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Dirkx L, Van Acker SI, Nicolaes Y, Cunha JLR, Ahmad R, Hendrickx R, Caljon B, Imamura H, Ebo DG, Jeffares DC, Sterckx YGJ, Maes L, Hendrickx S, Caljon G. Long-term hematopoietic stem cells trigger quiescence in Leishmania parasites. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012181. [PMID: 38656959 PMCID: PMC11073788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012181] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Addressing the challenges of quiescence and post-treatment relapse is of utmost importance in the microbiology field. This study shows that Leishmania infantum and L. donovani parasites rapidly enter into quiescence after an estimated 2-3 divisions in both human and mouse bone marrow stem cells. Interestingly, this behavior is not observed in macrophages, which are the primary host cells of the Leishmania parasite. Transcriptional comparison of the quiescent and non-quiescent metabolic states confirmed the overall decrease of gene expression as a hallmark of quiescence. Quiescent amastigotes display a reduced size and signs of a rapid evolutionary adaptation response with genetic alterations. Our study provides further evidence that this quiescent state significantly enhances resistance to treatment. Moreover, transitioning through quiescence is highly compatible with sand fly transmission and increases the potential of parasites to infect cells. Collectively, this work identified stem cells in the bone marrow as a niche where Leishmania quiescence occurs, with important implications for antiparasitic treatment and acquisition of virulence traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Dirkx
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sara I. Van Acker
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yasmine Nicolaes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - João Luís Reis Cunha
- York Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Rokaya Ahmad
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rik Hendrickx
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ben Caljon
- Brussels Interuniversity Genomics High Throughput core (BRIGHTcore) platform, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hideo Imamura
- Brussels Interuniversity Genomics High Throughput core (BRIGHTcore) platform, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Didier G. Ebo
- Department of Immunology–Allergology–Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Daniel C. Jeffares
- York Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Yann G.-J. Sterckx
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sarah Hendrickx
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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2
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Nation CS, Stephany-Brassesco I, Kelly BL, Pizarro JC. Transgenic overexpression of heat shock protein (HSP83) enhances protein kinase A activity, disrupts GP63 surface protease expression and alters promastigote morphology in Leishmania amazonensis. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2023; 255:111574. [PMID: 37150327 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites undergo morphological changes during their infectious life cycle, including developmental transitions within the sandfly vector, culminating in metacyclic stages that are pre-adapted for infection. Upon entering vertebrate host phagocytes, Leishmania differentiate into intracellular amastigotes, the form that is ultimately transmitted back to the vector to complete the life cycle. Although environmental conditions that induce these cellular transitions are well-established, molecular mechanisms governing Leishmania morphologic differentiation in response to these cues remain largely uncharacterized. Previous studies indicate a key role for HSP83 in both promastigote metacyclogenesis and amastigote differentiation. To further elucidate HSP83 functions in the Leishmania lifecycle, we examined the biological impact of experimentally elevating HSP83 gene expression in Leishmania. Significantly, HSP83 overexpression was associated with altered metacyclic morphology, increased protein kinase A (PKA) activity and decreased expression of the Leishmania major surface protease, GP63. Corroborating these findings, overexpression of the L. amazonensis PKA catalytic subunit resulted in a largely similar phenotype. Our findings demonstrate for the first time in Leishmania, a functional link between HSP83 and PKA in the control of Leishmania gene expression, replication and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S Nation
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University,1440 Canal St., Suite 2301, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Isabel Stephany-Brassesco
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Ben L Kelly
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Juan C Pizarro
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University,1440 Canal St., Suite 2301, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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3
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Teh-Poot CF, Dzul-Huchim VM, Mercado JM, Villanueva-Lizama LE, Bottazzi ME, Jones KM, Tsai FTF, Cruz-Chan JV. A short-term method to evaluate anti-leishmania drugs by inhibition of stage differentiation in Leishmania mexicana using flow cytometry. Exp Parasitol 2023; 249:108519. [PMID: 37004860 PMCID: PMC10231665 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by the Leishmania spp. Parasite. The disease is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of infected female sandflies during the ingestion of bloodmeal. Because current drug treatments induce toxicity and parasite resistance, there is an urgent need to evaluate new drugs. Most therapeutics target the differentiation of promastigotes to amastigotes, which is necessary to maintain Leishmania infection. However, in vitro assays are laborious, time-consuming, and depend on the experience of the technician. In this study, we aimed to establish a short-term method to assess the differentiation status of Leishmania mexicana (L. mexicana) using flow cytometry. Here, we showed that flow cytometry provides a rapid means to quantify parasite differentiation in cell culture as reliably as light microscopy. Interestingly, we found using flow cytometry that miltefosine reduced promastigote-to-amastigote differentiation of L. mexicana. We conclude that flow cytometry provides a means to rapidly assay the efficacy of small molecules or natural compounds as potential anti-leishmanials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Florian Teh-Poot
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Victor Manuel Dzul-Huchim
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Jonathan M Mercado
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Liliana Estefanía Villanueva-Lizama
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico; Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kathryn M Jones
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Francis T F Tsai
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico; Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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4
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Chanmol W, Jariyapan N, Preativatanyou K, Mano C, Tippawangkosol P, Somboon P, Bates PA. Stimulation of metacyclogenesis in Leishmania (Mundinia) orientalis for mass production of metacyclic promastigotes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:992741. [PMID: 36132986 PMCID: PMC9483143 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.992741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania (Mundinia) orientalis is a human pathogen causing leishmaniasis and studies on the properties of metacyclic promastigotes, the parasite’s infective stage, are required for a better understanding of its transmission and infection. However, information on cultivation for mass production of L. orientalis metacyclic promastigotes and factors that stimulate their metacyclogenesis is limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a suitable methodology for generating promastigote cultures containing a high proportion and number of L. orientalis metacyclic promastigotes. Various media, i.e., Schneider’s insect medium, Medium 199 and Grace’s insect medium, supplemented with various quantities of dithiothreitol, Basal Medium Eagle vitamins, pooled human urine, and fetal bovine serum, were optimized for metacyclogenesis. The results revealed that the optimum culture medium and conditions of those tested were Schneider’s insect medium supplemented with 100 μM dithiothreitol, 1% (v/v) Basal Medium Eagle vitamins, 2% (v/v) pooled human urine, and 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum, pH 5.0 at 26°C. We also demonstrated that L. orientalis metacyclic promastigotes could be purified and enriched by negative selection using peanut lectin. Under these culture conditions, the highest yield of metacyclic promastigotes was obtained with a significantly higher percentage of parasite survival, resistance to complement-mediated lysis, and infection index in THP-1 macrophage cells compared to parasites cultured without media supplements at neutral pH. This is the first report providing a reliable method for mass production of L. orientalis metacyclic promastigotes for in vivo infections and other experimental studies of this emerging parasite in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wetpisit Chanmol
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat, Thailand
| | - Narissara Jariyapan
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector-Borne Disease, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Narissara Jariyapan, ; Pradya Somboon,
| | - Kanok Preativatanyou
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector-Borne Disease, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chonlada Mano
- Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Pongsri Tippawangkosol
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Pradya Somboon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Narissara Jariyapan, ; Pradya Somboon,
| | - Paul A. Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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5
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Gupta AK, Das S, Kamran M, Ejazi SA, Ali N. The Pathogenicity and Virulence of Leishmania - interplay of virulence factors with host defenses. Virulence 2022; 13:903-935. [PMID: 35531875 PMCID: PMC9154802 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2074130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a group of disease caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Infection by different species of Leishmania results in various host immune responses, which usually lead to parasite clearance and may also contribute to pathogenesis and, hence, increasing the complexity of the disease. Interestingly, the parasite tends to reside within the unfriendly environment of the macrophages and has evolved various survival strategies to evade or modulate host immune defense. This can be attributed to the array of virulence factors of the vicious parasite, which target important host functioning and machineries. This review encompasses a holistic overview of leishmanial virulence factors, their role in assisting parasite-mediated evasion of host defense weaponries, and modulating epigenetic landscapes of host immune regulatory genes. Furthermore, the review also discusses the diagnostic potential of various leishmanial virulence factors and the advent of immunomodulators as futuristic antileishmanial drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Kumar Gupta
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sonali Das
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Mohd Kamran
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
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6
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Barazandeh AF, Mou Z, Ikeogu N, Mejia EM, Edechi CA, Zhang WW, Alizadeh J, Hatch GM, Ghavami S, Matlashewski G, Marshall AJ, Uzonna JE. The Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Is a Key Metabolic Enzyme and Critical Virulence Factor of Leishmania major. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 206:1013-1026. [PMID: 33462138 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2000517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is currently no effective vaccine against leishmaniasis because of the lack of sufficient knowledge about the Ags that stimulate host-protective and long-lasting T cell-mediated immunity. We previously identified Leishmania phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK, a gluconeogenic enzyme) as an immunodominant Ag that is expressed by both the insect (promastigote) and mammalian (amastigote) stages of the parasite. In this study, we investigated the role of PEPCK in metabolism, virulence, and immunopathogenicity of Leishmania major We show that targeted loss of PEPCK results in impaired proliferation of L. major in axenic culture and bone marrow-derived macrophages. Furthermore, the deficiency of PEPCK results in highly attenuated pathology in vivo. BALB/c mice infected with PEPCK-deficient parasites failed to develop any cutaneous lesions despite harboring parasites at the cutaneous site of infection. This was associated with a dramatic reduction in the frequency of cytokine (IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10)-producing CD4+ T cells in spleens and lymph nodes draining the infection site. Cells from mice infected with PEPCK-deficient parasites also produced significantly low levels of these cytokines into the culture supernatant following in vitro restimulation with soluble Leishmania Ag. PEPCK-deficient parasites exhibited significantly greater extracellular acidification rate, increased proton leak, and decreased ATP-coupling efficiency and oxygen consumption rates in comparison with their wild-type and addback counterparts. Taken together, these results show that PEPCK is a critical metabolic enzyme for Leishmania, and its deletion results in altered metabolic activity and attenuation of virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Feiz Barazandeh
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada
| | - Zhirong Mou
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada
| | - Nnamdi Ikeogu
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada
| | - Edgard M Mejia
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada
| | - Chidalu A Edechi
- Department of Pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Wen-Wei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0F4, Canada
| | - Javad Alizadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Grant M Hatch
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada; and.,Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Greg Matlashewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0F4, Canada
| | - Aaron J Marshall
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada
| | - Jude E Uzonna
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0T5, Canada;
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7
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Antonia AL, Gibbs KD, Trahair ED, Pittman KJ, Martin AT, Schott BH, Smith JS, Rajagopal S, Thompson JW, Reinhardt RL, Ko DC. Pathogen Evasion of Chemokine Response Through Suppression of CXCL10. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:280. [PMID: 31440475 PMCID: PMC6693555 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00280] [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: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Clearance of intracellular pathogens, such as Leishmania (L.) major, depends on an immune response with well-regulated cytokine signaling. Here we describe a pathogen-mediated mechanism of evading CXCL10, a chemokine with diverse antimicrobial functions, including T cell recruitment. Infection with L. major in a human monocyte cell line induced robust CXCL10 transcription without increasing extracellular CXCL10 protein concentrations. We found that this transcriptionally independent suppression of CXCL10 is mediated by the virulence factor and protease, glycoprotein-63 (gp63). Specifically, GP63 cleaves CXCL10 after amino acid A81 at the base of a C-terminal alpha-helix. Cytokine cleavage by GP63 demonstrated specificity, as GP63 cleaved CXCL10 and its homologs, which all bind the CXCR3 receptor, but not distantly related chemokines, such as CXCL8 and CCL22. Further characterization demonstrated that CXCL10 cleavage activity by GP63 was produced by both extracellular promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Crucially, CXCL10 cleavage impaired T cell chemotaxis in vitro, indicating that cleaved CXCL10 cannot signal through CXCR3. Ultimately, we propose CXCL10 suppression is a convergent mechanism of immune evasion, as Salmonella enterica and Chlamydia trachomatis also suppress CXCL10. This commonality suggests that counteracting CXCL10 suppression may provide a generalizable therapeutic strategy against intracellular pathogens. Importance Leishmaniasis, an infectious disease that annually affects over one million people, is caused by intracellular parasites that have evolved to evade the host's attempts to eliminate the parasite. Cutaneous leishmaniasis results in disfiguring skin lesions if the host immune system does not appropriately respond to infection. A family of molecules called chemokines coordinate recruitment of the immune cells required to eliminate infection. Here, we demonstrate a novel mechanism that Leishmania (L.) spp. employ to suppress host chemokines: a Leishmania-encoded protease cleaves chemokines known to recruit T cells that fight off infection. We observe that other common human intracellular pathogens, including Chlamydia trachomatis and Salmonella enterica, reduce levels of the same chemokines, suggesting a strong selective pressure to avoid this component of the immune response. Our study provides new insights into how intracellular pathogens interact with the host immune response to enhance pathogen survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro L. Antonia
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kyle D. Gibbs
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Esme D. Trahair
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kelly J. Pittman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Amelia T. Martin
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin H. Schott
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey S. Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sudarshan Rajagopal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - J. Will Thompson
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Shared Resource, Center for Genomics and Computational Biology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Richard Lee Reinhardt
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Dennis C. Ko
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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8
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Paloque L, Perez-Berezo T, Abot A, Dalloux-Chioccioli J, Bourgeade-Delmas S, Le Faouder P, Pujo J, Teste MA, François JM, Schebb NH, Mainka M, Rolland C, Blanpied C, Dietrich G, Bertrand-Michel J, Deraison C, Valentin A, Cenac N. Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites: biosynthesis in Leishmania and role in parasite/host interaction. J Lipid Res 2019; 60:636-647. [PMID: 30626624 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m091736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inside the human host, Leishmania infection starts with phagocytosis of infective promastigotes by macrophages. In order to survive, Leishmania has developed several strategies to manipulate macrophage functions. Among these strategies, Leishmania as a source of bioactive lipids has been poorly explored. Herein, we assessed the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites by infective and noninfective stages of Leishmania and further explored the role of these metabolites in macrophage polarization. The concentration of docosahexaenoic acid metabolites, precursors of proresolving lipid mediators, was increased in the infective stage of the parasite compared with the noninfective stage, and cytochrome P450-like proteins were shown to be implicated in the biosynthesis of these metabolites. The treatment of macrophages with lipids extracted from the infective forms of the parasite led to M2 macrophage polarization and blocked the differentiation into the M1 phenotype induced by IFN-γ. In conclusion, Leishmania polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites, produced by cytochrome P450-like protein activity, are implicated in parasite/host interactions by promoting the polarization of macrophages into a proresolving M2 phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Paloque
- UMR152 Pharma Dev, Université de Toulouse, IRD, UPS, 31400 Toulouse, France.,LCC CNRS, UPR8241, Université de Toulouse, UPS, INPT, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Teresa Perez-Berezo
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Anne Abot
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | - Julien Pujo
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Marie-Ange Teste
- LISBP Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Nils Helge Schebb
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Wuppertal, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Malwina Mainka
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Wuppertal, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Corinne Rolland
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Catherine Blanpied
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Gilles Dietrich
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | | | - Céline Deraison
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Alexis Valentin
- UMR152 Pharma Dev, Université de Toulouse, IRD, UPS, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Nicolas Cenac
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRA, INP-ENVT, 31024 Toulouse, France
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9
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Metacyclogenesis of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis: a comprehensive study of the main transformation features in axenic culture and purification of metacyclic promastigotes by negative selection with Bauhinia purpurea lectin. Parasitology 2018; 146:716-727. [PMID: 30588899 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018002111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is one species that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World. The incidence of infections with this parasite is probably underestimated and few studies exist on this species, despite its epidemiological importance. In particular, there are no studies concerning L. guyanensis metacyclogenesis and no technique for obtaining metacyclic promastigotes for this species is presently available. Here, we have studied L. guyanensis metacyclogenesis in axenic culture, describing the main changes that occur during this process, namely, in morphology and size, sensitivity to complement-mediated lysis, surface carbohydrates and infectivity to macrophages. We have shown that metacyclogenesis in L. guyanensis promastigotes is basically complete on the 4th day of culture, as determined by decreased body size, increased flagellum length, resistance to complement-mediated lysis and infectivity. We have also found that only a fraction of the parasites is agglutinated by Bauhinia purpurea lectin. The non-agglutinated parasites, which also peaked on the 4th day of culture, had all morphological traits typical of the metacyclic stage. This is the first report describing metacyclogenesis in L. guyanensis axenic promastigotes and a simple and efficient method for the purification of metacyclic forms. Furthermore, a model of human macrophage infection with L. guyanensis was established.
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Viana AG, Magalhães LMD, Giunchetti RC, Dutra WO, Gollob KJ. Infection of Human Monocytes with Leishmania infantum Strains Induces a Downmodulated Response when Compared with Infection with Leishmania braziliensis. Front Immunol 2018; 8:1896. [PMID: 29358935 PMCID: PMC5766652 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human infection with different species of Leishmania leads to distinct clinical manifestations, ranging from relatively mild cutaneous (Leishmania braziliensis) to severe visceral (Leishmania infantum) forms of leishmaniasis. Here, we asked whether in vitro infection of human monocytes by Leishmania strains responsible for distinct clinical manifestations leads to early changes in immunological characteristics and ability of the host cells to control Leishmania. We evaluated the expression of toll-like receptors and MHC class II molecules, cytokines, and Leishmania control by human monocytes following short-term infection with L. braziliensis (M2904), a reference strain of L. infantum (BH46), and a wild strain of L. infantum (wild). The induction of TLR2, TLR9, and HLA-DR were all lower in L. infantum when compared with L. braziliensis-infected cells. Moreover, L. infantum-infected monocytes (both strains) produced lower TNF-alpha and a lower TNF-alpha/IL-10 ratio, resulting in a weaker inflammatory profile and a 100-fold less effective control of Leishmania than cells infected with L. braziliensis. Our results show that L. infantum strains fail to induce a strong inflammatory response, less activation, and less control of Leishmania from human monocytes, when compared with that induced by L. braziliensis infection. This functional profile may help explain the distinct clinical course observed in patients infected with the different Leishmania species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostinho Gonçalves Viana
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações Celulares, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Luísa Mourão Dias Magalhães
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações Celulares, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações Celulares, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Walderez O Dutra
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações Celulares, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kenneth J Gollob
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Núcleo de Ensino e Pesquisa, Instituto Mario Penna, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,International Center for Research, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil
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Antileishmanial activity of a naphthoquinone derivate against promastigote and amastigote stages of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania amazonensis and its mechanism of action against L. amazonensis species. Parasitol Res 2017; 117:391-403. [PMID: 29248978 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5713-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis has become a significant public health issue in several countries in the world. New products have been identified to treat against the disease; however, toxicity and/or high cost is a limitation. The present work evaluated the antileishmanial activity of a new naphthoquinone derivate, Flau-A [2-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-β-L-galactopyranosyloxy)-1,4-naphthoquinone], against promastigote and amastigote-like stages of Leishmania amazonensis and L. infantum. In addition, the cytotoxicity in murine macrophages and human red cells was also investigated. The mechanism of action of Flau-A was assessed in L. amazonensis as well as its efficacy in treating infected macrophages and inhibiting infection of pretreated parasites. Results showed that Flau-A was effective against promastigotes and amastigote-like forms of both parasite species, as well as showed low toxicity in mammalian cells. Results also highlighted the morphological and biochemical alterations induced by Flau-A in L. amazonensis, including loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as increased reactive oxygen species production, cell shrinkage, and alteration of the plasma membrane integrity. The present study demonstrates for the first time the antileishmanial activity of Flau-A against two Leishmania species and suggests that the mitochondria of the parasites may be the main target organelle. Data shown here encourages the use of this molecule in new studies concerning treatment against Leishmania infection in mammalian hosts.
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Manzano JI, Perea A, León-Guerrero D, Campos-Salinas J, Piacenza L, Castanys S, Gamarro F. Leishmania LABCG1 and LABCG2 transporters are involved in virulence and oxidative stress: functional linkage with autophagy. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:267. [PMID: 28558770 PMCID: PMC5450059 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2198-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The G subfamily of ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters of Leishmania include 6 genes (ABCG1-G6), some with relevant biological functions associated with drug resistance and phospholipid transport. Several studies have shown that Leishmania LABCG2 transporter plays a role in the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), in virulence and in resistance to antimonials. However, the involvement of this transporter in other key biological processes has not been studied. Methods To better understand the biological function of LABCG2 and its nearly identical tandem-repeated transporter LABCG1, we have generated Leishmania major null mutant parasites for both genes (ΔLABCG1-2). NBD-PS uptake, infectivity, metacyclogenesis, autophagy and thiols were measured. Results Leishmania major ΔLABCG1-2 parasites present a reduction in NBD-PS uptake, infectivity and virulence. In addition, we have shown that ΔLABCG1-2 parasites in stationary phase growth underwent less metacyclogenesis and presented differences in the plasma membrane’s lipophosphoglycan composition. Considering that autophagy is an important process in terms of parasite virulence and cell differentiation, we have shown an autophagy defect in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites, detected by monitoring expression of the autophagosome marker RFP-ATG8. This defect correlates with increased levels of reactive oxygen species and higher non-protein thiol content in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites. HPLC analysis revealed that trypanothione and glutathione were the main molecules accumulated in these ΔLABCG1-2 parasites. The decrease in non-protein thiol levels due to preincubation with buthionine sulphoximide (a γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase inhibitor) restored the autophagy process in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites, indicating a relationship between autophagy and thiol content. Conclusions LABCG1-2 transporters from Leishmania could be considered as phosphatidylserine and non-protein thiol transporters. They probably accomplish transportation in conjunction with other molecules that are involved in oxidative stress, autophagy, metacyclogenesis and infectivity processes. The overall conclusion is that LABCG1-2 transporters could play a key role in Leishmania cell survival and infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ignacio Manzano
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Perea
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - David León-Guerrero
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Jenny Campos-Salinas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Lucia Piacenza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Santiago Castanys
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Gamarro
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain.
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Ullah N, Nadhman A, Siddiq S, Mehwish S, Islam A, Jafri L, Hamayun M. Plants as Antileishmanial Agents: Current Scenario. Phytother Res 2016; 30:1905-1925. [DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nazif Ullah
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences; Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan; Mardan Pakistan
| | - Akhtar Nadhman
- Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al Khail Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (SA-CIRBS); International Islamic University; Islamabad 44000 Pakistan
| | - Sumaira Siddiq
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences; Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan; Mardan Pakistan
| | - Shaila Mehwish
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences; Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan; Mardan Pakistan
| | - Arshad Islam
- Laboratório de Immunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas, (NUPEB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto Minas Gerais 35.400-000 Brazil
| | - Laila Jafri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences; Bahauddin Zakariya University; Multan Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Hamayun
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences; Abdul Wali Khan University; Mardan Pakistan
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Freitas-Mesquita AL, Gomes MT, Vieira DP, Paes-Vieira L, Nascimento MTC, Lopes AHCS, Meyer-Fernandes JR. Inhibitory effects promoted by 5'-nucleotides on the ecto-3'-nucleotidase activity of Leishmania amazonensis. Exp Parasitol 2016; 169:111-8. [PMID: 27531705 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis. During its life cycle, the flagellated metacyclic promastigote forms are transmitted to vertebrate hosts by sandfly bites, and they develop into amastigotes inside macrophages, where they multiply. L. amazonensis possesses a bifunctional enzyme, called 3'-nucleotidase/nuclease (3'NT/NU), which is able to hydrolyze extracellular 3'-monophosphorylated nucleosides and nucleic acids. 3'NT/NU plays an important role in the generation of extracellular adenosine and has been described as a key enzyme in the acquisition of purines by trypanosomatids. Furthermore, it has been observed that 3'NT/NU also plays a valuable role in the establishment of parasitic infection. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the modulation of the 3'-nucleotidase (3'NT) activity of L. amazonensis by several nucleotides. It was observed that 3'NT activity is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of guanosine and guanine nucleotides. The inhibition promoted by 5'-GMP on the 3'NT activity of L. amazonensis is reversible and uncompetitive because the addition of the inhibitor decreased the kinetic parameters Km and Vmax. Finally, we found that the addition of 5'-GMP is able to reverse the stimulation promoted by 3'-AMP in a macrophage-parasite interaction assay. The determination of compounds that can inhibit the 3'NT activity of Leishmania is very important because this enzyme does not occur in mammals, making it a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Leocadio Freitas-Mesquita
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marta T Gomes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Danielle P Vieira
- Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Lisvane Paes-Vieira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Michelle T C Nascimento
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Angela H C S Lopes
- Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Meyer-Fernandes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Yao C, Wilson ME. Dynamics of sterol synthesis during development of Leishmania spp. parasites to their virulent form. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:200. [PMID: 27071464 PMCID: PMC4830053 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1470-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Leishmania spp. protozoa, the causative agents of the “neglected” tropical disease leishmaniasis, are transmitted to mammals by sand fly vectors. Within the sand fly, parasites transform from amastigotes to procyclic promastigotes, followed by development of virulent (metacyclic) promastigote forms. The latter are infectious to mammalian hosts. Biochemical components localized in the parasite plasma membrane such as proteins and sterols play a pivotal role in Leishmania pathogenesis. Leishmania spp. lack the enzymes for cholesterol synthesis, and the dynamics of sterol acquisition and biosynthesis in parasite developmental stages are not understood. We hypothesized that dynamic changes in sterol composition during metacyclogenesis contribute to the virulence of metacyclic promastigotes. Methods Sterols were extracted from logarithmic phase or metacyclic promastigotes grown in liquid culture with or without cholesterol, and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). TriTrypDB was searched for identification of genes involved in Leishmania sterol biosynthetic pathways. Results In total nine sterols were identified. There were dynamic changes in sterols during promastigote metacyclogenesis. Cholesterol in the culture medium affected sterol composition in different parasite stages. There were qualitative and relative quantitative differences between the sterol content of virulent versus avirulent parasite strains. A tentative sterol biosynthetic pathway in Leishmania spp. promastigotes was identified. Conclusions Significant differences in sterol composition were observed between promastigote stages, and between parasites exposed to different extracellular cholesterol in the environment. These data lay the foundation for further investigating the role of sterols in the pathogenesis of Leishmania spp. infections. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1470-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqun Yao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies, ᅟ.
| | - Mary E Wilson
- Departments of Internal Medicine, Microbiology and Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Iowa City VA Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
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In vitro metacyclogenesis of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis clinical field isolates, as evaluated by morphology, complement resistance, and infectivity to human macrophages. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:393049. [PMID: 25695070 PMCID: PMC4324811 DOI: 10.1155/2015/393049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to assess in vitro metacyclogenesis of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis clinical field isolates obtained from patient lesions (L. braziliensis IMG3 and PPS6m; L. amazonensis MAB6). Metacyclogenesis was evaluated by different criteria, namely, promastigote size (morphometric analysis and flow cytometry), surface modifications (loss of lectin or monoclonal antibody (mAb) binding, complement resistance), and infectivity to human macrophages. Growth curves were similar for all parasites evaluated. The various features analyzed were expressed in a high percentage of promastigotes at 6th and 10th days of culture and a low percentage at the 2nd day. However, in most isolates, these features, considered as markers of metacyclogenesis, seemed to develop with different time courses, since the percentages of metacyclic forms detected with each technique were usually different. Parasites from 6th or 10th day and those negatively selected with lectin or mAb similarly infected human macrophages. From all isolates analyzed, L. amazonensis PH8 and MAB6 showed the highest and the lowest levels of susceptibility, respectively, to leishmanicidal activity of IFN-γ/LPS-activated macrophages. Our results showed that by using different techniques to evaluate different aspects of metacyclogenesis (morphological and biochemical modifications) different percentages of metacyclic promastigotes can be detected in each isolate culture.
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Dan-Goor M, Nasereddin A, Jaber H, Jaffe CL. Identification of a secreted casein kinase 1 in Leishmania donovani: effect of protein over expression on parasite growth and virulence. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79287. [PMID: 24260187 PMCID: PMC3829951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Casein kinase 1 (CK1) plays an important role in eukaryotic signaling pathways, and their substrates include key regulatory proteins involved in cell differentiation, proliferation and chromosome segregation. The Leishmania genome encodes six potential CK1 isoforms, of which five have orthologs in other trypanosomatidae. Leishmania donovani CK1 isoform 4 (Ldck1.4, orthologous to LmjF27.1780) is unique to Leishmania and contains a putative secretion signal peptide. The full-length gene and three shorter constructs were cloned and expressed in E. coli as His-tag proteins. Only the full-length 62.3 kDa protein showed protein kinase activity indicating that the N-terminal and C-terminal domains are essential for protein activity. LdCK1.4-FLAG was stably over expressed in L. donovani, and shown by immunofluorescence to be localized primarily in the cytosol. Western blotting using anti-FLAG and anti-CK1.4 antibodies showed that this CK1 isoform is expressed and secreted by promastigotes. Over expression of LdCK1.4 had a significant effect on promastigote growth in culture with these parasites growing to higher cell densities than the control parasites (wild-type or Ld:luciferase, P<0.001). Analysis by flow cytometry showed a higher percentage, ∼4-5-fold, of virulent metacyclic promastigotes on day 3 among the LdCK1.4 parasites. Finally, parasites over expressing LdCK1.4 gave significantly higher infections of mouse peritoneal macrophages compared to wild-type parasites, 28.6% versus 6.3%, respectively (p = 0.0005). These results suggest that LdCK1.4 plays an important role in parasite survival and virulence. Further studies are needed to validate CK1.4 as a therapeutic target in Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Dan-Goor
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, National Center for Leishmaniasis, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Abedelmajeed Nasereddin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, National Center for Leishmaniasis, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hanan Jaber
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, National Center for Leishmaniasis, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Charles L. Jaffe
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, National Center for Leishmaniasis, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
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Relapse after treatment with miltefosine for visceral leishmaniasis is associated with increased infectivity of the infecting Leishmania donovani strain. mBio 2013; 4:e00611-13. [PMID: 24105765 PMCID: PMC3791894 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00611-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania donovani is an intracellular protozoan parasite that causes leishmaniasis, which can range from a self-healing cutaneous disease to a fatal visceral disease depending on the infecting species. Miltefosine is currently the latest and only oral antileishmanial that came out of drug discovery pipelines in the past few decades, but recent reports indicate a significant decline in its efficacy against visceral leishmaniasis (also known as kala-azar) in the Indian subcontinent. This relapse rate of up to 20% within 12 months after treatment was shown not to be related to reinfection, drug quality, drug exposure, or drug-resistant parasites. We therefore aimed to assess other phenotypes of the parasite that may affect treatment outcome and found a significant association between the number of metacyclic parasites, parasite infectivity, and patient treatment outcome in the Indian subcontinent. Together with previous studies on resistance of L. donovani against pentavalent antimonials, these data suggest that the infectivity of the parasite, or related phenotypes, might be a more determinant factor for treatment failure in visceral leishmaniasis than drug susceptibility, warranting a reassessment of our current view on treatment failure and drug resistance in leishmaniasis and beyond. The high miltefosine relapse rate poses a major challenge for the current Kala-Azar Elimination Program in the Indian subcontinent and other leishmaniasis control programs worldwide. This relapse rate could not be related to reinfection, drug-resistant parasites, or reduced treatment quality. Here we report that an increased infectivity of the parasite is associated with miltefosine relapse of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. These results supplement those obtained with antimonial-resistant L. donovani where an increased infectivity was also observed. This challenges the current view of Leishmania drug susceptibility being the biggest parasitic factor that contributes to treatment failure in leishmaniasis. These selected more infectious parasites may pose an additional burden to leishmaniasis control programs, highlighting the importance of multifaceted control measures to achieve leishmaniasis elimination in the Indian subcontinent and other regions where leishmaniasis is endemic.
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Santarém N, Racine G, Silvestre R, Cordeiro-da-Silva A, Ouellette M. Exoproteome dynamics in Leishmania infantum. J Proteomics 2013; 84:106-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2013.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2012] [Revised: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Cunha J, Carrillo E, Sánchez C, Cruz I, Moreno J, Cordeiro-da-Silva A. Characterization of the biology and infectivity of Leishmania infantum viscerotropic and dermotropic strains isolated from HIV+ and HIV- patients in the murine model of visceral leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:122. [PMID: 23622683 PMCID: PMC3649922 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases with a variety of clinical manifestations. The form of the disease is highly dependent on the infective Leishmania species and the immunological status of the host. The infectivity of the parasite strain also plays an important role in the progression of the infection. The aim of this work is to understand the influence of the natural infectivity of Leishmania strains in the outcome of visceral leishmaniasis. METHODS In this study we have characterized four strains of L. infantum in terms of molecular typing, in vitro cultivation and differentiation. Two strains were isolated from HIV+ patients with visceral leishmaniasis (Bibiano and E390M), one strain was isolated from a cutaneous lesion in an immunocompetent patient (HL) and another internal reference strain causative of visceral leishmaniasis (ST) also from an immunocompetent patient was used for comparison. For this objective, we have compared their virulence by in vitro and in vivo infectivity in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis. RESULTS Molecular typing unraveled a new k26 sequence attributed to MON-284 zymodeme and allowed the generation of a molecular signature for the identification of each strain. In vitro cultivation enabled the production of promastigotes with comparable growth curves and metacyclogenesis development. The HL strain was the most infective, showing the highest parasite loads in vitro that were corroborated with the in vivo assays, 6 weeks post-infection in BALB/c mice. The two strains isolated from HIV+ patients, both belonging to two different zymodemes, revealed different kinetics of infection. CONCLUSION Differences in in vitro and in vivo infectivity found in the murine model were then attributed to intrinsic characteristics of each strain. This work is supported by other studies that present the parasite's inherent features as factors for the multiplicity of clinical manifestations and severity of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Cunha
- Parasite Disease Group, Unit of Infection and Immunity, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, Porto, 4150-180, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar and Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Eugenia Carrillo
- WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Sánchez
- WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Israel Cruz
- WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Moreno
- WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva
- Parasite Disease Group, Unit of Infection and Immunity, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, Porto, 4150-180, Portugal
- Laboratório de Microbiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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dos Santos MG, Muxel SM, Zampieri RA, Pomorski TG, Floeter-Winter LM. Transbilayer dynamics of phospholipids in the plasma membrane of the Leishmania genus. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55604. [PMID: 23383240 PMCID: PMC3559443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoans of the Leishmania genus are the etiological agents of a wide spectrum of diseases commonly known as leishmaniases. Lipid organization of the plasma membrane of the parasite may mimic the lipid organization of mammalian apoptotic cells and play a role in phagocytosis and parasite survival in the mammal host. Here, we analyzed the phospholipid dynamics in the plasma membrane of both the L. (Leishmania) and the L. (Viannia) subgenera. We found that the activity and substrate specificity of the inward translocation machinery varied between Leishmania species. The differences in activity of inward phospholipid transport correlated with the different sensitivities of the various species towards the alkyl-phospholipid analogue miltefosine. Furthermore, all species exhibited a phospholipid scramblase activity in their plasma membranes upon stimulation with calcium ionophores. However, binding of annexin V to the parasite surface was only detected for a subpopulation of parasites during the stationary growth phase and only marginally enhanced by scramblase activation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Marcia Muxel
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Andrade Zampieri
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thomas Günther Pomorski
- Center for Membrane Pumps in Cells and Disease - PUMPKIN, Danish National Research Foundation, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- * E-mail: (LMF-W); (TGP)
| | - Lucile Maria Floeter-Winter
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (LMF-W); (TGP)
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França-Costa J, Wanderley JLM, Deolindo P, Zarattini JB, Costa J, Soong L, Barcinski MA, Barral A, Borges VM. Exposure of phosphatidylserine on Leishmania amazonensis isolates is associated with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis and parasite infectivity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e36595. [PMID: 22574191 PMCID: PMC3344919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 04/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is a rare clinical manifestation of leishmaniasis, characterized by an inefficient parasite-specific cellular response and heavily parasitized macrophages. In Brazil, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis is the main species involved in DCL cases. In the experimental model, recognition of phosphatidylserine (PS) molecules exposed on the surface of amastigotes forms of L. amazonensis inhibits the inflammatory response of infected macrophages as a strategy to evade the host immune surveillance. In this study, we examined whether PS exposure on L. amazonensis isolates from DCL patients operated as a parasite pathogenic factor and as a putative suppression mechanism of immune response during the infection. Peritoneal macrophages from F1 mice (BALB/c×C57BL/6) were infected with different L. amazonensis isolates from patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) or DCL. DCL isolates showed higher PS exposure than their counterparts from LCL patients. In addition, PS exposure was positively correlated with clinical parameters of the human infection (number of lesions and time of disease) and with characteristics of the experimental infection (macrophage infection and anti-inflammatory cytokine induction). Furthermore, parasites isolated from DCL patients displayed an increased area in parasitophorous vacuoles (PV) when compared to those isolated from LCL patients. Thus, this study shows for the first time that a parasite factor (exposed PS) might be associated with parasite survival/persistence in macrophages and lesion exacerbation during the course of DCL, providing new insights regarding pathogenic mechanism in this rare chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline França-Costa
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz/FIOCRUZ-BA, Salvador, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil
| | - João Luiz Mendes Wanderley
- Pólo Universitário Macaé, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Divisão de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Poliana Deolindo
- Divisão de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Jessica B. Zarattini
- Divisão de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Jackson Costa
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz/FIOCRUZ-BA, Salvador, Brasil
| | - Lynn Soong
- Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Marcello André Barcinski
- Divisão de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Aldina Barral
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz/FIOCRUZ-BA, Salvador, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil
| | - Valeria M. Borges
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz/FIOCRUZ-BA, Salvador, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil
- * E-mail:
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Moreira D, Santarém N, Loureiro I, Tavares J, Silva AM, Amorim AM, Ouaissi A, Cordeiro-da-Silva A, Silvestre R. Impact of continuous axenic cultivation in Leishmania infantum virulence. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1469. [PMID: 22292094 PMCID: PMC3265455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2011] [Accepted: 11/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental infections with visceral Leishmania spp. are frequently performed referring to stationary parasite cultures that are comprised of a mixture of metacyclic and non-metacyclic parasites often with little regard to time of culture and metacyclic purification. This may lead to misleading or irreproducible experimental data. It is known that the maintenance of Leishmania spp. in vitro results in a progressive loss of virulence that can be reverted by passage in a mammalian host. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the loss of virulence in culture comparing the in vitro and in vivo infection and immunological profile of L. infantum stationary promastigotes submitted to successive periods of in vitro cultivation. To evaluate the effect of axenic in vitro culture in parasite virulence, we submitted L. infantum promastigotes to 4, 21 or 31 successive in vitro passages. Our results demonstrated a rapid and significant loss of parasite virulence when parasites are sustained in axenic culture. Strikingly, the parasite capacity to modulate macrophage activation decreased significantly with the augmentation of the number of in vitro passages. We validated these in vitro observations using an experimental murine model of infection. A significant correlation was found between higher parasite burdens and lower number of in vitro passages in infected Balb/c mice. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the virulence deficit caused by successive in vitro passages results from an inadequate capacity to differentiate into amastigote forms. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the use of parasites with distinct periods of axenic in vitro culture induce distinct infection rates and immunological responses and correlated this phenotype with a rapid loss of promastigote differentiation capacity. These results highlight the need for a standard operating protocol (SOP) when studying Leishmania species. Protozoan of the genus Leishmania undergo several developmental transitions during its life cycle. Leishmania alternates between two morphologically distinct forms, promastigotes (insect stage) and amastigotes (vertebrate stage). Most of the available information about Leishmania spp. has been obtained from studying in vitro cultured promastigotes, an excellent experimental model for the different developmental stages present in the insect vector. Although promastigotes are grown in a controlled environment, the maintenance of long term culture results in loss of virulence, which can lead to a misinterpretation and often contradictory experimental results. It is then of great interest to unravel the defects arising from sustained axenic parasite culture in laboratory settings. The authors demonstrate a correlation between the maintenance of parasite culture with a growing defect of the promastigote form to differentiate in the mammalian amastigote form. This research provides a biological explanation for the loss of virulence due to sustained parasite culture and discusses the impact for all experimental work done with visceral Leishmania species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moreira
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Santarém
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Inês Loureiro
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Tavares
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Marta Silva
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Marina Amorim
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ali Ouaissi
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- INSERM, UMR, CNRS 5235, Université Montpellier II, Montpellier, France
| | - Anabela Cordeiro-da-Silva
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Silvestre
- Parasite Disease Group, IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Mathematical models predict that the future of epidemics of drug-resistant pathogens depends in part on the competitive fitness of drug-resistant strains. Considering metacyclogenesis (differentiation process essential for infectivity) as a major contributor to the fitness of Leishmania donovani, we tested its relationship with pentavalent antimony (SbV) resistance in clinical lines. Different methods for the assessment of metacyclogenesis were cross-validated: gene expression profiling (META1 and SHERP), morphometry (microscopy and FACS), in vitro infectivity to macrophages and resistance to complement lysis. This was done on a model constituted by 2 pairs of reference strains cloned from a SbV-resistant and -sensitive isolate. We selected the most adequate parameter and extended the analysis of metacyclogenesis diversity to a sample of 20 clinical lines with different in vitro susceptibility to the drug. The capacity of metacyclogenesis, as measured by the complement lysis test, was shown to be significantly higher in SbV-resistant clinical lines of L. donovani than in SbV-sensitive lines. Together with other lines of evidence, it is concluded that L. donovani constitutes a unique example and model of drug-resistant pathogens with traits of increased fitness. These findings raise a fundamental question about the potential risks of selecting more virulent pathogens through massive chemotherapeutic interventions.
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25
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Araújo CA, Araújo AA, Batista CL, Oliveira MAP, Oliveira V, Lino Junior RS, Vinaud MC, Bezerra JCB. Morphological alterations and growth inhibition of Leishmania (L.)amazonensis promastigotes exposed to zidovudine (AZT). Parasitol Res 2010; 108:547-51. [PMID: 20922414 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2096-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites cause a worldwide public health disease and its treatment is still based on pentavalent antimonials which present financial and toxicologic limitations. Some nucleosidic derivatives have demonstrated anti-leishmanial properties and this study aims to evaluate the in vitro morphologic alterations and growth inhibition of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes exposed to zidovudine at several concentrations. The citotoxicity of zidovudine (AZT) to macrophages was determined by an MTT assay. After which the promastigotes were exposed to concentrations of AZT, ranging from 1 to 50 μM. The evaluation of survival and morphometry alterations were performed in two distinct phases of in vitro growth, on the third and sixth days, representing the logarithmic and stationary phases, respectively. Slides with the promastigotes were photographed and analyzed using Image J. A significant reduction of parasite number in the logarithmic phase of in vitro growth was observed when the parasites were submitted to 20, 30, 40, and 50 μM of AZT. Morphometric alterations were observed such as an increase in width of the body, cytoplasmic granulations and vacuolizations. These data indicate the toxicity of AZT which prevents the parasite's multiplication, indicating a promising use of AZT as an anti-leishmania drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina A Araújo
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Setor Universitário, Goiania, GO, Brazil
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Côrtes DF, Carneiro MBH, Santos LM, Souza TCDO, Maioli TU, Duz ALC, Ramos-Jorge ML, Afonso LCC, Carneiro C, Vieira LQ. Low and high-dose intradermal infection with Leishmania majorand Leishmania amazonensis in C57BL/6 mice. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2010; 105:736-45. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762010000600002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2009] [Accepted: 07/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Leda Quercia Vieira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brasil
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Kinetic analysis of ex vivo human blood infection by Leishmania. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2010; 4:e743. [PMID: 20644618 PMCID: PMC2903471 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2010] [Accepted: 05/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The leishmanioses, vector-borne diseases caused by the trypanosomatid protozoan Leishmania, are transmitted to susceptible mammals by infected phlebotomine sand flies that inoculate promastigotes into hemorrhagic pools created in host skin. We assumed that promastigotes are delivered to a blood pool, and analyzed early promastigote interactions (0-5 min) with host components, which lead to parasite endocytosis by blood leukocytes, and to host infection. Promastigotes were incubated with NHS or with heparinized blood in near-physiological conditions, and we used cell radioimmunoassay and flow cytometry to measure the on-rate constants (k(+1)) of promastigote interactions with natural opsonins and erythrocytes. We obtained quantitative data for parasitized cells to determine the time-course of promastigote binding and internalization by blood leukocytes. In these reactions, promastigotes bind natural opsonins, immune adhere to erythrocytes and activate complement cytolysis, which kills approximately 95% of promastigotes by 2 min post-infection. C3-promastigote binding is a key step in opsonization; nascent C3-promastigotes are the substrate for two simultaneous reactions, C3-promastigote immune adherence (IA) to erythrocytes and complement-mediated promastigote killing. The k(+1) for IA was 75-fold greater than that for promastigote killing, showing that IA facilitates promastigote endocytosis and circumvents lysis. At 5 min post-infection, when reaction velocity is still linear and promastigote concentration is not limiting, 17.4% of granulocytes and 10.7% of monocytes had bound promastigotes, of which approximately 50% and approximately 25%, respectively, carried surface-bound (live) or internalized (live and dead) leishmanias. Of other leukocyte types, 8.5% of B cells bound but did not internalize promastigotes, and T cells, NK cells and CD209(+) dendritic cells did not bind parasites. These data show that, once in contact with blood, promastigote invasion of human leukocytes is an extremely rapid and efficient reaction, and suggest that the IA reaction constitutes a central strategy for this parasite in subverting host innate immune defenses.
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Pal S, Dolai S, Yadav RK, Adak S. Ascorbate peroxidase from Leishmania major controls the virulence of infective stage of promastigotes by regulating oxidative stress. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11271. [PMID: 20585663 PMCID: PMC2890587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2009] [Accepted: 06/02/2010] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Peroxidase represents a heterogeneous group of distinct enzyme family that plays extremely diverse biological functions. Ascorbate peroxidase from Leishmania major (LmAPX) has been shown to be central to the redox defense system of Leishmania. To investigate further its exact physiological role in Leishmania, we attempted to create LmAPX -knockout mutants by gene replacement in L. major strains. Methodology/Principal Findings The null mutant cell culture contains a higher percentage of metacyclic and apoptotic cells compared to both wild type and LmAPX overexpressing cells. Flowcytometric analysis reveals the presence of a higher concentration of intracellular H2O2, indicative of increased oxidative stress in parasites lacking LmAPX. IC50 value for exogenously added H2O2 shows that deletion of LmAPX in L. major renders the cell more susceptible to H2O2. Real time PCR studies demonstrate an elevated mRNA level of non-selenium glutathione peroxidase in LmAPX null mutant cell line, suggesting that these enzymes were induced to compensate the LmAPX enzyme. The null mutant cells exhibit hypervirulence after infection with macrophages as well as inoculation into BALB/c mice; in contrast, overexpressing cells show avirulence. Conclusions/Significance Collectively, these data provide strong evidence that LmAPX is an important factor for controlling parasite differentiation and survival within macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Pal
- Division of Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Subhankar Dolai
- Division of Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Rajesh K. Yadav
- Division of Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Subrata Adak
- Division of Structural Biology & Bio-Informatics, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
- * E-mail:
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Expansion of the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase family and function in Leishmania shows that TOR3 is required for acidocalcisome biogenesis and animal infectivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:11965-70. [PMID: 20551225 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1004599107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinases are key regulators of cell growth, proliferation, and structure in eukaryotes, processes that are highly coordinated during the infectious cycle of eukaryotic pathogens. Database mining revealed three TOR kinases in the trypanosomatid parasite Leishmania major, as defined by homology to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinase (PIKK) family and a signature conserved FKBP12/rapamycin-binding domain. Consistent with the essential roles of TOR complexes in other organisms, we were unable to generate null TOR1 or TOR2 mutants in cultured L. major promastigotes. In contrast, tor3(-) null mutants were readily obtained; while exhibiting somewhat slower growth, tor3(-) maintained normal morphology, rapamycin sensitivity, and differentiation into the animal-infective metacyclic stage. Significantly, tor3(-) mutants were unable to survive or replicate in macrophages in vitro, or to induce pathology or establish infections in mice in vivo. The loss of virulence was associated with a defect in acidocalcisome formation, as this unique organelle was grossly altered in tor3- mutants and no longer accumulated polyphosphates. Correspondingly, tor3- mutants showed defects in osmoregulation and were sensitive to starvation for glucose but not amino acids, glucose being a limiting nutrient in the parasitophorous vacuole. Thus, in Leishmania, the TOR kinase family has expanded to encompass a unique role in AC function and biology, one that is essential for parasite survival in the mammalian infective stage. Given their important roles in cell survival and virulence, inhibition of TOR kinase function in trypanosomatids offers an attractive target for chemotherapy.
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Ramalho-Ortigao M, Saraiva EM, Traub-Csekö YM. Sand fly- Leishmania interactions: long relationships are not necessarily easy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 4:195-204. [PMID: 24159365 DOI: 10.2174/1874421401004010195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sand fly and Leishmania are one of the best studied vector-parasite models. Much is known about the development of these parasites within the sand fly, and how transmission to a suitable vertebrate host takes place. Various molecules secreted by the vector assist the establishment of the infection in a vertebrate, and changes to the vector are promoted by the parasites in order to facilitate or enhance transmission. Despite a generally accepted view that sand flies and Leishmania are also one of the oldest vector-pathogen pairs known, such long history has not been translated into a harmonic relationship. Leishmania are faced with many barriers to the establishment of a successful infection within the sand fly vector, and specific associations have been developed which are thought to represent aspects of a co-evolution between the parasite and its vectors. In this review, we highlight the journey taken by Leishmania during its development within the vector, and describe the issues associated with the natural barriers encountered by the parasite. Recent data revealed sexual replication of Leishmania within the sand fly, but it is yet unknown if such reproduction affects disease outcome. New approaches targeting sand fly molecules to prevent parasite transmission are being sought, and various techniques related to genetic manipulation of sand flies are being utilized.
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In vitro sensitivity testing of Leishmania clinical field isolates: preconditioning of promastigotes enhances infectivity for macrophage host cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2009; 53:5197-203. [PMID: 19752271 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00866-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Diagnostic material from patients with leishmaniasis is generally available as promastigotes, and proper testing for susceptibility to first-line drugs by the intracellular amastigote assay is frequently hampered by the poor infectivity of the promastigotes for the macrophage host cell. Several conditions for optimization of the in vitro metacyclogenesis and cell infectivity of Leishmania donovani, L. guyanensis, and L. braziliensis field strains obtained from patients receiving standard antimony medication were investigated. Triggering log-phase promastigotes to become amastigote-like by increasing the temperature or acidifying the culture medium was not successful. Adequate metacyclogenesis and the highest levels of macrophage infection were obtained after 5-day-old late-log-phase promastigote cultures were preconditioned at 25 degrees C to pH 5.4 for 24 h in Schneider's medium prior to infection. The susceptibility assay with primary peritoneal mouse macrophages included pentavalent antimony (Sb(V); sodium stibogluconate), trivalent antimony (Sb(III); potassium antimonyl tartrate), miltefosine, and the experimental drug PX-6518. All strains were sensitive to miltefosine (50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)] < 10 microM) and PX-6518 (IC(50) < 2 microg/ml) but showed distinct susceptibility to Sb(V) and/or Sb(III), depending on whether they were derived from cured, relapse, or nonresponder patients. Within the available set of Leishmania species and strains, simultaneous Sb(V)-Sb(III) resistance was clearly associated with treatment failure; however, a larger set of isolates is still needed to judge the predictive value of Sb(V)-Sb(III) susceptibility profiling on treatment outcome. In conclusion, the proposed conditioning protocol further contributes toward a more standardized laboratory model for evaluation of the drug sensitivities of field isolates.
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Wanderley JLM, Pinto da Silva LH, Deolindo P, Soong L, Borges VM, Prates DB, de Souza APA, Barral A, Balanco JMDF, do Nascimento MTC, Saraiva EM, Barcinski MA. Cooperation between apoptotic and viable metacyclics enhances the pathogenesis of Leishmaniasis. PLoS One 2009; 4:e5733. [PMID: 19478944 PMCID: PMC2684641 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2009] [Accepted: 05/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mimicking mammalian apoptotic cells by exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) is a strategy used by virus and parasitic protozoa to escape host protective inflammatory responses. With Leishmania amazonensis (La), apoptotic mimicry is a prerogative of the intramacrophagic amastigote form of the parasite and is modulated by the host. Now we show that differently from what happens with amastigotes, promastigotes exposing PS are non-viable, non-infective cells, undergoing apoptotic death. As part of the normal metacyclogenic process occurring in axenic cultures and in the gut of sand fly vectors, a sub-population of metacyclic promastigotes exposes PS. Apoptotic death of the purified PS-positive (PSPOS) sub-population was confirmed by TUNEL staining and DNA laddering. Transmission electron microscopy revealed morphological alterations in PSPOS metacyclics such as DNA condensation, cytoplasm degradation and mitochondrion and kinetoplast destruction, both in in vitro cultures and in sand fly guts. TUNELPOS promastigotes were detected only in the anterior midgut to foregut boundary of infected sand flies. Interestingly, caspase inhibitors modulated parasite death and PS exposure, when added to parasite cultures in a specific time window. Efficient in vitro macrophage infections and in vivo lesions only occur when PSPOS and PS-negative (PSNEG) parasites were simultaneously added to the cell culture or inoculated in the mammalian host. The viable PSNEG promastigote was the infective form, as shown by following the fate of fluorescently labeled parasites, while the PSPOS apoptotic sub-population inhibited host macrophage inflammatory response. PS exposure and macrophage inhibition by a subpopulation of promastigotes is a different mechanism than the one previously described with amastigotes, where the entire population exposes PS. Both mechanisms co-exist and play a role in the transmission and development of the disease in case of infection by La. Since both processes confer selective advantages to the infective microorganism they justify the occurrence of apoptotic features in a unicellular pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luiz Mendes Wanderley
- Experimental Medicine Division, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Morphological Sciences Program, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucia Helena Pinto da Silva
- Experimental Medicine Division, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology and Veterinary Immunology, Veterinary Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Poliana Deolindo
- Experimental Medicine Division, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lynn Soong
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Aldina Barral
- Gonçalo Muniz Research Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | | | | | - Elvira Maria Saraiva
- Immunology Department, Microbiology Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcello André Barcinski
- Experimental Medicine Division, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Parasitology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Mishra BB, Kale RR, Singh RK, Tiwari VK. Alkaloids: future prospective to combat leishmaniasis. Fitoterapia 2008; 80:81-90. [PMID: 19015012 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2008.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2008] [Revised: 10/16/2008] [Accepted: 10/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a vector-borne parasitic disease resulting from infection of macrophages by obligate intracellular parasites of genus Leishmania, has been considered a major tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Generic pentavalent antimonials have been the mainstay for therapy in the endemic regions because of its efficacy and cost effectiveness. However, the growing incidence of resistance for the pentavalent antimony complex in endemic and non-endemic regions has seriously hampered their use in these regions. The second line drugs such as amphotericin B, paromomycin and miltefosine are the other alternatives, but they merely fulfill the desired requirements of a safe drug. The recent researches focused on plants have shown a wise way to get a true and potentially rich source of drug candidates against leishmaniasis, where alkaloids have been found more effective. The present review initially highlights the current status of leishmaniasis, synergy of the disease with HIV, therapeutic options available and in later sections summarizes all alkaloids, which have shown significant antileishmanial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhuwan B Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India
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Leishmania major: Identification of developmentally regulated proteins in procyclic and metacyclic promastigotes. Exp Parasitol 2008; 119:422-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2007] [Revised: 04/06/2008] [Accepted: 04/08/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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35
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Kram D, Thäle C, Kolodziej H, Kiderlen AF. Intracellular parasite kill: flow cytometry and NO detection for rapid discrimination between anti-leishmanial activity and macrophage activation. J Immunol Methods 2008; 333:79-88. [PMID: 18313691 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2008.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2007] [Revised: 11/14/2007] [Accepted: 01/11/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Transgenic Leishmania expressing fluorescent reporter proteins such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) have opened the way for a flow cytometry (FACS)-based method to assess the killing of Leishmania parasites inside their macrophage host. Compared with counting parasites in microscopic preparations, the assessment of anti-leishmanial effects by FACS analysis promises both strict objectivity and significant reduction of labour-per-sample while scanning thousands of cells within seconds. Compared with other semi-automated methods based on host cell lysis and biochemical quantification of released parasites, the procedure is more direct and simple, reducing handling artefacts. An assay system is described using highly pure murine bone marrow-derived macrophages infected in vitro as a suspension culture with GFP-transfected Leishmania major promastigotes. The cells were rested for 24 h, allowing intracellular promastigotes to transform into amastigotes, and then exposed to macrophage-activating agents (IFN-gamma, LPS) or standard anti-leishmanial therapeutics. Within 48 h, the GFP signal from parasitized macrophages became indiscernible by FACS analysis, both in activated host cells and in cultures treated with the anti-leishmanials. In cultures activated with rIFN-gamma+LPS this coincided with the release of nitric oxides, but this was not the case in cultures treated with anti-leishmanials. Furthermore, by adding propidium iodide immediately before FACS analysis, the effect of treatment on the viability of the host cell was assessed at the same time. The combination of FACS analysis, and PI and NO detection offers a rapid and objective means of testing for intracellular anti-leishmanial effects and general cytotoxicity and gives a first indication of whether the former is due to direct leishmanicidal activity or indirect functions via macrophage activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kram
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Königin Luise-Strasse 2+4, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
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36
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Yao C, Chen Y, Sudan B, Donelson JE, Wilson ME. Leishmania chagasi: homogenous metacyclic promastigotes isolated by buoyant density are highly virulent in a mouse model. Exp Parasitol 2007; 118:129-33. [PMID: 17706646 PMCID: PMC2274777 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2007.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2007] [Revised: 05/08/2007] [Accepted: 06/26/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Homogenous metacyclic promastigotes of Leishmania chagasi were isolated by buoyant density from in vitro heterogeneous cultures and used for biochemical characterization of isoforms of the major surface protease (MSP). Compared to stationary phase promastigotes, metacyclic cells had three times more MSP, produced 3-fold higher parasite loads in a mouse model in vivo, and were more resistant to complement-mediated lysis in vitro. These metacyclic L. chagasi expressed both the virulence-associated 59-kDa, and the constitutively expressed 63-kDa, isoforms of MSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqun Yao
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, IA 52242, USA.
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37
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Mehta A, Shaha C. Mechanism of metalloid-induced death in Leishmania spp.: role of iron, reactive oxygen species, Ca2+, and glutathione. Free Radic Biol Med 2006; 40:1857-68. [PMID: 16678023 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2006.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2005] [Accepted: 01/20/2006] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that metalloid-induced cell death in protozoan parasites is due to oxidative injury; however, the biochemical changes related to this event are not fully understood. Leishmania spp. demonstrated cross-resistance to two related metalloids, arsenic and antimony, and both metalloids induced cell death accompanied by cell shrinkage and DNA fragmentation that was preceded by an increase in reactive oxygen species. Both drugs caused mitochondrial dysfunction in terms of loss of membrane potential and a drop in ATP levels. Arsenic treatment resulted in an elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels that did not occur with antimony exposure. Cellular glutathione level was reduced after antimony treatment but arsenic did not affect glutathione. Inhibition of Ca2+ influx during arsenic treatment reduced cell death, whereas supplementation of glutathione during antimony treatment rescued cell loss. Under iron-depleted conditions, the cytotoxic effects of arsenic and antimony did not occur and cell survival increased; in contrast, the presence of excess iron resulted in higher cell death. Therefore, this study provides a new possibility that iron can potentiate parasite death induced by metalloids like arsenic and antimony. In addition, an important observation is that the two similar metalloids produce toxicity by very different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Mehta
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
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