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Cheng YK, Zhang Y, Zhang ZY, Cong PK, Feng JY, Zhang R, Long SR, Zhang X, Wang ZQ, Cui J. Biological characteristics and functions of a novel glutamate dehydrogenase from Trichinella spiralis. Parasite 2024; 31:65. [PMID: 39465975 PMCID: PMC11514599 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2024065] [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: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) plays an important role in the metabolism of organisms. Its high abundance in mitochondria in particular highlights its core role in cellular physiological processes. GDH catalyzes the mutual conversion between L-glutamic acid and α-ketoglutaric acids. At the same time, this transformation is accompanied by the oxidation-reduction of NAD(H) or NADP(H). This process not only helps to link amino acid metabolism with sugar metabolism, but also helps maintain the balance of intracellular pH and nitrogen homeostasis. In this study, a novel Trichinella spiralis glutamate dehydrogenase (TsGDH) was cloned, expressed and identified. The results revealed that TsGDH was expressed at various stages of development of the nematode T. spiralis, with higher expression levels in the adult worm stage, and was mainly localized in the cuticle, muscular layer, stichosome and female intrauterine embryos. After RNAi treatment, larval natural TsGDH enzyme activity was obviously reduced, and metabolism, molting, growth and reproduction were also significantly inhibited. The results indicate that TsGDH plays an important role in the development and survival of T. spiralis, and it may be a potential molecular target of anti-Trichinella vaccines and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhong Quan Wang
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Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou 450052 China
| | - Jing Cui
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Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou 450052 China
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Volpedo G, Oljuskin T, Cox B, Mercado Y, Askwith C, Azodi N, Bernier M, Nakhasi HL, Gannavaram S, Satoskar AR. Leishmania mexicana promotes pain-reducing metabolomic reprogramming in cutaneous lesions. iScience 2023; 26:108502. [PMID: 38125023 PMCID: PMC10730346 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is characterized by extensive skin lesions, which are usually painless despite being associated with extensive inflammation. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this analgesia have not been identified. Through untargeted metabolomics, we found enriched anti-nociceptive metabolic pathways in L. mexicana-infected mice. Purines were elevated in infected macrophages and at the lesion site during chronic infection. These purines have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties by acting through adenosine receptors, inhibiting TRPV1 channels, and promoting IL-10 production. We also found arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism enriched in the ear lesions compared to the non-infected controls. AA is a metabolite of anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). These endocannabinoids act on cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 and TRPV1 channels to exert anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Our study provides evidence of metabolic pathways upregulated during L. mexicana infection that may mediate anti-nociceptive effects experienced by CL patients and identifies macrophages as a source of these metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Volpedo
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Timur Oljuskin
- Animal Parasitic Disease Lab, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Blake Cox
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yulian Mercado
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Candice Askwith
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nazli Azodi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Bernier
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Hira L. Nakhasi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Abhay R. Satoskar
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Zhou C, Li J, Guo C, Zhou Z, Yang Z, Zhang Y, Jiang J, Cai Y, Zhou J, Xia M, Ming Y. Alterations in gut microbiome and metabolite profile of patients with Schistosoma japonicum infection. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:346. [PMID: 37798771 PMCID: PMC10552355 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05970-3] [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: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosoma infection is a significant public health issue, affecting over 200 million individuals and threatening 700 million people worldwide. The species prevalent in China is Schistosoma japonicum. Recent studies showed that both gut microbiota and metabolome are closely related to schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum, but clinical study is limited and the underlying mechanism is largely unclear. This study aimed to explore alterations as well as function of gut microbiota and metabolite profile in the patients with S. japonicum infection. METHODS This study included 20 patients diagnosed with chronic schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum, eight patients with advanced schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum and 13 healthy volunteers. The fresh feces of these participators, clinical examination results and basic information were collected. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to investigate gut microbiota, while ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) was applied to explore the metabolome of patients in different stages of schistosomiasis. RESULTS The study found that gut microbiota and metabolites were altered in patients with different stages of S. japonicum infection. Compared with healthy control group, the gut microbial diversity in patients with chronic S. japonicum infection was decreased significantly. However, the diversity of gut microbiota in patients with chronic schistosomiasis was similar to that in patients with advanced schistosomiasis. Compared with uninfected people, patients with schistosomiasis showed decreased Firmicutes and increased Proteobacteria. As disease progressed, Firmicutes was further reduced in patients with advanced S. japonicum infection, while Proteobacteria was further increased. In addition, the most altered metabolites in patients with S. japonicum infection were lipids and lipid-like molecules as well as organo-heterocyclic compounds, correlated with the clinical manifestations and disease progress of schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that the gut microbiota and metabolome altered in patients in different stages of schistosomiasis, which was correlated with progression of schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum. This inter-omics analysis may shed light on a better understanding of the mechanisms of the progression of S. japonicum infection and contribute to identifying new potential targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of S. japonicum infection. However, a large sample size of validation in clinic is needed, and further study is required to investigate the underlying mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhou
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Junhui Li
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chen Guo
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoqin Zhou
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhen Yang
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Jiang
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yu Cai
- Schistosomiasis Control Institute of Hunan Province, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Schistosomiasis Control Institute of Hunan Province, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Meng Xia
- Schistosomiasis Control Institute of Hunan Province, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yingzi Ming
- Transplantation Center, Engineering and Technology Research Center for Transplantation Medicine of National Health Commission, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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Yuan D, Chen J, Zhao Z, Qin H. Metabolomics analysis of visceral leishmaniasis based on urine of golden hamsters. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:304. [PMID: 37649093 PMCID: PMC10469881 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05881-3] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases and is spread mainly in impoverished regions of the world. Although many studies have focused on the host's response to Leishmania invasion, relatively less is known about the complex processes at the metabolic level, especially the metabolic alterations in the infected hosts. METHODS In this study, we conducted metabolomics analysis on the urine of golden hamsters in the presence or absence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system tandem high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS). The metabolic characteristics of urine samples, along with the histopathological change and the parasite burden of liver and spleen tissues, were detected at 4 and 12 weeks post infection (WPI), respectively. RESULTS Amino acid metabolism was extensively affected at both stages of VL progression. Meanwhile, there were also distinct metabolic features at different stages. At 4 WPI, the significantly affected metabolic pathways involved alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), histidine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and tyrosine metabolism. At 12 WPI, the markedly enriched metabolic pathways were almost concentrated on amino acid metabolism, including tyrosine metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and tryptophan metabolism. The dysregulated metabolites and metabolic pathways at 12 WPI were obviously less than those at 4 WPI. In addition, seven metabolites that were dysregulated at both stages through partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) tests were screened to be of diagnostic potential. The combination of these metabolites as a potential biomarker panel showed satisfactory performance in distinguishing infection groups from control groups as well as among different stages of infection. CONCLUSION Our findings could provide valuable information for further understanding of the host response to Leishmania infection from the aspect of the urine metabolome. The proposed urine biomarker panel could help in the development of a novel approach for the diagnosis and prognosis of VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Yuan
- Department of Human Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiwei Zhao
- Department of Human Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hanxiao Qin
- Clinical Trial Center, Chengdu Second People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610021, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Hotea I, Sirbu C, Plotuna AM, Tîrziu E, Badea C, Berbecea A, Dragomirescu M, Radulov I. Integrating (Nutri-)Metabolomics into the One Health Tendency-The Key for Personalized Medicine Advancement. Metabolites 2023; 13:800. [PMID: 37512507 PMCID: PMC10384896 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13070800] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolomics is an advanced technology, still under development, with multiple research applications, especially in the field of health. Individual metabolic profiles, the functionality of the body, as well as its interaction with the environment, can be established using this technology. The body's response to various external factors, including the food consumed and the nutrients it contains, has increased researchers' interest in nutrimetabolomics. Establishing correlations between diet and the occurrence of various diseases, or even the development of personalized nutrition plans, could contribute to advances in precision medicine. The interdependence between humans, animals, and the environment is of particular importance today, with the dramatic emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, food, water and soil contamination, and the degradation of resources and habitats. All these events have led to an increase in risk factors for functional diseases, burdening global health. Thus, this study aimed to highlight the importance of metabolomics, and, in particular, nutrimetabolomics, as a technical solution for a holistic, collaborative, and precise approach for the advancement of the One Health strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ionela Hotea
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Catalin Sirbu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ana-Maria Plotuna
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Emil Tîrziu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Corina Badea
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Adina Berbecea
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Monica Dragomirescu
- Faculty of Bioengineering of Animal Resources, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Isidora Radulov
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" from Timisoara, Calea Aradului, No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
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Wang Y, Tian J, Chen J, Ni S, Yao Y, Wang L, Wu X, Song R, Chen J. Nontargeted metabolomics integrated with 1 H NMR and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS methods to depict a more comprehensive metabolic profile in response to chrysosplenetin and artemisinin co-treatment against artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium berghei K173. Biomed Chromatogr 2023; 37:e5561. [PMID: 36471489 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5561] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Our previous work revealed mutual and specific metabolites/pathways in artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium berghei K173-infected mice. In this study, we further investigated whether chrysosplenetin, a candidate chemical to prevent artemisinin resistance, can regulate these metabolites/pathways by integrating nontargeted metabolomics with 1 H NMR and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS spectrum. The nuclear magnetic resonance method generated specifically altered metabolites in response to co-treatment with chrysosplenetin, including: the products of glycolysis such as glucose, pyruvate, lactate and alanine; taurine, closely associated with liver injury; arginine and proline as essential amino acids for parasites; TMAO, a biomarker for dysbacteriosis and renal function; and tyrosine, which is used to generate levodopa and dopamine and may improve the torpor state of mice. Importantly, we noticed that chrysosplenetin might depress the activated glycolysis induced by sensitive parasites, but oppositely promoted the inhibited glycolysis to generate more lactate, which suppresses the proliferation of resistant parasites. Moreover, chrysosplentin possibly disturbs the heme biosynthetic pathway in mitochondria. The MS method yielded changed coenzyme A, phosphatidylcholine and ceramides, closely related to mitochondria β-oxidation, cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. These two means shared no overlapped metabolites and formed a more broader metabolic map to study the potential mechanisms of chrysosplenetin as a promising artemisinin resistance inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisen Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingxuan Tian
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jie Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Shanhong Ni
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Ying Yao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lirong Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiuli Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Ruilong Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
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Urinary Metabolic Profiling in Volunteers Undergoing Malaria Challenge in Gabon. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12121224. [PMID: 36557262 PMCID: PMC9783708 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12121224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of malaria parasites with their human host is extensively studied, yet only few studies reported how P. falciparum infection affects urinary metabolite profiles and how this is associated with immunity. We present a longitudinal study of the urinary metabolic profiles of twenty healthy Africans with lifelong exposure to malaria and five malaria-naïve Europeans, who were all challenged with direct venous inoculation of live P. falciparum sporozoïtes (PfSPZ) and followed up until they developed symptoms or became thick blood smear positive (TBS). Urine samples were collected before and at 2, 5, 9 and 11 days post challenge and were analysed. Upon infection, all Europeans became TBS positive, while Africans showed either a delay in time to parasitaemia or controlled infection. Our metabolic data showed that Europeans and Africans had distinct alterations in metabolite patterns, with changes mostly seen on days 5 and 9 post PfSPZ infection, and more prominently in Europeans. Within the African group, the levels of formate, urea, trimethylamine, threonine, choline, myo-inositol and acetate were significantly higher in TBS positive whereas the levels of pyruvate, 3-methylhistidine and dimethylglycine were significantly lower in individuals who remained TBS negative. Notably, before inoculation with PfSPZ, a group of metabolites including phenylacetylglutamine can potentially be used to predict parasitaemia control among Africans. Taken together, this study highlights the difference in urinary metabolic changes in response to malaria infection as a consequence of lifelong exposure to malaria and that change detectable before challenge might predict the control of parasitaemia in malaria-endemic areas.
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Zhao HX, Li X, Liu JL, Guan GQ, Dan XG. Metabolomic profiling of bovine leucocytes transformed by Theileria annulata under BW720c treatment. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:356. [PMID: 36199104 PMCID: PMC9533618 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05450-0] [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: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background When Theileria annulata infects host cells, it undertakes unlimited proliferation as tumor cells. Although the transformed cells will recover their limited reproductive characteristics and enter the apoptosis process after treatment with buparvaquone (BW720c), the metabolites and metabolic pathways involved are not clear. Methods The transformed cells of T. annulata were used as experimental materials, and the buparvaquone treatment group and DMSO control group were used. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was undertaken of 36 cell samples based on the LC–QTOF platform in positive and negative ion modes. The metabolites of the cell samples after 72 h of drug treatment were analyzed, as were the different metabolites and metabolic pathways involved in the BW720c treatment. Finally, the differential metabolites and metabolic pathways in the transformed cells were found. Results A total of 1425 metabolites were detected in the negative ion mode and 1298 metabolites were detected in the positive ion mode. After drug treatment for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, there were 56, 162, and 243 differential metabolites in negative ion mode, and 35, 121, and 177 differential metabolites in positive ion mode, respectively. These differential metabolites are mainly concentrated on various essential amino acids. Conclusion BW720c treatment induces metabolic disturbances in T. annulata-infected cells by regulating the metabolism of leucine, arginine, and l-carnitine, and induces host cell apoptosis. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05450-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xi Zhao
- School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xia Li
- School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Long Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Gui-Quan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Gang Dan
- School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, People's Republic of China.
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Nie LB, Cong W, He JJ, Zheng WB, Zhu XQ. Global proteomic profiling of multiple organs of cats (Felis catus) and proteome-transcriptome correlation during acute Toxoplasma gondii infection. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:96. [PMID: 36104766 PMCID: PMC9473462 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite which can infect almost all warm-blooded animals and humans. Understanding the differential expression of proteins and transcripts associated with T. gondii infection in its definitive host (cat) may improve our knowledge of how the parasite manipulates the molecular microenvironment of its definitive host. The aim of this study was to explore the global proteomic alterations in the major organs of cats during acute T. gondii infection. Methods iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic profiling was performed on six organs (brain, liver, lung, spleen, heart and small intestine) of cats on day 7 post-infection by cysts of T. gondii PRU strain (Genotype II). Mascot software was used to conduct the student’s t-test. Proteins with P values < 0.05 and fold change > 1.2 or < 0.83 were considered as differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Results A total of 32,657 proteins were identified in the six organs, including 2556 DEPs; of which 1325 were up-regulated and 1231 were down-regulated. The brain, liver, lung, spleen, heart and small intestine exhibited 125 DEPs, 463 DEPs, 255 DEPs, 283 DEPs, 855 DEPs and 575 DEPs, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of all proteins and DEPs in all organs showed that many proteins were enriched in binding, cell part, cell growth and death, signal transduction, translation, sorting and degradation, extracellular matrix remodeling, tryptophan catabolism, and immune system. Correlations between differentially expressed proteins and transcripts were detected in the liver (n = 19), small intestine (n = 17), heart (n = 9), lung (n = 9) and spleen (n = 3). Conclusions The present study identified 2556 DEPs in six cat tissues on day 7 after infection by T. gondii PRU strain, and functional enrichment analyses showed that these DEPs were associated with various cellular and metabolic processes. These findings provide a solid base for further in-depth investigation of the complex proteotranscriptomic reprogramming that mediates the dynamic interplays between T. gondii and the different feline tissues. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40249-022-01022-7.
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10
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Ferreira de Lima N, de Andrade Picanço G, Costa TL, Vinaud MC. In vitro metabolic stress induced by nitazoxanide and flubendazole combination in Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Exp Parasitol 2022; 238:108265. [PMID: 35525309 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108265] [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: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Taenia crassiceps is often used as experimental model for T. solium cysticercosis studies. Currently cysticercosis antiparasitic treatment is based on albendazole and praziquantel which may present side effects and parasitic resistance. The search for other antiparasitic drugs is necessary. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) and flubendazole (FLB) are broad spectrum antiparasitic drugs that present anti-cysticercosis effect. Metabolic analyses help to determine the impact of these drugs on parasites. The aim of this study was to determine the impact on the production and excretion of organic metabolites in T. crassiceps cysticerci after in vitro exposure to NTZ and FLB, isolated or in combination. T. crassiceps cysticerci were culture in RPMI medium and exposed to 10μg/mL of NTZ, 10μg/mL of FLB or 10μg/mL of NTZ +10μg/mL of FLB. 24h after exposure, the parasites were chromatographic analyzed to determine the impact of these drugs on glycolysis, homolactic fermentation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acids oxidation and proteins catabolism. It was possible to determine that the drugs combination induced greater metabolic impact on cysticerci in comparison to the isolated drugs exposure. The drugs combination induced gluconeogenesis, metabolic acidosis, increase in tricarboxylic acid cycle and in proteins catabolism. While the NTZ isolated exposure induced metabolic acidosis and protein catabolism and the FLB isolate exposure induced gluconeogenesis and protein catabolism. These results show that the combination of drugs with different modes of action increase the antiparasitic effect and may be indicated as alternative cysticercosis treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayana Ferreira de Lima
- Laboratory of Studies of the Host-parasite Relationship, Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Brazil
| | - Guaraciara de Andrade Picanço
- Laboratory of Studies of the Host-parasite Relationship, Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Brazil
| | - Tatiane Luiza Costa
- Laboratory of Studies of the Host-parasite Relationship, Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Brazil
| | - Marina Clare Vinaud
- Laboratory of Studies of the Host-parasite Relationship, Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goias, Brazil.
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N-Acetylglucosamine Sensing and Metabolic Engineering for Attenuating Human and Plant Pathogens. Bioengineering (Basel) 2022; 9:bioengineering9020064. [PMID: 35200417 PMCID: PMC8869657 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9020064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During evolution, both human and plant pathogens have evolved to utilize a diverse range of carbon sources. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), an amino sugar, is one of the major carbon sources utilized by several human and phytopathogens. GlcNAc regulates the expression of many virulence genes of pathogens. In fact, GlcNAc catabolism is also involved in the regulation of virulence and pathogenesis of various human pathogens, including Candida albicans, Vibrio cholerae, Leishmania donovani, Mycobacterium, and phytopathogens such as Magnaporthe oryzae. Moreover, GlcNAc is also a well-known structural component of many bacterial and fungal pathogen cell walls, suggesting its possible role in cell signaling. Over the last few decades, many studies have been performed to study GlcNAc sensing, signaling, and metabolism to better understand the GlcNAc roles in pathogenesis in order to identify new drug targets. In this review, we provide recent insights into GlcNAc-mediated cell signaling and pathogenesis. Further, we describe how the GlcNAc metabolic pathway can be targeted to reduce the pathogens’ virulence in order to control the disease prevalence and crop productivity.
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12
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The haustorium as a driving force for speciation in thallus-forming Laboulbeniomycetes. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:1. [PMID: 35101145 PMCID: PMC8805332 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-021-00087-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Laboulbeniomycetes is a class of fungi that have obligate associations with arthropod hosts, either for dispersal (order Pyxidiophorales) or as biotrophic parasites (orders Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales). Here, we focus on Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales, which include fungi that form thalli, 3-dimensional, multicellular units of 1000 s of cells. Based on recently published data regarding patterns of speciation, we present the One-Host-One-Parasite model (1H1P) for haustorial thallus-forming Laboulbeniomycetes. We hypothesize that taxa with haustoria, rhizoidal structures that make contact with the host’s body cavity, have very strict host specificity. For taxa without haustoria, the microhabitat—as selected by the host—governs host shifting, presence or absence of the fungus, abundance, effective host range, and geographic distribution. We make suggestions for future research including fluorescent labeling of waxy lipids and mass spectrometry. These techniques have the potential to generate the data necessary to evaluate the here proposed 1H1P hypothesis for Herpomycetales and Laboulbeniales.
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Rodenburg SYA, Seidl MF, de Ridder D, Govers F. Uncovering the Role of Metabolism in Oomycete-Host Interactions Using Genome-Scale Metabolic Models. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:748178. [PMID: 34707596 PMCID: PMC8543037 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.748178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolism is the set of biochemical reactions of an organism that enables it to assimilate nutrients from its environment and to generate building blocks for growth and proliferation. It forms a complex network that is intertwined with the many molecular and cellular processes that take place within cells. Systems biology aims to capture the complexity of cells, organisms, or communities by reconstructing models based on information gathered by high-throughput analyses (omics data) and prior knowledge. One type of model is a genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) that allows studying the distributions of metabolic fluxes, i.e., the "mass-flow" through the network of biochemical reactions. GEMs are nowadays widely applied and have been reconstructed for various microbial pathogens, either in a free-living state or in interaction with their hosts, with the aim to gain insight into mechanisms of pathogenicity. In this review, we first introduce the principles of systems biology and GEMs. We then describe how metabolic modeling can contribute to unraveling microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, with a specific focus on oomycete plant pathogens and in particular Phytophthora infestans. Subsequently, we review achievements obtained so far and identify and discuss potential pitfalls of current models. Finally, we propose a workflow for reconstructing high-quality GEMs and elaborate on the resources needed to advance a system biology approach aimed at untangling the intimate interactions between plants and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Y. A. Rodenburg
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Michael F. Seidl
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Dick de Ridder
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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14
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Dias-Lopes G, Zabala-Peñafiel A, de Albuquerque-Melo BC, Souza-Silva F, Menaguali do Canto L, Cysne-Finkelstein L, Alves CR. Axenic amastigotes of Leishmania species as a suitable model for in vitro studies. Acta Trop 2021; 220:105956. [PMID: 33979642 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania spp. are etiological agents of infection diseases, which in some cases can be fatal. The main forms of their biological cycle, promastigotes and amastigotes, can be maintained in vitro. While promastigotes are easier to maintain, amastigotes are more complex and can be obtained through different ways, including infection assays of tissues or in vitro cells, and differentiation from promastigotes to axenic amastigotes. Several protocols have been proposed for in vitro differentiation for at least 12 Leishmania spp. of both subgenera, Leishmania and Viannia. In this review we propose a critical summary of axenic amastigotes induction, as well as the impact of these strategies on metabolic pathways and regulatory networks analyzed by omics approaches. The parameters used by different research groups show considerable variations in temperature, pH and induction stages, as highlighted here for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Therefore, a consensus on strategies for inducing amastigogenesis is necessary to improve accuracy and even define stage-specific biomarkers. In fact, the axenic amastigote model has contributed to elucidate several aspects of the parasite cycle, however, since it does not reproduce the intracellular environment, its use requires several precautions. In addition, we present a discussion about using axenic amastigotes for drug screening, suggesting the need of a more sensitive methodology to verify cell viability in these tests. Collectively, this review explores the advantages and limitations found in studies with axenic amastigotes, done for more than 30 years, and discuss the gaps that impair their use as a suitable model for in vitro studies.
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15
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Okombo J, Kanai M, Deni I, Fidock DA. Genomic and Genetic Approaches to Studying Antimalarial Drug Resistance and Plasmodium Biology. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:476-492. [PMID: 33715941 PMCID: PMC8162148 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in genomics and molecular genetics has empowered novel approaches to study gene functions in disease-causing pathogens. In the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the application of genome-based analyses, site-directed genome editing, and genetic systems that allow for temporal and quantitative regulation of gene and protein expression have been invaluable in defining the genetic basis of antimalarial resistance and elucidating candidate targets to accelerate drug discovery efforts. Using examples from recent studies, we review applications of some of these approaches in advancing our understanding of Plasmodium biology and illustrate their contributions and limitations in characterizing parasite genomic loci associated with antimalarial drug responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Okombo
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariko Kanai
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ioanna Deni
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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16
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Ohms M, Ferreira C, Busch H, Wohlers I, Guerra de Souza AC, Silvestre R, Laskay T. Enhanced Glycolysis Is Required for Antileishmanial Functions of Neutrophils Upon Infection With Leishmania donovani. Front Immunol 2021; 12:632512. [PMID: 33815385 PMCID: PMC8017142 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.632512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal parasitic disease if untreated. Treatment options of VL diminish due to emerging drug resistance. Although the principal host cells for the multiplication of Leishmania are macrophages, neutrophils are the first cells infected with the parasites rapidly after parasite inoculation. Leishmania can survive in neutrophils despite the potent antimicrobial effector functions of neutrophils that can eliminate the parasites. Recently, the growing field of immunometabolism provided strong evidence for the therapeutic potential in targeting metabolic processes as a means of controlling immune effector functions. Therefore, the understanding of the immunometabolic profile of neutrophils during Leishmania infection could provide new promising targets for host-directed therapies against VL. To our knowledge, this is the first study addressing the bioenergetics profile of L. donovani-infected primary human neutrophils. Transcriptome analysis of L. donovani-infected neutrophils revealed an early significant upregulation of several glycolytic enzymes. Extracellular flux analysis showed that glycolysis and glycolytic capacity were upregulated in L. donovani-infected neutrophils at 6 h post infection. An increased glucose uptake and accumulation of glycolytic end products were further signs for an elevated glycolytic metabolism in L. donovani-infected neutrophils. At the same time point, oxidative phosphorylation provided NADPH for the oxidative burst but did not contribute to ATP production. Inhibition of glycolysis with 2-DG significantly reduced the survival of L. donovani promastigotes in neutrophils and in culture. However, this reduction was due to a direct antileishmanial effect of 2-DG and not a consequence of enhanced antileishmanial activity of neutrophils. To further address the impact of glucose metabolism during the first days of infection in vivo, we treated C57BL/6 mice with 2-DG prior to infection with L. donovani and assessed the parasite load one day and seven days post infection. Our results show, that seven days post-infection the parasite load of 2-DG treated animals was significantly higher than in mock treated animals. This data indicates that glycolysis serves as major energy source for antimicrobial effector functions against L. donovani. Inhibition of glycolysis abrogates important neutrophil effector functions that are necessary the initial control of Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Ohms
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carolina Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Hauke Busch
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology and Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Inken Wohlers
- Medical Systems Biology Division, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology and Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ana Cristina Guerra de Souza
- Department of Cell Technology, Fraunhofer Research Institution for Marine Biotechnology and Cell Technology (EMB), Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ricardo Silvestre
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Tamás Laskay
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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17
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Yu X, Feng G, Zhang Q, Cao J. From Metabolite to Metabolome: Metabolomics Applications in Plasmodium Research. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:626183. [PMID: 33505389 PMCID: PMC7829456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.626183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in research over the past few decades have greatly improved metabolomics-based approaches in studying parasite biology and disease etiology. This improves the investigation of varied metabolic requirements during life stages or when following transmission to their hosts, and fulfills the demand for improved diagnostics and precise therapeutics. Therefore, this review highlights the progress of metabolomics in malaria research, including metabolic mapping of Plasmodium vertebrate life cycle stages to investigate antimalarials mode of actions and underlying complex host-parasite interactions. Also, we discuss current limitations as well as make several practical suggestions for methodological improvements which could drive metabolomics progress for malaria from a comprehensive perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Gaoqian Feng
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Cao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Metabolite salvage and restriction during infection - a tug of war between Toxoplasma gondii and its host. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 68:104-114. [PMID: 33202353 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The apicomplexans, including the coccidian pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, are obligate intracellular parasites whose growth and development are intricately linked to the metabolism of their host. T. gondii depends on its host for the salvage of energy sources, building blocks, vitamins and cofactors to survive and replicate. Additionally, host metabolites directly impact on the parasite life cycle development by triggering or halting differentiation. Although T. gondii infects a wide range of host cells, it has evolved to modulate and maximally exploit its host's metabolism. In return the host has developed strategies to restrict parasite access to metabolites. Here we discuss recent findings which have shed light on the battle over metabolites between T. gondii and its host.
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19
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Guidi A, Petrella G, Fustaino V, Saccoccia F, Lentini S, Gimmelli R, Di Pietro G, Bresciani A, Cicero DO, Ruberti G. Drug effects on metabolic profiles of Schistosoma mansoni adult male parasites detected by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008767. [PMID: 33044962 PMCID: PMC7580944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is one of the most devastating neglected tropical parasitic diseases caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. Praziquantel (PZQ) is today the only drug used in humans and animals for the treatment of schistosomiasis but unfortunately it is poorly effective on larval and juvenile stages of the parasite. Therefore, it is urgent the discovery of new drug targets and compounds. We have recently showed that the anti-anginal drug perhexiline maleate (PHX) is very active on multiple developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. It is well known that PHX impacts the lipid metabolism in mammals, but the final target on schistosomes still remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in revealing metabolic perturbations due to PHX treatment of S. mansoni adult male worms. The effects of PHX were compared with the ones induced by vehicle and gambogic acid, in order to detect different metabolic profiles and specificity of the PHX action. Remarkably a list of metabolites associated to PHX-treatment was identified with enrichment in several connected metabolic pathways including also the Kennedy pathway mediating the glycerophospholipid metabolism. Our study represents the first 1H-NMR metabolomic approach to characterize the response of S. mansoni to drug treatment. The obtained "metabolic fingerprint" associated to PHX treatment could represent a strategy for displaying cellular metabolic changes for any given drug and to compare compounds targeting similar or distinct biochemical pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Guidi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome) Italy
| | - Greta Petrella
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Fustaino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome) Italy
| | - Fulvio Saccoccia
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome) Italy
| | - Sara Lentini
- Department of Translational Biology, IRBM Science Park Spa, Pomezia (Rome), Italy
| | - Roberto Gimmelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome) Italy
| | - Giulia Di Pietro
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Bresciani
- Department of Translational Biology, IRBM Science Park Spa, Pomezia (Rome), Italy
| | - Daniel Oscar Cicero
- Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovina Ruberti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome) Italy
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20
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Bodhale N, Ohms M, Ferreira C, Mesquita I, Mukherjee A, André S, Sarkar A, Estaquier J, Laskay T, Saha B, Silvestre R. Cytokines and metabolic regulation: A framework of bidirectional influences affecting Leishmania infection. Cytokine 2020; 147:155267. [PMID: 32917471 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania, a protozoan parasite inflicting the complex of diseases called Leishmaniases, resides and replicates as amastigotes within mammalian macrophages. As macrophages are metabolically highly active and can generate free radicals that can destroy this parasite, Leishmania also devise strategies to modulate the host cell metabolism. However, the metabolic changes can also be influenced by the anti-leishmanial immune response mediated by cytokines. This bidirectional, dynamic and complex metabolic coupling established between Leishmania and its host is the result of a long co-evolutionary process. Due to the continuous alterations imposed by the host microenvironment, such metabolic coupling continues to be dynamically regulated. The constant pursuit and competition for nutrients in the host-Leishmania duet alter the host metabolic pathways with major consequences for its nutritional reserves, eventually affecting the phenotype and functionality of the host cell. Altered phenotype and functions of macrophages are particularly relevant to immune cells, as perturbed metabolic fluxes can crucially affect the activation, differentiation, and functions of host immune cells. All these changes can deterministically direct the outcome of an infection. Cytokines and metabolic fluxes can bidirectionally influence each other through molecular sensors and regulators to dictate the final infection outcome. Our studies along with those from others have now identified the metabolic nodes that can be targeted for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelam Bodhale
- National Centre for Cell Science, 411007 Pune, India; Jagadis Bose National Science Talent Search (JBNSTS), Kolkata 700107 India
| | - Mareike Ohms
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck 23538, Germany
| | - Carolina Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Inês Mesquita
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | | | - Sónia André
- INSERM U1124, Université Paris Descartes, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Arup Sarkar
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751024, India
| | - Jérôme Estaquier
- INSERM U1124, Université Paris Descartes, 75006 Paris, France; Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Tamás Laskay
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck 23538, Germany
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre for Cell Science, 411007 Pune, India; Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751024, India
| | - Ricardo Silvestre
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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21
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Kloehn J, Harding CR, Soldati-Favre D. Supply and demand-heme synthesis, salvage and utilization by Apicomplexa. FEBS J 2020; 288:382-404. [PMID: 32530125 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The Apicomplexa phylum groups important human and animal pathogens that cause severe diseases, encompassing malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. In common with most organisms, apicomplexans rely on heme as cofactor for several enzymes, including cytochromes of the electron transport chain. This heme derives from de novo synthesis and/or the development of uptake mechanisms to scavenge heme from their host. Recent studies have revealed that heme synthesis is essential for Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites, as well as for the mosquito and liver stages of Plasmodium spp. In contrast, the erythrocytic stages of the malaria parasites rely on scavenging heme from the host red blood cell. The unusual heme synthesis pathway in Apicomplexa spans three cellular compartments and comprises enzymes of distinct ancestral origin, providing promising drug targets. Remarkably given the requirement for heme, T. gondii can tolerate the loss of several heme synthesis enzymes at a high fitness cost, while the ferrochelatase is essential for survival. These findings indicate that T. gondii is capable of salvaging heme precursors from its host. Furthermore, heme is implicated in the activation of the key antimalarial drug artemisinin. Recent findings established that a reduction in heme availability corresponds to decreased sensitivity to artemisinin in T. gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, providing insights into the possible development of combination therapies to tackle apicomplexan parasites. This review describes the microeconomics of heme in Apicomplexa, from supply, either from de novo synthesis or scavenging, to demand by metabolic pathways, including the electron transport chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Kloehn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clare R Harding
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Glasgow, UK
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22
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Ferreira C, Mesquita I, Barbosa AM, Osório NS, Torrado E, Beauparlant CJ, Droit A, Cunha C, Carvalho A, Saha B, Estaquier J, Silvestre R. Glutamine supplementation improves the efficacy of miltefosine treatment for visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008125. [PMID: 32214337 PMCID: PMC7138311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The disturbance of host metabolic pathways by Leishmania parasites has crucial consequences for the activation status of immune cells and the outcome of infection. Glutamine has been described as an immunomodulatory amino acid, yet its role during Leishmania infection is still unknown. Methods We performed transcriptomics in uninfected and L. donovani-infected macrophages 6 hours post-infection. Glutamine quantification by HPLC was assessed in the supernatant of macrophages throughout the infection course. For experimental L. donovani infections, mice were infected with 1.0 x 108 stationary L. donovani promastigotes. Glutaminase (GLS) chemical inhibition was performed using BPTES and glutamine was administered throughout infection. For combined therapy experiment, a daily administration of miltefosine and glutamine was performed by oral gavage. Parasite burden was determined using a Taqman-based assay. Immune cell phenotyping and cytotoxicity were performed in splenic cells using flow cytometry. Findings We show that glutamine is essential for the control of L. donovani infection. Transcriptomic analysis of L. donovani-infected macrophages demonstrated an upregulation of genes involved in glutamine metabolism. Pharmacological inhibition of glutaminolysis significantly increased the susceptibility to infection, accompanied by an increased recruitment of anti-inflammatory myeloid cells and impaired T cell responses. Remarkably, the supplementation of glutamine to mice infected with L. donovani during miltefosine treatment potentiates parasite clearance through the development of a more effective anti-Leishmania adaptive immune response. Conclusions Our data indicates that dietary glutamine supplementation may act as a promising adjuvant for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis is a life threatening neglected tropical disease affecting around 500,000 and killing 50,000 individuals a year. Despite its obligatory dependence on host cell metabolism and the lack of effective, non-toxic, orally bioavailable anti-leishmanial drugs, Leishmania-perturbed host cell metabolomes and its relation to anti-leishmanial chemotherapy remains unexplored. Transcriptomic analysis performed on L. donovani-infected macrophages identified patterns of gene expression associated with glutamine metabolism. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological inhibition of glutaminase (GLS), which catalyzes the first reaction in the primary pathway for the catabolism of glutamine, significantly increased the susceptibility to infection demonstrating the role of glutamine metabolism to L. donovani infection. More importantly, we demonstrated that glutamine supplementation during miltefosine treatment potentiates L. donovani clearance through the development of a more effective anti-Leishmania innate and adaptive immune response. Overall, our work demonstrated that glutamine-miltefosine synergy is a novel combined host- and pathogen-directed treatment for combating visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Inês Mesquita
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Margarida Barbosa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sampaio Osório
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Egídio Torrado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Charles-Joly Beauparlant
- Département de Médecine Moléculaire—Université Laval, Faculté de médecine, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec—Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Département de Médecine Moléculaire—Université Laval, Faculté de médecine, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec—Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Cristina Cunha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Jerôme Estaquier
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec—Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- INSERM U1124, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Silvestre
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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23
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Tewari SG, Swift RP, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A. Metabolic alterations in the erythrocyte during blood-stage development of the malaria parasite. Malar J 2020; 19:94. [PMID: 32103749 PMCID: PMC7045481 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03174-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human blood cells (erythrocytes) serve as hosts for the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during its 48-h intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Established in vitro protocols allow for the study of host–parasite interactions during this phase and, in particular, high-resolution metabolomics can provide a window into host–parasite interactions that support parasite development. Methods Uninfected and parasite-infected erythrocyte cultures were maintained at 2% haematocrit for the duration of the IDC, while parasitaemia was maintained at 7% in the infected cultures. The parasite-infected cultures were synchronized to obtain stage-dependent information of parasite development during the IDC. Samples were collected in quadruplicate at six time points from the uninfected and parasite-infected cultures and global metabolomics was used to analyse cell fractions of these cultures. Results In uninfected and parasite-infected cultures during the IDC, 501 intracellular metabolites, including 223 lipid metabolites, were successfully quantified. Of these, 19 distinct metabolites were present only in the parasite-infected culture, 10 of which increased to twofold in abundance during the IDC. This work quantified approximately five times the metabolites measured in previous studies of similar research scope, which allowed for more detailed analyses. Enrichment in lipid metabolism pathways exhibited a time-dependent association with different classes of lipids during the IDC. Specifically, enrichment occurred in sphingolipids at the earlier stages, and subsequently in lysophospholipid and phospholipid metabolites at the intermediate and end stages of the IDC, respectively. In addition, there was an accumulation of 18-, 20-, and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids, which produce eicosanoids and promote gametocytogenesis in infected erythrocyte cultures. Conclusions The current study revealed a number of heretofore unidentified metabolic components of the host–parasite system, which the parasite may exploit in a time-dependent manner to grow over the course of its development in the blood stage. Notably, the analyses identified components, such as precursors of immunomodulatory molecules, stage-dependent lipid dynamics, and metabolites, unique to parasite-infected cultures. These conclusions are reinforced by the metabolic alterations that were characterized during the IDC, which were in close agreement with those known from previous studies of blood-stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivendra G Tewari
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA. .,The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Russell P Swift
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jaques Reifman
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anders Wallqvist
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA.
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24
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Abstract
This protocol describes the use of 13C-stable isotope labeling, combined with metabolite profiling, to investigate the metabolism of the tachyzoite stage of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii tachyzoites can infect any nucleated cell in their vertebrate (including human) hosts, and utilize a range of carbon sources that freely permeate across the limiting membrane of the specialized vacuole within which they proliferate. Methods for cultivating tachyzoites in human foreskin fibroblasts and metabolically labeling intracellular and naturally egressed tachyzoites with a range of 13C-labeled carbon sources are described. Parasites are harvested and purified from host metabolites, with rapid metabolic quenching and 13C-enrichment in intracellular polar metabolites quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The mass isotopomer distribution of key metabolites is determined using DExSI software. This method can be used to measure perturbations in parasite metabolism induced by drug inhibition or genetic manipulation of enzyme levels and is broadly applicable to other cultured or intracellular parasite stages.
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25
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Zheng S, Loreto R, Smith P, Patterson A, Hughes D, Wang L. Specialist and Generalist Fungal Parasites Induce Distinct Biochemical Changes in the Mandible Muscles of Their Host. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4589. [PMID: 31533250 PMCID: PMC6769763 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Some parasites have evolved the ability to adaptively manipulate host behavior. One notable example is the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato, which has evolved the ability to alter the behavior of ants in ways that enable fungal transmission and lifecycle completion. Because host mandibles are affected by the fungi, we focused on understanding changes in the metabolites of muscles during behavioral modification. We used High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass/Mass (HPLC-MS/MS) to detect the metabolite difference between controls and O. unilateralis-infected ants. There was a significant difference between the global metabolome of O. unilateralis-infected ants and healthy ants, while there was no significant difference between the Beauveria bassiana treatment ants group compared to the healthy ants. A total of 31 and 16 of metabolites were putatively identified from comparisons of healthy ants with O. unilateralis-infected ants and comparisons of B. bassiana with O. unilateralis-infected samples, respectively. This result indicates that the concentrations of sugars, purines, ergothioneine, and hypoxanthine were significantly increased in O. unilateralis-infected ants in comparison to healthy ants and B. bassiana-infected ants. This study provides a comprehensive metabolic approach for understanding the interactions, at the level of host muscles, between healthy ants and fungal parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- College of Plant Protection College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Raquel Loreto
- Center for Infectious Diseases Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasilia 70040-020, DF, Brazil.
| | - Philip Smith
- Metabolomics Core Facility, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Andrew Patterson
- Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - David Hughes
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Liande Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350002, China.
- College of Plant Protection College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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26
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Traven A, Naderer T. Central metabolic interactions of immune cells and microbes: prospects for defeating infections. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:e47995. [PMID: 31267653 PMCID: PMC6607010 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201947995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial drug resistance is threatening to take us to the "pre-antibiotic era", where people are dying from preventable and treatable diseases and the risk of hospital-associated infections compromises the success of surgery and cancer treatments. Development of new antibiotics is slow, and alternative approaches to control infections have emerged based on insights into metabolic pathways in host-microbe interactions. Central carbon metabolism of immune cells is pivotal in mounting an effective response to invading pathogens, not only to meet energy requirements, but to directly activate antimicrobial responses. Microbes are not passive players here-they remodel their metabolism to survive and grow in host environments. Sometimes, microbes might even benefit from the metabolic reprogramming of immune cells, and pathogens such as Candida albicans, Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus can compete with activated host cells for sugars that are needed for essential metabolic pathways linked to inflammatory processes. Here, we discuss how metabolic interactions between innate immune cells and microbes determine their survival during infection, and ways in which metabolism could be manipulated as a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Traven
- Infection and Immunity Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyBiomedicine Discovery InstituteMonash UniversityClaytonVic.Australia
| | - Thomas Naderer
- Infection and Immunity Program and the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyBiomedicine Discovery InstituteMonash UniversityClaytonVic.Australia
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27
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Abstract
It is generally regarded that the progression of an infection within host macrophages is the consequence of a failed immune response. However, recent appreciation of macrophage heterogeneity, with respect to both development and metabolism, indicates that the reality is more complex. Different lineages of tissue-resident macrophages respond divergently to microbial, environmental and immunological stimuli. The emerging picture that the developmental origin of macrophages determines their responses to immune stimulation and to infection stresses the importance of in vivo infection models. Recent investigations into the metabolism of infecting microorganisms and host macrophages indicate that their metabolic interface can be a major determinant of pathogen growth or containment. This Review focuses on the integration of data from existing studies, the identification of challenges in generating and interpreting data from ongoing studies and a discussion of the technologies and tools that are required to best address future questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Russell
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Lu Huang
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Brian C VanderVen
- Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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28
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Acosta H, Burchmore R, Naula C, Gualdrón-López M, Quintero-Troconis E, Cáceres AJ, Michels PAM, Concepción JL, Quiñones W. Proteomic analysis of glycosomes from Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 229:62-74. [PMID: 30831156 PMCID: PMC7082770 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, the first seven steps of glycolysis are compartmentalized in glycosomes, which are authentic but specialized peroxisomes. Besides glycolysis, activity of enzymes of other metabolic processes have been reported to be present in glycosomes, such as β-oxidation of fatty acids, purine salvage, pentose-phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis and biosynthesis of ether-lipids, isoprenoids, sterols and pyrimidines. In this study, we have purified glycosomes from T. cruzi epimastigotes, collected the soluble and membrane fractions of these organelles, and separated peripheral and integral membrane proteins by Na2CO3 treatment and osmotic shock. Proteomic analysis was performed on each of these fractions, allowing us to confirm the presence of enzymes involved in various metabolic pathways as well as identify new components of this parasite's glycosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Acosta
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
| | - Richard Burchmore
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Christina Naula
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Melisa Gualdrón-López
- Instituto Salud Global, Hospital Clinic-Universitat de Barcelona, and Institute for Health Sciences Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ender Quintero-Troconis
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
| | - Ana J Cáceres
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
| | - Paul A M Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Juan Luis Concepción
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
| | - Wilfredo Quiñones
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela.
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29
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Cock IE, Selesho MI, Van Vuuren SF. A review of the traditional use of southern African medicinal plants for the treatment of selected parasite infections affecting humans. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2018; 220:250-264. [PMID: 29621583 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Worldwide, more than three billion cases of parasitic disease are reported yearly and it is likely that this figure is substantially under-estimated. Approximately one in six people globally are estimated to be infected with at least one parasite species annually. In South Africa, the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium (bilharzia) and intestinal worms and helminths are particularly high, especially in children and in crowded or poorer rural communities with inadequate sanitation and nutrition. Despite alarmingly high estimates, medical research into parasitic diseases remains neglected and only malaria receives significant attention and funding. Traditional medicines have been used for centuries in Africa by multiple ethnic groups and many people rely on these healing systems as their primary healthcare modality. The traditional use of South African medicinal plants to treat parasite infestations is relatively well documented, and it is important to link these traditional uses to scientific evidence validating efficacy. AIM OF THE STUDY To document the medicinal plants used for parasitic infections and critically review the literature on the anti-parasitic properties of South African plants against some neglected parasitic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS A review of the literature (ethnobotanical books and publications documenting traditional plant use) was undertaken related to specific medicinal use for parasitic infections in Southern Africa. Inclusion criteria focused on human use. Exclusion criteria included veterinary use and malaria due to the extensive nature of these subject matters. An in-depth analysis of previous studies was undertaken and future prospectives are considered. RESULTS In particular, bilharzia, gastrointestinal worms and helminths, ectoparasites, trichomoniasis, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are reviewed with special emphasis on the gaps in research. CONCLUSIONS Despite the availability of relatively extensive ethnobotanical records on the anti-parasitic properties of southern African medicinal plants, the antiparasitic properties of many plants have been poorly examined. There was in many instances a lack of evidence to support traditional use of many species towards some parasites and research is urgently needed in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- I E Cock
- School of Natural Sciences, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia; Environmental Futures Research Institute, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - M I Selesho
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, Gauteng 2193, South Africa
| | - S F Van Vuuren
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, Gauteng 2193, South Africa.
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30
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Sarkar A, Khan YA, Laranjeira-Silva MF, Andrews NW, Mittra B. Quantification of Intracellular Growth Inside Macrophages is a Fast and Reliable Method for Assessing the Virulence of Leishmania Parasites. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29608175 DOI: 10.3791/57486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The lifecycle of Leishmania, the causative agent of leishmaniasis, alternates between promastigote and amastigote stages inside the insect and vertebrate hosts, respectively. While pathogenic symptoms of leishmaniasis can vary widely, from benign cutaneous lesions to highly fatal visceral disease forms depending on the infective species, all Leishmania species reside inside host macrophages during the vertebrate stage of their lifecycle. Leishmania infectivity is therefore directly related to its ability to invade, survive and replicate within parasitophorous vacuoles (PVs) inside macrophages. Thus, assessing the parasite's ability to replicate intracellularly serves as a dependable method for determining virulence. Studying leishmaniasis development using animal models is time-consuming, tedious and often difficult, particularly with the pathogenically important visceral forms. We describe here a methodology to follow the intracellular development of Leishmania in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). Intracellular parasite numbers are determined at 24 h intervals for 72 - 96 h following infection. This method allows for a reliable determination of the effects of various genetic factors on Leishmania virulence. As an example, we show how a single allele deletion of the Leishmania Mitochondrial Iron Transporter gene (LMIT1) impairs the ability of the Leishmania amazonensis mutant strain LMIT1/ΔLmit1 to grow inside BMMs, reflecting a drastic reduction in virulence compared to wild-type. This assay also allows precise control of experimental conditions, which can be individually manipulated to analyze the influence of various factors (nutrients, reactive oxygen species, etc.) on the host-pathogen interaction. Therefore, the appropriate execution and quantification of BMM infection studies provide a non-invasive, rapid, economical, safe and reliable alternative to conventional animal model studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Sarkar
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland
| | - Yousuf A Khan
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland
| | | | - Norma W Andrews
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland
| | - Bidyottam Mittra
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland;
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31
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Saunders EC, Naderer T, Chambers J, Landfear SM, McConville MJ. Leishmania mexicana can utilize amino acids as major carbon sources in macrophages but not in animal models. Mol Microbiol 2018; 108:143-158. [PMID: 29411460 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites target macrophages in their mammalian hosts and proliferate within the mature phagolysosome compartment of these cells. Intracellular amastigote stages are dependent on sugars as a major carbon source in vivo, but retain the capacity to utilize other carbon sources. To investigate whether amastigotes can switch to using other carbon sources, we have screened for suppressor strains of the L. mexicana Δlmxgt1-3 mutant which lacks the major glucose transporters LmxGT1-3. We identified a novel suppressor line (Δlmxgt1-3s2 ) that has restored growth in rich culture medium and virulence in ex vivo infected macrophages, but failed to induce lesions in mice. Δlmxgt1-3s2 amastigotes had lower rates of glucose utilization than the parental line and primarily catabolized non-essential amino acids. The increased mitochondrial metabolism of this line was associated with elevated levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species, as well as increased sensitivity to inhibitors of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, including nitric oxide. These results suggest that hardwired sugar addiction of Leishmania amastigotes contributes to the intrinsic resistance of this stage to macrophage microbicidal processes in vivo, and that these stages have limited capacity to switch to using other carbon sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor C Saunders
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Thomas Naderer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Jenny Chambers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Scott M Landfear
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Malcolm J McConville
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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32
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Metabolomic Profiling of the Malaria Box Reveals Antimalarial Target Pathways. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:6635-6649. [PMID: 27572391 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01224-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The threat of widespread drug resistance to frontline antimalarials has renewed the urgency for identifying inexpensive chemotherapeutic compounds that are effective against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite species responsible for the greatest number of malaria-related deaths worldwide. To aid in the fight against malaria, a recent extensive screening campaign has generated thousands of lead compounds with low micromolar activity against blood stage parasites. A subset of these leads has been compiled by the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) into a collection of structurally diverse compounds known as the MMV Malaria Box. Currently, little is known regarding the activity of these Malaria Box compounds on parasite metabolism during intraerythrocytic development, and a majority of the targets for these drugs have yet to be defined. Here we interrogated the in vitro metabolic effects of 189 drugs (including 169 of the drug-like compounds from the Malaria Box) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The resulting metabolic fingerprints provide information on the parasite biochemical pathways affected by pharmacologic intervention and offer a critical blueprint for selecting and advancing lead compounds as next-generation antimalarial drugs. Our results reveal several major classes of metabolic disruption, which allow us to predict the mode of action (MoA) for many of the Malaria Box compounds. We anticipate that future combination therapies will be greatly informed by these results, allowing for the selection of appropriate drug combinations that simultaneously target multiple metabolic pathways, with the aim of eliminating malaria and forestalling the expansion of drug-resistant parasites in the field.
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