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Fazilani SA, An W, Li S, Hassan MF, Ishfaq M, Lakho SA, Farooque M, Shoaib M, Zhang X. Unrevealing the therapeutic potential of artesunate against emerging zoonotic Babesia microti infection in the murine model. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1383291. [PMID: 38784653 PMCID: PMC11111996 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1383291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis, a zoonotic blood protozoal disease, threatens humans and animals and is difficult to treat due to growing antimicrobial resistance. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of artesunate (AS), a well-known derivative of artemisinin, against Babesia microti (B. microti) using a murine infection model. Male BALB/c mice (6 weeks old; 15 per group) were chosen and randomly divided into 1) the control group, 2) the B. microti group, and 3) the B. microti + artesunate treatment groups. AS treatment at 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, and 8 mg/kg of body weight significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the B. microti load in blood smears in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, AS treatment mitigated the decrease in body weight and restored the normal state of the liver and spleen viscera index compared to the B. microti-infected group after 28 days. Hematological analysis revealed significant increases in RBC, WBC, and PLT counts post-AS treatment compared to the B. microti-infected group. Furthermore, AS administration resulted in significant reductions in total protein, bilirubin, ALT, AST, and ALP levels, along with reduced liver and spleen inflammation and lesions as observed through histopathological analysis. AS also elicited dose-dependent changes in mRNA and protein expression levels of apoptotic, proinflammatory, and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the liver compared to the control and B. microti-infected groups. Immunolabeling revealed decreased expression of apoptotic and inflammation-related proteins in AS-treated hepatic cytoplasm compared to the B. microti-infected group. AS also in dose-dependent manner decreased apoptotic protein and increased Bcl-2. Overall, these findings underscore the potential of AS as an anti-parasitic candidate in combating B. microti pathogenesis in an in vivo infection model, suggesting its promise for clinical trials as a treatment for babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saqib Ali Fazilani
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development. Faculty of Basic Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
- Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Biosciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Pakistan
| | - Wei An
- Technical Centre of Chengdu Customs, Chengdu, China
| | - Sihong Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology and College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mohammad Farooque Hassan
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Pakistan
| | | | - Shakeel Ahmed Lakho
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farooque
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ziauddin University Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shoaib
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project, Gansu Province/Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiuying Zhang
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Pharmaceutical Development. Faculty of Basic Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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Ji S, Rizk MA, Galon EM, El-Alfy ES, Mizukawa Y, Kojima M, Ikegami-Kawai M, Kaya M, Liu M, Itoh I, Xuan X. Anti-babesial activity of a series of 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline-2,4-diamines (DMQDAs). Acta Trop 2024; 249:107069. [PMID: 37952866 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107069] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Diminazene aceturate (DA), imidocarb dipropionate (ID), atovaquone (ATO), azithromycin (AZI), clindamycin, and quinine have been used to treat animal and human babesiosis for many years, despite their negative effects and rising indications of resistance. Thus, finding anti-babesial compounds that can either treat the infection or lower the dose of drugs given has been a primary objective. Quinazolines are one of the most important nitrogen heterocycles, with a wide range of pharmacological activities including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative-hypnotic, anti-histaminic, anti-cancer, and anti-protozoan properties. The present study investigated the anti-babesial activities of twenty 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline-2,4-diamines on Babesia spp. One candidate, 6,7-dimethoxy-N4-ethylisopropyl-N2-ethyl(pyridin-4-yl)quinazoline-2,4-diamine (SHG02), showed potent inhibition on Babesia gibsoni in vitro, as well as on B. microti and B. rodhaini in mice. Our findings indicate that the candidate compound SHG02 is promising for further development of anti-babesial drugs and provides a new structure to be explored for developing anti-Babesia therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite 4122, Philippines
| | - El-Sayed El-Alfy
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Yuki Mizukawa
- Synstar Japan Co., Ltd., 2-9-46 Sakaecho, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0011, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Kojima
- Synstar Japan Co., Ltd., 2-9-46 Sakaecho, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0011, Japan
| | - Mayumi Ikegami-Kawai
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hoshi University, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
| | - Motohiro Kaya
- Center for Industry-University Collaboration, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China
| | - Isamu Itoh
- Synstar Japan Co., Ltd., 2-9-46 Sakaecho, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0011, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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El-Sayed SAES, El-Alfy ES, Baghdadi HB, Sayed-Ahmed MZ, Alqahtani SS, Alam N, Ahmad S, Ali MS, Igarashi I, Rizk MA. Antiparasitic activity of FLLL-32 against four Babesia species, B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens and B. caballi, and one Theileria species, Theileria equi in vitro, and Babesia microti in mice. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1278451. [PMID: 38027032 PMCID: PMC10651744 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1278451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: FLLL-32, a synthetic analog of curcumin, is a potent inhibitor of STAT3's constitutive activation in a variety of cancer cells, and its anticancer properties have been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. It is also suggested that it might have other pharmacological activities including activity against different parasites. Aim: This study therefore investigated the in vitro antiparasitic activity of FLLL-32 against four pathogenic Babesia species, B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, and B. caballi, and one Theileria species, Theileria equi. In vivo anti-Babesia microti activity of FLLL-32 was also evaluated in mice. Methods: The FLLL-32, in the growth inhibition assay with a concentration range (0.005-50 μM), was tested for it's activity against these pathogens. The reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay was used to evaluate the possible effects of FLLL-32 treatment on the mRNA transcription of the target B. bovis genes including S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and histone deacetylase. Results: The in vitro growth of B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and T. equi was significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner (in all cases, p < 0.05). FLLL-32 exhibits the highest inhibitory effects on B. bovis growth in vitro, and it's IC50 value against this species was 9.57 μM. The RT-PCR results showed that FLLL-32 inhibited the transcription of the B. bovis S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase gene. In vivo, the FLLL-32 showed significant inhibition (p < 0.05) of B. microti parasitemia in infected mice with results comparable to that of diminazene aceturate. Parasitemia level in B. microti-infected mice treated with FLLL-32 from day 12 post infection (pi) was reduced to reach zero level at day 16 pi when compared to the infected non-treated mice. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the antibabesial properties of FLLL-32 and suggested it's usage in the treatment of babesiosis especially when utilized in combination therapy with other antibabesial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - El-Sayed El-Alfy
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Hanadi B. Baghdadi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
- Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Z. Sayed-Ahmed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad S. Alqahtani
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nawazish Alam
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md. Sajid Ali
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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Liu Q, Guan XA, Li DF, Zheng YX, Wang S, Xuan XN, Zhao JL, He L. Babesia gibsoni Whole-Genome Sequencing, Assembling, Annotation, and Comparative Analysis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0072123. [PMID: 37432130 PMCID: PMC10434002 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00721-23] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite Babesia gibsoni infects canine erythrocytes and causes babesiosis. The hazards to animal health have increased due to the rise of B. gibsoni infections and medication resistance. However, the lack of high-quality full-genome sequencing sets has expanded the obstacles to the development of pathogeneses, drugs, and vaccines. In this study, the whole genome of B. gibsoni was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The genomic size of B. gibsoni was 7.94 Mbp in total. Four chromosomes with the size of 0.69 Mb, 2.10 Mb, 2.77 Mb, and 2.38 Mb, respectively, 1 apicoplast (28.4 Kb), and 1 mitochondrion (5.9 Kb) were confirmed. KEGG analysis revealed 2,641 putative proteins enriched on 316 pathways, and GO analysis showed 7,571 annotations of the nuclear genome in total. Synteny analysis showed a high correlation between B. gibsoni and B. bovis. A new divergent point of B. gibsoni occurred around 297.7 million years ago, which was earlier than that of B. bovis, B. ovata, and B. bigemina. Orthology analysis revealed 22 and 32 unique genes compared to several Babesia spp. and apicomplexan species. The metabolic pathways of B.gibsoni were characterized, pointing to a minimal size of the genome. A species-specific secretory protein SA1 and 19 homologous genes were identified. Selected specific proteins, including apetala 2 (AP2) factor, invasion-related proteins BgAMA-1 and BgRON2, and rhoptry function proteins BgWH_04g00700 were predicted, visualized, and modeled. Overall, whole-genome sequencing provided molecular-level support for the diagnosis, prevention, clinical treatment, and further research of B. gibsoni. IMPORTANCE The whole genome of B. gibsoni was first sequenced, annotated, and disclosed. The key part of genome composition, four chromosomes, was comparatively analyzed for the first time. A full-scale phylogeny evolution analysis based on the whole-genome-wide data of B. gibsoni was performed, and a new divergent point on the evolutionary path was revealed. In previous reports, molecular studies were often limited by incomplete genomic data, especially in key areas like life cycle regulation, metabolism, and host-pathogen interaction. With the whole-genome sequencing of B. gibsoni, we provide useful genetic data to encourage the exploration of new terrain and make it feasible to resolve the theoretical and practical problems of babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing-Ai Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dong-Fang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ya-Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue-Nan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lan He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Rezvani Y, Keroack CD, Elsworth B, Arriojas A, Gubbels MJ, Duraisingh MT, Zarringhalam K. Comparative single-cell transcriptional atlases of Babesia species reveal conserved and species-specific expression profiles. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001816. [PMID: 36137068 PMCID: PMC9531838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia is a genus of apicomplexan parasites that infect red blood cells in vertebrate hosts. Pathology occurs during rapid replication cycles in the asexual blood stage of infection. Current knowledge of Babesia replication cycle progression and regulation is limited and relies mostly on comparative studies with related parasites. Due to limitations in synchronizing Babesia parasites, fine-scale time-course transcriptomic resources are not readily available. Single-cell transcriptomics provides a powerful unbiased alternative for profiling asynchronous cell populations. Here, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing to 3 Babesia species (B. divergens, B. bovis, and B. bigemina). We used analytical approaches and algorithms to map the replication cycle and construct pseudo-synchronized time-course gene expression profiles. We identify clusters of co-expressed genes showing "just-in-time" expression profiles, with gradually cascading peaks throughout asexual development. Moreover, clustering analysis of reconstructed gene curves reveals coordinated timing of peak expression in epigenetic markers and transcription factors. Using a regularized Gaussian graphical model, we reconstructed co-expression networks and identified conserved and species-specific nodes. Motif analysis of a co-expression interactome of AP2 transcription factors identified specific motifs previously reported to play a role in DNA replication in Plasmodium species. Finally, we present an interactive web application to visualize and interactively explore the datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Rezvani
- Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Caroline D. Keroack
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Brendan Elsworth
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Argenis Arriojas
- Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Marc-Jan Gubbels
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Manoj T. Duraisingh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MTD); (KZ)
| | - Kourosh Zarringhalam
- Department of Mathematics, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MTD); (KZ)
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Li Y, Rizk MA, Galon EM, Liu M, Li J, Ringo AE, Ji S, Zafar I, Tumwebaze MA, Benedicto B, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I, Chahan B, Xuan X. Discovering the Potent Inhibitors Against Babesia bovis in vitro and Babesia microti in vivo by Repurposing the Natural Product Compounds. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:762107. [PMID: 34912876 PMCID: PMC8666878 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.762107] [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: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we screened 502 natural product compounds against the in vitro growth of Babesia (B.) bovis. Then, the novel and potent identified compounds were further evaluated for their in vitro efficacies using viability and cytotoxicity assays. The in vivo inhibitory effects of the selected compounds were evaluated using B. microti “rodent strain” in mice model. Three potent compounds, namely, Rottlerin (RL), Narasin (NR), Lasalocid acid (LA), exhibited the lowest IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) as follows: 5.45 ± 1.20 μM for RL, 1.86 ± 0.66 μM for NR, and 3.56 ± 1.41 μM for LA. The viability result revealed the ability of RL and LA to prevent the regrowth of treated parasite at 4 × IC50 and 2 × IC50, respectively, while 4 × IC50 of NR was sufficient to stop the regrowth of parasite. The hematology parameters of B. microti in vivo were different in the NR-treated groups as compared to the infected/untreated group. Interestingly, intraperitoneal administration of NR exhibiting inhibition in the growth of B. microti in mice was similar to that observed after administration of the commonly used antibabesial drug, diminazene aceturate (DA) (76.57% for DA, 74.73% for NR). Our findings indicate the richness of natural product compounds by novel potent antibabesial candidates, and the identified potent compounds, especially NR, might be used for the treatment of animal babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchang Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Parasitology Laboratory, Veterinary College, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Aaron Edmond Ringo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Iqra Zafar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Maria Agnes Tumwebaze
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Byamukama Benedicto
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Bayin Chahan
- Parasitology Laboratory, Veterinary College, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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Wang Y, Wang B, Zhang Q, Li Y, Yang Z, Han S, Yuan G, Wang S, He H. The Common Occurrence of Theileria ovis in Tibetan Sheep and the First Report of Theileria sinensis in Yaks from Southern Qinghai, China. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:1177-1185. [PMID: 33840059 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00381-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The tick-borne protozoa piroplasms, including Theileria and Babesia, are the cause of substantial economic losses to the livestock industry. However, in southern Qinghai province, China, there are limited information on the molecular characteristics of piroplasms. This study therefore aimed at determining the prevalence and genetic diversity of piroplasms. METHODS In order to detect piroplasms, we examined 330 yaks and 236 Tibetan sheep blood samples by nested PCR. The differences in piroplasms prevalence in relation to different risk factors was analyzed using SPSS 26. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA sequences was inferred using MEGA 7. RESULTS During this study, Theileria spp. were detected in 33.6% (111/330) of yaks and 94.1% (222/236) of Tibetan sheep, but no Babesia was identified. Importantly, a comparison study revealed that T. ovis infection was highly prevalent in sheep (94.1%) but infrequent in yaks (6.1%), while T. sinensis was host-specific to yaks with an infection rate of 27.6%. In addition, male animals were more likely to be infected by T. sinensis and female animals were more likely to be infected by T. ovis. And animals below 4000 m areas reported a higher infection rate with T. sinensis (26.1% vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001). Alongside these differences in prevalence, we found a significantly higher T. sinensis infection rate in separated-grazing livestock (22.2% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.001), while mixed-grazing ruminants had a higher T. ovis infection rate (50.0% vs. 39.0%, p = 0.014). Furthermore, sequence analysis revealed that the 18S rRNA sequences obtained in this study shared 86.9-100.0% identities with each other and they were clustered into T. sinensis or T. ovis. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. sinensis in Qinghai region. In addition, high prevalence of the generally sub-clinical T. ovis in sheep indicates extensive exposure to ticks and transmission of tick-borne pathogens with a significant economic impact. This study provides insights into the distribution and genetic diversity of Theileria in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula MacGregor
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | | | - R. Ellen R. Nisbet
- School of Bioscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Recent Advances in Molecular Genetic Tools for Babesia. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8100222. [PMID: 34679052 PMCID: PMC8541370 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8100222] [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: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of in vitro culture and completion of genome sequencing of several Babesia parasites promoted the efforts to establish transfection systems for these parasites to dissect the gene functions. It has been more than a decade since the establishment of first transfection for Babesia bovis, the causative agent of bovine babesiosis. However, the number of genes that were targeted by genetic tools in Babesia parasites is limited. This is partially due to the low efficiencies of these methods. The recent adaptation of CRISPR/Cas9 for genome editing of Babesia bovis can accelerate the efforts for dissecting this parasite’s genome and extend the knowledge on biological aspects of erythrocytic and tick stages of Babesia. Additionally, glmS ribozyme as a conditional knockdown system is available that could be used for the characterization of essential genes. The development of high throughput genetic tools is needed to dissect the function of multigene families, targeting several genes in a specific pathway, and finally genome-wide identification of essential genes to find novel drug targets. In this review, we summarized the current tools that are available for Babesia and the genes that are being targeted by these tools. This may draw a perspective for the future development of genetic tools and pave the way for the identification of novel drugs or vaccine targets.
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Rangel GW, Llinás M. Re-Envisioning Anti-Apicomplexan Parasite Drug Discovery Approaches. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:691121. [PMID: 34178727 PMCID: PMC8226314 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.691121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa impact humans in nearly all parts of the world, causing diseases including to toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, babesiosis, and malaria. Apicomplexan parasites have complex life cycles comprised of one or more stages characterized by rapid replication and biomass amplification, which enables accelerated evolutionary adaptation to environmental changes, including to drug pressure. The emergence of drug resistant pathogens is a major looming and/or active threat for current frontline chemotherapies, especially for widely used antimalarial drugs. In fact, resistant parasites have been reported against all modern antimalarial drugs within 15 years of clinical introduction, including the current frontline artemisinin-based combination therapies. Chemotherapeutics are a major tool in the public health arsenal for combatting the onset and spread of apicomplexan diseases. All currently approved antimalarial drugs have been discovered either through chemical modification of natural products or through large-scale screening of chemical libraries for parasite death phenotypes, and so far, none have been developed through a gene-to-drug pipeline. However, the limited duration of efficacy of these drugs in the field underscores the need for new and innovative approaches to discover drugs that can counter rapid resistance evolution. This review details both historical and current antimalarial drug discovery approaches. We also highlight new strategies that may be employed to discover resistance-resistant drug targets and chemotherapies in order to circumvent the rapid evolution of resistance in apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel W. Rangel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Manuel Llinás
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Elsworth B, Duraisingh MT. A framework for signaling throughout the life cycle of Babesia species. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:882-890. [PMID: 33274587 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Babesia species are tick-borne intracellular parasites that infect the red blood cells of their mammalian host, leading to severe or fatal disease. Babesia spp. infect a wide range of mammalian species and cause a significant economic burden globally, predominantly through disease in cattle. Several Babesia spp. are increasingly being recognized as zoonotic pathogens of humans. Babesia spp. have complex life cycles involving multiple stages in the tick and the mammalian host. The parasite utilizes complex signaling pathways during replication, egress, and invasion in each of these stages. They must also rapidly respond to their environment when switching between the mammalian and tick stages. This review will focus on the signaling pathways and environmental stimuli that Babesia spp. utilize in the bloodstream and for transmission to the tick, with an emphasis on the role of phosphorylation- and calcium-based signaling during egress and invasion. The expanding availability of in vitro and in vivo culture systems, genomes, transcriptomes, and transgenic systems available for a range of Babesia spp. should encourage further biological and translational studies of these ubiquitous parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Elsworth
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manoj T Duraisingh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Carvalho LJM, Tuvshintulga B, Nugraha AB, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N. Activities of artesunate-based combinations and tafenoquine against Babesia bovis in vitro and Babesia microti in vivo. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:362. [PMID: 32690081 PMCID: PMC7372749 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04235-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Babesiosis represents a veterinary and medical threat, with a need for novel drugs. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) have been successfully implemented for malaria, a human disease caused by related parasites, Plasmodium spp. The aim of this study was to investigate whether ACT is active against Babesia in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Mefloquine, tafenoquine, primaquine, methylene blue and lumefantrine, alone or in combination with artesunate, were tested in vitro against Babesia bovis. Parasite growth was verified using a SYBR green I-based fluorescence assay. Mice infected with Babesia microti were treated with mefloquine or tafenoquine, alone or in combination with artesunate, and parasitemia was verified by microscopy and PCR. RESULTS All drugs, except lumefantrine, showed in vitro activity against B. bovis, with methylene blue showing the most potent activity (concentration 0.2 μM). Combination with artesunate led to improved activity, with mefloquine showing a striking 20-fold increase in activity. Tafenoquine (10 mg/kg, base), combined or not with artesunate, but not mefloquine, induced rapid clearance of B. microti in vivo by microscopy, but mice remained PCR-positive. Blood from mice treated with tafenoquine alone, but not with tafenoquine-artesunate, was infective for naive mice upon sub-inoculation. CONCLUSIONS Tafenoquine, and most likely other 8-aminoquinoline compounds, are promising compounds for the development of ACT for babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo J M Carvalho
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan. .,Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan. .,Laboratory of Malaria Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Bunduurem Tuvshintulga
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Arifin B Nugraha
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.,Research Center for Global Agromedicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.,OIE Reference Laboratory for Bovine Babesiosis and Equine Piroplasmosis, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan
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Mack EA, Xiao YP, Allred DR. Knockout of Babesia bovis rad51 ortholog and its complementation by expression from the BbACc3 artificial chromosome platform. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215882. [PMID: 31386669 PMCID: PMC6684078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis establishes persistent infections of long duration in cattle, despite the development of effective anti-disease immunity. One mechanism used by the parasite to achieve persistence is rapid antigenic variation of the VESA1 cytoadhesion ligand through segmental gene conversion (SGC), a phenomenon thought to be a form of homologous recombination (HR). To begin investigation of the enzymatic basis for SGC we initially identified and knocked out the Bbrad51 gene encoding the B. bovis Rad51 ortholog. BbRad51 was found to be non-essential for in vitro growth of asexual-stage parasites. However, its loss resulted in hypersensitivity to methylmethane sulfonate (MMS) and an apparent defect in HR. This defect rendered attempts to complement the knockout phenotype by reinsertion of the Bbrad51 gene into the genome unsuccessful. To circumvent this difficulty, we constructed an artificial chromosome, BbACc3, into which the complete Bbrad51 locus was inserted, for expression of BbRad51 under regulation by autologous elements. Maintenance of BbACc3 makes use of centromeric sequences from chromosome 3 and telomeric ends from chromosome 1 of the B. bovis C9.1 line. A selection cassette employing human dihydrofolate reductase enables recovery of transformants by selection with pyrimethamine. We demonstrate that the BbACc3 platform is stably maintained once established, assembles nucleosomes to form native chromatin, and expands in telomere length over time. Significantly, the MMS-sensitivity phenotype observed in the absence of Bbrad51 was successfully complemented at essentially normal levels. We provide cautionary evidence, however, that in HR-competent parasites BbACc3 can recombine with native chromosomes, potentially resulting in crossover. We propose that, under certain circumstances this platform can provide a useful alternative for the genetic manipulation of this group of parasites, particularly when regulated gene expression under the control of autologous elements may be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A. Mack
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Yu-Ping Xiao
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - David R. Allred
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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Abstract
Babesia bovis, the most virulent causative agent of bovine babesiosis, is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Although the whole-genome sequence was released more than a decade ago, functional analysis of the genomics of this parasite is hampered by the limited breadth of genetic engineering tools. In this study, we implemented the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system for B. bovis and demonstrated its potential for genome editing. Cas9 and human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR) were simultaneously expressed by the B. bovis elongation factor-1α bidirectional promoter, and a single guide RNA was expressed via the B. bovis U6 spliceosomal RNA promoter. Using a single plasmid construct, we were able to add an epitope tag to spherical body protein 3 (SBP3), introduce a point mutation into thioredoxin peroxidase 1 (tpx-1) to impair the function of the product, and replace the tpx-1 open reading frame with the other protein. Epitope tagging of SBP3 was efficient using this system, with a negligible number of remaining wild-type parasites and a pure transgenic population produced by allelic replacement of tpx-1 This advancement in genetic engineering tools for B. bovis will aid functional analysis of the genome and underpin characterization of candidate drug and vaccine targets.IMPORTANCE Babesia bovis is the most virulent cause of bovine babesiosis worldwide. The disease consequences are death, abortion, and economical loss due to reduced milk and meat production. Available vaccines are not effective, treatment options are limited, and emergence of drug and acaricide resistance has been reported from different regions. There is an urgent need to identify new drug and vaccine targets. Greater than half of the genes in B. bovis genome, including several expanded gene families which are unique for Babesia spp., have no predicted function. The available genetic engineering tools are based on conventional homologous recombination, which is time-consuming and inefficient. In this study, we adapted the CRISPR/Cas9 system as a robust genetic engineering tool for B. bovis This advancement will aid future functional studies of uncharacterized genes.
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Ben Mamoun C, Allred DR. Inaugural meeting of the international babesiosis research community, 2018: A glimpse into the future of an emerging research field. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:93-94. [PMID: 30827459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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