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Fang W, Zhou L, Deng B, Guo B, Chen X, Chen P, Lu C, Dong Z, Pan M. Establishment of a Secretory Protein-Inducible CRISPR/Cas9 System for Nosema bombycis in Insect Cells. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:13175-13185. [PMID: 38817125 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Gene editing techniques are widely and effectively used for the control of pathogens, but it is difficult to directly edit the genes of Microsporidia due to its unique spore wall structure. Innovative technologies and methods are urgently needed to break through this limitation of microsporidia therapies. Here, we establish a microsporidia-inducible gene editing system through core components of microsporidia secreted proteins, which could edit target genes after infection with microsporidia. We identified that Nosema bombycis NB29 is a secretory protein and found to interact with itself. The NB29-N3, which lacked the nuclear localization signal, was localized in the cytoplasm, and could be tracked into the nucleus after interacting with NB29-B. Furthermore, the gene editing system was constructed with the Cas9 protein expressed in fusion with the NB29-N3. The system could edit the exogenous gene EGFP and the endogenous gene BmRpn3 after overexpression of NB29 or infection with N. bombycis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxuan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Liang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Boyuan Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Binyu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Xue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Peng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Cheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Zhanqi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Minhui Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
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Olajide JS, Qu Z, Yang S, Yang B, Xu X, Wang J, Cai J. Eimeria falciformis extracellular vesicles differentially express host cell lncRNAs. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2024; 71:e13009. [PMID: 38073253 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulatory transcripts during protozoan infections in the host intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Apicomplexan Eimeria falciformis sporozoite extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain virulence factors that modulate host IECs pro-inflammatory genes and immune responses. In this study, E. falciformis sporozoites were made to interact with inactivated host cells, and the parasite EVs were separated from total secretome by ultracentrifugation and purified on density gradient medium. Dose-dependent bio-activity of E. falciformis EVs was investigated by RNA sequencing, functional annotation and quantitative PCR. It was found that E. falciformis EVs induced mRNA, circRNA, and lncRNA expressions in mouse IECs. Of 38, 217 lncRNAs assembled, 157 and 152 were upwardly and downwardly expressed respectively. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with cytokines, pyroptosis, and immune signaling pathways including FoxO, NF-κB, MAPK, and TGF-β. In essence, E. falciformis EVs altered host cell RNA expressions during the interaction with host IECs. Also, differentially expressed lncRNAs are potential diagnostic transcripts during Eimeria infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Olajide
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Centre for Distance Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Zigang Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shunli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Bin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianping Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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Diez AF, Leroux LP, Chagneau S, Plouffe A, Gold M, Chaparro V, Jaramillo M. Toxoplasma gondii inhibits the expression of autophagy-related genes through AKT-dependent inactivation of the transcription factor FOXO3a. mBio 2023; 14:e0079523. [PMID: 37387601 PMCID: PMC10470550 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00795-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii induces host AKT activation to prevent autophagy-mediated clearance; however, the molecular underpinnings are not fully understood. Autophagy can be negatively regulated through AKT-sensitive phosphorylation and nuclear export of the transcription factor Forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a). Using a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches, herein we investigated whether T. gondii hinders host autophagy through AKT-dependent inactivation of FOXO3a. We found that infection by type I and II strains of T. gondii promotes gradual and sustained AKT-dependent phosphorylation of FOXO3a at residues S253 and T32 in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) and murine 3T3 fibroblasts. Mechanistically, AKT-sensitive phosphorylation of FOXO3a by T. gondii required live infection and the activity of PI3K but was independent of the plasma membrane receptor EGFR and the kinase PKCα. Phosphorylation of FOXO3a at AKT-sensitive residues was paralleled by its nuclear exclusion in T. gondii-infected HFF. Importantly, the parasite was unable to drive cytoplasmic localization of FOXO3a upon pharmacological blockade of AKT or overexpression of an AKT-insensitive mutant form of FOXO3a. Transcription of a subset of bona fide autophagy-related targets of FOXO3a was reduced during T. gondii infection in an AKT-dependent fashion. However, parasite-directed repression of autophagy-related genes was AKT-resistant in cells deficient in FOXO3a. Consistent with this, T. gondii failed to inhibit the recruitment of acidic organelles and LC3, an autophagy marker, to the parasitophorous vacuole upon chemically or genetically induced nuclear retention of FOXO3a. In all, we provide evidence that T. gondii suppresses FOXO3a-regulated transcriptional programs to prevent autophagy-mediated killing. IMPORTANCE The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis, an opportunistic infection commonly transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food or water. To date, no effective vaccines in humans have been developed and no promising drugs are available to treat chronic infection or prevent congenital infection. T. gondii targets numerous host cell processes to establish a favorable replicative niche. Of note, T. gondii activates the host AKT signaling pathway to prevent autophagy-mediated killing. Herein, we report that T. gondii inhibits FOXO3a, a transcription factor that regulates the expression of autophagy-related genes, through AKT-dependent phosphorylation. The parasite's ability to block the recruitment of the autophagy machinery to the parasitophorous vacuole is impeded upon pharmacological inhibition of AKT or overexpression of an AKT-insensitive form of FOXO3a. Thus, our study provides greater granularity in the role of FOXO3a during infection and reinforces the potential of targeting autophagy as a therapeutic strategy against T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Felipe Diez
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Louis-Philippe Leroux
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Sophie Chagneau
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Alexandra Plouffe
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Gold
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Visnu Chaparro
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Maritza Jaramillo
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)—Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB), Laval, Québec, Canada
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Derbyshire MC, Raffaele S. Surface frustration re-patterning underlies the structural landscape and evolvability of fungal orphan candidate effectors. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5244. [PMID: 37640704 PMCID: PMC10462633 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40949-9] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogens secrete effector proteins to subvert host physiology and cause disease. Effectors are engaged in a molecular arms race with the host resulting in conflicting evolutionary constraints to manipulate host cells without triggering immune responses. The molecular mechanisms allowing effectors to be at the same time robust and evolvable remain largely enigmatic. Here, we show that 62 conserved structure-related families encompass the majority of fungal orphan effector candidates in the Pezizomycotina subphylum. These effectors diversified through changes in patterns of thermodynamic frustration at surface residues. The underlying mutations tended to increase the robustness of the overall effector protein structure while switching potential binding interfaces. This mechanism could explain how conserved effector families maintained biological activity over long evolutionary timespans in different host environments and provides a model for the emergence of sequence-unrelated effector families with conserved structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Derbyshire
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Sylvain Raffaele
- Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Micro-organismes Environnement (LIPME), INRAE, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
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Ferrel A, Romano J, Panas MW, Coppens I, Boothroyd JC. Host MOSPD2 enrichment at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane varies between Toxoplasma strains and involves complex interactions. mSphere 2023; 8:e0067022. [PMID: 37341482 PMCID: PMC10449529 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00670-22] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular parasite. Infection of a cell produces a unique niche for the parasite named the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) initially composed of host plasma membrane invaginated during invasion. The PV and its membrane (parasitophorous vacuole membrane [PVM]) are subsequently decorated with a variety of parasite proteins allowing the parasite to optimally grow in addition to manipulate host processes. Recently, we reported a proximity-labeling screen at the PVM-host interface and identified host endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident motile sperm domain-containing protein 2 (MOSPD2) as being enriched at this location. Here we extend these findings in several important respects. First, we show that the extent and pattern of host MOSPD2 association with the PVM differ dramatically in cells infected with different strains of Toxoplasma. Second, in cells infected with Type I RH strain, the MOSPD2 staining is mutually exclusive with regions of the PVM that associate with mitochondria. Third, immunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with epitope-tagged MOSPD2-expressing host cells reveal strong enrichment of several PVM-localized parasite proteins, although none appear to play an essential role in MOSPD2 association. Fourth, most MOSPD2 associating with the PVM is newly translated after infection of the cell and requires the major functional domains of MOSPD2, identified as the CRAL/TRIO domain and tail anchor, although these domains were not sufficient for PVM association. Lastly, ablation of MOSPD2 results in, at most, a modest impact on Toxoplasma growth in vitro. Collectively, these studies provide new insight into the molecular interactions involving MOSPD2 at the dynamic interface between the PVM and the host cytosol. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular pathogen that lives within a membranous vacuole inside of its host cell. This vacuole is decorated by a variety of parasite proteins that allow it to defend against host attack, acquire nutrients, and interact with the host cell. Recent work identified and validated host proteins enriched at this host-pathogen interface. Here, we follow up on one candidate named MOSPD2 shown to be enriched at the vacuolar membrane and describe it as having a dynamic interaction at this location depending on a variety of factors. Some of these include the presence of host mitochondria, intrinsic domains of the host protein, and whether translation is active. Importantly, we show that MOSPD2 enrichment at the vacuole membrane differs between strains indicating active involvement of the parasite with this phenotype. Altogether, these results shed light on the mechanism and role of protein associations in the host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Ferrel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Julia Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael W. Panas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John C. Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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Fernández-Álvarez M, Horcajo P, Jiménez-Meléndez A, Diezma-Díaz C, Ferre I, Pastor-Fernández I, Miguel Ortega-Mora L, Álvarez-García G. Transcriptional changes associated with apoptosis and Type I IFN underlie the early interaction between Besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoites and monocyte-derived macrophages. Int J Parasitol 2023:S0020-7519(23)00094-2. [PMID: 37207972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.05.002] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Besnoitia besnoiti-infected bulls may develop severe systemic clinical signs and orchitis that may ultimately cause sterility during the acute infection. Macrophages might play a relevant role in pathogenesis of the disease and the immune response raised against B. besnoiti infection. This study aimed to dissect the early interaction between B. besnoiti tachyzoites and primary bovine monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro. First, the B. besnoiti tachyzoite lytic cycle was characterized. Next, dual transcriptomic profiling of B. besnoiti tachyzoites and macrophages was conducted at early infection (4 h and 8 h p.i. by high-throughput RNA sequencing. Macrophages inoculated with heat-killed tachyzoites (MO-hkBb) and non-infected macrophages (MO) were used as controls. Besnoitia besnoiti was able to invade and proliferate in macrophages. Upon infection, macrophage activation was demonstrated by morphological and transcriptomic changes. Infected macrophages were smaller, round and lacked filopodial structures, which might be associated with a migratory phenotype demonstrated in other apicomplexan parasites. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) increased substantially during infection. In B. besnoiti-infected macrophages (MO-Bb), apoptosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were regulated at 4 h p.i., and apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL assay. The Herpes simplex virus 1 infection pathway was the only significantly enriched pathway in MO-Bb at 8 h p.i. Relevant DEGs of the Herpes simplex virus 1 infection (IFNα) and the apoptosis pathways (CHOP-2) were also significantly regulated in the testicular parenchyma of naturally infected bulls. Furthermore, the parasite transcriptomic analysis revealed DEGs mainly related to host cell invasion and metabolism. These results provide a deep overview of the earliest macrophage modulation by B. besnoiti that may favour parasite survival and proliferation in a specialized phagocytic immune cell. Putative parasite effectors were also identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Fernández-Álvarez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Diezma-Díaz
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ferre
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Iván Pastor-Fernández
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Álvarez-García
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
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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.
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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:
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Dogga SK, Lunghi M, Maco B, Li J, Claudi B, Marq JB, Chicherova N, Kockmann T, Bumann D, Hehl AB, Soldati-Favre D, Hammoudi PM. Importance of aspartyl protease 5 in the establishment of the intracellular niche during acute and chronic infection of Toxoplasma gondii. Mol Microbiol 2022; 118:601-622. [PMID: 36210525 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Virulence and persistence of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii involve the secretion of effector proteins belonging to the family of dense granule proteins (GRAs) that act notably as modulators of the host defense mechanisms and participate in cyst wall formation. The subset of GRAs residing in the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) or exported into the host cell, undergo proteolytic cleavage in the Golgi upon the action of the aspartyl protease 5 (ASP5). In tachyzoites, ASP5 substrates play central roles in the morphology of the PV and the export of effectors across the translocon complex MYR1/2/3. Here, we used N-terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates to identify novel ASP5 cleavage products by comparing the N-terminome of wild-type and Δasp5 lines in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Validated substrates reside within the PV or PVM in an ASP5-dependent manner. Remarkably, Δasp5 bradyzoites are impaired in the formation of the cyst wall in vitro and exhibit a considerably reduced cyst burden in chronically infected animals. More specifically two-photon serial tomography of infected mouse brains revealed a comparatively reduced number and size of the cysts throughout the establishment of persistence in the absence of ASP5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar Dogga
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Lunghi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bohumil Maco
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jiagui Li
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Claudi
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Baptiste Marq
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Chicherova
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kockmann
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Bumann
- Focal Area Infection Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Mehdi Hammoudi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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9
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Guo G, Cui J, Song L, Tang L, Fan S, Shen B, Fang R, Hu M, Zhao J, Zhou Y. Activation of NF-κB signaling by the dense granule protein GRA15 of a newly isolated type 1 Toxoplasma gondii strain. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:347. [PMID: 36175964 PMCID: PMC9523984 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05429-x] [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: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been reported that the NF-κB pathway, an important component of host defense system against pathogens infections, can be differentially modulated by different Toxoplasma gondii strains, depending on the polymorphism of the GRA15 protein. The recently isolated Toxoplasma strain T.gHB1 is a type 1 (ToxoDB#10) strain but shows different virulence determination mechanisms compared to the classic type 1 strains like RH (ToxoDB#10). Therefore, it is worth investigating whether the T.gHB1 strain (ToxoDB#10) affects the host NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods The effects of T.gHB1 (ToxoDB#10) on host NF-κB pathway were investigated in HEK293T cells. The GRA15 gene product was analyzed by bioinformatics, and its effect on NF-κB activation was examined by Western blotting and nuclear translocation of p65. Different truncations of T.gHB1 GRA15 were constructed to map the critical domains for NF-κB activation. Results We demonstrated that the NF-κB pathway signaling pathway could be activated by the newly identified type 1 T.gHB1 strain (ToxoDB#10) of Toxoplasma, while the classic type 1 strain RH (ToxoDB#10) did not. T.gHB1 GRA15 possesses only one transmembrane region with an extended C terminal region, which is distinct from that of classic type 1 (ToxoDB#10) and type 2 (ToxoDB#1) strains. T.gHB1 GRA15 could clearly induce IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation. Dual luciferase assays in HEK293T cells revealed a requirement for 194–518 aa of T.gHB1 GRA15 to effectively activate NF-κB. Conclusions The overall results indicated that the newly isolated type 1 isolate T.gHB1 (ToxoDB#10) had a unique GRA15, which could activate the host NF-κB signaling through inducing IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation. These results provide new insights for our understanding of the interaction between Toxoplasma parasites and its hosts. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Guo
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Lindong Song
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Lvqing Tang
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Sijie Fan
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Bang Shen
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Hu
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqin Zhou
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China. .,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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10
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Rico-San Román L, Amieva R, Regidor-Cerrillo J, García-Sánchez M, Collantes-Fernández E, Pastor-Fernández I, Saeij JPJ, Ortega-Mora LM, Horcajo P. NcGRA7 and NcROP40 Play a Role in the Virulence of Neospora caninum in a Pregnant Mouse Model. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11090998. [PMID: 36145430 PMCID: PMC9506596 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The intraspecific variability among Neospora caninum isolates in their in vitro behaviour and in vivo virulence has been widely studied. In particular, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses have shown a higher expression/abundance of specific genes/proteins in high-virulence isolates. Consequently, the dense granule protein NcGRA7 and the rhoptry protein NcROP40 were proposed as potential virulence factors. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of these proteins using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout (KO) parasites in a well-established pregnant BALB/c mouse model of N. caninum infection at midgestation. The deletion of NcGRA7 and NcROP40 was associated with a reduction of virulence, as infected dams displayed milder clinical signs, lower parasite burdens in the brain, and reduced mortality rates compared to those infected with the wild-type parasite (Nc-Spain7). Specifically, those infected with the NcGRA7 KO parasites displayed significantly milder clinical signs and a lower brain parasite burden. The median survival time of the pups from dams infected with the two KO parasites was significantly increased, but differences in neonatal mortality rates were not detected. Overall, the present study indicates that the disruption of NcGRA7 considerably impairs virulence in mice, while the impact of NcROP40 deletion was more modest. Further research is needed to understand the role of these virulence factors during N. caninum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rico-San Román
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Amieva
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Regidor-Cerrillo
- SALUVET-Innova S.L., Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta García-Sánchez
- SALUVET-Innova S.L., Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Collantes-Fernández
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Iván Pastor-Fernández
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jeroen P. J. Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (L.M.O.-M.); (P.H.); Tel.: +34-91-3944098 (P.H.)
| | - Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (L.M.O.-M.); (P.H.); Tel.: +34-91-3944098 (P.H.)
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11
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Ross EC, Hoeve ALT, Saeij JPJ, Barragan A. Toxoplasma effector-induced ICAM-1 expression by infected dendritic cells potentiates transmigration across polarised endothelium. Front Immunol 2022; 13:950914. [PMID: 35990682 PMCID: PMC9381734 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.950914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes use of infected leukocytes for systemic dissemination. Yet, how infection impacts the processes of leukocyte diapedesis has remained unresolved. Here, we addressed the effects of T. gondii infection on the trans-endothelial migration (TEM) of dendritic cells (DCs) across polarised brain endothelial monolayers. We report that upregulated expression of leukocyte ICAM-1 is a feature of the enhanced TEM of parasitised DCs. The secreted parasite effector GRA15 induced an elevated expression of ICAM-1 in infected DCs that was associated with enhanced cell adhesion and TEM. Consequently, gene silencing of Icam-1 in primary DCs or deletion of parasite GRA15 reduced TEM. Further, the parasite effector TgWIP, which impacts the regulation of host actin dynamics, facilitated TEM across polarised endothelium. The data highlight that the concerted action of the secreted effectors GRA15 and TgWIP modulate the leukocyte-endothelial interactions of TEM in a parasite genotype-related fashion to promote dissemination. In addition to the canonical roles of endothelial ICAM-1, this study identifies a previously unappreciated role for leukocyte ICAM-1 in infection-related TEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Ross
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arne L. ten Hoeve
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jeroen P. J. Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Antonio Barragan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden,*Correspondence: Antonio Barragan,
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12
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Azimova D, Herrera N, Duvenage L, Voorhies M, Rodriguez RA, English BC, Hoving JC, Rosenberg O, Sil A. Cbp1, a fungal virulence factor under positive selection, forms an effector complex that drives macrophage lysis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010417. [PMID: 35731824 PMCID: PMC9255746 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens secrete effectors to manipulate their host cells. Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) is a fungal intracellular pathogen of humans that grows in a yeast form in the host. Hc yeasts are phagocytosed by macrophages, where fungal intracellular replication precedes macrophage lysis. The most abundant virulence factor secreted by Hc yeast cells is Calcium Binding Protein 1 (Cbp1), which is absolutely required for macrophage lysis. Here we take an evolutionary, structural, and cell biological approach to understand Cbp1 function. We find that Cbp1 is present only in the genomes of closely related dimorphic fungal species of the Ajellomycetaceae family that lead primarily intracellular lifestyles in their mammalian hosts (Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides, and Emergomyces), but not conserved in the extracellular fungal pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis. We observe a high rate of fixation of non-synonymous substitutions in the Cbp1 coding sequences, indicating that Cbp1 is under positive selection. We determine the de novo structures of Hc H88 Cbp1 and the Paracoccidioides americana (Pb03) Cbp1, revealing a novel "binocular" fold consisting of a helical dimer arrangement wherein two helices from each monomer contribute to a four-helix bundle. In contrast to Pb03 Cbp1, we show that Emergomyces Cbp1 orthologs are unable to stimulate macrophage lysis when expressed in the Hc cbp1 mutant. Consistent with this result, we find that wild-type Emergomyces africanus yeast are able to grow within primary macrophages but are incapable of lysing them. Finally, we use subcellular fractionation of infected macrophages and indirect immunofluorescence to show that Cbp1 localizes to the macrophage cytosol during Hc infection, making this the first instance of a phagosomal human fungal pathogen directing an effector into the cytosol of the host cell. We additionally show that Cbp1 forms a complex with Yps-3, another known Hc virulence factor that accesses the cytosol. Taken together, these data imply that Cbp1 is a fungal virulence factor under positive selection that localizes to the cytosol to trigger host cell lysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinara Azimova
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nadia Herrera
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Lucian Duvenage
- AFRICA Medical Mycology Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mark Voorhies
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rosa A. Rodriguez
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Bevin C. English
- University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer C. Hoving
- AFRICA Medical Mycology Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Oren Rosenberg
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Anita Sil
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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13
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Zhao W, Yu H, Liu X, Wang T, Yao Y, Zhou Q, Zheng X, Tan F. Systematic identification of the lysine lactylation in the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:180. [PMID: 35610722 PMCID: PMC9131557 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05315-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lysine lactylation (Kla) is a novelposttranslational modification (PTM) identified in histone and nonhistone proteins of several eukaryotic cells that directly activates gene expression and DNA replication. However, very little is known about the scope and cellular distribution of Kla in apicomplexan parasites despite its significance in public and animal health care. Methods Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that can infect different nucleated cell types of animals and humans. We used this parasite as a model organism and extracted the total protein of tachyzoites to produce the first global lysine lactylome profile of T. gondii through liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. We also investigated the level and localization of the Kla protein in T. gondii using western blotting and the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA), respectively. Results A total of 983 Kla sites occurring on 523 lactylated proteins were identified in the total protein extracted from Toxoplasma tachyzoites, the acute toxoplasmosis-causing stage. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the lactylated proteins were evolutionarily conserved and involved in a wide variety of cellular functions, such as energy metabolism, gene regulation and protein biosynthesis. Subcellular localization analysis and IFA results further revealed that most of the lactylated T. gondii proteins were localized in the nucleus, indicating the potential impact of Kla on gene regulation in the T. gondii model. Notably, an extensive batch of parasite-specific proteins unique to phylum Apicomplexa is lactylated in T. gondii. Conclusions This study revealed that Kla is widespread in early dividing eukaryotic cells. Lactylated proteins, including a batch of unique parasite proteins, are involved in a remarkably diverse array of cellular functions. These valuable data will improve our understanding of the evolution of Kla and potentially provide the basis for developing novel therapeutic avenues. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05315-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Helin Yu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaona Liu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinning Yao
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Qixin Zhou
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaozi Zheng
- Teaching Center of Morphological Experiment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Tan
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Disruption of Toxoplasma gondii-Induced Host Cell DNA Replication Is Dependent on Contact Inhibition and Host Cell Type. mSphere 2022; 7:e0016022. [PMID: 35587658 PMCID: PMC9241542 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00160-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a highly successful obligate intracellular parasite that, upon invasion of its host cell, releases an array of host-modulating protein effectors to counter host defenses and further its own replication and dissemination. Early studies investigating the impact of T. gondii infection on host cell function revealed that this parasite can force normally quiescent cells to activate their cell cycle program. Prior reports by two independent groups identified the dense granule protein effector HCE1/TEEGR as being solely responsible for driving host cell transcriptional changes through its direct interaction with the cyclin E regulatory complex DP1 and associated transcription factors. Our group independently identified HCE1/TEEGR through the presence of distinct repeated regions found in a number of host nuclear targeted parasite effectors and verified its central role in initiating host cell cycle changes. Additionally, we report here the time-resolved kinetics of host cell cycle transition in response to HCE1/TEEGR, using the fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator reporter line (FUCCI), and reveal the existence of a block in S-phase progression and host DNA synthesis in several cell lines commonly used in the study of T. gondii. Importantly, we have observed that this S-phase block is not due to additional dense granule effectors but rather is dependent on the host cell line background and contact inhibition status of the host monolayer in vitro. This work highlights intriguing differences in the host response to reprogramming by the parasite and raises interesting questions regarding how parasite effectors differentially manipulate the host cell depending on the in vitro or in vivo context. IMPORTANCEToxoplasma gondii chronically infects approximately one-third of the global population and can produce severe pathology in immunologically immature or compromised individuals. During infection, this parasite releases numerous host-targeted effector proteins that can dramatically alter the expression of a variety of host genes. A better understanding of parasite effectors and their host targets has the potential to not only provide ways to control infection but also inform us about our own basic biology. One host pathway that has been known to be altered by T. gondii infection is the cell cycle, and prior reports have identified a parasite effector, known as HCE1/TEEGR, as being responsible. In this report, we further our understanding of the kinetics of cell cycle transition induced by this effector and show that the capacity of HCE1/TEEGR to induce host cell DNA synthesis is dependent on both the cell type and the status of contact inhibition.
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15
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Gachet-Castro C, Freitas-Castro F, Gonzáles-Córdova RA, da Fonseca CK, Gomes MD, Ishikawa-Ankerhold HC, Baqui MMA. Modulation of the Host Nuclear Compartment by Trypanosoma cruzi Uncovers Effects on Host Transcription and Splicing Machinery. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:718028. [PMID: 34737973 PMCID: PMC8560699 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.718028] [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: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Host manipulation is a common strategy for invading pathogens. Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas Disease, lives intracellularly within host cells. During infection, parasite-associated modifications occur to the host cell metabolism and morphology. However, little is known about the effect of T. cruzi infection on the host cell nucleus and nuclear functionality. Here, we show that T. cruzi can modulate host transcription and splicing machinery in non-professional phagocytic cells during infection. We found that T. cruzi regulates host RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in a time-dependent manner, resulting in a drastic decrease in RNAPII activity. Furthermore, host cell ribonucleoproteins associated with mRNA transcription (hnRNPA1 and AB2) are downregulated concurrently. We reasoned that T. cruzi may hijack the host U2AF35 auxiliary factor, a key regulator for RNA processing, as a strategy to affect the splicing machinery activities directly. In support of our hypothesis, we carried out in vivo splicing assays using an adenovirus E1A pre-mRNA splicing reporter, showing that intracellular T. cruzi directly modulates the host cells by appropriating U2AF35. For the first time, our results provide evidence of a complex and intimate molecular relationship between T. cruzi and the host cell nucleus during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Gachet-Castro
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Felipe Freitas-Castro
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Raul Alexander Gonzáles-Córdova
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Carol Kobori da Fonseca
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Damário Gomes
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Munira Muhammad Abdel Baqui
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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16
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Zhang C, Oguz C, Huse S, Xia L, Wu J, Peng YC, Smith M, Chen J, Long CA, Lack J, Su XZ. Genome sequence, transcriptome, and annotation of rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis N67. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:303. [PMID: 33902452 PMCID: PMC8072299 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07555-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rodent malaria parasites are important models for studying host-malaria parasite interactions such as host immune response, mechanisms of parasite evasion of host killing, and vaccine development. One of the rodent malaria parasites is Plasmodium yoelii, and multiple P. yoelii strains or subspecies that cause different disease phenotypes have been widely employed in various studies. The genomes and transcriptomes of several P. yoelii strains have been analyzed and annotated, including the lethal strains of P. y. yoelii YM (or 17XL) and non-lethal strains of P. y. yoelii 17XNL/17X. Genomic DNA sequences and cDNA reads from another subspecies P. y. nigeriensis N67 have been reported for studies of genetic polymorphisms and parasite response to drugs, but its genome has not been assembled and annotated. Results We performed genome sequencing of the N67 parasite using the PacBio long-read sequencing technology, de novo assembled its genome and transcriptome, and predicted 5383 genes with high overall annotation quality. Comparison of the annotated genome of the N67 parasite with those of YM and 17X parasites revealed a set of genes with N67-specific orthology, expansion of gene families, particularly the homologs of the Plasmodium chabaudi erythrocyte membrane antigen, large numbers of SNPs and indels, and proteins predicted to interact with host immune responses based on their functional domains. Conclusions The genomes of N67 and 17X parasites are highly diverse, having approximately one polymorphic site per 50 base pairs of DNA. The annotated N67 genome and transcriptome provide searchable databases for fast retrieval of genes and proteins, which will greatly facilitate our efforts in studying the parasite biology and gene function and in developing effective control measures against malaria. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07555-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Zhang
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA
| | - Cihan Oguz
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource (NCBR), Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.,Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Sue Huse
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource (NCBR), Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.,Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Lu Xia
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Wu
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA
| | - Yu-Chih Peng
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA
| | - Margaret Smith
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA
| | - Jack Chen
- The NCI sequencing facility, 8560 Progress Drive, Room 3007, Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Carole A Long
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA
| | - Justin Lack
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource (NCBR), Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.,Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Xin-Zhuan Su
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-8132, USA.
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17
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Li FC, Nie LB, Elsheikha HM, Yin FY, Zhu XQ. Lysine crotonylation is widespread on proteins of diverse functions and localizations in Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1617-1626. [PMID: 33655350 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is an evolutionally conserved post-translational modification (PTM) on histone proteins. However, information about Kcr and its involvement in the biology and metabolism of Toxoplasma gondii is limited. In the present study, a global Kcr proteome analysis using LC-MS/MS in combination with immune-affinity method was performed. A total of 12,152 Kcr sites distributed over 2719 crotonylated proteins were identified. Consistent with lysine acetylation and succinylation in Apicomplexa, Kcr was associated with various metabolic pathways, including carbon metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and proteasome. Markedly, many stage-specific proteins, histones, and histone-modifying enzymes related to the stage transition were found to have Kcr sites, suggesting a potential involvement of Kcr in the parasite stage transformation. Most components of the apical secretory organelles were identified as crotonylated proteins which were associated with the attachment, invasion, and replication of T. gondii. These results expanded our understanding of Kcr proteome and proposed new hypotheses for further research of the Kcr roles in the pathobiology of T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Cai Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China.,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, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan-Bi Nie
- 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, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, 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
| | - Fang-Yuan Yin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Higher Education of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Liempi A, Castillo C, Medina L, Rojas-Pirela M, Araneda S, Maya JD, Parraguez VH, Kemmerling U. Ex vivo infection of canine and ovine placental explants with Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii: differential activation of NF kappa B signaling pathways. Acta Trop 2021; 214:105766. [PMID: 33245906 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease and toxoplasmosis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii, respectively, are important zoonotic diseases affecting humans, companion animals, and livestock, responsible for major health and economic burden. Both parasites can be transmitted vertically in different mammalian species through the placenta. Of note, the transmission rate of T. cruzi is low in dogs, whereas that of T. gondii is high in sheep. The probability of congenital infection depends on complex parasite-host interactions; parasite factors, maternal and fetal immune responses and placental responses all have a role in infection establishment. Since the innate immune response is regulated, at least partially, by NF-κB signaling pathways, our main objective was to determine the effect of ex vivo infection of canine (CPE) and ovine (OPE) placental explants with both parasites, on the activation of canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways and its relation to infection. Here, we show that T. cruzi activates both the NF-κB canonical and non-canonical pathways in CPE and OPE, unlike T. gondii, that activates only the canonical pathway in CPE and has no effect on the non-canonical pathway in both explants. Moreover, the inhibition of either or both NF-κB pathways increases the DNA load of T. cruzi in both explants, modulates, on the other hand, T. gondii infection in a differential fashion. Overall, we conclude that the differential modulation of the NF-κB pathways by both pathogens in placental explants might explain, at least partially, the differences in transmission rates of T. cruzi and T. gondii in different mammalian species.
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Nyonda MA, Hammoudi PM, Ye S, Maire J, Marq JB, Yamamoto M, Soldati-Favre D. Toxoplasma gondii GRA60 is an effector protein that modulates host cell autonomous immunity and contributes to virulence. Cell Microbiol 2020; 23:e13278. [PMID: 33040458 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infects virtually any nucleated cell and resides inside a non-phagocytic vacuole surrounded by a parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM). Pivotal to the restriction of T. gondii dissemination upon infection in murine cells is the recruitment of immunity regulated GTPases (IRGs) and guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) to the PVM that leads to pathogen elimination. The virulent T. gondii type I RH strain secretes a handful of effectors including the dense granule protein GRA7, the serine-threonine kinases ROP17 and ROP18, and a pseudo-kinase ROP5, that synergistically inhibit the recruitment of IRGs to the PVM. Here, we characterise GRA60, a novel dense granule effector, which localises to the vacuolar space and PVM and contributes to virulence of RH in mice, suggesting a role in the subversion of host cell defence mechanisms. Members of the host cell IRG defence system Irgb10 and Irga6 are recruited to the PVM of RH parasites lacking GRA60 as observed previously for the avirulent RHΔrop5 mutant, with RH preventing such recruitment. Deletion of GRA60 in RHΔrop5 leads to a recruitment of IRGs comparable to the single knockouts. GRA60 therefore represents a novel parasite effector conferring resistance to IRGs in type I parasites, and found associated to ROP18, a member of the virulence complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Akinyi Nyonda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Mehdi Hammoudi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Shu Ye
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Maire
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Baptiste Marq
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Division of Infectious Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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20
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Mukhopadhyay D, Arranz-Solís D, Saeij JPJ. Influence of the Host and Parasite Strain on the Immune Response During Toxoplasma Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:580425. [PMID: 33178630 PMCID: PMC7593385 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.580425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an exceptionally successful parasite that infects a very broad host range, including humans, across the globe. The outcome of infection differs remarkably between hosts, ranging from acute death to sterile infection. These differential disease patterns are strongly influenced by both host- and parasite-specific genetic factors. In this review, we discuss how the clinical outcome of toxoplasmosis varies between hosts and the role of different immune genes and parasite virulence factors, with a special emphasis on Toxoplasma-induced ileitis and encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debanjan Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - David Arranz-Solís
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jeroen P J Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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21
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Proteomic Characterization of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Bovine Trophoblast Cell Line Infection by Neospora caninum. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9090749. [PMID: 32942559 PMCID: PMC7557738 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090749] [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: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of bovine neosporosis, relevant knowledge gaps remain concerning the pathogenic mechanisms of Neospora caninum. Infection of the placenta is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of the disease; however, very little is known about the relation of the parasite with this target organ. Recent studies have shown that isolates with important variations in virulence also show different interactions with the bovine trophoblast cell line F3 in terms of proliferative capacity and transcriptome host cell modulation. Herein, we used the same model of infection to study the interaction of Neospora with these target cells at the proteomic level using LC-MS/MS over the course of the parasite lytic cycle. We also analysed the proteome differences between high- (Nc-Spain7) and low-virulence (Nc-Spain1H) isolates. The results showed that mitochondrial processes and metabolism were the main points of Neospora-host interactions. Interestingly, Nc-Spain1H infection showed a higher level of influence on the host cell proteome than Nc-Spain7 infection.
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22
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Sharma J, Rodriguez P, Roy P, Guiton PS. Transcriptional ups and downs: patterns of gene expression in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. Microbes Infect 2020; 22:525-533. [PMID: 32931908 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii reproduces sexually in felines and asexually in virtually all warm-blooded animals, including humans. This obligate intracellular parasite alternates between biologically distinct developmental stages throughout its complex life cycle. Stage conversion is crucial for T. gondii transmission, persistence, and the maintenance of genetic diversity within the species. Genome-wide comparative transcriptomic studies have contributed invaluable insights into the regulatory gene networks underlying T. gondii development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janak Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Paula Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Proyasha Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Pascale S Guiton
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
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23
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Wang Y, Sangaré LO, Paredes-Santos TC, Saeij JPJ. Toxoplasma Mechanisms for Delivery of Proteins and Uptake of Nutrients Across the Host-Pathogen Interface. Annu Rev Microbiol 2020; 74:567-586. [PMID: 32680452 PMCID: PMC9934516 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-011720-122318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Many intracellular pathogens, including the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, live inside a vacuole that resides in the host cytosol. Vacuolar residence provides these pathogens with a defined niche for replication and protection from detection by host cytosolic pattern recognition receptors. However, the limiting membrane of the vacuole, which constitutes the host-pathogen interface, is also a barrier for pathogen effectors to reach the host cytosol and for the acquisition of host-derived nutrients. This review provides an update on the specialized secretion and trafficking systems used by Toxoplasma to overcome the barrier of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and thereby allow the delivery of proteins into the host cell and the acquisition of host-derived nutrients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA; , , ,
| | - Lamba Omar Sangaré
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA; , , ,
| | - Tatiana C. Paredes-Santos
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jeroen P. J. Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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24
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Kupz A, Pai S, Giacomin PR, Whan JA, Walker RA, Hammoudi PM, Smith NC, Miller CM. Treatment of mice with S4B6 IL-2 complex prevents lethal toxoplasmosis via IL-12- and IL-18-dependent interferon-gamma production by non-CD4 immune cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13115. [PMID: 32753607 PMCID: PMC7403597 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70102-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmic encephalitis is an AIDS-defining condition. The decline of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in AIDS is a major contributing factor in reactivation of quiescent Toxoplasma gondii to an actively replicating stage of infection. Hence, it is important to characterize CD4-independent mechanisms that constrain acute T. gondii infection. We investigated the in vivo regulation of IFN-γ production by CD8+ T cells, DN T cells and NK cells in response to acute T. gondii infection. Our data show that processing of IFN-γ by these non-CD4 cells is dependent on both IL-12 and IL-18 and the secretion of bioactive IL-18 in response to T. gondii requires the sensing of viable parasites by multiple redundant inflammasome sensors in multiple hematopoietic cell types. Importantly, our results show that expansion of CD8+ T cells, DN T cells and NK cell by S4B6 IL-2 complex pre-treatment increases survival rates of mice infected with T. gondii and this is dependent on IL-12, IL-18 and IFN-γ. Increased survival is accompanied by reduced pathology but is independent of expansion of TReg cells or parasite burden. This provides evidence for a protective role of IL2C-mediated expansion of non-CD4 cells and may represent a promising lead to adjunct therapy for acute toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kupz
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia.
| | - Saparna Pai
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
| | - Paul R Giacomin
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
| | - Jennifer A Whan
- Advanced Analytical Centre, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
| | - Robert A Walker
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
| | - Pierre-Mehdi Hammoudi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Parramatta South Campus, Sydney, NSW, 2116, Australia.,School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Catherine M Miller
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia.,Discipline of Biomedicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Science, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
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25
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Ihara F, Fereig RM, Himori Y, Kameyama K, Umeda K, Tanaka S, Ikeda R, Yamamoto M, Nishikawa Y. Toxoplasma gondii Dense Granule Proteins 7, 14, and 15 Are Involved in Modification and Control of the Immune Response Mediated via NF-κB Pathway. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1709. [PMID: 32849602 PMCID: PMC7412995 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infects almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans, leading to both cellular and humoral immune responses in the host. The virulence of T. gondii is strain specific and is defined by secreted effector proteins that disturb host immunity. Here, we focus on nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) signaling, which regulates the induction of T-helper type 1 immunity. A luciferase assay for screening effector proteins, including ROPs and GRAs that have biological activity against an NFκB-dependent reporter plasmid, found that overexpression of GRA7, 14, and 15 of a type II strain resulted in a strong activity. Thus, our study was aimed at understanding the involvement of NFκB in the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis through a comparative analysis of these three molecules. We found that GRA7 and GRA14 were partially involved in the activation of NFκB, whereas GRA15 was essential for NFκB activation. The deletion of GRA7, GRA14, and GRA15 in the type II Prugniaud (Pru) strain resulted in a defect in the nuclear translocation of RelA. Cells infected with the PruΔgra15 parasite showed reduced phosphorylation of inhibitor-κBα. GRA7, GRA14, and GRA15 deficiency decreased the levels of interleukin-6 in RAW246.7 cells, and RNA-seq analysis revealed that GRA7, GRA14, and GRA15 deficiency predominantly resulted in downregulation of gene expression mediated by NFκB. The virulence of all mutant strains increased, but PruΔgra14 only showed a slight increase in virulence. However, the intra-footpad injection of the highly-virulent type I RHΔgra14 parasites in mice resulted in increased virulence. This study shows that GRA7, 14, and 15-induced host immunity via NFκB limits parasite expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Ihara
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ragab M Fereig
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena City, Egypt
| | - Yuu Himori
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Kyohko Kameyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Kosuke Umeda
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Sachi Tanaka
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Division of Animal Science, Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Rina Ikeda
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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26
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Sabou M, Doderer-Lang C, Leyer C, Konjic A, Kubina S, Lennon S, Rohr O, Viville S, Cianférani S, Candolfi E, Pfaff AW, Brunet J. Toxoplasma gondii ROP16 kinase silences the cyclin B1 gene promoter by hijacking host cell UHRF1-dependent epigenetic pathways. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:2141-2156. [PMID: 31492965 PMCID: PMC7256068 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03267-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most common infections in the world due to the lifelong persistence of this parasite in a latent stage. This parasite hijacks host signaling pathways through epigenetic mechanisms which converge on key nuclear proteins. Here, we report a new parasite persistence strategy involving T. gondii rhoptry protein ROP16 secreted early during invasion, which targets the transcription factor UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING fingers domain 1), and leads to host cell cycle arrest. This is mediated by DNMT activity and chromatin remodeling at the cyclin B1 gene promoter through recruitment of phosphorylated UHRF1 associated with a repressive multienzymatic protein complex. This leads to deacetylation and methylation of histone H3 surrounding the cyclin B1 promoter to epigenetically silence its transcriptional activity. Moreover, T. gondii infection causes DNA hypermethylation in its host cell, by upregulation of DNMTs. ROP16 is already known to activate and phosphorylate protective immunity transcription factors such as STAT 3/6/5 and modulate host signaling pathways in a strain-dependent manner. Like in the case of STAT6, the strain-dependent effects of ROP16 on UHRF1 are dependent on a single amino-acid polymorphism in ROP16. This study demonstrates that Toxoplasma hijacks a new epigenetic initiator, UHRF1, through an early event initiated by the ROP16 parasite kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Sabou
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Pôle Sérologie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cécile Doderer-Lang
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Caroline Leyer
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ana Konjic
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sophie Kubina
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sarah Lennon
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse BioOrganique (LSMBO), Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, CNRS, UMR7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Olivier Rohr
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stéphane Viville
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sarah Cianférani
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse BioOrganique (LSMBO), Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, CNRS, UMR7178, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ermanno Candolfi
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Pôle Sérologie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Alexander W Pfaff
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
- Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Pôle Sérologie, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Julie Brunet
- Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale de Strasbourg, « Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions » EA 7292, Fédération de Médecine Translationelle Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Centre National de Référence de la Toxoplasmose, Pôle Sérologie, Strasbourg, France
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27
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Jiménez-Meléndez A, Ramakrishnan C, Hehl AB, Russo G, Álvarez-García G. RNA-Seq Analyses Reveal That Endothelial Activation and Fibrosis Are Induced Early and Progressively by Besnoitia besnoiti Host Cell Invasion and Proliferation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:218. [PMID: 32500038 PMCID: PMC7242738 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of bovine besnoitiosis and the molecular bases that govern disease progression remain to be elucidated. Thus, we have employed an in vitro model of infection based on primary bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC), target cells during the acute infection. Host-parasite interactions were investigated by RNA-Seq at two post-infection (pi) time points: 12 hpi, when tachyzoites have already invaded host cells, and 32 hpi, when tachyzoites have replicated for at least two generations. Additionally, the gene expression profile of B. besnoiti tachyzoites was studied at both pi time points. Up to 446 differentially expressed B. taurus genes (DEGs) were found in BAEC between both pi time points: 249 DEGs were up-regulated and 197 DEGs were down-regulated at 32 hpi. Upregulation of different genes encoding cytokines, chemokines, leukocyte adhesion molecules predominantly at 12 hpi implies an activation of endothelial cells, whilst upregulation of genes involved in angiogenesis and extracellular matrix organization was detected at both time points. NF-κB and TNF-α signaling pathways appeared to be mainly modulated upon infection, coordinating the expression of several effector proteins with proinflammatory and pro-fibrotic phenotypes. These mediators are thought to be responsible for macrophage recruitment setting the basis for chronic inflammation and fibrosis characteristic of chronic besnoitiosis. Angiogenesis regulation also predominated, and this multistep process was evidenced by the upregulation of markers involved in both early (e.g., growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases) and late steps (e.g., integrins and vasohibin). Besnoitia besnoiti ortholog genes present in other Toxoplasmatinae members and involved in the lytic cycle have shown to be differentially expressed among the two time points studied, with a higher expression at 32 hpi (e.g., ROP40, ROP5B, MIC1, MIC10). This study gives molecular clues on B. besnoiti- BAECs interaction and shows the progression of type II endothelial cell activation upon parasite invasion and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Gema Álvarez-García
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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28
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Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein GRA24 drives MyD88-independent p38 MAPK activation, IL-12 production and induction of protective immunity. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008572. [PMID: 32413093 PMCID: PMC7255617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii induces strong protective immunity dependent upon recognition by Toll-like receptors (TLR)11 and 12 operating in conjunction with MyD88 in the murine host. However, TLR11 and 12 proteins are not present in humans, inspiring us to investigate MyD88-independent pathways of resistance. Using bicistronic IL-12-YFP reporter mice on MyD88+/+ and MyD88-/- genetic backgrounds, we show that CD11c+MHCII+F4/80- dendritic cells, F4/80+ macrophages, and Ly6G+ neutrophils were the dominant cellular sources of IL-12 in both wild type and MyD88 deficient mice after parasite challenge. Parasite dense granule protein GRA24 induces p38 MAPK activation and subsequent IL-12 production in host macrophages. We show that Toxoplasma triggers an early and late p38 MAPK phosphorylation response in MyD88+/+ and MyD88-/- bone marrow-derived macrophages. Using the uracil auxotrophic Type I T. gondii strain cps1-1, we demonstrate that the late response does not require active parasite proliferation, but strictly depends upon GRA24. By i. p. inoculation with cps1-1 and cps1-1:Δgra24, we identified unique subsets of chemokines and cytokines that were up and downregulated by GRA24. Finally, we demonstrate that cps1-1 triggers a strong host-protective GRA24-dependent Th1 response in the absence of MyD88. Our data identify GRA24 as a major mediator of p38 MAPK activation, IL-12 induction and protective immunity that operates independently of the TLR/MyD88 cascade. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects over 1 billion people worldwide. Infection with the parasite is normally asymptomatic and Toxoplasma co-exists with its host in the form of latent cysts in brain and muscle tissue. The balance between immune recognition and immune evasion is likely a key factor in the outcome of this host-parasite interaction. It is therefore important to understand how Toxoplasma triggers immunity, and in particular how the protective cytokine IL-12 is induced during infection. While Toll-like receptor (TLR)/MyD88 signaling is important in mouse resistance to Toxoplasma, this pathway is likely less important in human infection. Here, we report that the parasite dense granule protein GRA24 triggers p38 MAPK activation and IL-12 production independently of TLR/MyD88 signaling. We identify additional cytokines and chemokines that are regulated by GRA24 during in vivo infection. Our data demonstrate that GRA24 initiates a protective MyD88-independent immune response during in vivo infection. The GRA24 molecule provides an example of a parasite molecule whose function is induction of a host protective immune response. From the standpoint of Toxoplasma, this likely reflects an evolutionary adaptation to ensure host survival and simultaneously enable latency to maximize the chance of transmission.
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Villares M, Berthelet J, Weitzman JB. The clever strategies used by intracellular parasites to hijack host gene expression. Semin Immunopathol 2020; 42:215-226. [PMID: 32002610 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-020-00779-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens need to develop sophisticated mechanisms to survive and thrive in the hostile environment within host cells. Unicellular, eukaryotic parasites from the Apicomplexa phylum have become masters of manipulating their host cells, exploiting signaling, and metabolic pathways to hijack host gene expression to their own advantage. These intracellular parasites have developed a wide range of strategies that affect transcriptional machineries and epigenetic events in the host cell nucleus. In recent years, many laboratories have risen to the challenge of studying the epigenetics of host-pathogen interactions with the hope that unraveling the complexity of the mechanisms involved will provide important insights into parasitism and provide clues to fight infection. In this review, we survey some of these many strategies that Apicomplexan parasites employ to hijack their hosts, including inducing epigenetic enzymes, secreting epigenators into host cells, sequestering host signaling proteins, and co-opting non-coding RNAs to change gene and protein expression. We cite selected examples from the literature on Apicomplexa parasites (including Toxoplasma, Theileria, and Cryptosporidium) to highlight the success of these parasitic processes. We marvel at the effectiveness of the strategies that these pathogens have evolved and wonder what mysteries lie ahead in exploring the epigenetics of host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Villares
- UMR 7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université de Paris, Bâtiment Lamarck, Case 7042, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205, Paris cedex 13, France
| | - Jérémy Berthelet
- UMR 7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université de Paris, Bâtiment Lamarck, Case 7042, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205, Paris cedex 13, France
| | - Jonathan B Weitzman
- UMR 7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, CNRS, Université de Paris, Bâtiment Lamarck, Case 7042, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205, Paris cedex 13, France.
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Wang JL, Bai MJ, Elsheikha HM, Liang QL, Li TT, Cao XZ, Zhu XQ. Novel roles of dense granule protein 12 (GRA12) in Toxoplasma gondii infection. FASEB J 2020; 34:3165-3178. [PMID: 31908049 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901416rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Dense granule protein 12 (GRA12) is implicated in a range of processes related to the establishment of Toxoplasma gondii infection, such as the formation of the intravacuolar network (IVN) within the parasitophorous vacuole (PV). This protein is also thought to be important for T. gondii-host interaction, pathogenesis, and immune evasion, but their exact roles remain unknown. In this study, the contributions of GRA12 to the molecular pathogenesis of T. gondii infection were examined in vitro and in vivo. Deletion of GRA12 in type I RH and type II Pru T. gondii strains did not affect the parasite growth and replication in vitro, however, it caused a significant reduction in the parasite virulence and tissue cyst burden in vivo. T. gondii Δgra12 mutants were more vulnerable to be eliminated by host immunity, without the accumulation of immunity-related GTPase a6 (Irga6) onto the PV membrane. The ultrastructure of IVN in Δgra12 mutants appeared normal, suggesting that GRA12 is not required for biogenesis of the IVN. Combined deletion of GRA12 and ROP18 induced more severe attenuation of virulence compared to single Δgra12 or Δrop18 mutant strains. These data suggest a functional association between GRA12 and ROP18 that is revealed by the severe attenuation of virulence in a double mutant relative to the single individual mutations. Future studies are needed to define the molecular basis of this putative association. Collectively these findings indicate that although GRA12 is not essential for the parasite growth and replication in vitro, it contributes to the virulence and growth of T. gondii in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Lei Wang
- 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, P.R. China
| | - Meng-Jie Bai
- 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, P.R. China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - Qin-Li Liang
- 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, P.R. China
| | - Ting-Ting 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, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Zhen Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, P.R. 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, P.R. China
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Portes JA, De Souza W. Development of an in vitro system to study the developmental stages of Toxoplasma gondii using a genetically modified strain expressing markers for tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:3479-3489. [PMID: 31728720 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06493-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, the agent of toxoplasmosis, is an intracellular parasite that can infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. Toxoplasmosis causes severe damage to immunocompromised hosts and its treatment is mainly based on the combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, which causes relevant side effects primarily observed in AIDS patients, including bone marrow suppression and hematological toxicity (pyrimethamine) and/or hypersensitivity and allergic skin reactions (sulfadiazine). Thus, it is important to investigate new compounds against T. gondii, particularly those that may act on bradyzoites, which are present in cysts during the chronic disease phase. We propose an in vitro model to simultaneously study new candidate compounds against the two main causative stages of Toxoplasma infection in humans, using the EGS-DC strain that was modified from a type I/III strain (EGS), isolated from a case of human congenital toxoplasmosis in Brazil and engineered to express markers for both stages of development. One feature of this strain is that it presents tachyzoite and bradyzoite in the same culture system and in the same host cell under normal culture conditions. Additionally, this strain presents stage-specific fluorescent protein expression, allowing for easy identification of both stages, thus making this strain useful in different studies. HFF cells were infected and after 4 and 7 days post infection the cells were treated with 10 μM of pyrimethamine or atovaquone, for 48 or 72 h. We used high-throughput screening to quantify the extent of parasite infection. Despite a reduction in tachyzoite infection caused by both treatments, the atovaquone treatment reduced the bradyzoite infection while the pyrimethamine one increased it. Ultrastructural analysis showed that after treatment with both drugs, parasites displayed altered mitochondria. Fluorescence microscopy of cells labeled with MitoTracker CMXRos showed that the cysts present inside the cells lost their mitochondrial membrane potential. Our results indicate that this experimental model is adequate to simultaneously analyze new active compounds against tachyzoite and bradyzoite forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Portes
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências da Saúde-UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho s/n, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - W De Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Centro de Ciências da Saúde-UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, UFRJ, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho s/n, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Liempi A, Castillo C, Medina L, Rojas M, Maya JD, Parraguez VH, Kemmerling U. Ex vivo infection of human placental explants with Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii: Differential activation of NF kappa B signaling pathways. Acta Trop 2019; 199:105153. [PMID: 31469971 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) are the causative agents of Chagas disease and Toxoplasmosis. T. cruzi and T. gondii present, respectively, low and high congenital transmission rates and induce a distinctive cytokine/chemokine profile in ex vivo infected human placental explants (HPE). Since the innate immune response is regulated, at least partially, by NF-κB signaling pathways, our main objective was to determine the effect of ex vivo infection with both parasites on the activation of canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways and its relation to parasite infection. T. cruzi activates both, the canonical and non-canonical pathways of NF-κB, unlike T. gondii, which has no effect on the canonical pathway and inhibits the non-canonical pathway. The inhibition of both pathways of NF-κB increases the DNA load of T. cruzi and T. gondii in HPE. Therefore, the differential modulation of NF-κB signal transduction pathways by both parasites might explain, at least partially, the low and high congenital transmission rates of T. cruzi and T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Liempi
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lisvaneth Medina
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maura Rojas
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Diego Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Victor H Parraguez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Animales, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Molecular Basis of The Retinal Pigment Epithelial Changes That Characterize The Ocular Lesion in Toxoplasmosis. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7100405. [PMID: 31569536 PMCID: PMC6843916 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7100405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
When a person becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii, ocular toxoplasmosis is the most common clinical presentation. The medical literature describes retinitis with surrounding hyperpigmentation secondary to proliferative changes in the retinal pigment epithelium, which is sufficiently characteristic that investigation often is not needed to make the diagnosis. We aimed to establish the frequency of “typical” ocular toxoplasmosis and delineate its molecular basis. Among 263 patients presenting consecutively with ocular toxoplasmosis to Ribeirão Preto General Hospital in Brazil, where T. gondii infection is endemic, 94.2% of 345 eyes had retinal hyperpigmentation. In ARPE-19 and primary human retinal pigment epithelial cell monolayers exposed to minimal numbers of T. gondii tachyzoites, the proliferation marker–KI-67–was increased in uninfected cells, which also were rendered more susceptible to infection. RT-qPCR and ELISA detected increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)1, and decreased expression of thrombospondin (TSP)1 by infected cells. Blockade of VEGF and IGF1—or supplementation of TSP1—reversed the proliferation phenotype in uninfected cells. Our findings confirm that hyperpigmentation is a characteristic feature of retinitis in ocular toxoplasmosis, and demonstrate that T. gondii-infected human retinal pigment epithelial cells secrete VEGF and IGF1, and reduce production of TSP1, to promote proliferation of adjacent uninfected cells and create this disease-specific appearance.
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Paredes-Santos T, Wang Y, Waldman B, Lourido S, Saeij JP. The GRA17 Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane Permeability Pore Contributes to Bradyzoite Viability. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:321. [PMID: 31572690 PMCID: PMC6751312 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The Toxoplasma gondii parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) offers protection from the host immune system but is also a barrier for uptake of nutrients from the host. Previously, we showed that GRA17 mediates the tachyzoite PVM permeability to small molecules. During the conversion from tachyzoites to encysted bradyzoites, the PVM become the cyst membrane that is the outer layer of the cyst wall. Little is known about how small molecules, such as nutrients, enter cysts. To characterize GRA17's role in cysts, we deleted GRA17 in the type II ME49 cyst-forming strain. ME49Δgra17 parasites have reduced growth and formed grossly enlarged "bubble vacuoles," which have reduced PVM small molecule permeability. ME49Δgra17 parasites formed cysts in vitro at rates comparable to the wild-type, but the viability of the bradyzoites inside these cysts was significantly reduced compared to wild-type bradyzoites. Genetic complementation of ME49Δgra17 with GRA17 expressed from the endogenous or tachyzoite-specific SAG1 promoter recovered the viability of bradyzoites. Complementation with the bradyzoite-specific SRS9 promoter drastically increased the viability of bradyzoites, demonstrating the importance of GRA17 in regulating bradyzoite viability inside cysts. Mice infected with a high dose of ME49Δgra17 parasites did not contain parasites in their brain nor did mice infected with ME49Δgra17 complemented with GRA17 expressed from a bradyzoite-specific promoter. Our results suggest that the ME49Δgra17 strain is avirulent and is cleared before it can reach the brain and that GRA17 not only plays an important role during acute infections but is also needed for viability of bradyzoites inside cysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Paredes-Santos
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin Waldman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Jeroen P. Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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EZHIP constrains Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 activity in germ cells. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3858. [PMID: 31451685 PMCID: PMC6710278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11800-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb group of proteins is required for the proper orchestration of gene expression due to its role in maintaining transcriptional silencing. It is composed of several chromatin modifying complexes, including Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), which deposits H3K27me2/3. Here, we report the identification of a cofactor of PRC2, EZHIP (EZH1/2 Inhibitory Protein), expressed predominantly in the gonads. EZHIP limits the enzymatic activity of PRC2 and lessens the interaction between the core complex and its accessory subunits, but does not interfere with PRC2 recruitment to chromatin. Deletion of Ezhip in mice leads to a global increase in H3K27me2/3 deposition both during spermatogenesis and at late stages of oocyte maturation. This does not affect the initial number of follicles but is associated with a reduction of follicles in aging. Our results suggest that mature oocytes Ezhip-/- might not be fully functional and indicate that fertility is strongly impaired in Ezhip-/- females. Altogether, our study uncovers EZHIP as a regulator of chromatin landscape in gametes.
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Translocation of effector proteins into host cells by Toxoplasma gondii. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 52:130-138. [PMID: 31446366 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is an obligate intracellular organism that must co-opt its host cell to survive. To this end, Toxoplasma parasites introduce a suite of effector proteins from two secretory compartments called rhoptries and dense granules into the host cells. Once inside, these effectors extensively modify the host cell to facilitate parasite penetration, replication and persistence. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances in current understanding of effector translocation from Toxoplasma's rhoptry and dense granule organelles into the host cell, with comparisons to Plasmodium spp. for broader context.
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Wang P, Li S, Zhao Y, Zhang B, Li Y, Liu S, Du H, Cao L, Ou M, Ye X, Li P, Gao X, Wang P, Jing C, Shao F, Yang G, You F. The GRA15 protein from Toxoplasma gondii enhances host defense responses by activating the interferon stimulator STING. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:16494-16508. [PMID: 31416833 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important neurotropic pathogen that establishes latent infections in humans that can cause toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals. It replicates inside host cells and has developed several strategies to manipulate host immune responses. However, the cytoplasmic pathogen-sensing pathway that detects T. gondii is not well-characterized. Here, we found that cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), a sensor of foreign dsDNA, is required for activation of anti-T. gondii immune signaling in a mouse model. We also found that mice deficient in STING (Sting gt/gt mice) are much more susceptible to T. gondii infection than WT mice. Of note, the induction of inflammatory cytokines, type I IFNs, and interferon-stimulated genes in the spleen from Sting gt/gt mice was significantly impaired. Sting gt/gt mice exhibited more severe symptoms than cGAS-deficient mice after T. gondii infection. Interestingly, we found that the dense granule protein GRA15 from T. gondii is secreted into the host cell cytoplasm and then localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum, mediated by the second transmembrane motif in GRA15, which is essential for activating STING and innate immune responses. Mechanistically, GRA15 promoted STING polyubiquitination at Lys-337 and STING oligomerization in a TRAF protein-dependent manner. Accordingly, GRA15-deficient T. gondii failed to elicit robust innate immune responses compared with WT T. gondii. Consequently, GRA15-/- T. gondii was more virulent and caused higher mortality of WT mice but not Sting gt/gt mice upon infection. Together, T. gondii infection triggers cGAS/STING signaling, which is enhanced by GRA15 in a STING- and TRAF-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyan Wang
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Siji Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yingchi Zhao
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Baohuan Zhang
- Departments of Parasitology and Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Yunfei Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Shengde Liu
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hongqiang Du
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lili Cao
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Meiling Ou
- Departments of Parasitology and Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Xiaohong Ye
- Departments of Parasitology and Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Peng Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Microbial Technology Institute, School of Life Science, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Penghua Wang
- Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030
| | - Chunxia Jing
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Feng Shao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Departments of Parasitology and Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
| | - Fuping You
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
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Panas MW, Ferrel A, Naor A, Tenborg E, Lorenzi HA, Boothroyd JC. Translocation of Dense Granule Effectors across the Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane in Toxoplasma-Infected Cells Requires the Activity of ROP17, a Rhoptry Protein Kinase. mSphere 2019; 4:e00276-19. [PMID: 31366709 PMCID: PMC6669336 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00276-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites co-opt host cell functions through introduction of a large set of rhoptry- and dense granule-derived effector proteins. These effectors reach the host cytosol through different means: direct injection for rhoptry effectors and translocation across the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) for dense granule (GRA) effectors. The machinery that translocates these GRA effectors has recently been partially elucidated, revealing three components, MYR1, MYR2, and MYR3. To determine whether other proteins might be involved, we returned to a library of mutants defective in GRA translocation and selected one with a partial defect, suggesting it might be in a gene encoding a new component of the machinery. Surprisingly, whole-genome sequencing revealed a missense mutation in a gene encoding a known rhoptry protein, a serine/threonine protein kinase known as ROP17. ROP17 resides on the host cytosol side of the PVM in infected cells and has previously been known for its activity in phosphorylating and thereby inactivating host immunity-related GTPases. Here, we show that null or catalytically dead mutants of ROP17 are defective in GRA translocation across the PVM but that translocation can be rescued "in trans" by ROP17 delivered by other tachyzoites infecting the same host cell. This strongly argues that ROP17's role in regulating GRA translocation is carried out on the host cytosolic side of the PVM, not within the parasites or lumen of the parasitophorous vacuole. This represents an entirely new way in which the different secretory compartments of Toxoplasma tachyzoites collaborate to modulate the host-parasite interaction.IMPORTANCE When Toxoplasma infects a cell, it establishes a protective parasitophorous vacuole surrounding it. While this vacuole provides protection, it also serves as a barrier to the export of parasite effector proteins that impact and take control of the host cell. Our discovery here that the parasite rhoptry protein ROP17 is necessary for export of these effector proteins provides a distinct, novel function for ROP17 apart from its known role in protecting the vacuole. This will enable future research into ways in which we can prevent the export of effector proteins, thereby preventing Toxoplasma from productively infecting its animal and human hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Panas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Abel Ferrel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Adit Naor
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth Tenborg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
| | - Hernan A Lorenzi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - John C Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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39
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Sasai M, Pradipta A, Yamamoto M. Host immune responses to Toxoplasma gondii. Int Immunol 2019; 30:113-119. [PMID: 29408976 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxy004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii can infect homoeothermic animals including humans and cause lethal toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals. When hosts are infected with T. gondii, the cells induce immune responses against T. gondii. The pathogen infection is recognized by immune sensors that directly detect T. gondii structural components, leading to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Antigen-presenting cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells strongly activate T cells and induce development of Th1 cells and antigen-specific killer CD8 T cells. These T cells and Group 1 innate lymphoid cells are main producers of IFN-γ, which robustly stimulates cell-autonomous immunity in cells infected with T. gondii. IFN-γ-inducible effectors such as IFN-inducible GTPases, inducible nitric oxide synthase and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase differentially play important roles in suppression of T. gondii growth and its direct killing in anti-T. gondii cell-autonomous immune responses. In this review, we will describe our current knowledge of innate, adaptive and IFN-γ-mediated cell-autonomous immunity against T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miwa Sasai
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ariel Pradipta
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan
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40
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Krishnamurthy S, Saeij JPJ. Toxoplasma Does Not Secrete the GRA16 and GRA24 Effectors Beyond the Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane of Tissue Cysts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:366. [PMID: 30406043 PMCID: PMC6201044 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
After invasion, Toxoplasma resides in a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that is surrounded by the PV membrane (PVM). Once inside the PV, tachyzoites secrete dense granule proteins (GRAs) of which some, such as GRA16 and GRA24, are transported beyond the PVM likely via a putative translocon. However, once tachyzoites convert into bradyzoites within cysts, it is not known if secreted GRAs can traffic beyond the cyst wall membrane. We used the tetracycline inducible system to drive expression of HA epitope tagged GRA16 and GRA24 after inducing stage conversion and show that these proteins are not secreted beyond the cyst wall membrane. This suggests that secretion of GRA beyond the PVM is not important for the tissue cyst stage of Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruthi Krishnamurthy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jeroen P J Saeij
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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41
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Venugopal K, Marion S. Secretory organelle trafficking in Toxoplasma gondii: A long story for a short travel. Int J Med Microbiol 2018; 308:751-760. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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42
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Bai MJ, Wang JL, Elsheikha HM, Liang QL, Chen K, Nie LB, Zhu XQ. Functional Characterization of Dense Granule Proteins in Toxoplasma gondii RH Strain Using CRISPR-Cas9 System. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:300. [PMID: 30211128 PMCID: PMC6121064 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an ongoing public health problem. The parasite's ability to invade and replicate within the host cell is dependent on many effectors, such as dense granule proteins (GRAs) released from the specialized organelle dense granules, into host cells. GRAs have emerged as important determinants of T. gondii pathogenesis. However, the functions of some GRAs remain undefined. In this study, we used CRISPR-Cas9 technique to disrupt 17 GRA genes (GRA11, GRA12 bis, GRA13, GRA14, GRA20, GRA21, GRA28-31, GRA33-38, and GRA40) in the virulent T. gondii RH strain. The CRISPR-Cas9 constructs abolished the expression of the 17 GRA genes. Functional characterization of single ΔGRA mutants was achieved in vitro using cell-based plaque assay and egress assay, and in vivo in BALB/c mice. Targeted deletion of these 17 GRA genes had no significant effect neither on the in vitro growth and egress of the mutant strains from the host cells nor on the parasite virulence in the mouse model of infection. Comparative analysis of the transcriptomics data of the 17 GRA genes suggest that GRAs may serve different functions in different genotypes and life cycle stages of the parasite. In sum, although these 17 GRAs might not be essential for RH strain growth in vitro or virulence in mice, they may have roles in other strains or parasite stages, which warrants further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Jie Bai
- 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, China
| | - Jin-Lei Wang
- 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, China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Qin-Li Liang
- 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, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Kai Chen
- 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, China
| | - Lan-Bi Nie
- 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, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 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, China
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43
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The Protozoan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii Selectively Reprograms the Host Cell Translatome. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00244-18. [PMID: 29967092 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00244-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii promotes infection by targeting multiple host cell processes; however, whether it modulates mRNA translation is currently unknown. Here, we show that infection of primary murine macrophages with type I or II T. gondii strains causes a profound perturbation of the host cell translatome. Notably, translation of transcripts encoding proteins involved in metabolic activity and components of the translation machinery was activated upon infection. In contrast, the translational efficiency of mRNAs related to immune cell activation and cytoskeleton/cytoplasm organization was largely suppressed. Mechanistically, T. gondii bolstered mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling to selectively activate the translation of mTOR-sensitive mRNAs, including those with a 5'-terminal oligopyrimidine (5' TOP) motif and those encoding mitochondrion-related proteins. Consistent with parasite modulation of host mTOR-sensitive translation to promote infection, inhibition of mTOR activity suppressed T. gondii replication. Thus, selective reprogramming of host mRNA translation represents an important subversion strategy during T. gondii infection.
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44
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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
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45
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Santi-Rocca J, Blanchard N. Membrane trafficking and remodeling at the host-parasite interface. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 40:145-151. [PMID: 29175340 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Membrane shape is functionally linked with many cellular processes. The limiting membrane of vacuoles containing Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium apicomplexan parasites lies at the host-parasite interface. This membrane comprises intra-vacuolar and extra-vacuolar tubulo-vesicular deformations, which influence host-parasite cross-talk. Here, underscoring specificities and similarities between the T. gondii and Plasmodium contexts, we present recent findings about vacuolar membrane remodeling and its potential roles in parasite fitness and immune recognition. We review in particular the implication of tubulo-vesicular structures in trapping and/or transporting host and parasite components. Understanding how membrane remodeling influences host-pathogen interactions is expected to be critical in the battle against many intracellular pathogens beyond parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Santi-Rocca
- Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Nicolas Blanchard
- Centre de Physiopathologie de Toulouse Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France.
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46
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Saeij JP, Frickel EM. Exposing Toxoplasma gondii hiding inside the vacuole: a role for GBPs, autophagy and host cell death. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 40:72-80. [PMID: 29141239 PMCID: PMC7004510 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii resides inside a vacuole, which shields it from the host’s intracellular defense mechanisms. The cytokine interferon gamma (IFNγ) upregulates host cell effector pathways that are able to destroy the vacuole, restrict parasite growth and induce host cell death. Interferon-inducible GTPases such as the Guanylate Binding Proteins (GBPs), autophagy proteins and ubiquitin-driven mechanisms play important roles in Toxoplasma control in mice and partly also in humans. The host inflammasome is regulated by GBPs in response to bacterial infection in murine cells and may also respond to Toxoplasma infection. Elucidation of murine Toxoplasma defense mechanisms are guiding studies on human cells, while inevitably leading to the discovery of human-specific pathways that often function in a cell type-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P Saeij
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Eva-Maria Frickel
- The Francis Crick Institute, Host-Toxoplasma Interaction Laboratory, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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47
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Horcajo P, Jiménez-Pelayo L, García-Sánchez M, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Collantes-Fernández E, Rozas D, Hambruch N, Pfarrer C, Ortega-Mora LM. Transcriptome modulation of bovine trophoblast cells in vitro by Neospora caninum. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:791-799. [PMID: 28899691 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is one of the most efficient transplacentally transmitted pathogens in cattle and is a cause of abortion in this domestic species. The invasion and proliferation of Neospora caninum in the placenta and its dissemination to the foetus are crucial events in the outcome of an infection. In the bovine placenta, the placentomes are formed by maternal caruncles, which are delimited by a maternal epithelium and foetal cotyledons, which are delimited by an epithelial layer named the trophoblast. These epithelia form a physical barrier against foetal infection. Furthermore, trophoblast cells act as an innate immune defence at the foetal-maternal interface. Neospora caninum invades and proliferates in trophoblast cells in vitro, but it is unknown whether host cell modulation events, which affect the immune response and other processes in the trophoblast, occur. In this work, we investigated the transcriptomic modulation by Neospora caninum infection in the bovine trophoblast cell line F3. In addition, two Neospora caninum isolates with marked differences in virulence, Nc-Spain1H and the Nc-Spain7, were used in this study to investigate the influence of these isolates in F3 modulation. The results showed a clear influence on extracellular matrix reorganisation, cholesterol biosynthesis and the transcription factor AP-1 network. Interestingly, although differences in the transcriptome profiles induced by each isolate were observed, specific isolate-modulated processes were not identified, suggesting very similar regulation in both isolates. Differential expression of the N. caninum genes between both isolates was also investigated. Genes involved in host cell attachment and invasion (SAG-related and microneme proteins), glideosome, rhoptries, metabolic processes, cell cycle and stress response were differentially expressed between the isolates, which could explain their variability. This study provides a global view of Neospora caninum interactions with bovine trophoblast cells and of the intra-specific differences between two Neospora caninum isolates with biological differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Jiménez-Pelayo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta García-Sánchez
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Regidor-Cerrillo
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Collantes-Fernández
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Rozas
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nina Hambruch
- Department of Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christiane Pfarrer
- Department of Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
Early electron microscopy studies revealed the elaborate cellular features that define the unique adaptations of apicomplexan parasites. Among these were bulbous rhoptry (ROP) organelles and small, dense granules (GRAs), both of which are secreted during invasion of host cells. These early morphological studies were followed by the exploration of the cellular contents of these secretory organelles, revealing them to be comprised of highly divergent protein families with few conserved domains or predicted functions. In parallel, studies on host-pathogen interactions identified many host signaling pathways that were mysteriously altered by infection. It was only with the advent of forward and reverse genetic strategies that the connections between individual parasite effectors and the specific host pathways that they targeted finally became clear. The current repertoire of parasite effectors includes ROP kinases and pseudokinases that are secreted during invasion and that block host immune pathways. Similarly, many secretory GRA proteins alter host gene expression by activating host transcription factors, through modification of chromatin, or by inducing small noncoding RNAs. These effectors highlight novel mechanisms by which T. gondii has learned to harness host signaling to favor intracellular survival and will guide future studies designed to uncover the additional complexity of this intricate host-pathogen interaction.
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49
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Venugopal K, Werkmeister E, Barois N, Saliou JM, Poncet A, Huot L, Sindikubwabo F, Hakimi MA, Langsley G, Lafont F, Marion S. Dual role of the Toxoplasma gondii clathrin adaptor AP1 in the sorting of rhoptry and microneme proteins and in parasite division. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006331. [PMID: 28430827 PMCID: PMC5415223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii possesses a highly polarized secretory system, which efficiently assembles de novo micronemes and rhoptries during parasite replication. These apical secretory organelles release their contents into host cells promoting parasite invasion and survival. Using a CreLox-based inducible knock-out strategy and the ddFKBP over-expression system, we unraveled novel functions of the clathrin adaptor complex TgAP1. First, our data indicate that AP1 in T. gondii likely functions as a conserved heterotetrameric complex composed of the four subunits γ, β, μ1, σ1 and interacts with known regulators of clathrin-mediated vesicular budding such as the unique ENTH-domain containing protein, which we named Epsin-like protein (TgEpsL). Disruption of the μ1 subunit resulted in the mis-sorting of microneme proteins at the level of the Trans-Golgi-Network (TGN). Furthermore, we demonstrated that TgAP1 regulates rhoptry biogenesis by activating rhoptry protein exit from the TGN, but also participates in the post-Golgi maturation process of preROP compartments into apically anchored club-shaped mature organelles. For this latter activity, our data indicate a specific functional relationship between TgAP1 and the Rab5A-positive endosome-like compartment. In addition, we unraveled an original role for TgAP1 in the regulation of parasite division. APμ1-depleted parasites undergo normal daughter cell budding and basal complex assembly but fail to segregate at the end of cytokinesis. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises a large group of obligate intracellular parasites of wide human and agricultural significance. Most notable are Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, and Toxoplasma gondii, one of the most common human parasites, responsible for disease of the developing fetus and immune-compromised individuals. Apicomplexa are characterized by the presence of an apical complex consisting of secretory organelles named micronemes (MIC) and rhoptries (ROP). MIC and ROP proteins, released upon host cell recognition, are essential for host cell invasion and parasite survival. After invasion, these organelles are neo-synthesized at each parasite replication cycle. In our study, we demonstrate a crucial role for the T. gondii clathrin adaptor complex AP1 in the vesicular transport of neo-synthesized MIC and ROP proteins, thereby regulating mature apical organelle formation. In addition, we unravel an original role for TgAP1 in the late stages of the parasite division process during daughter cell segregation. Therefore, our study provides new insights into key regulatory mechanisms of the vesicular trafficking system essential for host invasion and intracellular survival of Toxoplasma gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Venugopal
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Elisabeth Werkmeister
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Barois
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Michel Saliou
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Anais Poncet
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Ludovic Huot
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Fabien Sindikubwabo
- IAB, Team Host-pathogen interactions & immunity to infection, Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, France
| | - Mohamed Ali Hakimi
- IAB, Team Host-pathogen interactions & immunity to infection, Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble, France
| | - Gordon Langsley
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire Comparative des Apicomplexes, Faculté de Médicine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, France. Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Frank Lafont
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Sabrina Marion
- Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille, Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
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50
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Guiton PS, Sagawa JM, Fritz HM, Boothroyd JC. An in vitro model of intestinal infection reveals a developmentally regulated transcriptome of Toxoplasma sporozoites and a NF-κB-like signature in infected host cells. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173018. [PMID: 28362800 PMCID: PMC5376300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection affecting approximately 30% of the world’s human population. After sexual reproduction in the definitive feline host, Toxoplasma oocysts, each containing 8 sporozoites, are shed into the environment where they can go on to infect humans and other warm-blooded intermediate hosts. Here, we use an in vitro model to assess host transcriptomic changes that occur in the earliest stages of such infections. We show that infection of rat intestinal epithelial cells with mature sporozoites primarily results in higher expression of genes associated with Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFα) signaling via NF-κB. Furthermore, we find that, consistent with their biology, these mature, invaded sporozoites display a transcriptome intermediate between the previously reported day 10 oocysts and that of their tachyzoite counterparts. Thus, this study uncovers novel host and pathogen factors that may be critical for the establishment of a successful intracellular niche following sporozoite-initiated infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale S. Guiton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Janelle M. Sagawa
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Heather M. Fritz
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - John C. Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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