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Pacheco-Sánchez M, Martínez-Hernández SL, Muñoz-Ortega MH, Reyes-Martínez JA, Ávila-Blanco ME, Ventura-Juárez J. The Gal/GalNac lectin as a possible acetylcholine receptor in Entamoeba histolytica. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1110600. [PMID: 37260701 PMCID: PMC10228505 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1110600] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) is a protozoan responsible for intestinal amebiasis in at least 500 million people per year, although only 10% of those infected show severe symptoms. It is known that E. histolytica captures molecules released during the host immune response through membrane receptors that favor its pathogenetic mechanisms for the establishment of amebic invasion. It has been suggested that E. histolytica interacts with acetylcholine (ACh) through its membrane. This promotes the increase of virulence factors and diverse mechanisms carried out by the amoeba to produce damage. The aim of this study is to identify a membrane receptor in E. histolytica trophozoites for ACh. Methods included identification by colocalization for the ACh and Gal/GalNAc lectin binding site by immunofluorescence, western blot, bioinformatic analysis, and quantification of the relative expression of Ras 5 and Rab 7 GTPases by RT-qPCR. Results show that the Gal/GalNAc lectin acts as a possible binding site for ACh and this binding may occur through the 150 kDa intermediate subunit. At the same time, this interaction activates the GTPases, Ras, and Rab, which are involved in the proliferation, and reorganization of the amoebic cytoskeleton and vesicular trafficking. In conclusion, ACh is captured by the parasite, and the interaction promotes the activation of signaling pathways involved in pathogenicity mechanisms, contributing to disease and the establishment of invasive amebiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisol Pacheco-Sánchez
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Sandra Luz Martínez-Hernández
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Martín Humberto Muñoz-Ortega
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | | | - Manuel Enrique Ávila-Blanco
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Javier Ventura-Juárez
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
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Pulido-Ortega J, Talamás-Rohana P, Muñoz-Ortega MH, Aldaba-Muruato LR, Martínez-Hernández SL, Campos-Esparza MDR, Cervantes-García D, Leon-Coria A, Moreau F, Chadee K, Ventura-Juárez J. Functional Characterization of an Interferon Gamma Receptor-Like Protein on Entamoeba histolytica. Infect Immun 2019; 87:e00540-19. [PMID: 31427448 PMCID: PMC6803330 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00540-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is an anaerobic parasitic protozoan and the causative agent of amoebiasis. E. histolytica expresses proteins that are structurally homologous to human proteins and uses them as virulence factors. We have previously shown that E. histolytica binds exogenous interferon gamma (IFN-γ) on its surface, and in this study, we explored whether exogenous IFN-γ could modulate parasite virulence. We identified an IFN-γ receptor-like protein on the surface of E. histolytica trophozoites by using anti-IFN-γ receptor 1 (IFN-γR1) antibody and performing immunofluorescence, Western blot, protein sequencing, and in silico analyses. Coupling of human IFN-γ to the IFN-γ receptor-like protein on live E. histolytica trophozoites significantly upregulated the expression of E. histolytica cysteine protease A1 (EhCP-A1), EhCP-A2, EhCP-A4, EhCP-A5, amebapore A (APA), cyclooxygenase 1 (Cox-1), Gal-lectin (Hgl), and peroxiredoxin (Prx) in a time-dependent fashion. IFN-γ signaling via the IFN-γ receptor-like protein enhanced E. histolytica's erythrophagocytosis of human red blood cells, which was abrogated by the STAT1 inhibitor fludarabine. Exogenous IFN-γ enhanced chemotaxis of E. histolytica, its killing of Caco-2 colonic and Hep G2 liver cells, and amebic liver abscess formation in hamsters. These results demonstrate that E. histolytica expresses a surface IFN-γ receptor-like protein that is functional and may play a role in disease pathogenesis and/or immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Pulido-Ortega
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Patricia Talamás-Rohana
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Martín Humberto Muñoz-Ortega
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Liseth Rubí Aldaba-Muruato
- Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico
| | - Sandra Luz Martínez-Hernández
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | | | - Daniel Cervantes-García
- CONACYT-Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Aralia Leon-Coria
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - France Moreau
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kris Chadee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Javier Ventura-Juárez
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
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Mechanisms of natural resistance of Balb/c mice to experimental liver amoebiasis. Biosci Rep 2019; 39:BSR20182333. [PMID: 30979831 PMCID: PMC6500896 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20182333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is the parasite responsible for human amoebiasis. The analysis of the natural resistance mechanisms of some rodents to amoebic liver abscess (ALA) may reveal alternative pathogenicity mechanisms to those previously discovered in the experimental model of ALA in hamsters. In this work the natural resistance of BALB/c mice to ALA was explored by performing: (i) in vivo chemotaxis analysis with a specifically designed chamber; (ii) in vitro amoebic survival in fresh and decomplemented serum; (iii) histological temporal course analysis of ALA development in mice with different treatments (hypocomplementemic, hyperimmune and treated with iNOS and NADPH oxidase inhibitors) and (iv) mouse liver amoebic infection by both in situ implantation of ALA from hamsters and inoculation of parasites into the peritoneal cavity. The results show that E. histolytica clearance from the mouse liver is related to a low chemotactic activity of complement, which results in poor inflammatory response and parasite inability to cause tissue damage. Also, the absence of amoebic tropism for the mouse liver is correlated with resistance to experimental liver amoebiasis.
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Abstract
The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is the microbial agent of amoebiasis - an infection that is endemic worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. As the disease develops, virulent E. histolytica deplete the mucus layer, interact with the intestinal epithelium, and then degrade the colonic mucosa and disrupt the extracellular matrix (ECM). Our research demonstrated that virulent parasites with an invasive phenotype display rapid, highly specific changes in their transcriptome (notably for essential factors involved in carbohydrate metabolism and the processing of glycosylated residues). Moreover, combined activation of parasite and host lytic enzymes leads to the destruction of the intestinal parenchyma. Together, these enzymes degrade the mucus layer and the ECM, and trigger the inflammatory response essential to the development of amoebiasis.
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Tyrosine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of myosin II essential light chains of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites regulates their motility. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 208:49-55. [PMID: 27318258 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites dwell in the human intestine as comensals although under still unclear circumstances become invasive and destroy the host tissues. For these activities, trophozoites relay on remarkable motility provided by the cytoskeleton organization. Amebic actin and some of its actin-associated proteins are well known, while components of the myosin II molecule, although predicted from the E. histolytica genome, need biochemical and functional characterization. Recently, an amebic essential light myosin II chain, named EhMLCI, was identified and reported to be phosphorylated in tyrosines. The phosphorylated form of the protein was associated with the soluble assembly incompetent conformation of the heavy myosin chains, while the non-phosphorylated protein was identified with filamentous heavy chains, organized in an assembly competent conformation. It was postulated that EhMLCI tyrosine phosphorylation could act as a negative regulator of myosin II activity by its phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycles. To test this hypothesis, we constructed an expression vector containing an EhMLCI DNA sequence where two tyrosine residues, with strong probability of phosphorylation and fall within the single EF-hand domain that interacts with the N-terminus of myosin II heavy chains, were replaced by phenylalanines. Transfected trophozoites, expressing the mutant MutEhMLCI protein cannot process it, thereby not incorporated into the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycles required for myosin II activity, results in motility defective trophozoites.
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