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Elati K, Zweygarth E, Mhadhbi M, Darghouth MA, Nijhof AM. Cultivation, cryopreservation and resuscitation of Theileria annulata transformed cells in serum-free media. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1055022. [PMID: 36619943 PMCID: PMC9813863 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1055022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tropical theileriosis is a protozoan disease caused by Theileria annulata that affects cattle in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia where vector ticks of the genus Hyalomma occur. Various measures are applied to control the disease, including vaccination with attenuated T. annulata schizonts. Cultivation of T. annulata schizonts is mainly conducted in media containing Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), which has some disadvantages such as costs, batch- to-batch variation and ethical concerns. Methods In this study, we conducted three experiments to evaluate the ability of (1) T. annulata strains grown in RPMI with 10% FBS (RPMI-FBS) to adapt and grow in serum-free media (i.e., HL-1, RPMI without FBS supplementation, ISF-1, and M199), (2) a T. annulata strain grown in ISF-1 and subsequently frozen in this medium to grow in ISF-1 again after long-term storage in liquid nitrogen, and (3) a T. annulata strain freshly isolated from infected bovine lymphocytes to growin ISF-1, also after cryopreservation. Cell numbers, schizont index, the viability and generation doubling time were calculated in all experiments. Results and discussion In the first experiment, the Hessiene and Beja cell lines from Tunisia previously cultivated in RPMI-FBS and adapted to serum-free media continued to grow significantly better in RPMI-FBS compared to the serum-freemedia. In the second experiment, a Tunisian cell line (Hessiene) cryopreserved in ISF-1 with 5%[v/v] dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) grewbetter after thawing in RPMI-FBS compared to ISF-1 with a highly significant difference in cell growth (p < 0.001), whereas the third experiment showed that the Ankara cell line had similar growth characteristics in both RPMI-FBS and ISF-1 before and after thawing, with a shorter generation doubling time in ISF-1 than in RPMI-FBS (p = 0.23). Our findings suggest that freshly isolated cells can be propagated, frozen and thawed in serum-free media such as ISF-1, but once cells are adapted to cultivation in the presence of FBS or resuscitated from frozen storage, propagation in serum-free media may not perform as well as cultivation in RPMI-FBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khawla Elati
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia,*Correspondence: Khawla Elati
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Moez Mhadhbi
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Aziz Darghouth
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Univ. Manouba, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Bastos RG, Laughery JM, Ozubek S, Alzan HF, Taus NS, Ueti MW, Suarez CE. Identification of novel immune correlates of protection against acute bovine babesiosis by superinfecting cattle with in vitro culture attenuated and virulent Babesia bovis strains. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1045608. [PMID: 36466866 PMCID: PMC9716085 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1045608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan tickborne parasites Babesia bovis and B. bigemina are the major causative agents of bovine babesiosis, a disease that negatively affects the cattle industry and food safety around the world. The absence of correlates of protection represents one major impediment for the development of effective and sustainable vaccines against bovine babesiosis. Herein we superinfected cattle with attenuated and virulent strains of B. bovis to investigate immune correlates of protection against acute bovine babesiosis. Three 6-month-old Holstein calves were infected intravenously (IV) with the in vitro culture attenuated Att-S74-T3Bo B. bovis strain (106 infected bovine red blood cells (iRBC)/calf) while three age-matched Holstein calves were inoculated IV with normal RBC as controls (106 RBC/calf). All Att-S74-T3Bo-infected calves showed a significant increase in temperature early after inoculation but recovered without treatment. Att-S74-T3Bo-infected calves also developed: (a) monocytosis, neutropenia, and CD4+ lymphopenia in peripheral blood on days 3 to 7 post-inoculation; (b) significant levels of TNFα, CXCL10, IFNγ, IL-4, and IL-10 in sera at day 6 after infection; and (c) IgM and IgG against B. bovis antigens, starting at days 10 and 30 post-inoculation, respectively. At 46 days post-Att-S74-T3Bo inoculation, all experimental calves were infected IV with the homologous virulent B. bovis strain Vir-S74-T3Bo (107 iRBC/calf). All Att-S74-T3Bo-infected calves survived superinfection with Vir-S74-T3Bo without displaying signs of acute babesiosis. In contrast, control animals showed signs of acute disease, starting at day 10 post-Vir-S74-T3Bo infection, and two of them were humanely euthanized at days 13 and 14 after inoculation due to the severity of their symptoms. Also, control calves showed higher (P<0.05) parasite load in peripheral blood compared to animals previously exposed to Att-S74-T3Bo. No significant alterations in the profile of leukocytes and cytokines were observed in Att-S74-T3Bo-inoculated after Vir-S74-T3Bo infection. In conclusion, data demonstrate novel changes in the profile of blood immune cells and cytokine expression in peripheral blood that are associated with protection against acute bovine babesiosis. These identified immune correlates of protection may be useful for designing effective and sustainable vaccines against babesiosis in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reginaldo G. Bastos
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Jacob M. Laughery
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Sezayi Ozubek
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Heba F. Alzan
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
- Parasitology and Animal Diseases Department, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Naomi S. Taus
- Animal Disease Research Unit, United States Department of Agricultural - Agricultural Research, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Massaro W. Ueti
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
- Animal Disease Research Unit, United States Department of Agricultural - Agricultural Research, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Carlos E. Suarez
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
- Animal Disease Research Unit, United States Department of Agricultural - Agricultural Research, Pullman, WA, United States
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Thrombospondin-Related Anonymous Protein (TRAP) Family Expression by Babesia bovis Life Stages within the Mammalian Host and Tick Vector. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112173. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-transmitted disease bovine babesiosis causes significant economic losses in many countries around the world. Current control methods include modified live-attenuated vaccines that have limited efficacy. Recombinant proteins could provide effective, safe, and low-cost alternative vaccines. We compared the expression of the Babesia bovis thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family from parasites in bovine blood, in vitro induced sexual stages, and kinetes from tick hemolymph. Quantitative PCR showed that in blood and sexual stages, TRAP3 was highly transcribed as compared to the other TRAPs. In contrast, the TRAP1 gene was highly transcribed in kinetes as compared to the other TRAPs. Fixed immunofluorescence assays showed that TRAP2, 3, and 4 proteins were expressed by both blood and sexual stages. Conversely, TRAP1 protein, undetected on blood and induced sexual stages, was the only family member expressed by kinetes. Live IFA revealed that TRAP2, 3, and 4 proteins were expressed on the surface of both B. bovis blood and sexual stages. Modeling of B. bovis TRAP1 and TRAP4 tertiary structure demonstrated both proteins folded the metal-ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) domain structure of Plasmodium TRAP. In conclusion, TRAP proteins may serve as potential vaccine targets to prevent infection of bovine and ticks with B. bovis essential for controlling the spread of bovine babesiosis.
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A prime-boost combination of a three-protein cocktail and multiepitopic MVA as a vaccine against Babesia bigemina elicits neutralizing antibodies and a Th1 cellular immune response in mice. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101991. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Draft Genome Sequences of Mexican Babesia bovis Virulent and Attenuated Strains. Microbiol Resour Announc 2022; 11:e0115321. [PMID: 35262379 PMCID: PMC9022577 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01153-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis, a tick-borne intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite that belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, is one of the etiological agents of bovine babesiosis, a highly prevalent disease in tropical and subtropical countries that causes significant morbidity and deaths in cattle. This report presents the draft genome sequences of attenuated and virulent B. bovis strains of Mexican origin.
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Lira-Amaya JJ, Martínez-García G, Santamaria-Espinosa RM, Castañeda-Arriola RO, Ojeda-Carrasco JJ, Ávila-Ramírez G, Figueroa-Millán JV. Comparative Study of Indirect Fluorescent Antibody, ELISA, and Immunochromatography Tests for Serological Diagnosis of Bovine Babesiosis Caused by Babesia bovis. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123358. [PMID: 34944137 PMCID: PMC8698033 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Currently serological diagnosis of bovine babesiosis is based on the detection of Babesia-specific antibodies (immunoglobulin-G). Antibody detection is commonly used in seroepidemiological studies or in the assessment of antibabesial antibody titers after cattle vaccination. The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are the most widely used diagnostic tests, although there their implementation has some drawbacks, principally due to the requirements for trained personnel, specific materials, and special laboratory equipment. This study compared a newly designed rapid immunochromatography test (ICT), which has been reported recently and used for Babesia bovis-specific antibody detection with promising results, with an in-house ELISA for the serological diagnosis of cattle exposed to B. bovis (Babesia bovis) in Mexico. Higher sensitivity and specificity values were found by ICT, proving its effectiveness over ELISA. ICT also had better concordance than ELISA when IFAT was used as the “gold standard”. The rapid ICT was shown to have diagnostic utility for the detection of antibodies against B. bovis and could be used as a field test in Mexico due to its practicality, as it does not need laboratory equipment for implementation and interpretation of results. Abstract The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) is the most frequently used test to conduct seroepidemiological studies so far, and it is regarded as the "gold standard" test for the serological diagnosis of bovine babesiosis. The aim of the present study was to compare the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the rapid immunochromatography test (ICT) for use in the serological diagnosis of cattle exposed to B. bovis in Mexico. The evaluation of test performance was carried out with 30 positive and 30 negative reference sera. A total of 72 bovine sera samples collected from cattle in a region with endemic bovine babesiosis were analyzed by ELISA and ICT, and the results were compared with those of IFAT. Kappa value (k) was also calculated to determine the agreement between tests. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for detecting antibodies against B. bovis were 87% (26/30) and 80% (24/30), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ICT for detecting antibodies against B. bovis were 90% (27/30) and 83.3% (25/30), respectively. The overall concordance determined for ELISA and ICT was 94.4% (68/72) and 98.6% (71/72), respectively, when the results were compared with those of IFAT. ICT was more sensitive and specific in this comparative study, showing good strength of agreement (k = 0.79) with respect to IFAT. ICT combines a strip-based assay system that is fast, practical, and sensitive for detection of antibodies to B. bovis, which suggests that it could be applied in the field without requiring any laboratory equipment for its use and interpretation of test results.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Juan Lira-Amaya
- Babesia Laboratory Unit, CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62550, Mexico; (J.J.L.-A.); (G.M.-G.); (R.M.S.-E.)
| | - Grecia Martínez-García
- Babesia Laboratory Unit, CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62550, Mexico; (J.J.L.-A.); (G.M.-G.); (R.M.S.-E.)
| | - R. Montserrat Santamaria-Espinosa
- Babesia Laboratory Unit, CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62550, Mexico; (J.J.L.-A.); (G.M.-G.); (R.M.S.-E.)
| | - Roberto O. Castañeda-Arriola
- La Posta Experimental Field, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Veracruz-Cordoba Km. 22.5, Paso del Toro, Medellin 94277, Mexico;
| | - Juan J. Ojeda-Carrasco
- UAEM University Center Amecameca, Autonomous University Mexico State, Carr. Amecameca-Ayapango Km. 2.5, Amecameca 56900, Mexico;
| | - Guillermina Ávila-Ramírez
- Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Circuito Escolar 411A, Copilco Universidad, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
| | - Julio V. Figueroa-Millán
- Babesia Laboratory Unit, CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec 62550, Mexico; (J.J.L.-A.); (G.M.-G.); (R.M.S.-E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-777-320-5544
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Álvarez Martínez JA, Figueroa Millán JV, Ueti MW, Rojas-Martínez C. Establishment of Babesia bovis In Vitro Culture Using Medium Free of Animal Products. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10060770. [PMID: 34205286 PMCID: PMC8235554 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis, an etiological agent of bovine babesiosis, causes a significant burden to the cattle industry worldwide. The most efficient method to mitigate bovine babesiosis is a live vaccine produced by serial passage in splenectomized cattle. However, there are several concerns regarding live vaccine production, including variation between batches and the use of many animals. In this study, we report a B. bovis-SF strain continuously cultured in a medium free of components of animal origin enriched with a chemically defined lipid mixture (CD lipid mixture) and the use of a perfusion bioreactor to harvest a large amount of B. bovis. Six culture media were compared, including VP-SFM, CD-CHO, CD-Hydrolyzed, CD-CHO, SFM, and ADMEM/F12. We found that the VP-SFM medium performed the best for B. bovis growth, with a maximum percentage of parasitized erythrocytes (PPE) of 8.6%. The effect of six dilutions of a commercial mixture of CD lipids added to VP-SFM showed that the CD lipid mixture at a dilution of 1:100 had the best B. bovis growth curve, with a maximum PPE of 13.9%. Propagation of the in vitro B. bovis culture was scaled up in a perfusion bioreactor using VP-SFM with a CD lipid mixture, and the PPE reached over 32%. The continuous in vitro B. bovis culture in a medium free of animal origin components could potentially reduce and replace the use of animals to produce a reagent for diagnostics and live vaccines to control bovine babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús A. Álvarez Martínez
- Babesia Unit-CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos C.P. 62550, Mexico; (J.A.Á.M.); (J.V.F.M.)
| | - Julio V. Figueroa Millán
- Babesia Unit-CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos C.P. 62550, Mexico; (J.A.Á.M.); (J.V.F.M.)
| | - Massaro W. Ueti
- Agricultural Research Service-Animal Disease Research Unit, The US Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
- Correspondence: (M.W.U.); (C.R.-M.)
| | - Carmen Rojas-Martínez
- Babesia Unit-CENID-Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos C.P. 62550, Mexico; (J.A.Á.M.); (J.V.F.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.W.U.); (C.R.-M.)
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A Comparative Genomic Study of Attenuated and Virulent Strains of Babesia bigemina. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10030318. [PMID: 33800466 PMCID: PMC7999288 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle babesiosis is a socio-economically important tick-borne disease caused by Apicomplexa protozoa of the genus Babesia that are obligate intraerythrocytic parasites. The pathogenicity of Babesia parasites for cattle is determined by the interaction with the host immune system and the presence of the parasite’s virulence genes. A Babesia bigemina strain that has been maintained under a microaerophilic stationary phase in in vitro culture conditions for several years in the laboratory lost virulence for the bovine host and the capacity for being transmitted by the tick vector. In this study, we compared the virulome of the in vitro culture attenuated Babesia bigemina strain (S) and the virulent tick transmitted parental Mexican B. bigemina strain (M). Preliminary results obtained by using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) showed that out of 27 virulence genes described and analyzed in the B. bigemina virulent tick transmitted strain, only five were fully identified in the attenuated laboratory strain. In all cases, the identity and coverture of the identified genes of the wildtype strain were higher than those of the laboratory strain. This finding is putatively associated with the continuous partial loss of virulence genes in the laboratory strain after several passages of the parasite population under optimal in vitro growth conditions. The loss of virulence factors might be reflected in the absence of symptoms of the disease in cattle inoculated with the attenuated strain despite the presence of infection in the bovine host cells.
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Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immune Response Validation in Calves after a Live Attenuated Vaccine of Babesia bigemina. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110936. [PMID: 33187270 PMCID: PMC7698288 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110936] [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: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The current vaccines to control bovine Babesia bigemina (B. bigemina) infection are not fully protective and vaccination failures incur heavy losses to the cattle industry around the world. Using modified micro-aerophilous stationary phase, we developed a culture-derived attenuated live vaccine against B. bigemina and tested a single subcutaneous inoculation of 2 × 108 infected erythrocytes in calves. The protection was measured after a lethal intravenous challenge with 5 × 108 virulent calf-derived B. bigemina. Our results demonstrated that a single shot of attenuated vaccine was capable of inducing robust humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in calves. We found a significant increase in the IgG antibody titers post-challenge and a strong proliferation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells contributing towards the protection. Our vaccine provided complete protection and parasitic clearance, which was followed for more than 100 days post-challenge. This immunity against babesiosis was directly linked to strong humoral responses; however, the parasitic clearance was attributed to significant T cells effector responses in vaccinated calves as compared to the infected control calves. We anticipate that these results will be helpful in the development of more efficient culture-derived vaccines against Babesia infections, thus reducing significant global economic losses to farmers and the cattle industry.
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Esteve-Gasent MD, Rodríguez-Vivas RI, Medina RF, Ellis D, Schwartz A, Cortés Garcia B, Hunt C, Tietjen M, Bonilla D, Thomas D, Logan LL, Hasel H, Alvarez Martínez JA, Hernández-Escareño JJ, Mosqueda Gualito J, Alonso Díaz MA, Rosario-Cruz R, Soberanes Céspedes N, Merino Charrez O, Howard T, Chávez Niño VM, Pérez de León AA. Research on Integrated Management for Cattle Fever Ticks and Bovine Babesiosis in the United States and Mexico: Current Status and Opportunities for Binational Coordination. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110871. [PMID: 33114005 PMCID: PMC7690670 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine babesiosis is a reportable transboundary animal disease caused by Babesia bovis and Babesiabigemina in the Americas where these apicomplexan protozoa are transmitted by the invasive cattle fever ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Rhipicephalus(Boophilus) annulatus. In countries like Mexico where cattle fever ticks remain endemic, bovine babesiosis is detrimental to cattle health and results in a significant economic cost to the livestock industry. These cattle disease vectors continue to threaten the U.S. cattle industry despite their elimination through efforts of the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Mexico and the U.S. share a common interest in managing cattle fever ticks through their economically important binational cattle trade. Here, we report the outcomes of a meeting where stakeholders from Mexico and the U.S. representing the livestock and pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and research institutions gathered to discuss research and knowledge gaps requiring attention to advance progressive management strategies for bovine babesiosis and cattle fever ticks. Research recommendations and other actionable activities reflect commitment among meeting participants to seize opportunities for collaborative efforts. Addressing these research gaps is expected to yield scientific knowledge benefitting the interdependent livestock industries of Mexico and the U.S. through its translation into enhanced biosecurity against the economic and animal health impacts of bovine babesiosis and cattle fever ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D. Esteve-Gasent
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Roger I. Rodríguez-Vivas
- Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, FMVZ, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, km. 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil, Mérida, Yucatán 97000, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Raúl F. Medina
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Dee Ellis
- Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (D.E.); (C.H.)
| | - Andy Schwartz
- Texas Animal Health Commission, Austin, TX 78758, USA;
| | - Baltazar Cortés Garcia
- Departamento de Rabia Paralítica y Garrapata, Dirección de Campañas Zoosanitarias, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), Avenida Insurgentes Sur N° 489 Piso 9, Colonia Hipódromo, Alcaldía Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de Mexico 06100, Mexico;
| | - Carrie Hunt
- Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (D.E.); (C.H.)
| | - Mackenzie Tietjen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA–ARS), Knipling–Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA; (M.T.); (A.A.P.d.L.)
| | - Denise Bonilla
- Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service International Services, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-APHIS), Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
| | - Don Thomas
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Cattel Fever Tick Research Laboratory, Moore Air Base, Edinburg, TX 78541, USA;
| | - Linda L. Logan
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Hallie Hasel
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, (USDA-APHIS-VS), Austin, TX 78701, USA;
| | - Jesús A. Alvarez Martínez
- CENID-SAI, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agricolas y Pecuarias, Carr. Fed. Cuernavaca-Cuautla No. 8534, Col. Progreso. Jiutepec, Morelos 62390, Mexico;
| | - Jesús J. Hernández-Escareño
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, General Francisco Villa S/N, Hacienda del Canada, Ciudad General Escobedo, Nuevo León 66054, Mexico;
| | - Juan Mosqueda Gualito
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C. A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro Queretaro 76140, Mexico;
| | - Miguel A. Alonso Díaz
- Centro de Enseñanza, Investigación y Extensión en Ganadería Tropical, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Km. 5.5 Carretera Federal Tlapacoyan-Martínez de la Torre, Martínez de la Torre, Veracruz 93600, Mexico;
| | - Rodrigo Rosario-Cruz
- BioSA Research Lab., Natural Sciences College, Campus el ‘Shalako’ Las Petaquillas, Autonomous Guerrero State University, Chilpancingo, Guerrero 62105, Mexico;
| | - Noé Soberanes Céspedes
- Lapisa S.A. de C.V. Carretera La Piedad-Guadalajara Km 5.5, Col. Camelinas, La Piedad, Michoacán 59375, Mexico;
| | - Octavio Merino Charrez
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Km. 5 Carretera Victoria-Mante, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas 87000, Mexico;
| | - Tami Howard
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, (USDA-APHIS-VS), Field Operations, Southern Border Ports, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA;
| | - Victoria M. Chávez Niño
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, International Services, (USDA-APHIS-IS), Mexico, Sierra Nevada 115, Col. Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City 11000, Mexico;
| | - Adalberto A. Pérez de León
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA–ARS), Knipling–Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA; (M.T.); (A.A.P.d.L.)
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11
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Alvarez JA, Rojas C, Figueroa JV. An Overview of Current Knowledge on in vitro Babesia Cultivation for Production of Live Attenuated Vaccines for Bovine Babesiosis in Mexico. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:364. [PMID: 32671114 PMCID: PMC7332553 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The instrumentation of the in vitro culture system has allowed researchers to learn more about the metabolic and growth behavior of Babesia spp. The various applications for in vitro cultivation of Babesia include obtaining attenuated strains for vaccination or pre-munition, the selection of pure lines with different degrees of virulence, studies on biological cloning, ultrastructure, antigen production for diagnostics, drug sensitivity assessments, and different aspects of parasite biology. Although there are different types of vaccines that have been tested against bovine babesiosis, so far, the only procedure that has offered favorable results in terms of protection and safety has been the use of live attenuated vaccines. In countries, such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Israel, this type of vaccine has been produced and used. The alternative to live vaccines other than splenectomized calf-derived biological material, has been the in vitro cultivation of Babesia bovis and B. bigemina. The development of in vitro culture of Babesia spp. strains in a defined medium has been the basis for the initiation of a source of parasites and exoantigens for a variety of studies on the biochemistry and immunology of babesiosis. The use of live immunogens from attenuated strains derived from in vitro culture is highlighted, which has been proposed as an alternative to control bovine babesiosis. In several studies performed in Mexico, this type of immunogen applied to susceptible cattle has shown the induction of protection against the experimental heterologous strain challenge with both, Babesia-infected blood and animal exposure to confrontations on tick vector-infested farms. The combination of transfection technologies and the in vitro culture system as integrated methodologies would eventually give rise to the generation of genetically modified live vaccines. However, a greater challenge faced now by researchers is the large-scale cultivation of Babesia parasites for mass production and vaccine distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julio V. Figueroa
- Laboratory of Bovine Babesiosis, National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP), National Disciplinary Research Center on Animal Health and Safety (CENID-SAI), Jiutepec, Mexico
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12
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Santamaria RM, Lira JJ, Vargas P, Alvarez JA, Rojas C, Figueroa JV. Validation of an indirect ELISA using recombinant proteins as antigen to identify animals exposed to Babesia bigemina. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 67 Suppl 2:201-207. [PMID: 32216052 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to instrument a serological assay for the epidemiological diagnosis of bovine babesiosis in Mexico, using the Babesia bigemina recombinant protein RAP-1 (rRAP-1α) as antigen. rRAP-1α, r12d3 and rGP45 were the three recombinant antigens initially tested. Based on the highest titres obtained in the indirect ELISA (iELISA) with the positive control serum, using similar antigen concentrations, rRAP-1α was selected for further use. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity rates estimated for the iELISA with rRAP-1α as antigen were 89.9% and 86.5%, respectively, while for the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT), the gold standard assay, the sensitivity was 86.66% and the specificity was 95%. The ĸ agreement value determined was 0.52, indicating a moderate agreement between the iELISA and IFAT assays. The instrumented iELISA with rRAP-1α as antigen shows an excellent specificity rate and an acceptable sensitivity that allows for the detection of antibodies to B. bigemina in cattle naturally exposed to the vector tick Rhipicephalus microplus. By using the iELISA-rRAP-1α, along with an iELISA with recombinant Merozoite Surface Antigen (rMSA-1) for antibody determination against Babesia bovis in the serum samples collected from cattle at 'La Posta' experimental station in Mexico, a seroprevalence of 20.3% was estimated for B. bigemina and 19.4% for B. bovis, while 36.89% of samples were positive for both Babesia species. The iELISA test promises to be a safe and low-cost type of diagnosis available to cattle producers in Mexico and would facilitate the definition of herd immunity status to implement measures of control adapted for the prevention of bovine babesiosis outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jose J Lira
- CENID- Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Jiutepec, Mexico
| | | | | | - Carmen Rojas
- CENID- Salud Animal e Inocuidad, INIFAP, Jiutepec, Mexico
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13
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Li Y, Liu M, Rizk MA, Moumouni PFA, Lee SH, Galon EM, Guo H, Gao Y, Li J, Beshbishy AM, Nugraha AB, Ji S, Tumwebaze MA, Benedicto B, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I, Xuan X. Drug screening of food and drug administration-approved compounds against Babesia bovis in vitro. Exp Parasitol 2020; 210:107831. [PMID: 31926147 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Babesia (B.) bovis is one of the main etiological agents of bovine babesiosis, causes serious economic losses to the cattle industry. Control of bovine babesiosis has been hindered by the limited treatment selection for B. bovis, thus, new options are urgently needed. We explored the drug library and unbiasedly screened 640 food and drug administration (FDA) approved drug compounds for their inhibitory activities against B. bovis in vitro. The initial screening identified 13 potentially effective compounds. Four potent compounds, namely mycophenolic acid (MPA), pentamidine (PTD), doxorubicin hydrochloride (DBH) and vorinostat (SAHA) exhibited the lowest IC50 and then selected for further evaluation of their in vitro efficacies using viability, combination inhibitory and cytotoxicity assays. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of MPA, PTD, DBH, SAHA were 11.38 ± 1.66, 13.12 ± 4.29, 1.79 ± 0.15 and 45.18 ± 7.37 μM, respectively. Of note, DBH exhibited IC50 lower than that calculated for the commonly used antibabesial drug, diminazene aceturate (DA). The viability result revealed the ability of MPA, PTD, DBH, SAHA to prevent the regrowth of treated parasite at 4 × and 2 × of IC50. Antagonistic interactions against B. bovis were observed after treatment with either MPA, PTD, DBH or SAHA in combination with DA. Our findings indicate the richness of FDA approved compounds by novel potent antibabesial candidates and the identified potent compounds especially DBH might be used for the treatment of animal babesiosis caused by B. bovis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchang Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, 35516, Egypt
| | - Paul Franck Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Seung-Hun Lee
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 28644, South Korea
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Huanping Guo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yang Gao
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Amani Magdy Beshbishy
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Arifin Budiman Nugraha
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Jl. Agatis Kampus IPB Dramaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Maria Agnes Tumwebaze
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Byamukama Benedicto
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan.
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14
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Molecular investigation of tick-borne infections in cattle from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Parasitol Int 2019; 74:101925. [PMID: 31077806 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases cause significant losses to livestock production in tropical and subtropical regions. However, information about the tick-borne infections in cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), northwestern China, is scarce. In this study, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and gene sequencing were used to detect and analyze epidemiological features of Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, Coxiella burnetii and Anaplasma bovis infections in XUAR. Out of 195 samples tested, 24 (12.3%), 67 (34.4%), 40 (20.5%) and 10 (5.1%) were positive for B. bovis, B. bigemina, C. burnetii and A. bovis, respectively. Sequencing analysis indicated that B. bovis SBP-4, B. bigemina Rap1a, C. burnetii htpB and A. bovis 16S rRNA genes from XUAR showed 99%-100% identity with documented isolates from other countries. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. bovis SBP-4, B. bigemina Rap1a, C. burnetii htpB and A. bovis 16S rRNA gene sequences clustered in the same clade with isolates from other countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. burnetii infection of cattle in XUAR. Furthermore, this study provides important data for understanding the distribution of tick-borne pathogens, and is expected to improve the approach for prevention and control of tick-borne diseases in China.
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