was higher in promastigotes. Putrescine was excreted by growing promastigotes but spermine and spermidine excretion apparently did not occur. Both promastigote and amastigote cell extracts contained putrescine and spermidine. Both polyamines, but especially putrescine, were present at higher concentrations in promastigotes than amastigotes. Trace amounts of spermine were found in the promastigote extracts but none was detected in the amastigotes.