1
|
Nayeri T, Sarvi S, Daryani A. Effective factors in the pathogenesis of Toxoplasmagondii. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31558. [PMID: 38818168 PMCID: PMC11137575 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite in humans and animals. It infects about 30 % of the human population worldwide and causes potentially fatal diseases in immunocompromised hosts and neonates. For this study, five English-language databases (ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) and the internet search engine Google Scholar were searched. This review was accomplished to draw a global perspective of what is known about the pathogenesis of T. gondii and various factors affecting it. Virulence and immune responses can influence the mechanisms of parasite pathogenesis and these factors are in turn influenced by other factors. In addition to the host's genetic background, the type of Toxoplasma strain, the routes of transmission of infection, the number of passages, and different phases of parasite life affect virulence. The identification of virulence factors of the parasite could provide promising insights into the pathogenesis of this parasite. The results of this study can be an incentive to conduct more intensive research to design and develop new anti-Toxoplasma agents (drugs and vaccines) to treat or prevent this infection. In addition, further studies are needed to better understand the key agents in the pathogenesis of T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tooran Nayeri
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang Z, Li J, Yang Q, Sun X. Global Proteome-Wide Analysis of Cysteine S-Nitrosylation in Toxoplasma gondii. Molecules 2023; 28:7329. [PMID: 37959749 PMCID: PMC10649196 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28217329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii transmits through various routes, rapidly proliferates during acute infection and causes toxoplasmosis, which is an important zoonotic disease in human and veterinary medicine. T. gondii can produce nitric oxide and derivatives, and S-nitrosylation contributes to their signaling transduction and post-translation regulation. To date, the S-nitrosylation proteome of T. gondii remains mystery. In this study, we reported the first S-nitrosylated proteome of T. gondii using mass spectrometry in combination with resin-assisted enrichment. We found that 637 proteins were S-nitrosylated, more than half of which were localized in the nucleus or cytoplasm. Motif analysis identified seven motifs. Of these motifs, five and two contained lysine and isoleucine, respectively. Gene Ontology enrichment revealed that S-nitrosylated proteins were primarily located in the inner membrane of mitochondria and other organelles. These S-nitrosylated proteins participated in diverse biological and metabolic processes, including organic acid binding, carboxylic acid binding ribose and phosphate biosynthesis. T. gondii S-nitrosylated proteins significantly contributed to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Moreover, 27 ribosomal proteins and 11 microneme proteins were identified as S-nitrosylated proteins, suggesting that proteins in the ribosome and microneme were predominantly S-nitrosylated. Protein-protein interaction analysis identified three subnetworks with high-relevancy ribosome, RNA transport and chaperonin complex components. These results imply that S-nitrosylated proteins of T. gondii are associated with protein translation in the ribosome, gene transcription, invasion and proliferation of T. gondii. Our research is the first to identify the S-nitrosylated proteomic profile of T. gondii and will provide direction to the ongoing investigation of the functions of S-nitrosylated proteins in T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zexiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (J.L.); (X.S.)
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sun HC, Deng PM, Fu Y, Deng JH, Xie RH, Huang J, Qi M, Shi TY. Protective efficacy of Toxoplasma gondii GRA12 or GRA7 recombinant proteins encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles against acute Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1209755. [PMID: 37502604 PMCID: PMC10368986 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1209755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that affects the health of humans and livestock, and an effective vaccine is urgently required. Nanoparticles can modulate and improve cellular and humoral immune responses. Methods In the current study, poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were used as a delivery system for the T. gondii dense granule antigens GRA12 and GRA7. BALB/c mice were injected with the vaccines and protective efficacy was evaluated. Results Mice immunized with PLGA+GRA12 exhibited significantly higher IgG, and a noticeable predominance of IgG2a over IgG1 was also observed. There was a 1.5-fold higher level of lymphocyte proliferation in PLGA+GRA12-injected mice compared to Alum+GRA12-immunized mice. Higher levels of IFN-g and IL-10 and a lower level of IL-4 were detected, indicating that Th1 and Th2 immune responses were induced but the predominant response was Th1. There were no significant differences between Alum+GRA7-immunized and PLGA+GRA7-immunized groups. Immunization with these four vaccines resulted in significantly reduced parasite loads, but they were lowest in PLGA+GRA12-immunized mice. The survival times of mice immunized with PLGA+GRA12 were also significantly longer than those of mice in the other vaccinated groups. Conclusion The current study indicated that T. gondii GRA12 recombinant protein encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles is a promising vaccine against acute toxoplasmosis, but PLGA is almost useless for enhancing the immune response induced by T. gondii GRA7 recombinant protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong-chao Sun
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Parasitology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pu-ming Deng
- Institute of Animal Science and Technology, Department of Animal Diseases Diagnosis and Control of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Yuan Fu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Parasitology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jin-hua Deng
- Institute of Animal Science and Technology, Department of Animal Diseases Diagnosis and Control of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Rong-hui Xie
- Department of Animal Epidemic Surveillance, Zhejiang Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Animal Epidemic Surveillance, Zhejiang Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Qi
- Institute of Animal Science and Technology, Department of Animal Diseases Diagnosis and Control of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Tuan-yuan Shi
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Parasitology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Qiu J, Xie Y, Shao C, Shao T, Qin M, Zhang R, Liu X, Xu Z, Wang Y. Toxoplasma gondii microneme protein MIC3 induces macrophage TNF-α production and Ly6C expression via TLR11/MyD88 pathway. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011105. [PMID: 36730424 PMCID: PMC9928027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is the most successful parasite worldwide. It is of great interest to understand how T. gondii induce different immune responses in different hosts. In this study, we found that a peptide of T. gondii microneme protein MIC3 induced TNF-α production, NF-κB phosphorylation, iNOS transcription and Ly6C expression in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. MyD88 inhibition, small interfering RNA against Tlr11 and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-out of Tlr11 all reduced MIC3-induced TNF-α production, NF-κB phosphorylation, iNOS transcription and Ly6C expression. Additionally, we determined the location of MIC3 peptide in mouse macrophages using immunofluorescence. MIC3 could both adhere to the cell membrane of mouse macrophages and enter the cells. These results suggest that MIC3 triggered the immune responses in mouse macrophages via TLR11/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. It is known that human macrophages lacking TLR11. We predicted that the immune responses induced by MIC3 in human macrophages were significantly different from those in mouse macrophages. As expected, MIC3 peptide failed to induce TNF-α expression, iNOS expression and NF-κB phosphorylation in human THP-1 derived macrophages. MIC3 induced macrophage immune responses via TLR11. Intriguingly, the amino acid sequence of MIC3 is completely different from the well-known TLR11 ligand profilin, which generates a potent IL-12p40, TNF-α and IL-6 response. In marked contrast to profilin, MIC3 could not induce IL-12p40 expression in both mouse RAW264.7 cells and human THP-1 derived macrophages. Furthermore, the simulated tertiary structure of MIC3 peptide shows poor similarity with the crystal structure of profilin, suggesting that MIC3 might be a different ligand from profilin. These findings about MIC3 and TLR11 will provide us with important insights into the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis and coevolution during host-parasite interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingfan Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanci Xie
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chenlu Shao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianye Shao
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Qin
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinjian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhipeng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Biology of Jiangsu Province, Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Allahyari M. PLGA Nanoparticles as an Efficient Platform in Protein Vaccines Against Toxoplasma gondii. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:582-591. [PMID: 35013939 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00499-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) as an obligatory intracellular is widespread all over the world and causes considerable concerns in immunocompromised patients by developing toxoplasmic encephalitis and in pregnancy because of serious consequences in the fetus. Although vaccination is the only approach to overcome toxoplasmosis, there is no commercially available human vaccine against T. gondii. PURPOSE The remarkable features of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles have brought up the application of PLGA as a promising vaccine delivery vehicle against T. gondii and other intracellular parasites. This review focuses on the application of the PLGA delivery system in the development of preventive vaccines against T. gondii. METHODS In this study, all required data were collected from articles indexed in English databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. RESULT Immunity against T. gondii, characteristics of PLGA particles as a delivery vehicle, and all researches on particulate PLGA vaccines with different T. gondii antigens and DNA against were discussed and their efficacies in conferring protection against a lethal challenge based on increased survival or reduced brain cyst loads have been shown. CONCLUSION Although various levels of protection against lethal challenge have been achieved through PLGA-based vaccinations, there is still no complete protection against T. gondii infection. Surprisingly, the application of surface modifications of PLGA particles by mucoadhesive polymers, cationic agents, DCs (dendritic cells) targeting receptors, specialized membranous epithelial cells (M-cells), and co-delivery of the desired antigen along with toll-like receptor ligands would be a revolutionized vaccine strategy against T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Allahyari
- Recombinant Protein Production Department, Production and Research Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
The Tyrosine Phosphatase PRL Regulates Attachment of Toxoplasma gondii to Host Cells and Is Essential for Virulence. mSphere 2022; 7:e0005222. [PMID: 35603560 PMCID: PMC9241511 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00052-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with
Toxoplasma gondii
can lead to severe and even life-threatening diseases in people with compromised or suppressed immune systems. Unfortunately, drugs to combat the parasite are limited, highly toxic, and ineffective against the chronic stage of the parasite.
Collapse
|
7
|
Gao X, Yin J, Wang D, Li X, Zhang Y, Wang C, Zhang Y, Zhu G. Discovery of New Microneme Proteins in Cryptosporidium parvum and Implication of the Roles of a Rhomboid Membrane Protein (CpROM1) in Host-Parasite Interaction. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:778560. [PMID: 34966810 PMCID: PMC8710574 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.778560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites possess several unique secretory organelles, including rhoptries, micronemes, and dense granules, which play critical roles in the invasion of host cells. The molecular content of these organelles and their biological roles have been well-studied in Toxoplasma and Plasmodium, but are underappreciated in Cryptosporidium, which contains many parasites of medical and veterinary importance. Only four proteins have previously been identified or proposed to be located in micronemes, one of which, GP900, was confirmed using immunogold electron microscopy (IEM) to be present in the micronemes of intracellular merozoites. Here, we report on the discovery of four new microneme proteins (MICs) in the sporozoites of the zoonotic species C. parvum, identified using immunofluorescence assay (IFA). These proteins are encoded by cgd3_980, cgd1_3550, cgd1_3680, and cgd2_1590. The presence of the protein encoded by cgd3_980 in sporozoite micronemes was further confirmed using IEM. Cgd3_980 encodes one of the three C. parvum rhomboid peptidases (ROMs) and is, thus, designated CpROM1. IEM also confirmed the presence of CpROM1 in the micronemes of intracellular merozoites, parasitophorous vacuole membranes (PVM), and feeder organelles (FO). CpROM1 was enriched in the pellicles and concentrated at the host cell–parasite interface during the invasion of sporozoites and its subsequent transformation into trophozoites. CpROM1 transcript levels were also higher in oocysts and excysted sporozoites than in the intracellular parasite stages. These observations indicate that CpROM1, an intramembrane peptidase with membrane proteolytic activity, is involved in host–parasite interactions, including invasion and proteostasis of PVM and FO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jigang Yin
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dongqiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Chenchen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, The Institute of Zoonosis, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, The Institute of Zoonosis, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhao N, Ming S, Sun L, Wang B, Li H, Zhang X, Zhao X. Identification and Characterization of Eimeria tenella Microneme Protein (EtMIC8). Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0022821. [PMID: 34479414 PMCID: PMC8562341 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00228-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microneme proteins (MICs) of Eimeria tenella play key roles in motility, migration, attachment, and invasion processes. More than 20 apicomplexan parasite's MICs have been identified, with nine Eimeria MICs being reported. In this study, a novel E. tenella MIC was identified, and its gene structural features, developmental expression levels, localization, role in adhesion and invasion, and immunogenicity were studied. The results showed that the open reading frame was 1,650 bp, encoding 550 amino acids. It contains a signal sequence, a transmembrane region, four low-complexity boxes, and five epidermal growth factor-like domains (EGF). Subcellular localization revealed its distribution on the membrane surface of the parasite. These characteristics are consistent with the common features of MICs and are named EtMIC8. Anti-EtMIC8 antibodies recognized a specific binding of about 100 kDa in E. tenella, which was twice as large as the prokaryotic expression (about 50 kDa), suggesting that MIC8 may exist naturally as a dimer. EtMIC8 was expressed at higher levels in sporozoites (3.08-fold) and merozoites (2.1-fold) than in sporulated oocysts. The attachment assays using a yeast surface display of MIC8 and its different domains showed that the adherence rates of EtMIC8 to host cells were significantly higher than those of the control (3.17-fold), which was the full contribution of EGF, but neither was alone. Anti-EtMIC8 antibodies significantly reduced the invasion rate of sporozoites into host cells compared to those of the control (P < 0.01). Recombinant EtMIC8-EGF peptides could provide moderate protective efficacy (anticoccidial index [ACI]: 169.7), induce humoral responses, and upregulate CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shuzhen Ming
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Lingyu Sun
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Bingxiang Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian City, Shandong Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Santana SS, Paiva VF, Carvalho FR, Barros HLS, Silva TL, Barros PSC, Pajuaba ACAM, Barros GB, Dietze R, Mineo TWP, Mineo JR. A peptide originated from Toxoplasma gondii microneme 8 displaying serological evidence to differentiate recent from chronic human infection. Parasitol Int 2021; 84:102394. [PMID: 34044107 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is able to cause death and/or sequelae in foetuses from pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. The early diagnosis, able to differentiate acute from chronic phases, is essential to define the treatment against this disease and minimize the risk of complications. Here we describe a peptide derived from microneme 8 (pMIC8) protein of Toxoplasma gondii, able to distinguish the phase of infection. By using human and mice serum samples with different infection times, we assessed the ability of pMIC8 to interact with antibodies present in early of infection, and compared the results obtained with soluble antigen of T. gondii (STAg). The results showed that pMIC8 was recognized more precisely with antibodies present in serum samples from individuals with time of infection below 3 months, followed by those between 4 and 6 months of infection. Based on these results, it is possible to conclude that the association of immunoassays using STAg and pMIC8 as antigen preparations can be used to distinguish acute from chronic infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silas Silva Santana
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratory of Biology, Federal University of Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Campus Janaúba, Janaúba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Fernandes Paiva
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernando Reis Carvalho
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiás, Campus Itumbiara, Itumbiara, Goiás, 75524-010, Brazil
| | - Heber Leão Silva Barros
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tamires Lopes Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Patrício Silva Cardoso Barros
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Arantes Marquez Pajuaba
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Geisa Baptista Barros
- Infectious Disease Center, Federal University of Espirito Santo, 29040-091 Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Reynaldo Dietze
- Infectious Disease Center, Federal University of Espirito Santo, 29040-091 Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Tiago Wilson Patriarca Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ghaffari AD, Dalimi A, Ghaffarifar F, Pirestani M, Majidiani H. Immunoinformatic analysis of immunogenic B- and T-cell epitopes of MIC4 protein to designing a vaccine candidate against Toxoplasma gondii through an in-silico approach. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2021; 10:59-77. [PMID: 33628756 PMCID: PMC7892946 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2021.10.1.59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Toxoplasmosis, transmitted by Toxoplasma gondii, is a worldwide parasitic disease that affects approximately one-third of the world's inhabitants. Today, there are no appropriate drugs to deter tissue cysts from developing in infected hosts. So, developing an effective vaccine would be valuable to avoid from toxoplasmosis. Considering the role of microneme antigens such as microneme protein 4 (MIC4) in T. gondii pathogenesis, it can be used as potential candidates for vaccine against T. gondii. Materials and Methods In this study several bioinformatics methods were used to assess the different aspects of MIC4 protein such as secondary and tertiary structure, physicochemical characteristics, the transmembrane domains, subcellular localization, B-cell, helper-T lymphocyte, cytotoxic-T lymphocyte epitopes, and other notable characteristic of this protein design a suitable vaccine against T. gondii. Results The studies revealed that MIC4 protein includes 59 potential post-translational modification sites without any transmembrane domains. Moreover, several probable epitopes of B- and T-cells were detected for MIC4. The secondary structure comprised 55.69% random coil, 5.86% beta-turn, 19.31% extended strand, and 19.14% alpha helix. According to the Ramachandran plot results, 87.42% of the amino acid residues were located in the favored, 9.44% in allowed, and 3.14% in outlier regions. The protein allergenicity and antigenicity revealed that it was non-allergenic and antigenic. Conclusion This study gives vital basic on MIC4 protein for further research and also established an effective vaccine with different techniques against acute and chronic toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Dalir Ghaffari
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdolhossein Dalimi
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Pirestani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Majidiani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
The Immunogenic and Immunoprotective Activities of Recombinant Chimeric T. gondii Proteins Containing AMA1 Antigen Fragments. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8040724. [PMID: 33276579 PMCID: PMC7761622 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, one of the most common parasitoses worldwide, is potentially dangerous for individuals with a weakened immune system, but specific immunoprophylaxis intended for humans is still lacking. Thus, efforts have been made to create an efficient universal vaccine for both animals and humans to overcome the shortcomings of currently used treatment methods and protect all hosts against toxoplasmosis. The current work represents a relatively new approach to vaccine development based on recombinant chimeric Toxoplasma gondii antigens. In the present research, three tetravalent chimeric proteins containing different portions of the parasite’s AMA1 antigen—AMA1domainI-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ANSGR), AMA1domainsII,III-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (ACSGR) and AMA1fullprotein-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1L (AFSGR)—were tested for their immunogenic and immunoprotective capacities. All tested proteins were immunogenic, as evidenced by the triggering of specific humoral and cellular immune responses in vaccinated C3H/HeOuJ mice, defined by the production of specific IgG (IgG1/IgG2a) antibodies in vivo and synthesis of key Th1/Th2 cytokines by Toxoplasma lysate antigen-stimulated splenocytes in vitro. Although all tested preparations provided partial protection against chronic toxoplasmosis in immunized and T. gondii-challenged mice, the intensity of the generated immunoprotection depended on the fragment of the AMA1 antigen incorporated into the chimeric antigen’s structure.
Collapse
|
12
|
Wei W, Shen N, Xiao J, Tao Y, Luo Y, Angel C, Gu X, Xie Y, He R, Jing B, Peng X, Yang G. Expression Analysis and Serodiagnostic Potential of Microneme Proteins 1 and 3 in Eimeria stiedai. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11070725. [PMID: 32610686 PMCID: PMC7397282 DOI: 10.3390/genes11070725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Eimeria stiedai is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that invades the liver and bile duct epithelial cells in rabbits and causes severe hepatic coccidiosis, resulting in significant economic losses in the domestic rabbit industry. Hepatic coccidiosis lacks the typical clinical symptoms and there is a lack of effective premortem tools to timely diagnose this disease. Therefore, in the present study we cloned and expressed the two microneme proteins i.e., microneme protein 1 (EsMIC1) and microneme protein 3 (EsMIC3) from E. stiedai and used them as recombinant antigens to develop a serodiagnostic method for an effective diagnosis of hepatic coccidiosis. The cDNAs encoding EsMIC1 and EsMIC3 were cloned and the mRNA expression levels of these two genes at different developmental stages of E. stiedai were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR). The immunoreactivity of recombinant EsMIC1 (rEsMIC1) and EsMIC3 (rEsMIC3) proteins were detected by Western blotting, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on these two recombinant antigens were established to evaluate their serodiagnostic potential. Our results showed that the proteins encoded by the ORFs of EsMIC1 (711 bp) and EsMIC3 (891 bp) were approximately 25.89 and 32.39 kDa in predicted molecular weight, respectively. Both EsMIC1 and EsMIC3 showed the highest mRNA expression levels in the merozoites stage of E. stiedai. Western blotting analysis revealed that both recombinant proteins were recognized by E. stiedai positive sera, and the indirect ELISAs using rEsMIC1 and rEsMIC3 were developed based on their good immunoreactivity, with 100% (48/48) sensitivity and 97.9% (47/48) specificity for rEsMIC1 with 100% (48/48) sensitivity and 100% (48/48) specificity for rEsMIC3, respectively. Moreover, rEsMIC1- and rEsMIC3-based indirect ELISA were able to detect corresponding antibodies in sera at days 6, 8, and 10 post E. stiedai infection, with the highest positive diagnostic rate (62.5% (30/48) for rEsMIC1 and 66.7% (32/48) for rEsMIC3) observed at day 10 post infection. Therefore, both EsMIC1 and EsMIC3 can be used as potential serodiagnostic candidate antigens for hepatic coccidiosis caused by E. stiedai.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenrui Wei
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Nengxing Shen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Yuanyuan Tao
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Yuejun Luo
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Christiana Angel
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Xiaobin Gu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Yue Xie
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Ran He
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Bo Jing
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
| | - Xuerong Peng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Life and Basic Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China;
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang 611130, China; (W.W.); (N.S.); (J.X.); (Y.T.); (Y.L.); (C.A.); (X.G.); (Y.X.); (R.H.); (B.J.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Albuquerque-Wendt A, Jacot D, Dos Santos Pacheco N, Seegers C, Zarnovican P, Buettner FFR, Bakker H, Soldati-Favre D, Routier FH. C-Mannosylation of Toxoplasma gondii proteins promotes attachment to host cells and parasite virulence. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:1066-1076. [PMID: 31862733 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.010590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
C-Mannosylation is a common modification of thrombospondin type 1 repeats present in metazoans and recently identified also in apicomplexan parasites. This glycosylation is mediated by enzymes of the DPY19 family that transfer α-mannoses to tryptophan residues in the sequence WX 2WX 2C, which is part of the structurally essential tryptophan ladder. Here, deletion of the dpy19 gene in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii abolished C-mannosyltransferase activity and reduced levels of the micronemal protein MIC2. The loss of C-mannosyltransferase activity was associated with weakened parasite adhesion to host cells and with reduced parasite motility, host cell invasion, and parasite egress. Interestingly, the C-mannosyltransferase-deficient Δdpy19 parasites were strongly attenuated in virulence and induced protective immunity in mice. This parasite attenuation could not simply be explained by the decreased MIC2 level and strongly suggests that absence of C-mannosyltransferase activity leads to an insufficient level of additional proteins. In summary, our results indicate that T. gondii C-mannosyltransferase DPY19 is not essential for parasite survival, but is important for adhesion, motility, and virulence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Carla Seegers
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Patricia Zarnovican
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Falk F R Buettner
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Hans Bakker
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Françoise H Routier
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry OE4340, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ferra B, Holec-Gąsior L, Gatkowska J, Dziadek B, Dzitko K. Toxoplasma gondii Recombinant antigen AMA1: Diagnostic Utility of Protein Fragments for the Detection of IgG and IgM Antibodies. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9010043. [PMID: 31948063 PMCID: PMC7168680 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic protozoan that infects a wide variety of vertebrates as intermediate hosts. For this reason, the diagnosis of this disease is very important and requires continuous improvement. One possibility is to use recombinant antigens in serological tests. Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), a protein located in specific secretory organelles (micronemes) of T. gondii, is very interesting in regard to its potential diagnostic utility. In the present study, we attempted to identify a fragment of the AMA1 protein with a high sensitivity and specificity for the serological diagnosis of human toxoplasmosis. The full-length AMA1 and two different fragments (AMA1N and AMA1C) were produced using an Escherichia coli expression system. After purification by metal affinity chromatography, recombinant proteins were tested for their utility as antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the detection of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies in human and mouse immune sera. Our data demonstrate that the full-length AMA1 recombinant antigen (corresponding to amino acid residues 67–569 of the native protein) has a better diagnostic potential than its N- or C-terminal fragments. This recombinant protein strongly interacts with specific anti-T. gondii IgG (99.4%) and IgM (80.0%) antibodies, and may be used for developing new tools for diagnostics of toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Ferra
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-347-24-06
| | - Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland;
| | - Justyna Gatkowska
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (J.G.); (B.D.); (K.D.)
| | - Bożena Dziadek
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (J.G.); (B.D.); (K.D.)
| | - Katarzyna Dzitko
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland; (J.G.); (B.D.); (K.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Albuquerque-Wendt A, Jacot D, Dos Santos Pacheco N, Seegers C, Zarnovican P, Buettner FF, Bakker H, Soldati-Favre D, Routier FH. C-Mannosylation of Toxoplasma gondii proteins promotes attachment to host cells and parasite virulence. J Biol Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9258(17)49916-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
|
16
|
Ferra BT, Holec-Gąsior L, Gatkowska J, Dziadek B, Dzitko K, Grąźlewska W, Lautenbach D. The first study on the usefulness of recombinant tetravalent chimeric proteins containing fragments of SAG2, GRA1, ROP1 and AMA1 antigens in the detection of specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in mouse and human sera. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217866. [PMID: 31170254 PMCID: PMC6553757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents an evaluation of four tetravalent recombinant chimeric proteins containing fragments of the Toxoplasma gondii antigens, SAG2, GRA1, ROP1 and AMA1, as potential replacements of a the soluble, whole-cell tachyzoite lysate (TLA) used in serological assays. Recombinant chimeric proteins (SAG2-GRA1-ROP1-AMA1N, AMA1N-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1, AMA1C-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1, and AMA1-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1) obtained by genetic engineering were tested for their reactivity with specific IgM and IgG antibodies from sera of experimentally infected mice and humans with T. gondii infection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In total 192 serum samples from patients with acquired T. gondii infection and 137 sera from seronegative individuals were examined. The reactivity of chimeric antigens with antibodies generated during T. gondii invasion was measured and compared to the results obtained in assays based on whole-cell Toxoplasma antigen. Chimeric proteins proved effective in differentiation between T. gondii-infected and uninfected individuals (100% sensitivity and specificity in the IgG ELISAs) which shows their potential usefulness as a replacements for TLA in standardized commercial tests for the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis. In addition, the chimeric proteins were tested for use in avidity determination. Obtained results were comparable to those of the corresponding commercial assays, suggesting the utility of these proteins for avidity assessment. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the AMA1-SAG2-GRA1-ROP1 chimeric protein has the potential to distinguish specific antibodies from serum samples of individuals with the early and chronic phase of T. gondii infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Tomasz Ferra
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Justyna Gatkowska
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
| | - Bożena Dziadek
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Dzitko
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
| | - Weronika Grąźlewska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yang C, Broncel M, Dominicus C, Sampson E, Blakely WJ, Treeck M, Arrizabalaga G. A plasma membrane localized protein phosphatase in Toxoplasma gondii, PPM5C, regulates attachment to host cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5924. [PMID: 30976120 PMCID: PMC6459975 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42441-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The propagation of Toxoplasma gondii is accomplished by repeated lytic cycles of parasite attachment to a host cell, invasion, replication within a parasitophorous vacuole, and egress from the cell. This lytic cycle is delicately regulated by calcium-dependent reversible phosphorylation of the molecular machinery that drives invasion and egress. While much progress has been made elucidating the protein kinases and substrates central to parasite propagation, little is known about the relevant protein phosphatases. In this study, we focused on the five protein phosphatases that are predicted to be membrane-associated either integrally or peripherally. We have determined that of these only PPM5C, a PP2C family member, localizes to the plasma membrane of Toxoplasma. Disruption of PPM5C results in a slow propagation phenotype in tissue culture. Interestingly, parasites lacking PPM5C divide and undergo egress at a normal rate, but have a deficiency in attaching to host cells. Both membrane localization and phosphatase activity are required for PPM5C’s role in attachment. Phosphoproteomic analysis show relatively few phosphorylation sites being affected by PPM5C deletion in extracellular parasites of which several are found on proteins involved in signaling cascades. This implies that PPM5C is part of a wider regulatory network important for attachment to host cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunlin Yang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Malgorzata Broncel
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caia Dominicus
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Sampson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - William J Blakely
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gustavo Arrizabalaga
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
A systematic review on efficiency of microneme proteins to induce protective immunity against Toxoplasma gondii. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2019; 38:617-629. [DOI: 10.1007/s10096-018-03442-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
19
|
Foroutan M, Zaki L, Ghaffarifar F. Recent progress in microneme-based vaccines development against Toxoplasma gondii. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2018; 7:93-103. [PMID: 30112348 PMCID: PMC6082678 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2018.7.2.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic disease, which infect several warm-blooded mammals. More than one-third of the human population are seropositive worldwide. Due to the high seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection worldwide, the resulting clinical, mental, and economical complications, as well as incapability of current drugs in the elimination of parasites within tissue cysts, the development of a vaccine against T. gondii would be critical. In the past decades, valuable advances have been achieved in order to identification of vaccine candidates against T. gondii infection. Microneme proteins (MICs) secreted by the micronemes play a critical role in the initial stages of host cell invasion by parasites. In this review, we have summarized the recent progress for MIC-based vaccines development, such as DNA vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, vaccines based on live-attenuated vectors, and prime-boost strategy in different mouse models. In conclusion, the use of live-attenuated vectors as vehicles to deliver and express the target gene and prime-boost regimens showed excellent outcomes in the development of vaccines against toxoplasmosis, which need more attention in the future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Foroutan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Zaki
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu J, Huang S, Lu F. Galectin-3 and Galectin-9 May Differently Regulate the Expressions of Microglial M1/M2 Markers and T Helper 1/Th2 Cytokines in the Brains of Genetically Susceptible C57BL/6 and Resistant BALB/c Mice Following Peroral Infection With Toxoplasma gondii. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1648. [PMID: 30108583 PMCID: PMC6080610 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE), an opportunistic infection, is a severe health problem in immunocompromised patients. Previous studies have revealed that C57BL/6 mice are susceptible and BALB/c mice are resistant to TE. To investigate the mechanisms involved in the immunopathogenesis of TE in susceptible C57BL/6 and resistant BALB/c mice, both strains of mice were perorally infected with the Prugniuad (Pru) strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Our results showed that compared with BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice infected with T. gondii Pru strain had more severe brain histopathological damage, and higher mRNA expression levels of tachyzoite-specific surface antigen 1, bradyzoite-specific antigen 1, interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin (IL)-10, arginase1 (Arg1) (M2 marker), galectin (Gal)-3, Gal-9, T. gondii microneme protein 1 (TgMIC1), TgMIC4, and TgMIC6 during the course of infection by using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Further analysis displayed that BALB/c mice showed higher numbers of microglial cells and higher levels of IL-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (M1 marker), and chitinase-3-like protein 3 (Ym1) (M2 marker) in the early infective stage [at day 14 or 35 post infection (p.i.)] compared with C57BL/6 mice, whereas C57BL/6 mice showed higher numbers of microglial cells and higher levels of IL-10, iNOS (M1 marker), and Ym1 (M2 marker) at days 35, 50, or 70 p.i. compared with BALB/c mice. Correlation analysis showed that significant positive correlations existed between Gal-3 and IL-4/IL-10/iNOS/Ym1 and between Gal-9 and IL-4/Ym1 in C57BL/6 mice; between Gal-3 and IFNγ/Arg1 and between Gal-9 and IFNγ/Arg1 in BALB/c mice. Together, our data demonstrated that different Gal-3 and Gal-9 expressions as well as different positive correlations were found between Gal-3 and T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2/M1/M2 cytokines or between Gal-9 and Th1/Th2/M2 cytokines in the brains of T. gondii Pru strain-infected C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiguang Huang
- School of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangli Lu
- Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Morlon-Guyot J, El Hajj H, Martin K, Fois A, Carrillo A, Berry L, Burchmore R, Meissner M, Lebrun M, Daher W. A proteomic analysis unravels novel CORVET and HOPS proteins involved in Toxoplasma gondii
secretory organelles biogenesis. Cell Microbiol 2018; 20:e12870. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Morlon-Guyot
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology; American University of Beirut; Beirut Lebanon
| | - Kevin Martin
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Adrien Fois
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Amandine Carrillo
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Laurence Berry
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | | | - Markus Meissner
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Parasitology; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; Munich Germany
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Wassim Daher
- Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, UMR5235 CNRS, INSERM; Université de Montpellier; Montpellier France
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Liu Q, Gao WW, Elsheikha HM, He JJ, Li FC, Yang WB, Zhu XQ. Transcriptomic analysis reveals Toxoplasma gondii strain-specific differences in host cell response to dense granule protein GRA15. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:2785-2793. [PMID: 29916065 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5966-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Growth and replication of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii within host cell entail the production of several effector proteins, which the parasite exploits for counteracting the host's immune response. Despite considerable research to define the host signaling pathways manipulated by T. gondii and their effectors, there has been limited progress into understanding how individual members of the dense granule proteins (GRAs) modulate gene expression within host cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether T. gondii GRA15 protein plays any role in regulating host gene expression. Baby hamster kidney cells (BHK-21) were transfected with plasmids encoding GRA15 genes of either type I GT1 strain (GRA15I) or type II PRU strain (GRA15II). Gene expression patterns of transfected and nontransfected BHK-21 cells were investigated using RNA-sequencing analysis. GRA15I and GRA15II induced both known and novel transcriptional changes in the transfected BHK-21 cells compared with nontransfected cells. Pathway analysis revealed that GRA15II was mainly involved in the regulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), NF-κB, HTLV-I infection, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. GRA15I preferentially influenced the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in host cells. Our findings support the hypothesis that certain functions of GRA15 protein are strain dependent and that GRA15 modulates the expression of signaling pathways and genes with important roles in T. gondii pathophysiology. A greater understanding of host signaling pathways influenced by T. gondii effectors would allow the development of more efficient anti-T. gondii therapeutic schemes, capitalizing on disrupting parasite virulence factors to advance the treatment of toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province, 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Wei Gao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province, 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Jun-Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fa-Cai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Foroutan M, Ghaffarifar F. Calcium-dependent protein kinases are potential targets for Toxoplasma gondii vaccine. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2018; 7:24-36. [PMID: 29399577 PMCID: PMC5795042 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2018.7.1.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii belongs to the Apicomplexa phylum that caused a widespread zoonotic infection in wide range of intermediate hosts. Over one-third of the world's population are latently infected with T. gondii and carry it. The complex life cycle of T. gondii indicates the presence of a plurality of antigenic epitopes. During the recent years, continuous efforts of scientists have made precious advances to elucidate the different aspects of the cell and molecular biology of T. gondii. Despite of great progresses, the development of vaccine candidates for preventing of T. gondii infection in men and animals is still remains a challenge. The calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) belongs to the superfamily of kinases, which restricted to the apicomplexans, ciliates, and plants. It has been documented that they contribute several functions in the life cycle of T. gondii such as gliding motility, cell invasion, and egress as well as some other critical developmental processes. In current paper, we reviewed the recent progress concerning the development of CDPK-based vaccines against acute and chronic T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Foroutan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Aquino-Gil MO, Kupferschmid M, Shams-Eldin H, Schmidt J, Yamakawa N, Mortuaire M, Krzewinski F, Hardivillé S, Zenteno E, Rolando C, Bray F, Pérez Campos E, Dubremetz JF, Perez-Cervera Y, Schwarz RT, Lefebvre T. Apart From Rhoptries, Identification of Toxoplasma gondii's O-GlcNAcylated Proteins Reinforces the Universality of the O-GlcNAcome. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:450. [PMID: 30177911 PMCID: PMC6109639 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminylation or O-GlcNAcylation is a widespread post-translational modification that belongs to the large and heterogeneous group of glycosylations. The functions managed by O-GlcNAcylation are diverse and include regulation of transcription, replication, protein's fate, trafficking, and signaling. More and more evidences tend to show that deregulations in the homeostasis of O-GlcNAcylation are involved in the etiology of metabolic diseases, cancers and neuropathologies. O-GlcNAc transferase or OGT is the enzyme that transfers the N-acetylglucosamine residue onto target proteins confined within the cytosolic and nuclear compartments. A form of OGT was predicted for Toxoplasma and recently we were the first to show evidence of O-GlcNAcylation in the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum. Numerous studies have explored the O-GlcNAcome in a wide variety of biological models but very few focus on protists. In the present work, we used enrichment on sWGA-beads and immunopurification to identify putative O-GlcNAcylated proteins in Toxoplasma gondii. Many of the proteins found to be O-GlcNAcylated were originally described in higher eukaryotes and participate in cell shape organization, response to stress, protein synthesis and metabolism. In a more original way, our proteomic analyses, confirmed by sWGA-enrichment and click-chemistry, revealed that rhoptries, proteins necessary for invasion, are glycosylated. Together, these data show that regardless of proteins strictly specific to organisms, O-GlcNAcylated proteins are rather similar among living beings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moyira Osny Aquino-Gil
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
- Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Mattis Kupferschmid
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Virology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hosam Shams-Eldin
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Virology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Schmidt
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Virology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nao Yamakawa
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
| | - Marlène Mortuaire
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
| | - Frédéric Krzewinski
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
| | - Stéphan Hardivillé
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
| | - Edgar Zenteno
- Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Christian Rolando
- CNRS, MSAP USR 3290, FR 3688 FRABIO, FR 2638 Institut Eugène-Michel Chevreul, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Fabrice Bray
- CNRS, MSAP USR 3290, FR 3688 FRABIO, FR 2638 Institut Eugène-Michel Chevreul, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Eduardo Pérez Campos
- Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Jean-François Dubremetz
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 5235, Dynamique des Interactions Membranaires Normales et Pathologiques, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Yobana Perez-Cervera
- Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Centro de Investigación Facultad de Medicina UNAM-UABJO, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Ralph T. Schwarz
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute for Virology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tony Lefebvre
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Lille, France
- *Correspondence: Tony Lefebvre
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Yang WB, Zhou DH, Zou Y, Chen K, Liu Q, Wang JL, Zhu XQ, Zhao GH. Vaccination with a DNA vaccine encoding Toxoplasma gondii ROP54 induces protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in mice. Acta Trop 2017; 176:427-432. [PMID: 28935555 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular protozoan, which infects most of the warm-blooded animals, causing serious public health problems and enormous economic losses worldwide. The rhoptry effector protein 54 (ROP54) has been indicated as a virulence factor that promotes Toxoplasma infection by modulating GBP2 loading onto parasite-containing vacuoles, which can modulate some aspects of the host immune response. In order to evaluate the immuno-protective value of ROP54, we constructed a eukaryotic recombinant plasmid expressing T. gondii ROP54 and intramuscularly immunized Kunming mice with this recombinant plasmid against acute and chronic toxoplasmosis. All mice immunized with pVAX-ROP54 elicited a high level of specific antibody responses, a significant increase of lymphocyte proliferation, and a significant level of Th1-type cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-12p70), in addition to an increased production of Th2-type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10). These results demonstrated that pVAX-ROP54 induced significant cellular and humoral (Th1/Th2) immune responses, which extended the survival time (13.0±1.15days for pVAX-ROP54 vs 6.7±0.48days for pVAX I, 6.8±0.42days for PBS and 6.5±0.53 for blank control) and significantly reduced cyst burden (35.9% for pVAX-ROP54, 1% for pVAX I and 2% for PBS, compared with blank control) of immunized mice. These results indicate that the recombinant ROP54 plasmid can provide partial protection and might be a potential vaccine candidate against acute and chronic toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
|
26
|
Aw MS, Paniwnyk L. Overcoming T. gondii infection and intracellular protein nanocapsules as biomaterials for ultrasonically controlled drug release. Biomater Sci 2017; 5:1944-1961. [DOI: 10.1039/c7bm00425g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the pivotal matters of concern in intracellular drug delivery is the preparation of biomaterials containing drugs that are compatible with the host target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. S. Aw
- School of Life Sciences
- Biomolecular and Sports Science
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
- Coventry University
- Coventry
| | - L. Paniwnyk
- School of Life Sciences
- Biomolecular and Sports Science
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
- Coventry University
- Coventry
| |
Collapse
|