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Hanada T, Empitu MA, Mines GI, Ma Q, Omorodion IL, Link A, Schwake CJ, Krueger RM, DaRosa NS, Levin AE, Vannier E, Chishti AH. Identification of Babesia microti immunoreactive antigens by phage display cDNA screen. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0021524. [PMID: 38884473 PMCID: PMC11238553 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00215-24] [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: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis is a malaria-like illness caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. Babesia microti is responsible for most cases of human babesiosis in the United States, particularly in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. Babesia microti is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected deer ticks but also through the transfusion of blood components, particularly red blood cells. There is a high risk of severe and even fatal disease in immunocompromised patients. To date, serology testing relies on an indirect immunofluorescence assay that uses the whole Babesia microti antigen. Here, we report the construction of phage display cDNA libraries from Babesia microti-infected erythrocytes as well as human reticulocytes obtained from donors with hereditary hemochromatosis. Plasma samples were obtained from patients who were or had been infected with Babesia microti. The non-specific antibody reactivity of these plasma samples was minimized by pre-exposure to the human reticulocyte library. Using this novel experimental strategy, immunoreactive segments were identified in three Babesia microti antigens termed BmSA1 (also called BMN1-9; BmGPI12), BMN1-20 (BMN1-17; Bm32), and BM4.12 (N1-15). Moreover, our findings indicate that the major immunoreactive segment of BmSA1 does not overlap with the segment that mediates BmSA1 binding to mature erythrocytes. When used in combination, the three immunoreactive segments form the basis of a sensitive and comprehensive diagnostic immunoassay for human babesiosis, with implications for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiko Hanada
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maulana A. Empitu
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Pharmacology and Drug Development, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gregory I. Mines
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qianni Ma
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Pharmacology and Drug Development, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Iziegbe L. Omorodion
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Pharmacology and Drug Development, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ansel Link
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher J. Schwake
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel M. Krueger
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicholas S. DaRosa
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Edouard Vannier
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Athar H. Chishti
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Pharmacology and Drug Development, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Chand M, Vydyam P, Pal AC, Thekkiniath J, Darif D, Li Z, Choi JY, Magni R, Luchini A, Tonnetti L, Horn EJ, Tufts DM, Ben Mamoun C. A Set of Diagnostic Tests for Detection of Active Babesia duncani Infection. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.25.24304816. [PMID: 38585766 PMCID: PMC10996717 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.24304816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Human babesiosis is a rapidly emerging and potentially fatal tick-borne disease caused by intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasites of the Babesia genus. Among the various species of Babesia that infect humans, B. duncani has been found to cause severe and life-threatening infections. Detection of active B. duncani infection is critical for accurate diagnosis and effective management of the disease. While molecular assays for the detection of B. duncani infection in blood are available, a reliable strategy to detect biomarkers of active infection has not yet been developed. Here, we report the development of the first B. duncani antigen capture assays that rely on the detection of two B. duncani -exported immunodominant antigens, BdV234 and BdV38. The assays were validated using blood samples from cultured parasites in human erythrocytes and B. duncani -infected laboratory mice at different parasitemia levels and following therapy. The assays display high specificity with no cross-reactivity with B. microti , B. divergens , Babesia MO1, or P. falciparum. The assay also demonstrates high sensitivity, detecting as low as 115 infected erythrocytes/µl of blood. Screening of 1,731 blood samples from diverse biorepositories, including previously identified Lyme and/or B. microti positive human samples and new specimens from field mice, showed no evidence of B. duncani infection in these samples. The assays could be useful in diverse diagnostic scenarios, including point-of-care testing for early B. duncani infection detection in patients, field tests for screening reservoir hosts, and high-throughput screening such as blood collected for transfusion. Short summary We developed two ELISA-based assays, BdACA38 and BdACA234, for detecting B. duncani , a potentially fatal tick-borne parasite causing human babesiosis. The assays target two immunodominant antigens, BdV234 and BdV38, demonstrating high specificity (no cross-reactivity with other Babesia species or Plasmodium falciparum ) and sensitivity (detecting as low as 115 infected erythrocytes/µl). The assays were validated using in vitro-cultured parasites and infected mice. Screening diverse blood samples showed no evidence of B. duncani active infection among 1,731 human and field mice blood samples collected from the north-eastern, midwestern, and western US. These assays offer potential in diverse diagnostic scenarios, including early patient detection, reservoir animal screening, and transfusion-transmitted babesiosis prevention.
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Cai YC, Yang CL, Song P, Chen M, Chen JX. The protective effects of BMSA1 and BMSA5-1-1 proteins against Babesia microti infection. PARASITES, HOSTS AND DISEASES 2024; 62:53-63. [PMID: 38443770 PMCID: PMC10915264 DOI: 10.3347/phd.23077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Babesia microti is among the most significant species causing human babesiosis and is an emerging threat to human health worldwide. Unravelling the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of babesiosis is crucial in developing new diagnostic and preventive methods. This study assessed how priming with B. microti surface antigen 1 (BHSA 1) and seroreactive antigen 5-1-1 (BHSA 5-1-1) mediate protection against B. microti infection. The results showed that 500 µg/ml rBMSA1 and rBMSA5-1-1 partially inhibited the invasion of B. microti in vitro by 42.0 ± 3.0%, and 48.0 ± 2.1%, respectively. Blood smears revealed that peak infection at 7 days post-infection (dpi) was 19.6%, 24.7%, and 46.7% in the rBMSA1, rBmSA5-1-1, compared to the control groups (healthy mice infected with B. microti only), respectively. Routine blood tests showed higher white blood cell, red blood cell counts, and haemoglobin levels in the 2 groups (BMSA1 and BMSA5 5-1-1) than in the infection control group at 0-28 dpi. Moreover, the 2 groups had higher serum interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-17A levels, and lower IL-10 levels than the infection control group throughout the study. These 2 potential vaccine candidate proteins partially inhibit in vitro and in vivo B. microti infection and enhance host immunological response against B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chun Cai
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200025,
China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research)
| | - Chun Li Yang
- Department of Clinical Research, the 903rd Hospital of PLA, Hangzhou 310013,
China
| | - Peng Song
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200025,
China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research)
| | - Muxin Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200025,
China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research)
| | - Jia Xu Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Public Health; WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200025,
China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research)
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Meredith S, Majam V, Zheng H, Verma N, Puri A, Akue A, KuKuruga M, Oakley M, Kumar S. Protective efficacy and correlates of immunity of immunodominant recombinant Babesia microti antigens. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0016223. [PMID: 37728332 PMCID: PMC10580920 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00162-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti, an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasite, is the primary causative agent of human babesiosis and an emerging threat to public health in the United States and elsewhere. An effective vaccine against B. microti would reduce disease severity in acute babesiosis patients and shorten the parasitemic period in asymptomatic individuals, thereby minimizing the risk of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis. Here we report on immunogenicity, protective efficacy, and correlates of immunity following immunization with four immunodominant recombinantly produced B. microti antigens-Serine Reactive Antigen 1 (SERA1), Maltese Cross Form Related Protein 1 (MCFRP1), Piroplasm β-Strand Domain 1 (PiβS1), and Babesia microti Alpha Helical Cell Surface Protein 1 (BAHCS1)-delivered subcutaneously in Montanide ISA 51/CpG adjuvant in three doses to BALB/c mice. Following B. microti parasite challenge, BAHCS1 led to the highest reduction in peak parasitemia (67.8%), followed by SERA1 (44.8%) and MCFRP1 (41.9%); PiβS1 (27.6%) had minimal protective effect. All four B. microti antigens induced high ELISA total IgG and each isotype; however, antibody levels did not directly correlate with anti-parasitic activity in mice. Increased prechallenge levels of some cell populations including follicular helper T cells (TFH) and memory B cells, along with a set of six cytokines [IL-1α, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-12(p40), and G-CSF] that belong to both innate and adaptive immune responses, were generally associated with protective immunity. Our results indicate that mechanisms driving recombinant B. microti antigen-induced immunity are complex and multifactorial. We think that BAHCS1 warrants further evaluation in preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Meredith
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Majam
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Hong Zheng
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Nitin Verma
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Ankit Puri
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Adovi Akue
- Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark KuKuruga
- Division of Bacterial, Parasitic, and Allergenic Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Miranda Oakley
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Sanjai Kumar
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Gagnon J, Timalsina S, Choi JY, Chand M, Singh P, Lamba P, Gaur G, Pal AC, Mootien S, Marcos LA, Ben Mamoun C, Ledizet M. Specific and Sensitive Diagnosis of Babesia microti Active Infection Using Monoclonal Antibodies to the Immunodominant Antigen BmGPI12. J Clin Microbiol 2022; 60:e0092522. [PMID: 36040206 PMCID: PMC9491189 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00925-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan pathogen Babesia microti is responsible for most cases of human babesiosis worldwide. The disease, which presents as a malaria-like illness, is potentially fatal in immunocompromised or elderly patients, making the need for its accurate and early diagnosis an urgent public health concern. B. microti is transmitted primarily by Ixodes ticks but can also be transmitted via blood transfusion. The parasite completes its asexual reproduction in the host red blood cell, where each invading merozoite develops and multiplies to produce four daughter parasites. While various techniques, such as microscopy, PCR, and indirect fluorescence, have been used over the years for babesiosis diagnosis, detection of the secreted B. microti immunodominant antigen BmGPI12 using specific polyclonal antibodies was found to be the most effective method for the diagnosis of active infection and for evaluation of clearance following drug treatment. Here, we report the development of a panel of 16 monoclonal antibodies against BmGPI12. These antibodies detected secreted BmGPI12 in the plasma of infected humans. Antigen capture assays identified a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, 4C8 and 1E11, as a basis for a monoclonal antibody-based BmGPI12 capture assay (mGPAC) to detect active B. microti infection. Using a collection of 105 previously characterized human plasma samples, the mGPAC assay showed 97.1% correlation with RNA-based PCR (transcription-mediated amplification [TMA]) for positive and negative samples. The mGPAC assay also detected BmGPI12 in the plasma of six babesiosis patients at the time of diagnosis but not in three matched posttreatment samples. The mGPAC assay could thus be used alone or in combination with other assays for accurate detection of active B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jae-Yeon Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicinegrid.471390.8, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Meenal Chand
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicinegrid.471390.8, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Pallavi Singh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicinegrid.471390.8, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Pooja Lamba
- Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Gauri Gaur
- L2 Diagnostics, LLC, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Anasuya C. Pal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicinegrid.471390.8, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sara Mootien
- L2 Diagnostics, LLC, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Luis A. Marcos
- Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicinegrid.471390.8, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Delbecq S. Major Surface Antigens in Zoonotic Babesia. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11010099. [PMID: 35056047 PMCID: PMC8780968 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis results from a combination of tick tropism for humans, susceptibility of a host to sustain Babesia development, and contact with infected ticks. Climate modifications and increasing diagnostics have led to an expanded number of Babesia species responsible for human babesiosis, although, to date, most cases have been attributed to B. microti and B. divergens. These two species have been extensively studied, and in this review, we mostly focus on the antigens involved in host–parasite interactions. We present features of the major antigens, so-called Bd37 in B. divergens and BmSA1/GPI12 in B. microti, and highlight the roles of these antigens in both host cell invasion and immune response. A comparison of these antigens with the major antigens found in some other Apicomplexa species emphasizes the importance of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins in host–parasite relationships. GPI-anchor cleavage, which is a property of such antigens, leads to soluble and membrane-bound forms of these proteins, with potentially differential recognition by the host immune system. This mechanism is discussed as the structural basis for the protein-embedded immune escape mechanism. In conclusion, the potential consequences of such a mechanism on the management of both human and animal babesiosis is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephane Delbecq
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, UMR CNRS 5048, 34090 Montpellier, France
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7
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Meredith S, Oakley M, Kumar S. Technologies for Detection of Babesia microti: Advances and Challenges. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10121563. [PMID: 34959518 PMCID: PMC8703551 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10121563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The biology of intraerythrocytic Babesia parasites presents unique challenges for the diagnosis of human babesiosis. Antibody-based assays are highly sensitive but fail to detect early stage Babesia infections prior to seroconversion (window period) and cannot distinguish between an active infection and a previously resolved infection. On the other hand, nucleic acid-based tests (NAT) may lack the sensitivity to detect window cases when parasite burden is below detection limits and asymptomatic low-grade infections. Recent technological advances have improved the sensitivity, specificity and high throughput of NAT and the antibody-based detection of Babesia. Some of these advances include genomics approaches for the identification of novel high-copy-number targets for NAT and immunodominant antigens for superior antigen and antibody-based assays for Babesia. Future advances would also rely on next generation sequencing and CRISPR technology to improve Babesia detection. This review article will discuss the historical perspective and current status of technologies for the detection of Babesia microti, the most common Babesia species causing human babesiosis in the United States, and their implications for early diagnosis of acute babesiosis, blood safety and surveillance studies to monitor areas of expansion and emergence and spread of Babesia species and their genetic variants in the United States and globally.
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Wang H, Wang Y, Huang J, Xu B, Chen J, Dai J, Zhou X. Babesia microti Protein BmSP44 Is a Novel Protective Antigen in a Mouse Model of Babesiosis. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1437. [PMID: 32733477 PMCID: PMC7358449 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis caused by Babesia species imposes an increasing threat to public-health and so far, there is no effective vaccine to prevent Babesia infections. Babesia surface antigen may participate in the invasion of erythrocytes. In our previous study, a surface antigen of B. microti merozoites, named as BmSP44 was identified as a dominant reactive antigen by protein microarray screening. To evaluate its potential applications in diagnosis and prevention of Babesiosis, the open reading frame encoding BmSP44 was cloned and the recombinant protein was expressed. In consistent with the protein microarray result, recombinant BmSP44 (rBmSP44) can be recognized by sera from B. microti infected mice. Immunofluorescence assays (IFA) confirmed that BmSP44 is a secreted protein and localized principally in the cytoplasm of the parasites. The parasitemia and Babesia gene copies were lower in mice administered rBmSP44 antisera compared with normal controls. Active immunization with rBmSP44 also afforded protection against B. microti infection. The concentrations of hemoglobin in rBmSP44 immunization group were higher than those in the control group. Importantly, vaccination of mice with rBmSP44 resulted in a Th1/Th2 mixed immune response with significantly elevated IL-10 and IFN-γ levels during the early stage of infection. Taken together, our results indicated that rBmSP44 can induce a protective immune response against Babesia infection. Thus, BmSP44 can be used as both a diagnosis marker and a vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- School of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University Medical College, Suzhou, China
| | - Yao Wang
- School of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University Medical College, Suzhou, China
| | - Jilei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Junhu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianfeng Dai
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xia Zhou
- School of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University Medical College, Suzhou, China
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9
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Verma N, Puri A, Essuman E, Skelton R, Anantharaman V, Zheng H, White S, Gunalan K, Takeda K, Bajpai S, Lepore TJ, Krause PJ, Aravind L, Kumar S. Antigen Discovery, Bioinformatics and Biological Characterization of Novel Immunodominant Babesia microti Antigens. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9598. [PMID: 32533024 PMCID: PMC7293334 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66273-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti is an intraerythrocytic parasite and the primary causative agent of human babesiosis. It is transmitted by Ixodes ticks, transfusion of blood and blood products, organ donation, and perinatally. Despite its global public health impact, limited progress has been made to identify and characterize immunodominant B. microti antigens for diagnostic and vaccine use. Using genome-wide immunoscreening, we identified 56 B. microti antigens, including some previously uncharacterized antigens. Thirty of the most immunodominant B. microti antigens were expressed as recombinant proteins in E. coli. Among these, the combined use of two novel antigens and one previously described antigen provided 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity in identifying B. microti antibody containing sera in an ELISA. Using extensive computational sequence and bioinformatics analyses and cellular localization studies, we have clarified the domain architectures, potential biological functions, and evolutionary relationships of the most immunodominant B. microti antigens. Notably, we found that the BMN-family antigens are not monophyletic as currently annotated, but rather can be categorized into two evolutionary unrelated groups of BMN proteins respectively defined by two structurally distinct classes of extracellular domains. Our studies have enhanced the repertoire of immunodominant B. microti antigens, and assigned potential biological function to these antigens, which can be evaluated to develop novel assays and candidate vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitin Verma
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Ankit Puri
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Edward Essuman
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Richard Skelton
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Vivek Anantharaman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Hong Zheng
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Siera White
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Karthigayan Gunalan
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Kazuyo Takeda
- Lab Of Method Development, Office of Vaccine Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Surabhi Bajpai
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali, 304022, India
| | | | - Peter J Krause
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - L Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20894, USA
| | - Sanjai Kumar
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
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10
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Li M, Ao Y, Guo J, Nie Z, Liu Q, Yu L, Luo X, Zhan X, Zhao Y, Wang S, An X, He L, Zhao J. Surface Antigen 1 Is a Crucial Secreted Protein That Mediates Babesia microti Invasion Into Host Cells. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:3046. [PMID: 32010102 PMCID: PMC6974462 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti, a tick-borne intraerythrocytic zoonotic protozoan, causes most of human babesiosis in the world, and patients usually experience intermittent fever, fatigue, and chills, followed by a combination of additional symptoms and even death in severe cases. Unfortunately, there is no curable drug or effective vaccine available, and the mechanism of related virulence factors in invasion to host cells during the merozoite stage is unclear. Here, we evaluated a secreted protein annotated as B. microti surface antigen 1 (BmSA1) and identified from in vitro culture supernatant by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). BmSA1 fragment was expressed in Escherichia coli to prepare polyclonal antiserum. Western blot analysis revealed the existence of BmSA1 in the lysate of the parasites and the hemolysate of infected red blood cells (iRBCs). Laser confocal microscopy confirmed BmSA1 as a secreted protein with diffuse distribution around the parasites in red blood cells (RBCs). The adhesion capacity of BmSA1 against the host RBCs was tested by RBC binding assays using the recombinant BmSA1 protein (rBmSA1), which was shown to specifically bind to host RBCs. Further in vitro antiserum-neutralization test demonstrated that the growth of parasites could be significantly inhibited by the anti-BmSA1 antiserum. These results indicate that BmSA1 is a crucial factor for B. microti invasion into host RBCs with an important role in host-parasite interactions during the merozoite stage and has the potential use as a vaccine candidate due to its high secretion amount.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muxiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangsiqi Ao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiaying Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Long Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoying Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xueyan Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangnan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaomeng An
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lan He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemical Disease and Infectious Zoonoses, Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemical Disease and Infectious Zoonoses, Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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11
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Thekkiniath J, Kilian N, Lawres L, Gewirtz MA, Graham MM, Liu X, Ledizet M, Ben Mamoun C. Evidence for vesicle-mediated antigen export by the human pathogen Babesia microti. Life Sci Alliance 2019; 2:2/3/e201900382. [PMID: 31196872 PMCID: PMC6572159 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201900382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Babesia microti undergoes unique morphogenesis during its development within human and mouse red blood cells and uses a novel vesicle-based system for export of antigens into the host cell and environment. The apicomplexan parasite Babesia microti is the primary agent of human babesiosis, a malaria-like illness and potentially fatal tick-borne disease. Unlike its close relatives, the agents of human malaria, B. microti develops within human and mouse red blood cells in the absence of a parasitophorous vacuole, and its secreted antigens lack trafficking motifs found in malarial secreted antigens. Here, we show that after invasion of erythrocytes, B. microti undergoes a major morphogenic change during which it produces an interlacement of vesicles (IOV); the IOV system extends from the plasma membrane of the parasite into the cytoplasm of the host erythrocyte. We developed antibodies against two immunodominant antigens of the parasite and used them in cell fractionation studies and fluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy analyses to monitor the mode of secretion of B. microti antigens. These analyses demonstrate that the IOV system serves as a major export mechanism for important antigens of B. microti and represents a novel mechanism for delivery of parasite effectors into the host by this apicomplexan parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Thekkiniath
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicole Kilian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lauren Lawres
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Meital A Gewirtz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Morven M Graham
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xinran Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michel Ledizet
- L2 Diagnostics, Limited Liability Corporation, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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12
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Elton CM, Rodriguez M, Ben Mamoun C, Lobo CA, Wright GJ. A library of recombinant Babesia microti cell surface and secreted proteins for diagnostics discovery and reverse vaccinology. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:115-125. [PMID: 30367868 PMCID: PMC6406021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Human babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne parasitic disease and blood transfusion-transmitted infection primarily caused by the apicomplexan parasite, Babesia microti. There is no licensed vaccine for B. microti and the development of a reliable serological screening test would contribute to ensuring the safety of the donated blood supply. The recent sequencing of the B. microti genome has revealed many novel genes encoding proteins that can now be tested for their suitability as subunit vaccine candidates and diagnostic serological markers. Extracellular proteins are considered excellent vaccine candidates and serological markers because they are directly exposed to the host humoral immune system, but can be challenging to express as soluble recombinant proteins. We have recently developed an approach based on a mammalian expression system that can produce large panels of functional recombinant cell surface and secreted parasite proteins. Here, we use the B. microti genome sequence to identify 54 genes that are predicted to encode surface-displayed and secreted proteins expressed during the blood stages, and show that 41 (76%) are expressed using our method at detectable levels. We demonstrate that the proteins contain conformational, heat-labile, epitopes and use them to serologically profile the kinetics of the humoral immune responses to two strains of B. microti in a murine infection model. Using sera from validated human infections, we show a concordance in the host antibody responses to B. microti infections in mouse and human hosts. Finally, we show that BmSA1 expressed in mammalian cells can elicit high antibody titres in vaccinated mice using a human-compatible adjuvant but these antibodies did not affect the pathology of infection in vivo. Our library of recombinant B. microti cell surface and secreted antigens constitutes a valuable resource that could contribute to the development of a serological diagnostic test, vaccines, and elucidate the molecular basis of host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Elton
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Marilis Rodriguez
- New York Blood Center, Blood Borne Parasites, 310 E. 67th Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Infectious Diseases, PO Box 208056, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8056, USA
| | - Cheryl A Lobo
- New York Blood Center, Blood Borne Parasites, 310 E. 67th Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Gavin J Wright
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom.
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13
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Thekkiniath J, Mootien S, Lawres L, Perrin BA, Gewirtz M, Krause PJ, Williams S, Doggett JS, Ledizet M, Ben Mamoun C. BmGPAC, an Antigen Capture Assay for Detection of Active Babesia microti Infection. J Clin Microbiol 2018; 56:e00067-18. [PMID: 30093394 PMCID: PMC6156295 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00067-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia Most cases of human babesiosis are caused by Babesia microti and often manifest in individuals over the age of 50 years or in patients with a compromised immune system. Patients who develop symptomatic B. microti infections usually experience months of asymptomatic infection after the acute infection has resolved. About one-fifth of B. microti-infected adults never develop symptoms. These asymptomatically infected individuals sometimes donate blood and thus can transmit B. microti through blood transfusion. Current assays for detection of active B. microti infections can be used to screen donor blood prior to transfusion, but they rely primarily on microscopy or PCR methods, which have sensitivity and technical limitations. Here we report the development of an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (BmGPAC) based on a major secreted immunodominant antigen of B. microti (BmGPI12/BmSA1), and we provide evidence that this assay is superior for detection of active B. microti infections, compared to available microscopy methods and serological assays. The assay has been evaluated using supernatants of B. microti-infected erythrocytes cultured in vitro, sera from B. microti-infected laboratory mice, and sera from wild mice and human patients. Our data suggest that the BmGPAC assay is a reliable assay for detection of active B. microti infections and is superior to real-time PCR and antibody assays for diagnosis of acute B. microti infections, screening of the blood supply, and epidemiological surveys of humans and animal reservoir hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Thekkiniath
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sara Mootien
- L2 Diagnostics, LLC, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Lauren Lawres
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Benjamin A Perrin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Meital Gewirtz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Peter J Krause
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Scott Williams
- Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | | | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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14
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Cai YC, Wu F, Hu W, Chen J, Chen SH, Xu B, Lu Y, Ai L, Yang CL, Zhao S. Molecular characterization of Babesia microti seroreactive antigen 5-1-1 and development of rapid detection methods for anti-B. microti antibodies in serum. Acta Trop 2018; 185:371-379. [PMID: 29559329 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Babesiosis has become a new global threat impacting human health, and most human babesiosis cases are caused by Babesia microti. Until now few antigens of B. microti have been described which can be used for the diagnosis of human babesiosis. In the present study, we report on the bioinformatic analysis, cloning and expression of the sequence encoding the B. microti seroreactive antigen 5-1-1 to investigate its potential incorporation in serologic diagnostic tools for babesiosis. Bioinformatic analysis and recombinant gene expression were performed to molecularly characterize seroreactive antigen 5-1-1. Enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL)-Western blot methods were used to detect specific antibodies in infected mice. Immunofluorescence antibody assays (IFA) were performed to detect the localization of BmSA5-1-1 in B. microti parasites. ELISA and immunochromatographic (ICT) tests were developed using recombinant BmSA5-1-1 to evaluate its potential use in rapid detection methods for B. microti antibodies and for the diagnosis of babesiosis. A recombinant expression plasmid was constructed by inserting the target gene fragment in the pET28a vector after double digestion with BamHI and XhoI restriction enzymes. The recombinant BmSA5-1-1 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli (rBmSA5-1-1) and purified by means of Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) agarose columns. Polyclonal antibodies were generated against rBmSA5-1-1. Based on indirect immunofluorescence assay results, BmSA5-1-1 appeared to localize on the surface of B. microti. ELISA tests using the rBmSA5-1-1 antigen detected specific antibodies from infected mice as early as 4 days post-infection. Our results indicate that the two methods we developed can detect specific antibodies in mice at different stages of infection with sensitivities of 100% (rBmSA5-1-1 ELISA) and 90% (ICT). The specificity of the two methods was 100%. Sera of patients suffering from other closely related parasitic diseases, such as malaria and toxoplasmosis, produced negative results. In conclusion, seroreactive antigen 5-1-1, a member of the BMN1 protein family, is expressed on the outer surface of B. microti and is a promising candidate antigen for the early diagnosis of babesiosis. rBmSA5-1-1 ELISA and ICT methods show good potential for detecting specific antibodies in mice at different stages of infection.
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15
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Performance Evaluation of a Prototype Architect Antibody Assay for Babesia microti. J Clin Microbiol 2018; 56:JCM.00460-18. [PMID: 29743308 PMCID: PMC6062809 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00460-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-borne protozoan Babesia microti is responsible for more than 200 cases of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis (TTB) infection in the United States that have occurred over the last 30 years. Measures to mitigate the risk of TTB include nucleic acid testing (NAT) and B. microti antibody testing. A fully automated prototype B. microti antibody test was developed on the Architect instrument. The specificity was determined to be 99.98% in volunteer blood donors (n = 28,740) from areas considered to have low endemicity for B. microti The sensitivity of the prototype test was studied in experimentally infected macaques; a total of 128 samples were detected as positive whereas 125 were detected as positive with an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test; additionally, 83 (89.2%) of the PCR-positive samples were detected in contrast to 81 (87.1%) using an IFA test. All PCR-positive samples that tested negative in the prototype antibody test were preseroconversion period samples. Following seroconversion, periods of intermittent parasitemia occurred; 17 PCR-negative samples drawn in between PCR-positive bleed dates tested positive both by the prototype test (robust reactivity) and IFA test (marginal reactivity) prior to the administration of therapeutic drugs, indicating that the PCR test failed to detect samples from persistently infected macaques. The prototype assay detected 56 of 58 (96.6%) human subjects diagnosed with clinical babesiosis by both PCR and IFA testing. Overall, the prototype anti-Babesia assay provides a highly sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of B. microti infection. While PCR is preferred for detection of window-period parasitemia, antibody tests detect infected subjects during periods of low-level parasitemia.
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16
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Xu B, Liu XF, Cai YC, Huang JL, Zhang RX, Chen JH, Cheng XJ, Zhou X, Xu XN, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Chen SB, Li J, Wu QF, Sun CS, Fu YF, Chen JX, Zhou XN, Hu W. Screening for biomarkers reflecting the progression of Babesia microti infection. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:379. [PMID: 29970143 PMCID: PMC6029176 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2951-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Babesiosis is caused by the invasion of erythrocytes by parasites of the Babesia spp. Babesia microti is one of the primary causative agents of human babesiosis. To better understand the status of the disease, discovering key biomarkers of the different infection stages is crucial. Results This study investigated B. microti infection in the mouse model from 0 to 270 days post-infection (dpi), using blood smears, PCR assays and ELISA. PCR assays showed a higher sensitivity when compared to microscopic examination. Specific IgG antibodies could be detected from 7 days to 270 dpi. Two-dimensional electrophoresis was combined with western blotting and mass spectrometric analysis to screen for specific reactive antigens during both the peak parasitaemia period (7 dpi) and IgG antibody response peak period (30 dpi) by the infected mice plasma. The 87 positive reactive proteins were identified and then expressed with the wheat germ cell-free system. Protein microarrays of all 87 targeted proteins were produced and hybridized with the serial plasma of infected mice model. Based on the antigen reaction profile during the infection procedure, 6 antigens were selected and expressed in Escherichia coli. Due to an early response to IgM, lower immunoreactivity levels of IgG after two months and higher immunoreactivity level IgG during nine months, four recombinant proteins were selected for further characterization, namely rBm2D97(CCF75281.1), rBm2D33(CCF74637.1), rBm2D41(CCF75408.1) and rBm7(CCF73510.1). The diagnostic efficacy of the four recombinant protein candidates was evaluated in a clinical setting using babesiosis patient plasma. The rBm2D33 showed the highest sensitivity with a positive rate of 62.5%. Additional characterization of the two candidate proteins using a mouse vaccination assay, demonstrated that rBm2D41 could reduce peak parasitaemia by 37.4%, indicating its efficacy in preventing severe babesiosis. Conclusions The detection technologies of microscopic examination, PCR assays and antibody tests showed different sensitivities and accuracy during the different stages of B. microti infection. Antibody detection has a unique significance for B. microti infection in the asymptomatic stages. Using immunoreactivity profiles, biomarkers for disease progression were identified and represent useful information for future the diagnosis and vaccine development for this serious disease of public health significance. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2951-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Xu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiu-Feng Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Chun Cai
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji-Lei Huang
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui-Xiang Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Hu Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xun-Jia Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Zhou
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Nian Xu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Zhang
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Shen-Bo Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qun-Feng Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Song Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Feng Fu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Xu Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Hu
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases; National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Microbiology and Microbial Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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17
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Momčilović S, Cantacessi C, Arsić-Arsenijević V, Otranto D, Tasić-Otašević S. Rapid diagnosis of parasitic diseases: current scenario and future needs. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 25:290-309. [PMID: 29730224 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasitic diseases are one of the world's most devastating and prevalent infections, causing millions of morbidities and mortalities annually. In the past, many of these infections have been linked predominantly to tropical or subtropical areas. Nowadays, however, climatic and vector ecology changes, a significant increase in international travel, armed conflicts, and migration of humans and animals have influenced the transmission of some parasitic diseases from 'book pages' to reality in developed countries. It has also been noted that many patients who have never travelled to endemic areas suffer from blood-borne infections caused by protozoa. In the light of existing knowledge, this new trend can be explained by the fact that in the process of migration a large number of asymptomatic carriers become a part of the blood bank donor and transplant donor populations. Accurate and rapid diagnosis represents the crucial weapon in the fight against parasitic infections. AIMS To review old and new approaches for rapid diagnosis of parasitic infections. SOURCES Data for this review were obtained through searches of PubMed using combinations of the following terms: parasitological diagnostics, microscopy, lateral flow assays, immunochromatographic assays, multiplex-PCR, and transplantation. CONTENT In this review, we provide a brief account of the advantages and limitations of rapid methods for diagnosis of parasitic diseases and focus our attention on current and future research in this area. The approximate costs associated with the use of different techniques and their applicability in endemic and non-endemic areas are also discussed. IMPLICATIONS Microscopy remains the cornerstone of parasitological diagnostics, especially in the field and low-resource settings, and provides epidemiological assessment of parasite burden. However, increased use and availability of point-of-care tests and molecular assays in modern era allow more rapid and accurate diagnoses and increased sensitivity in the identification of parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Momčilović
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Serbia.
| | - C Cantacessi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - V Arsić-Arsenijević
- Department for Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - D Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy
| | - S Tasić-Otašević
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Serbia; Center of Microbiology and Parasitology, Public Health Institute Niš, Serbia
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18
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Man S, Fu Y, Guan Y, Feng M, Qiao K, Li X, Gao H, Cheng X. Evaluation of a Major Surface Antigen of Babesia microti Merozoites as a Vaccine Candidate against Babesia Infection. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2545. [PMID: 29312230 PMCID: PMC5742146 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia species are tick-borne intraerythrocytic protozoa that cause babesiosis in humans worldwide. No vaccine has yet proven effective against Babesia infection. Surface antigens of merozoites are involved in the invasion of erythrocytes by Babesia. Surface antigens may be presented by both babesial sporozoites and merozoites and provide a general target for antibody-mediated inhibition of erythrocyte invasion. Here we evaluated a major surface antigen of B. microti merozoites, BMSA, as a potential vaccine to prevent babesiosis. Our data indicated that bmsa is transcribed during different phases, including ring form, amoeboid form, and merozoites, and that its expression is significantly increased in mature merozoites. The protein was found to be located in the membrane of B. microti and in the cytoplasm of infected erythrocytes. The immune response induced by BMSA had a significant inhibitory effect on parasite invasion of the host erythrocytes (83.3% inhibition of invasion) and parasite growth in vivo. The levels of parasitemia significantly decreased after BMSA vaccination when mice were infected with babesia parasite. Importantly, protective immunity was significantly related to the upregulation of the Th17 cytokine interleukin-17, the Th1 cytokine interleukin-12p70 and the Th2 cytokines, such as interleukin-4, -6, and -10. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis indicated that interleukin-17 facilitated the secretion of Th2 cytokines, such as interleukin-10, -4, and -6, thereby inducing a predominately Th2 protective immune response and promoting the expression a high level of special IgG1 against Babesia infection. Further, an anti-BMSA monoclonal antibody successfully protected NOD/SCID mice from a challenge with B. microti. Taken together, our results indicated that BMSA induces a protective immune response against Babesia infection and may serve as a potential vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suqin Man
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfeng Fu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Guan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Feng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Qiao
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueping Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongjian Gao
- Department of Electron Microscopy, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xunjia Cheng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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19
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Mousa AA, Roche DB, Terkawi MA, Kameyama K, Kamyingkird K, Vudriko P, Salama A, Cao S, Orabi S, Khalifa H, Ahmed M, Attia M, Elkirdasy A, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X, Cornillot E. Human babesiosis: Indication of a molecular mimicry between thrombospondin domains from a novel Babesia microti BmP53 protein and host platelets molecules. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185372. [PMID: 29040286 PMCID: PMC5644982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis is caused by the apicomplexan parasite Babesia microti, which is of major public health concern in the United States and elsewhere, resulting in malaise and fatigue, followed by a fever and hemolytic anemia. In this paper we focus on the characterization of a novel B. microti thrombospondin domain (TSP1)-containing protein (BmP53) from the new annotation of the B. microti genome (locus 'BmR1_04g09041'). This novel protein (BmP53) had a single TSP1 and a transmembrane domain, with a short cytoplasmic tail containing a sub-terminal glutamine residue, but no signal peptide and Von Willebrand factor type A domains (VWA), which are found in classical thrombospondin-related adhesive proteins (TRAP). Co-localization assays of BmP53 and Babesia microti secreted antigen 1 (BmSA1) suggested that BmP53 might be a non-secretory membranous protein. Molecular mimicry between the TSP1 domain from BmP53 and host platelets molecules was indicated through different measures of sequence homology, phylogenetic analysis, 3D structure and shared epitopes. Indeed, hamster isolated platelets cross-reacted with mouse anti-BmP53-TSP1. Molecular mimicry are used to help parasites to escape immune defenses, resulting in immune evasion or autoimmunity. Furthermore, specific host reactivity was also detected against the TSP1-free part of BmP53 in infected hamster sera. In conclusion, the TSP1 domain mimicry might help in studying the mechanisms of parasite-induced thrombocytopenia, with the TSP1-free truncate of the protein representing a potential safe candidate for future vaccine studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdelmoniem Mousa
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), LIRMM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Daniel Barry Roche
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), LIRMM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5237, Montpellier, France
| | - Mohamad Alaa Terkawi
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), LIRMM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Kyohko Kameyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ketsarin Kamyingkird
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Patrick Vudriko
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Akram Salama
- Department of Animal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Shinuo Cao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Sahar Orabi
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Hanem Khalifa
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Mabrouk Attia
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Elkirdasy
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Menoufia, Egypt
- * E-mail: (EC); (XX)
| | - Emmanuel Cornillot
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), LIRMM, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM-INSERM U1194), Institut régional du Cancer Montpellier (ICM) and Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (EC); (XX)
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20
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Wu J, Cao J, Zhou Y, Zhang H, Gong H, Zhou J. Evaluation on Infectivity of Babesia microti to Domestic Animals and Ticks Outside the Ixodes Genus. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1915. [PMID: 29056929 PMCID: PMC5635051 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis caused by Babesia microti parasite is an emerging tick borne zoonotic disease that was confirmed recently in China. To understand the epidemiology characteristics of this emerging disease, infectivity of B. microti to domestic animals and ticks outside the genus Ixodes was evaluated in this study. Different domestic animals, chick, pig, goat, dog and the reference host rat were experimentally inoculated with B. microti-infected erythrocytes and the parasite infection was monitored daily by blood smear observation, real-time PCR detection, nested-PCR and special antibody responses during 55 days period. The results showed that rats infected with B. microti showed a typical sustained infection with strongly antibody responses; however, both goats and dogs infected with B. microti only showed transient antibody responses and the parasite was not found by blood smear observation or PCR; neither the parasite nor the special antibodies were detected in experimental chicks and pigs. On the other hand, the present study also experimentally investigated the infectivity of B. microti to Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, Haemaphysalis longicornis, and Hyalomma asiaticum three species of ticks outside the genus Ixodes and the transmission experiment of B. microti between H. longicornis ticks and mice. Results showed that B. microti can be detected in the nymph and adult of these species after molting from engorged tick fed on infected mice, but the parasite was not detected in larvae hatching from eggs of engorged female tick fed on the infected mice. Transmission of B. microti to mice by infected H. longicornis nymphs was confirmed. These results indicated that these domestic animals do not have reservoir competence for B. microti, however, three species of ticks out of the genus Ixodes, common in China were successfully infected by B. microti, with H. longicornis showing the potential of transmitting the parasite to the vertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
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21
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Eichenberger RM, Ramakrishnan C, Russo G, Deplazes P, Hehl AB. Genome-wide analysis of gene expression and protein secretion of Babesia canis during virulent infection identifies potential pathogenicity factors. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3357. [PMID: 28611446 PMCID: PMC5469757 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03445-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections of dogs with virulent strains of Babesia canis are characterized by rapid onset and high mortality, comparable to complicated human malaria. As in other apicomplexan parasites, most Babesia virulence factors responsible for survival and pathogenicity are secreted to the host cell surface and beyond where they remodel and biochemically modify the infected cell interacting with host proteins in a very specific manner. Here, we investigated factors secreted by B. canis during acute infections in dogs and report on in silico predictions and experimental analysis of the parasite’s exportome. As a backdrop, we generated a fully annotated B. canis genome sequence of a virulent Hungarian field isolate (strain BcH-CHIPZ) underpinned by extensive genome-wide RNA-seq analysis. We find evidence for conserved factors in apicomplexan hemoparasites involved in immune-evasion (e.g. VESA-protein family), proteins secreted across the iRBC membrane into the host bloodstream (e.g. SA- and Bc28 protein families), potential moonlighting proteins (e.g. profilin and histones), and uncharacterized antigens present during acute crisis in dogs. The combined data provides a first predicted and partially validated set of potential virulence factors exported during fatal infections, which can be exploited for urgently needed innovative intervention strategies aimed at facilitating diagnosis and management of canine babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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22
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Silva JC, Cornillot E, McCracken C, Usmani-Brown S, Dwivedi A, Ifeonu OO, Crabtree J, Gotia HT, Virji AZ, Reynes C, Colinge J, Kumar V, Lawres L, Pazzi JE, Pablo JV, Hung C, Brancato J, Kumari P, Orvis J, Tretina K, Chibucos M, Ott S, Sadzewicz L, Sengamalay N, Shetty AC, Su Q, Tallon L, Fraser CM, Frutos R, Molina DM, Krause PJ, Ben Mamoun C. Genome-wide diversity and gene expression profiling of Babesia microti isolates identify polymorphic genes that mediate host-pathogen interactions. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35284. [PMID: 27752055 PMCID: PMC5082761 DOI: 10.1038/srep35284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti, a tick-transmitted, intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite circulating mainly among small mammals, is the primary cause of human babesiosis. While most cases are transmitted by Ixodes ticks, the disease may also be transmitted through blood transfusion and perinatally. A comprehensive analysis of genome composition, genetic diversity, and gene expression profiling of seven B. microti isolates revealed that genetic variation in isolates from the Northeast United States is almost exclusively associated with genes encoding the surface proteome and secretome of the parasite. Furthermore, we found that polymorphism is restricted to a small number of genes, which are highly expressed during infection. In order to identify pathogen-encoded factors involved in host-parasite interactions, we screened a proteome array comprised of 174 B. microti proteins, including several predicted members of the parasite secretome. Using this immuno-proteomic approach we identified several novel antigens that trigger strong host immune responses during the onset of infection. The genomic and immunological data presented herein provide the first insights into the determinants of B. microti interaction with its mammalian hosts and their relevance for understanding the selective pressures acting on parasite evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana C. Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Emmanuel Cornillot
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, IBC, Université de Montpellier, 860 rue St Priest, Bat 5 - CC05019, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, IRCM - INSERM U896 & Université de Montpellier & ICM, Institut régional du Cancer Montpellier, Campus Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, Cedex 5 France
| | - Carrie McCracken
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Sahar Usmani-Brown
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, 60 College St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | - Ankit Dwivedi
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle, IBC, Université de Montpellier, 860 rue St Priest, Bat 5 - CC05019, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, IRCM - INSERM U896 & Université de Montpellier & ICM, Institut régional du Cancer Montpellier, Campus Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, Cedex 5 France
| | - Olukemi O. Ifeonu
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Jonathan Crabtree
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Hanzel T. Gotia
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Azan Z. Virji
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | - Christelle Reynes
- Institut de Genomique Fonctionnelle, IGF - CNRS UMR 5203, 141 rue de la cardonille, 34094 Montpellier, Cedex 05, France
| | - Jacques Colinge
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, IRCM - INSERM U896 & Université de Montpellier & ICM, Institut régional du Cancer Montpellier, Campus Val d’Aurelle, 34298 Montpellier, Cedex 5 France
| | - Vidya Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | - Lauren Lawres
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | | | | | - Chris Hung
- Antigen Discovery Inc., Irvine, CA, 92618 USA
| | - Jana Brancato
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, 60 College St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | - Priti Kumari
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Joshua Orvis
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Kyle Tretina
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Marcus Chibucos
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Sandy Ott
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Lisa Sadzewicz
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Naomi Sengamalay
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Amol C. Shetty
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Qi Su
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Luke Tallon
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Claire M. Fraser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Roger Frutos
- Université de Montpellier, IES, UMR 5214, 860 rue de St Priest, Bt5, 34095 Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR 17, Cirad-Ird, TA-A17/G, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Peter J. Krause
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, 60 College St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, 15 York St., New Haven, Connecticut, CT 06520 USA
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23
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Cornillot E, Dassouli A, Pachikara N, Lawres L, Renard I, Francois C, Randazzo S, Brès V, Garg A, Brancato J, Pazzi JE, Pablo J, Hung C, Teng A, Shandling AD, Huynh VT, Krause PJ, Lepore T, Delbecq S, Hermanson G, Liang X, Williams S, Molina DM, Ben Mamoun C. A targeted immunomic approach identifies diagnostic antigens in the human pathogen Babesia microti. Transfusion 2016; 56:2085-99. [PMID: 27184823 PMCID: PMC5644385 DOI: 10.1111/trf.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Babesia microti is a protozoan parasite responsible for the majority of reported cases of human babesiosis and a major risk to the blood supply. Laboratory screening of blood donors may help prevent transfusion-transmitted babesiosis but there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved screening method yet available. Development of a sensitive, specific, and highly automated B. microti antibody assay for diagnosis of acute babesiosis and blood screening could have an important impact on decreasing the health burden of B. microti infection. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Herein, we take advantage of recent advances in B. microti genomic analyses, field surveys of the reservoir host, and human studies in endemic areas to apply a targeted immunomic approach to the discovery of B. microti antigens that serve as signatures of active or past babesiosis infections. Of 19 glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein candidates (BmGPI1-19) identified in the B. microti proteome, 17 were successfully expressed, printed on a microarray chip, and used to screen sera from uninfected and B. microti-infected mice and humans to determine immune responses that are associated with active and past infection. RESULTS Antibody responses to various B. microti BmGPI antigens were detected and BmGPI12 was identified as the best biomarker of infection that provided high sensitivity and specificity when used in a microarray antibody assay. CONCLUSION BmGPI12 alone or in combination with other BmGPI proteins is a promising candidate biomarker for detection of B. microti antibodies that might be useful in blood screening to prevent transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Cornillot
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM-INSERM U1194), Institut régional du Cancer Montpellier (ICM) and Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Amina Dassouli
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM-EA4558 Vaccination Antiparasitaire), UFR Pharmacie, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Niseema Pachikara
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lauren Lawres
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Isaline Renard
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Celia Francois
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM-EA4558 Vaccination Antiparasitaire), UFR Pharmacie, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvie Randazzo
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM-EA4558 Vaccination Antiparasitaire), UFR Pharmacie, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Virginie Brès
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM-EA4558 Vaccination Antiparasitaire), UFR Pharmacie, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Aprajita Garg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Janna Brancato
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | | | - Chris Hung
- Antigen Discovery, Inc., Irvine, California
| | - Andy Teng
- Antigen Discovery, Inc., Irvine, California
| | | | | | - Peter J. Krause
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Timothy Lepore
- Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stephane Delbecq
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire (LBCM-EA4558 Vaccination Antiparasitaire), UFR Pharmacie, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Scott Williams
- Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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24
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Levin AE, Williamson PC, Bloch EM, Clifford J, Cyrus S, Shaz BH, Kessler D, Gorlin J, Erwin JL, Krueger NX, Williams GV, Penezina O, Telford SR, Branda JA, Krause PJ, Wormser GP, Schotthoefer AM, Fritsche TR, Busch MP. Serologic screening of United States blood donors for Babesia microti using an investigational enzyme immunoassay. Transfusion 2016; 56:1866-74. [PMID: 27224258 PMCID: PMC6007971 DOI: 10.1111/trf.13618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tick-borne pathogen Babesia microti has become recognized as the leading infectious risk associated with blood transfusion in the United States, yet no Food and Drug Administration-licensed screening tests are currently available to mitigate this risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of an investigational enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for B. microti as a screening test applied to endemic and nonendemic blood donor populations. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The study aimed to test 20,000 blood donors from areas of the United States considered endemic for B. microti and 10,000 donors from a nonendemic area with the investigational B. microti EIA. Repeat-reactive samples were retested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), blood smear, immunofluorescent assay (IFA), and immunoblot assay. In parallel, serum samples from symptomatic patients with confirmed babesiosis were tested by EIA, IFA, and immunoblot assays. RESULTS A total of 38 of 13,757 (0.28%) of the donors from New York, 7 of 4583 (0.15%) from Minnesota, and 11 of 8363 (0.13%) from New Mexico were found repeat reactive by EIA. Nine of the 56 EIA repeat-reactive donors (eight from New York and one from Minnesota) were positive by PCR. The specificity of the assay in a nonendemic population was 99.93%. Among IFA-positive clinical babesiosis patients, the sensitivity of the assay was 91.1%. CONCLUSION The B. microti EIA detected PCR-positive, potentially infectious blood donors in an endemic population and exhibited high specificity among uninfected and unexposed individuals. The EIA promises to provide an effective tool for blood donor screening for B. microti in a format amenable to high-throughput and cost-effective screening.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Evan M Bloch
- Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, California.,Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | | | | | - Jed Gorlin
- Innovative Blood Resources/Memorial Blood Centers, St Paul, Minnesota
| | | | | | | | | | - Sam R Telford
- Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts
| | - John A Branda
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peter J Krause
- Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Aboge GO, Cao S, Terkawi MA, Masatani T, Goo Y, AbouLaila M, Nishikawa Y, Igarashi I, Suzuki H, Xuan X. Molecular Characterization ofBabesia bovisM17 Leucine Aminopeptidase and Inhibition ofBabesiaGrowth by Bestatin. J Parasitol 2015; 101:536-41. [DOI: 10.1645/15-745.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Sevinc F, Cao S, Zhou M, Sevinc M, Ceylan O, Xuan X. A new immunoreactive recombinant protein designated as rBoSA2 from Babesia ovis: Its molecular characterization, subcellular localization and antibody recognition by infected sheep. Vet Parasitol 2015; 214:213-8. [PMID: 26428018 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ovine babesiosis, caused by the intra-erythrocytic protozoan parasite Babesia ovis, is an infectious and economically important tick-borne disease of sheep. Diagnostic testing is an essential tool used for the control of the disease. In order to identify and characterize the immunoreactive proteins which are useful in serological diagnosis of the disease, a complementary DNA (cDNA) expression library was constructed from B. ovis merozoite mRNA. A cDNA clone designated as BoSA2 was identified by immunoscreening of a cDNA library using immune sheep serum. The sequence of the BoSA2 cDNA had a partial open reading frame of 1156 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 384 amino acid residues. Theoretical molecular mass for the mature protein was 43.5 kDa. The sequence of the BoSA2 was inserted into the expression vector pGEX-4T-1 and then expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α cells as a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged fusion protein. This recombinant fusion protein (rBoSA2) was purified by GST-affinity chromatography. Immunoreactivity of the rBoSA2 was evaluated by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the sera from the animals naturally and experimentally infected with B. ovis. ELISA results demonstrated that this antigen was useful for the diagnosis of ovine babesiosis. The localization of the BoSA2 protein was shown in and on the parasite and in the cytoplasm of the infected erythrocyte by confocal laser microscope. To our knowledge, rBoSA2 is the second immunoreactive recombinant protein of B. ovis until the present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferda Sevinc
- University of Selcuk, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey.
| | - Shinuo Cao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mo Zhou
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mutlu Sevinc
- University of Selcuk, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Konya, Turkey
| | - Onur Ceylan
- University of Selcuk, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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Bednarska M, Bajer A, Drozdowska A, Mierzejewska EJ, Tolkacz K, Welc-Falęciak R. Vertical Transmission of Babesia microti in BALB/c Mice: Preliminary Report. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137731. [PMID: 26372043 PMCID: PMC4570821 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia spp. (Apicomplexa, Piroplasmida) are obligate parasites of many species of mammals, causing a malaria-like infection- babesiosis. Three routes of Babesia infection have been recognized to date. The main route is by a tick bite, the second is via blood transfusion. The third, vertical route of infection is poorly recognized and understood. Our study focused on vertical transmission of B. microti in a well-established mouse model. We assessed the success of this route of infection in BALB/c mice with acute and chronic infections of B. microti. In experimental groups, females were mated on the 1st day of Babesia infection (Group G0); on the 28th day post infection (dpi) in the post- acute phase of the parasite infection (G28); and on the 90th and 150th dpi (G90 and G150 group, respectively), in the chronic phase of the parasite infection. Pups were obtained from 58% of females mated in the post-acute phase (G28) and from 33% of females in groups G90 and G150. Mice mated in the pre-acute phase of infection (G0) did not deliver pups. Congenital B. microti infections were detected by PCR amplification of Babesia 18S rDNA in almost all pups (96%) from the experimental groups G28, G90 and G150. Parasitaemia in the F1 generation was low and varied between 0.01-0.001%. Vertical transmission of B. microti was demonstrated for the first time in BALB/c mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Bednarska
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Drozdowska
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa J. Mierzejewska
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Tolkacz
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Renata Welc-Falęciak
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, Warsaw, Poland
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Zhou X, Xia S, Huang JL, Tambo E, Zhuge HX, Zhou XN. Human babesiosis, an emerging tick-borne disease in the People's Republic of China. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:509. [PMID: 25403908 PMCID: PMC4254216 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-014-0509-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis is a typical zoonotic, emerging disease caused by a tick-borne intraerythrocytic protozoan of Babesia spp. that also can be transmitted by blood transfusion. Babesiosis imposes an increasing public-health threat. We reviewed and mapped epidemiological studies on Babesia in vectors and/or rodents in the People’s Republic of China (P.R. China) and found that B. microti was the predominant species detected in the investigated regions such as Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Fujian provinces and Taiwan island. We reviewed a series of sporadic human babesiosis cases collected from 1940’s to 2013, in Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Taiwan and Zhejiang and other regions including a main endemic area of malaria on the China-Myanmar border areas in P.R. China. Clinical manifestations of human babesiosis were also reviewed. Human babesiosis may have previously been overlooked in P.R. China due to a lack of medical awareness and the limitation of clinical diagnostic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, No.199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shang Xia
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ji-Lei Huang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, No.199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ernest Tambo
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China. .,Biochemistry Department, Centers for Sustainable Malaria Control, Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Hong-Xiang Zhuge
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, No.199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis; Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
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Vudriko P, Masatani T, Cao S, Terkawi MA, Kamyingkird K, Mousa AA, Adjou Moumouni PF, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X. Molecular and Kinetic Characterization of Babesia microti Gray Strain Lactate Dehydrogenase as a Potential Drug Target. Drug Target Insights 2014; 8:31-8. [PMID: 25125971 PMCID: PMC4125376 DOI: 10.4137/dti.s16504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti is an emerging zoonotic protozoan organism that causes “malaria-like” symptoms that can be fatal in immunocompromised people. Owing to lack of specific therapeutic regiment against the disease, we cloned and characterized B. microti lactate dehydrogenase (BmLDH) as a potential molecular drug receptor. The in vitro kinetic properties of BmLDH enzyme was evaluated using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a co-factor and lactate as a substrate. Inhibitory assay was also done using gossypol as BmLDH inhibitor to determine the inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50). The result showed that the 0.99 kbp BmLDH gene codes for a barely soluble 36 kDa protein (332 amino acids) localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of the parasite. In vitro enzyme kinetic studies further revealed that BmLDH is an active enzyme with a high catalytic efficiency at optimal pH of 10.2. The Km values of NAD+ and lactate were 8.7 ± 0.57 mM and 99.9 ± 22.33 mM, respectively. The IC50 value for gossypol was 0.345 μM, while at 2.5 μM, gossypol caused 100% inhibition of BmLDH catalytic activity. These findings, therefore, provide initial evidence that BmLDH could be a potential drug target, although further in vivo studies are needed to validate the practical application of lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors against B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Vudriko
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. ; Department of Veterinary Pharmacy, Clinics and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Tatsunori Masatani
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Shinuo Cao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mohamad Alla Terkawi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ketsarin Kamyingkird
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ahmed A Mousa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Paul F Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases (NRCPD), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
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Masatani T, Matsuo T, Tanaka T, Terkawi MA, Lee EG, Goo YK, Aboge GO, Yamagishi J, Hayashi K, Kameyama K, Cao S, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X. TgGRA23, a novel Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein associated with the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and intravacuolar network. Parasitol Int 2013; 62:372-9. [PMID: 23583316 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2012] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite, which relies on a specialized compartment, the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), to survive within host cells. Dense granules within the parasite release a large variety of proteins to maintain the integrity of the vacuole structure. Here, we identified a novel dense granule protein in T. gondii, TgGRA23, which is a homolog of the Sarcocystis muris dense granule protein, SmDG32. Recombinant TgGRA23 (rTgGRA23) expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein was used to raise antisera in mice and rabbits. Immunoblotting showed that antisera from the immunized mice and rabbits reacted with parasite lysates to yield a 21-kDa native protein. In addition, immuno-electron microscopic examination showed that TgGRA23 resides in the dense granules, PV membrane and intravacuolar network of the parasite. To confirm the precise subcellular localization of TgGRA23 in T. gondii, an immunofluorescent antibody test was performed using dense granule markers. Notably, TgGRA23 co-localized with other dense granule proteins including TgGRA4 and TgGRA7, in the extracellular-stage parasites. Biochemical experiments indicated that TgGRA23 is insoluble and may form an electrostatic complex that is resistant to non-ionic detergents. Furthermore, specific antibodies to TgGRA23 were detected during the chronic stage of Toxoplasma infection in mice. Our results suggest that TgGRA23 is an as yet unknown member of the T. gondii dense granule proteins, and that it may be involved in remodeling or maintenance of the PV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsunori Masatani
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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Masatani T, Ooka H, Terkawi MA, Cao S, Luo Y, Asada M, Hayashi K, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X. Identification, cloning and characterization of BmP41, a common antigenic protein of Babesia microti. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 75:967-70. [PMID: 23428774 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.12-0535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia microti is a rodent tick-borne blood parasite and the major causative agent of emerging human babesiosis. Here, we identified a candidate of common antigenic protein BmP41 of B. microti by serological screening of cDNA library of human-pathogenic Gray strain with antisera against rodent Munich strain. Immunofluorescent antibody test using mouse anti-recombinant BmP41 (rBmP41) serum revealed that native BmP41 was expressed in each of the developmental stages of B. microti merozoites. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using rBmP41 detected specific antibodies in sera from hamsters infected with B. microti Gray strain and mice infected with B. microti Munich strain. Taken together, BmP41 could be a promising universal serological marker for diagnosis of human babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsunori Masatani
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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Cao S, Luo Y, Aboge GO, Terkawi MA, Masatani T, Suzuki H, Igarashi I, Nishikawa Y, Xuan X. Identification and characterization of an interspersed repeat antigen of Babesia microti (BmIRA). Exp Parasitol 2013; 133:346-52. [PMID: 23291346 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2012.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 12/24/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In this report, a novel gene encoding an interspersed repeat antigen from Babesia microti (BmIRA) was identified and described. The full-length cDNA containing an open reading frame of 1,947 bp was obtained by immunoscreening a B. microti cDNA expression library. The full-length of BmIRA gene was expressed as a GST fusion recombinant BmIRA (rBmIRA) in Escherichia coli. Sera of mice immunized with the rBmIRA detected a native parasite protein with a molecular mass of 76 kDa on Western blot analysis. The same protein was detected in the parasites by immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using rBmIRA detected specific antibodies as early as 11 days post-infection in sera from a hamster experimentally infected with B. microti Gray stain (US type). Furthermore, a rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) using rBmIRA detected specific antibodies in a hamster experimentally infected with B. microti from day 11 to at least day 180 post-infection. The results indicate the antibody response against the rBmIRA was maintained during the chronic stage of infection. On the other hand, an immunoprotective property of rBmIRA as a subunit vaccine was evaluated in hamsters against B. microti challenge, but no significant protection was observed. Our data suggest that the immunodominant antigen BmIRA could be a useful serodiagnostic antigen for screening of B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinuo Cao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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Goo YK, Lee N, Alaa Terkawi M, Luo Y, Oluga Aboge G, Nishikawa Y, Suzuki H, Kim S, Xuan X. Development of a rapid immunochromatographic test using a recombinant thrombospondin-related adhesive protein of Babesia gibsoni. Vet Parasitol 2012; 190:595-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2012] [Revised: 06/17/2012] [Accepted: 06/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Multiplex assay detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies that recognize Babesia microti antigens. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2012; 19:1539-48. [PMID: 22855390 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00313-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Human babesiosis, a blood-borne infection caused by several species of Babesia, including B. microti, is an emerging disease that is endemic in the Northeast, upper Midwest, and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Risk factors for babesiosis include exposure to the infected tick vector and blood transfusions from infected donors. In this work, we cloned and expressed two of the immunodominant antigens from B. microti and used them in a multiplex bead format assay (MBA) to detect parasite-specific IgG responses in human sera. The MBA using recombinant B. microti secreted antigen 1 (BmSA1) protein was more specific (100%) and slightly more sensitive (98.7%) than the assay using a truncated recombinant BMN1-17 construct (97.6% and 97.4%, respectively). Although some antibody reactivity was observed among sera from confirmed-malaria patients, only one Plasmodium falciparum sample was simultaneously positive for IgG antibodies to both antigens. Neither antigen reacted with sera from babesiosis patients who were infected with Babesia species other than B. microti. Both positive and negative MBA results were reproducible between assays and between instruments. Additional studies of these recombinant antigens and of the multiplex bead assay using blood samples from clinically defined babesiosis patients and from blood donors are needed to more clearly define their usefulness as a blood screening assay.
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Ooka H, Terkawi MA, Cao S, Aboge G, Goo YK, Luo Y, Li Y, Nishikawa Y, Igarashi I, Xuan X. Molecular and immunological characterization of a novel 32-kDa secreted protein of Babesia microti. J Parasitol 2012; 98:1045-8. [PMID: 22494017 DOI: 10.1645/ge-2999.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A cDNA encoding the Babesia microti 32-kDa protein was identified by serological immunoscreening of a cDNA expression library and designated as BmP32. The full length of BmP32 contains an open reading frame of 918 base pairs consisting of 306 amino acids having a significant homology with B. microti secreted antigen 1. Antiserum raised against recombinant protein (rBmP32) specifically reacted with a 32-kDa native protein of the parasite lysate using western blot analysis. The indirect immunofluorescent antibody test showed a preferable localization of BmP32 in the cytoplasm of the intra- and extracellular parasites. Moreover, BmP32 was secreted in the cytosol of infected erythrocytes, especially during the peak parasitemia and the recovery phase of the infection. Next, the antigenicity of rBmP32 was examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and sera from mice experimentally infected with either B. microti or closely related parasites. ELISA was highly specific and sensitive when used for the detection of B. microti antibody in a mouse model. Furthermore, mice immunized with rBmP32 emulsified with Freund's adjuvant were not significantly protected against challenge infection with B. microt i. However, high antibody titer was detected just before the challenge infection. Our data suggest that rBmP32 may be a specific diagnostic antigen but not a subunit vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Ooka
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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Mosqueda J, Olvera-Ramirez A, Aguilar-Tipacamu G, Canto GJ. Current advances in detection and treatment of babesiosis. Curr Med Chem 2012; 19:1504-18. [PMID: 22360483 PMCID: PMC3355466 DOI: 10.2174/092986712799828355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2011] [Revised: 10/25/2011] [Accepted: 10/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Babesiosis is a disease with a world-wide distribution affecting many species of mammals principally cattle and man. The major impact occurs in the cattle industry where bovine babesiosis has had a huge economic effect due to loss of meat and beef production of infected animals and death. Nowadays to those costs there must be added the high cost of tick control, disease detection, prevention and treatment. In almost a century and a quarter since the first report of the disease, the truth is: there is no a safe and efficient vaccine available, there are limited chemotherapeutic choices and few low-cost, reliable and fast detection methods. Detection and treatment of babesiosis are important tools to control babesiosis. Microscopy detection methods are still the cheapest and fastest methods used to identify Babesia parasites although their sensitivity and specificity are limited. Newer immunological methods are being developed and they offer faster, more sensitive and more specific options to conventional methods, although the direct immunological diagnoses of parasite antigens in host tissues are still missing. Detection methods based on nucleic acid identification and their amplification are the most sensitive and reliable techniques available today; importantly, most of those methodologies were developed before the genomics and bioinformatics era, which leaves ample room for optimization. For years, babesiosis treatment has been based on the use of very few drugs like imidocarb or diminazene aceturate. Recently, several pharmacological compounds were developed and evaluated, offering new options to control the disease. With the complete sequence of the Babesia bovis genome and the B. bigemina genome project in progress, the post-genomic era brings a new light on the development of diagnosis methods and new chemotherapy targets. In this review, we will present the current advances in detection and treatment of babesiosis in cattle and other animals, with additional reference to several apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Mosqueda
- C.A. Salud Animal y Microbiología Ambiental. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Mexico.
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Luo Y, Terkawi MA, Jia H, Aboge GO, Goo YK, Cao S, Li Y, Yu L, Ooka H, Kamyingkird K, Masatani T, Zhang S, Nishikawa Y, Igarashi I, Xuan X. A double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of secreted antigen 1 of Babesia microti using hamster model. Exp Parasitol 2011; 130:178-82. [PMID: 22085769 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2011.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2011] [Revised: 10/08/2011] [Accepted: 10/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) targeting secreted antigen 1 of Babesia microti (BmSA1) was developed for detection of B. microti infection. The optimized DAS-ELISA was sensitive enough to detect circulating BmSA1 by day 2 post-infection, in sequential sera of a hamster infected with B. microti. This detection was 4 days earlier than antibody detection by indirect ELISA. The kinetics of circulating BmSA1 coincided with the profile of parasitemia. The specificity of this assay was evaluated using sera from animals experimentally infected with different species of Babesia. The DAS-ELISA had a higher sensitivity than the microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears for detection of the infection in hamsters. Taken together, these results indicated that BmSA1 could be a potential marker for surveillance of human babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzi Luo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
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