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Schwarzer E, Skorokhod O. Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins of Malaria Parasites during the Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6145. [PMID: 38892332 PMCID: PMC11173270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating protein functions, influencing various fundamental processes in eukaryotes. These include, but are not limited to, cell signaling, protein trafficking, the epigenetic control of gene expression, and control of the cell cycle, as well as cell proliferation, differentiation, and interactions between cells. In this review, we discuss protein PTMs that play a key role in the malaria parasite biology and its pathogenesis. Phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, lipidation and lipoxidation, glycosylation, ubiquitination and sumoylation, nitrosylation and glutathionylation, all of which occur in malarial parasites, are reviewed. We provide information regarding the biological significance of these modifications along all phases of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium spp. Importantly, not only the parasite, but also the host and vector protein PTMs are often crucial for parasite growth and development. In addition to metabolic regulations, protein PTMs can result in epitopes that are able to elicit both innate and adaptive immune responses of the host or vector. We discuss some existing and prospective results from antimalarial drug discovery trials that target various PTM-related processes in the parasite or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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Pawłowska M, Mila-Kierzenkowska C, Szczegielniak J, Woźniak A. Oxidative Stress in Parasitic Diseases-Reactive Oxygen Species as Mediators of Interactions between the Host and the Parasites. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 13:38. [PMID: 38247462 PMCID: PMC10812656 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress plays a significant role in the development and course of parasitic infections, both in the attacked host organism and the parasite organism struggling to survive. The host uses large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly superoxide anion (O2•-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), to fight the developing parasitic disease. On the other hand, the parasite develops the most effective defense mechanisms and resistance to the effects of ROS and strives to survive in the host organism it has colonized, using the resources and living environment available for its development and causing the host's weakening. The paper reviews the literature on the role of oxidative stress in parasitic diseases, which are the most critical epidemiological problem worldwide. The most common parasitosis in the world is malaria, with 300-500 million new cases and about 1 million deaths reported annually. In Europe and Poland, the essential problem is intestinal parasites. Due to a parasitic infection, the concentration of antioxidants in the host decreases, and the concentration of products of cellular components oxidation increases. In response to the increased number of reactive oxygen species attacking it, the parasites have developed effective defense mechanisms, including primarily the action of antioxidant enzymes, especially superoxide dismutase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (NADPH)-dependent complexes glutathione and thioredoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pawłowska
- Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (C.M.-K.); (A.W.)
| | - Celestyna Mila-Kierzenkowska
- Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (C.M.-K.); (A.W.)
| | - Jan Szczegielniak
- Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, 45-758 Opole, Poland;
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration’s Specialist Hospital of St. John Paul II, 48-340 Glucholazy, Poland
| | - Alina Woźniak
- Department of Medical Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (C.M.-K.); (A.W.)
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Mo W, Li Q, He X, Lu Z, Xu H, Zheng X, Guo J, Lu Y, Wang S. Identification and characterization of Prx5 and Prx6 in Chilo suppressalis in response to environmental stress. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:e22030. [PMID: 37282754 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The antioxidant proteins, peroxiredoxins (Prxs), function to protect insects from reactive oxygen species-induced toxicity. In this study, two Prx genes, CsPrx5, and CsPrx6, were cloned and characterized from the paddy field pest, Chilo suppressalis, containing open reading frames of 570 and 672 bp encoding 189 and 223 amino acid polypeptides, respectively. Then, we investigated the influence of various stresses on their expression levels using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed expression of CsPrx5 and CsPrx6 in all developmental stages, with eggs having the highest level. CsPrx5 and CsPrx6 showed higher expression in the epidermis and fat body, and CsPrx6 also showed higher expression in midgut, fat body, and epidermis. Increasing concentrations of insecticides (chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram) and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) increased the expression levels of CsPrx5 and CsPrx6. In addition, the expression levels of CsPrx5 and CsPrx6 were almost markedly upregulated in larvae under temperature stress or fed by vetiver. Thus, CsPrx5 and CsPrx6 upregulation might increase the C. suppressalis defense response by reducing the impact of environmental stress, providing a better understanding of the relationship between environmental stresses and insect defense systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wujia Mo
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaochan He
- Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinhua, China
| | - Zhongxian Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongxing Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xusong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanhui Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuping Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- Technical Centre for Animal, Plant, and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Customs, Shanghai, China
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Skorokhod O, Valente E, Mandili G, Ulliers D, Schwarzer E. Micromolar Dihydroartemisinin Concentrations Elicit Lipoperoxidation in Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1468. [PMID: 37508006 PMCID: PMC10376682 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is still the most important parasitic infectious disease. Numerous substances are known to have antimalarial activity; among them, artemisinin is the most widely used one, and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is recommended for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum (P.f.) malaria. Antitumor, immunomodulatory, and other therapeutic applications of artemisinin are under extensive study. Several different mechanisms of action were proposed for dihydroartemisinin (DHA), the active metabolite of artemisinin, such as eliciting oxidative stress in target cells. The goal of this study is to monitor the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) by DHA in P.f.-infected human erythrocytes. Checking ROS and 4-HNE-protein adducts kinetics along the maturation of the parasite, we detected the highest level of 4-HNE in ring forms of P.f. due to DHA treatment. Low micromolar concentrations of DHA quickly induced levels of 4-HNE-adducts which are supposed to be damaging. Mass spectrometry identified the P.f. protein cysteine proteinase falcipain-1 as being heavily modified by 4-HNE, and plausibly, 4-HNE conjugation with vital P.f. proteins might contribute to DHA-elicited parasite death. In conclusion, significant 4-HNE accumulation was detectable after DHA treatment, though, at concentrations well above pharmacologically effective ranges in malaria treatment, but at concentrations described for antitumor activity. Thus, lipid peroxidation with consequent 4-HNE conjugation of functionally relevant proteins might be considered as a uniform mechanism for how DHA potentiates antimalarials' action in ACT and controls the progression of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Valente
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Giorgia Mandili
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Daniela Ulliers
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Torino, Italy
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