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de Castro Neto AL, da Silveira JF, Mortara RA. Role of Virulence Factors of Trypanosomatids in the Insect Vector and Putative Genetic Events Involved in Surface Protein Diversity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:807172. [PMID: 35573777 PMCID: PMC9097677 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.807172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are flagellate protozoans that can infect several invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, including insects and humans. The three most studied species are the human pathogens Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. which are the causative agents of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease and different clinical forms of leishmaniasis, respectively. These parasites possess complex dixenous life cycles, with zoonotic and anthroponotic stages, and are transmitted by hematophagous insects. To colonize this myriad of hosts, they developed mechanisms, mediated by virulence factors, to infect, propagate and survive in different environments. In insects, surface proteins play roles in parasite attachment and survival in the insect gut, whilst in the mammalian host, the parasites have a whole group of proteins and mechanisms that aid them invading the host cells and evading its immune system components. Many studies have been done on the impact of these molecules in the vertebrate host, however it is also essential to notice the importance of these virulence factors in the insect vector during the parasite life cycle. When inside the insect, the parasites, like in humans, also need to survive defense mechanisms components that can inhibit parasite colonization or survival, e.g., midgut peritrophic membrane barrier, digestive enzymes, evasion of excretion alongside the digested blood meal, anatomic structures and physiological mechanisms of the anterior gut. This protection inside the insect is often implemented by the same group of virulence factors that perform roles of immune evasion in the mammalian host with just a few exceptions, in which a specific protein is expressed specifically for the insect vector form of the parasite. This review aims to discuss the roles of the virulence molecules in the insect vectors, showing the differences and similarities of modes of action of the same group of molecules in insect and humans, exclusive insect molecules and discuss possible genetic events that may have generated this protein diversity.
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Sousa ARDO, Andrade FRN, Chaves RP, Sousa BLD, Lima DBD, Souza RODS, da Silva CGL, Teixeira CS, Sampaio AH, Nagano CS, Carneiro RF. Structural characterization of a galectin isolated from the marine sponge Chondrilla caribensis with leishmanicidal potential. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2021; 1865:129992. [PMID: 34508835 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Solving primary structure of lectins leads to an understanding of the physiological roles within an organism and its biotechnological potential. Only eight sponge lectins have had their primary structure fully determined. METHODS The primary structure of CCL, Chondrilla caribensis lectin, was determined by tandem mass spectrometry. The three-dimensional structure was predicted and the protein-carbohydrate interaction analysed by molecular docking. Furthermore, the anti-leishmanial activity was observed by assays with Leishmania infantum. RESULTS The amino acid sequence consists of 142 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 15,443 Da. The lectin has a galectin-like domain architecture. As observed in other sponge galectins, the signature sequence of a highly conserved domain was also identified in CCL with some modifications. CCL exhibits a typical galectin structure consisting of a β-sandwich. Molecular docking showed that the amino acids interacting with CCL ligands at the monosaccharide binding site are mostly the same as those conserved in this family of lectins. Through its interaction with L. infantum glycans, CCL was able to inhibit the development of this parasite. CCL also induced apoptosis after eliciting ROS production and altering the membrane integrity of Leishmania infantum promastigote. CONCLUSIONS CCL joins the restricted group of sponge lectins with determined primary structure and very high biotechnological potential owing to its promising results against pathogens that cause Leishmaniasis. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE As the determination of primary structure is important for biological studies, now CCL can become a sponge galectin with an exciting future in the field of human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Rocha de Oliveira Sousa
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Francisco Regivânio Nascimento Andrade
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Renata Pinheiro Chaves
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Bruno Lopes de Sousa
- Faculdade de Filosofia Dom Aureliano Matos, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Claudener Souza Teixeira
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias e da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal do Cariri, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Holanda Sampaio
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Celso Shiniti Nagano
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Rômulo Farias Carneiro
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Marinha - BioMar-Lab, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici s/n, bloco 871, 60440-970 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
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Rêgo FD, Soares RP. Lutzomyia longipalpis: an update on this sand fly vector. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20200254. [PMID: 33950136 DOI: 10.1590/0001-37652021xxxx] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the New World. It is a permissive vector susceptible to infection with several Leishmania species. One of the advantages that favors the study of this sand fly is the possibility of colonization in the laboratory. For this reason, several researchers around the world use this species as a model for different subjects including biology, insecticides testing, host-parasite interaction, physiology, genetics, proteomics, molecular biology, and saliva among others. In 2003, we published our first review (Soares & Turco 2003) on this vector covering several aspects of Lu. longipalpis. This current review summarizes what has been published between 2003-2020. During this period, modern approaches were incorporated following the development of more advanced and sensitive techniques to assess this sand fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe D Rêgo
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/MG), Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30180-104 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/MG), Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30180-104 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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RÊGO FELIPED, SOARES RODRIGOPEDRO. Lutzomyia longipalpis: an update on this sand fly vector. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120200254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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O'Neal AJ, Butler LR, Rolandelli A, Gilk SD, Pedra JH. Lipid hijacking: a unifying theme in vector-borne diseases. eLife 2020; 9:61675. [PMID: 33118933 PMCID: PMC7595734 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne illnesses comprise a significant portion of human maladies, representing 17% of global infections. Transmission of vector-borne pathogens to mammals primarily occurs by hematophagous arthropods. It is speculated that blood may provide a unique environment that aids in the replication and pathogenesis of these microbes. Lipids and their derivatives are one component enriched in blood and are essential for microbial survival. For instance, the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, among others, have been shown to scavenge and manipulate host lipids for structural support, metabolism, replication, immune evasion, and disease severity. In this Review, we will explore the importance of lipid hijacking for the growth and persistence of these microbes in both mammalian hosts and arthropod vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya J O'Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - L Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Agustin Rolandelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Stacey D Gilk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Joao Hf Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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Binding of Leishmania infantum Lipophosphoglycan to the Midgut Is Not Sufficient To Define Vector Competence in Lutzomyia longipalpis Sand Flies. mSphere 2020; 5:5/5/e00594-20. [PMID: 32907950 PMCID: PMC7485685 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00594-20] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that the presence of LPG is sufficient to define the vector competence of restrictive sand fly vectors with respect to Leishmania parasites. However, the permissiveness of other sand flies with respect to multiple Leishmania species suggests that other factors might define vector competence for these vectors. In this study, we investigated the underpinnings of Leishmania infantum survival and development in its natural vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis. We found that LPG-mediated midgut binding persists in late-stage parasites. This observation is of relevance for the understanding of vector-parasite molecular interactions and suggests that only a subset of infective metacyclic-stage parasites (metacyclics) lose their ability to attach to the midgut, with implications for parasite transmission dynamics. However, our data also demonstrate that LPG is not a determining factor in Leishmania infantum retention in the midgut of Lutzomyia longipalpis, a permissive vector. Rather, LPG appears to be more important in protecting some parasite strains from the toxic environment generated during blood meal digestion in the insect gut. Thus, the relevance of LPG in parasite development in permissive vectors appears to be a complex issue and should be investigated on a strain-specific basis. The major surface lipophosphoglycan (LPG) of Leishmania parasites is critical to vector competence in restrictive sand fly vectors in mediating Leishmania attachment to the midgut epithelium, considered essential to parasite survival and development. However, the relevance of LPG for sand flies that harbor multiple species of Leishmania remains elusive. We tested binding of Leishmania infantum wild-type (WT), LPG-defective (Δlpg1 mutants), and add-back (Δlpg1 + LPG1) lines to sand fly midguts in vitro and their survival in Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies in vivo. Le. infantum WT parasites attached to the Lu. longipalpis midgut in vitro, with late-stage parasites binding to midguts in significantly higher numbers than were seen with early-stage promastigotes. Δlpg1 mutants did not bind to Lu. longipalpis midguts, and this was rescued in the Δlpg1 + LPG1 lines, indicating that midgut binding is mediated by LPG. When Lu. longipalpis sand flies were infected with the Le. infantum WT or Le. infantum Δlpg1 or Le. infantum Δlpg1 + LPG1 line of the BH46 or BA262 strains, the BH46 Δlpg1 mutant, but not the BA262 Δlpg1 mutant, survived and grew to numbers similar to those seen with the WT and Δlpg1 + LPG1 lines. Exposure of BH46 and BA262 Δlpg1 mutants to blood-engorged midgut extracts led to mortality of the BA262 Δlpg1 but not the BH46 Δlpg1 parasites. These findings suggest that Le. infantum LPG protects parasites on a strain-specific basis early in infection, likely against toxic components of blood digestion, but that it is not necessary to prevent Le. infantum evacuation along with the feces in the permissive vector Lu. longipalpis. IMPORTANCE It is well established that the presence of LPG is sufficient to define the vector competence of restrictive sand fly vectors with respect to Leishmania parasites. However, the permissiveness of other sand flies with respect to multiple Leishmania species suggests that other factors might define vector competence for these vectors. In this study, we investigated the underpinnings of Leishmania infantum survival and development in its natural vector, Lutzomyia longipalpis. We found that LPG-mediated midgut binding persists in late-stage parasites. This observation is of relevance for the understanding of vector-parasite molecular interactions and suggests that only a subset of infective metacyclic-stage parasites (metacyclics) lose their ability to attach to the midgut, with implications for parasite transmission dynamics. However, our data also demonstrate that LPG is not a determining factor in Leishmania infantum retention in the midgut of Lutzomyia longipalpis, a permissive vector. Rather, LPG appears to be more important in protecting some parasite strains from the toxic environment generated during blood meal digestion in the insect gut. Thus, the relevance of LPG in parasite development in permissive vectors appears to be a complex issue and should be investigated on a strain-specific basis.
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Hall AR, Blakeman JT, Eissa AM, Chapman P, Morales-García AL, Stennett L, Martin O, Giraud E, Dockrell DH, Cameron NR, Wiese M, Yakob L, Rogers ME, Geoghegan M. Glycan–glycan interactions determine Leishmania attachment to the midgut of permissive sand fly vectors. Chem Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0sc03298k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Force spectroscopy was used to measure the adhesion of Leishmania to synthetic mimics of galectins on the sand fly midgut.
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Chanmol W, Jariyapan N, Somboon P, Bates MD, Bates PA. Development of Leishmania orientalis in the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) and the biting midge Culicoides soronensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Acta Trop 2019; 199:105157. [PMID: 31491400 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania (Mundinia) orientalis is a newly described species causing human leishmaniasis in Thailand whose natural vector is unknown. L. orientalis infections in sand flies and/or biting midges under laboratory conditions have not been previously investigated. In this study, the development of L. orientalis in two experimental vectors, Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies and Culicoides sonorensis biting midges was investigated for the first time using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and histological examination. The results showed that L. orientalis was unable to establish infection in Lu. longipalpis. No parasites were found in the sand fly gut 4 days post-infected blood meal (PIBM). In contrast, the parasite successfully established infection in C. sonorensis. The parasites differentiated from amastigotes to procyclic promastigotes in the abdominal midgut (AMG) on day 1 PIBM. On day 2 PIBM, nectomonad promastigotes were observed in the AMG and migrated to the thoracic midgut (TMG). Leptomonad promastigotes appeared at the TMG on day 3 PIBM. Clusters of leptomonad promastigotes and metacyclic promastigotes colonized around the stomodeal valve with the accumulation of a promastigote secretory gel-like material from day 3 PIBM onwards. Haptomonad-like promastigotes were observed from day 5 PIBM, and the proportion of metacyclic promastigotes reached 23% on day 7 PIBM. The results suggest that biting midges or other sand fly genera or species might be vectors of L. orientalis.
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Filosa JN, Berry CT, Ruthel G, Beverley SM, Warren WC, Tomlinson C, Myler PJ, Dudkin EA, Povelones ML, Povelones M. Dramatic changes in gene expression in different forms of Crithidia fasciculata reveal potential mechanisms for insect-specific adhesion in kinetoplastid parasites. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007570. [PMID: 31356610 PMCID: PMC6687205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinetoplastids are a group of parasites that includes several medically-important species. These human-infective species are transmitted by insect vectors in which the parasites undergo specific developmental transformations. For each species, this includes a stage in which parasites adhere to insect tissue via a hemidesmosome-like structure. Although this structure has been described morphologically, it has never been molecularly characterized. We are using Crithidia fasciculata, an insect parasite that produces large numbers of adherent parasites inside its mosquito host, as a model kinetoplastid to investigate both the mechanism of adherence and the signals required for differentiation to an adherent form. An advantage of C. fasciculata is that adherent parasites can be generated both in vitro, allowing a direct comparison to cultured swimming forms, as well as in vivo within the mosquito. Using RNAseq, we identify genes associated with adherence in C. fasciculata. As almost all of these genes have orthologs in other kinetoplastid species, our findings may reveal shared mechanisms of adherence, allowing investigation of a crucial step in parasite development and disease transmission. In addition, dual-RNAseq allowed us to explore the interaction between the parasites and the mosquito. Although the infection is well-tolerated, anti-microbial peptides and other components of the mosquito innate immune system are upregulated. Our findings indicate that C. fasciculata is a powerful model system for probing kinetoplastid-insect interactions. Kinetoplastids are single-celled parasites that cause devastating human diseases worldwide. Although this group includes many species that infect a variety of hosts, they have a great deal of shared biology. One relatively unexplored aspect of the kinetoplastid life cycle is their ability to adhere to insect tissue. For pathogenic species, adherence is critical for transmission by insect vectors. We have used an insect parasite called Crithidia fasciculata as a model kinetoplastid to reveal shared mechanisms of insect adherence. We have compared gene expression profiles of motile, non-adherent C. fasciculata to those of C. fasciculata adhered to non-living substrates and those attached to the hindgut of mosquitoes. Through this analysis, we have identified a large number of candidate proteins that may mediate adhesion in these and related parasites. In addition, our findings suggest that the mosquito immune system is responding to the presence of parasites in the gut. These results establish a new, robust system to explore the interaction between kinetoplastids and their insect hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- John N. Filosa
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Corbett T. Berry
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Gordon Ruthel
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Stephen M. Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Wesley C. Warren
- University of Missouri, Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Chad Tomlinson
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Myler
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Dudkin
- Department of Biology, Penn State Brandywine, Media, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Megan L. Povelones
- Department of Biology, Penn State Brandywine, Media, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MLP); (MP)
| | - Michael Povelones
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MLP); (MP)
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Beneke T, Demay F, Hookway E, Ashman N, Jeffery H, Smith J, Valli J, Becvar T, Myskova J, Lestinova T, Shafiq S, Sadlova J, Volf P, Wheeler RJ, Gluenz E. Genetic dissection of a Leishmania flagellar proteome demonstrates requirement for directional motility in sand fly infections. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007828. [PMID: 31242261 PMCID: PMC6615630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Leishmania possesses a single flagellum, which is remodelled during the parasite’s life cycle from a long motile flagellum in promastigote forms in the sand fly to a short immotile flagellum in amastigotes residing in mammalian phagocytes. This study examined the protein composition and in vivo function of the promastigote flagellum. Protein mass spectrometry and label free protein enrichment testing of isolated flagella and deflagellated cell bodies defined a flagellar proteome for L. mexicana promastigote forms (available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD011057). This information was used to generate a CRISPR-Cas9 knockout library of 100 mutants to screen for flagellar defects. This first large-scale knockout screen in a Leishmania sp. identified 56 mutants with altered swimming speed (52 reduced and 4 increased) and defined distinct mutant categories (faster swimmers, slower swimmers, slow uncoordinated swimmers and paralysed cells, including aflagellate promastigotes and cells with curled flagella and disruptions of the paraflagellar rod). Each mutant was tagged with a unique 17-nt barcode, providing a simple barcode sequencing (bar-seq) method for measuring the relative fitness of L. mexicana mutants in vivo. In mixed infections of the permissive sand fly vector Lutzomyia longipalpis, paralysed promastigotes and uncoordinated swimmers were severely diminished in the fly after defecation of the bloodmeal. Subsequent examination of flies infected with a single paralysed mutant lacking the central pair protein PF16 or an uncoordinated swimmer lacking the axonemal protein MBO2 showed that these promastigotes did not reach anterior regions of the fly alimentary tract. These data show that L. mexicana need directional motility for successful colonisation of sand flies. Leishmania are protozoan parasites, transmitted between mammals by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. Promastigote forms in the sand fly have a long flagellum, which is motile and used for anchoring the parasites to prevent clearance with the digested blood meal remnants. To dissect flagellar functions and their importance in life cycle progression, we generated here a comprehensive list of >300 flagellar proteins and produced a CRISPR-Cas9 gene knockout library of 100 mutant Leishmania. We studied their behaviour in vitro before examining their fate in the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. Measuring mutant swimming speeds showed that about half behaved differently compared to the wild type: a few swam faster, many slower and some were completely paralysed. We also found a group of uncoordinated swimmers. To test whether flagellar motility is required for parasite migration from the fly midgut to the foregut from where they reach the next host, we infected sand flies with a mixed mutant population. Each mutant carried a unique tag and tracking these tags up to nine days after infection showed that paralysed and uncoordinated Leishmania were rapidly lost from flies. These data indicate that directional swimming is important for successful colonisation of sand flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Beneke
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - François Demay
- University of Lille 1, Cité Scientifique, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
| | - Edward Hookway
- Research Department of Pathology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Ashman
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Jeffery
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - James Smith
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Valli
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tomas Becvar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Myskova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Lestinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Shahaan Shafiq
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Richard John Wheeler
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Gluenz
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Aranda-Souza MÂ, de Lorena VMB, Dos Santos Correia MT, de Figueiredo RCBQ. In vitro effect of Bothrops leucurus lectin (BLL) against Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania braziliensis infection. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 120:431-439. [PMID: 30118767 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.08.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania braziliensis are the main causative agents of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil. As intracellular parasites, the infection by Leishmania species is dependent on the host immune response and the immunotherapy could be promissory for the development of new strategies to combat ATL. In this work we investigated the leishmanicidal potential of a galactose-binding lectin from the snake venom of Bothrops leucurus (BLL) during the infection with L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis. BLL inhibited the promastigote growth and viability of both species in a mechanism dependent on galactose and calcium. The treatment with BLL also decreases the survival of intracellular parasites for both species and induced profound ultrastructural changes on amastigotes without apparent damage to the host cells. The analysis of the cytokine profile revealed that BLL induced an increase in the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α by infected macrophages in both species, but differed in relation to IL-1β and IL-10 response. Future works using in vitro and in vivo models are necessary to support the use of these lectins as biotechnological tool in immunological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ângela Aranda-Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular de Patógenos, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Departamento de Microbiologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brazil.
| | - Virginia Maria Barros de Lorena
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Departamento de Imunologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brazil
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Second Blood Meal by Female Lutzomyia longipalpis: Enhancement by Oviposition and Its Effects on Digestion, Longevity, and Leishmania Infection. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:2472508. [PMID: 29770328 PMCID: PMC5889884 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2472508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in America. Physiological and molecular mechanisms of Leishmania infection in sand flies have been studied during the first gonotrophic cycle. There are few studies about these interactions during the second gonotrophic cycle mainly because of the difficulties maintaining sand flies through sequential feeds. Here we standardized conditions to perform the second blood feed efficiently, and our results show that oviposition is an essential factor for the success of multiple feeds. We evaluated the impact of the second blood meal on longevity, protein digestion, trypsin activity, and Leishmania mexicana development within L. longipalpis gut. Mortality of blood-fed females increases after second blood meal as compared to sugar-fed females. Trypsin activity was lower during the second gonotrophic cycle. However, no difference in protein intake was observed between blood meals. There was no difference in the population size of Leishmania in the gut after both blood meals. In this work, we presented an optimized protocol for obtaining sufficient numbers of sand fly females fed on a second blood meal, and we described some physiological and parasitological aspects of the second gonotrophic cycle which might influence the vectorial competence of sand flies.
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13
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Reis-Cunha JL, Valdivia HO, Bartholomeu DC. Gene and Chromosomal Copy Number Variations as an Adaptive Mechanism Towards a Parasitic Lifestyle in Trypanosomatids. Curr Genomics 2018; 19:87-97. [PMID: 29491737 PMCID: PMC5814966 DOI: 10.2174/1389202918666170911161311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are a group of kinetoplastid parasites including some of great public health importance, causing debilitating and life-long lasting diseases that affect more than 24 million people worldwide. Among the trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and species from the Leishmania genus are the most well studied parasites, due to their high prevalence in human infections. These parasites have an extreme genomic and phenotypic variability, with a massive expansion in the copy number of species-specific multigene families enrolled in host-parasite interactions that mediate cellular invasion and immune evasion processes. As most trypanosomatids are heteroxenous, and therefore their lifecycles involve the transition between different hosts, these parasites have developed several strategies to ensure a rapid adaptation to changing environments. Among these strategies, a rapid shift in the repertoire of expressed genes, genetic variability and genome plasticity are key mechanisms. Trypanosomatid genomes are organized into large directional gene clusters that are transcribed polycistronically, where genes derived from the same polycistron may have very distinct mRNA levels. This particular mode of transcription implies that the control of gene expression operates mainly at post-transcriptional level. In this sense, gene duplications/losses were already associated with changes in mRNA levels in these parasites. Gene duplications also allow the generation of sequence variability, as the newly formed copy can diverge without loss of function of the original copy. Recently, aneuploidies have been shown to occur in several Leishmania species and T. cruzi strains. Although aneuploidies are usually associated with debilitating phenotypes in superior eukaryotes, recent data shows that it could also provide increased fitness in stress conditions and generate drug resistance in unicellular eukaryotes. In this review, we will focus on gene and chromosomal copy number variations and their relevance to the evolution of trypanosomatid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Hugo O. Valdivia
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Callao, Peru
| | - Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Callao, Peru
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14
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Nogueira PM, Guimarães AC, Assis RR, Sadlova J, Myskova J, Pruzinova K, Hlavackova J, Turco SJ, Torrecilhas AC, Volf P, Soares RP. Lipophosphoglycan polymorphisms do not affect Leishmania amazonensis development in the permissive vectors Lutzomyia migonei and Lutzomyia longipalpis. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:608. [PMID: 29246180 PMCID: PMC5732482 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2568-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lipophosphoglycan (LPG) is a dominant surface molecule of Leishmania promastigotes. Its species-specific polymorphisms are found mainly in the sugars that branch off the conserved Gal(β1,4)Man(α1)-PO4 backbone of repeat units. Leishmania amazonensis is one of the most important species causing human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World. Here, we describe LPG intraspecific polymorphisms in two Le. amazonensis reference strains and their role during the development in three sand fly species. Results Strains isolated from Lutzomyia flaviscutellata (PH8) and from a human patient (Josefa) displayed structural polymorphism in the LPG repeat units, possessing side chains with 1 and 2 β-glucose or 1 to 3 β-galactose, respectively. Both strains successfully infected permissive vectors Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia migonei and could colonize their stomodeal valve and differentiate into metacyclic forms. Despite bearing terminal galactose residues on LPG, Josefa could not sustain infection in the restrictive vector Phlebotomus papatasi. Conclusions LPG polymorphisms did not affect the ability of Le. amazonensis to develop late-stage infections in permissive vectors. However, the non-establishment of infection in Ph. papatasi by Josefa strain suggested other LPG-independent factors in this restrictive vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M Nogueira
- Instituto René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. .,Departamento de Parasitologia, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | | | - Rafael R Assis
- Instituto René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Myskova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Pruzinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Hlavackova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Salvatore J Turco
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Ana C Torrecilhas
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e Protozoários, Departamento de Farmácia, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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15
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Soares RP, Altoé ECF, Ennes-Vidal V, da Costa SM, Rangel EF, de Souza NA, da Silva VC, Volf P, d'Avila-Levy CM. In Vitro Inhibition of Leishmania Attachment to Sandfly Midguts and LL-5 Cells by Divalent Metal Chelators, Anti-gp63 and Phosphoglycans. Protist 2017; 168:326-334. [PMID: 28472733 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum are the causative agents of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, respectively. Several aspects of the vector-parasite interaction involving gp63 and phosphoglycans have been individually assayed in different studies. However, their role under the same experimental conditions was not studied yet. Here, the roles of divalent metal chelators, anti-gp63 antibodies and purified type I phosphoglycans (PGs) were evaluated during in vitro parasite attachment to the midgut of the vector. Parasites were treated with divalent metal chelators or anti-gp63 antibodies prior to the interaction with Lutzomyia longipalpis/Lutzomyia intermedia midguts or sand fly LL-5 cells. In vitro binding system was used to examine the role of PG and gp63 in parallel. Treatment with divalent metal chelators reduced Le. infantum adhesion to the Lu. longipalpis midguts. The most effective compound (Phen) inhibited the binding in both vectors. Similar results were observed in the interaction between both Leishmania species and the cell line LL-5. Finally, parallel experiments using anti-gp63-treated parasites and PG-incubated midguts demonstrated that both approaches substantially inhibited attachment in the natural parasite-vector pairs Le. infantum/Lu. longipalpis and Le. braziliensis/Lu. intermedia. Our results suggest that gp63 and/or PG are involved in parasite attachment to the midgut of these important vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Ellen Cristina Félix Altoé
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vítor Ennes-Vidal
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Simone M da Costa
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nataly Araújo de Souza
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanderlei Campos da Silva
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Nogueira PM, Assis RR, Torrecilhas AC, Saraiva EM, Pessoa NL, Campos MA, Marialva EF, Ríos-Velasquez CM, Pessoa FA, Secundino NF, Rugani JN, Nieves E, Turco SJ, Melo MN, Soares RP. Lipophosphoglycans from Leishmania amazonensis Strains Display Immunomodulatory Properties via TLR4 and Do Not Affect Sand Fly Infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004848. [PMID: 27508930 PMCID: PMC4980043 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunomodulatory properties of lipophosphoglycans (LPG) from New World species of Leishmania have been assessed in Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis, the causative agents of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively. This glycoconjugate is highly polymorphic among species with variation in sugars that branch off the conserved Gal(β1,4)Man(α1)-PO4 backbone of repeat units. Here, the immunomodulatory activity of LPGs from Leishmania amazonensis, the causative agent of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, was evaluated in two strains from Brazil. One strain (PH8) was originally isolated from the sand fly and the other (Josefa) was isolated from a human case. The ability of purified LPGs from both strains was investigated during in vitro interaction with peritoneal murine macrophages and CHO cells and in vivo infection with Lutzomyia migonei. In peritoneal murine macrophages, the LPGs from both strains activated TLR4. Both LPGs equally activate MAPKs and the NF-κB inhibitor p-IκBα, but were not able to translocate NF-κB. In vivo experiments with sand flies showed that both stains were able to sustain infection in L. migonei. A preliminary biochemical analysis indicates intraspecies variation in the LPG sugar moieties. However, they did not result in different activation profiles of the innate immune system. Also those polymorphisms did not affect infectivity to the sand fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M. Nogueira
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Parasitologia, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rafael R. Assis
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana C. Torrecilhas
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Bioquímica de Fungos e Protozoários, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, UNIFESP, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elvira M. Saraiva
- Laboratório de Imunobiologia das Leishmanioses, Departamento de Imunologia, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natália L. Pessoa
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marco A. Campos
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eric F. Marialva
- Centro de Pesquisas Leônidas e Maria Deane/FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | - Felipe A. Pessoa
- Centro de Pesquisas Leônidas e Maria Deane/FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Nágila F. Secundino
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jerônimo N. Rugani
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Elsa Nieves
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Experimental, Departamento de Biologia, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Salvatore J. Turco
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Maria N. Melo
- Departamento de Parasitologia, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo P. Soares
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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17
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Myšková J, Dostálová A, Pěničková L, Halada P, Bates PA, Volf P. Characterization of a midgut mucin-like glycoconjugate of Lutzomyia longipalpis with a potential role in Leishmania attachment. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:413. [PMID: 27457627 PMCID: PMC4960694 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1695-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmania parasites are transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies and a crucial step in their life-cycle is the binding to the sand fly midgut. Laboratory studies on sand fly competence to Leishmania parasites suggest that the sand flies fall into two groups: several species are termed “specific/restricted” vectors that support the development of one Leishmania species only, while the others belong to so-called “permissive” vectors susceptible to a wide range of Leishmania species. In a previous study we revealed a correlation between specificity vs permissivity of the vector and glycosylation of its midgut proteins. Lutzomyia longipalpis and other four permissive species tested possessed O-linked glycoproteins whereas none were detected in three specific vectors examined. Results We used a combination of biochemical, molecular and parasitological approaches to characterize biochemical and biological properties of O-linked glycoprotein of Lu. longipalpis. Lectin blotting and mass spectrometry revealed that this molecule with an apparent molecular weight about 45–50 kDa corresponds to a putative 19 kDa protein with unknown function detected in a midgut cDNA library of Lu. longipalpis. We produced a recombinant glycoprotein rLuloG with molecular weight around 45 kDa. Anti-rLuloG antibodies localize the native glycoprotein on epithelial midgut surface of Lu. longipalpis. Although we could not prove involvement of LuloG in Leishmania attachment by blocking the native protein with anti-rLuloG during sand fly infections, we demonstrated strong binding of rLuloG to whole surface of Leishmania promastigotes. Conclusions We characterized a novel O-glycoprotein from sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. It has mucin-like properties and is localized on the luminal side of the midgut epithelium. Recombinant form of the protein binds to Leishmania parasites in vitro. We propose a role of this molecule in Leishmania attachment to sand fly midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Myšková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic.
| | - Anna Dostálová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Pěničková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Halada
- Institute of Microbiology of the ASCR, v.v.i., Videňská 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Paul A Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic
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18
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Valdivia HO, Scholte LLS, Oliveira G, Gabaldón T, Bartholomeu DC. The Leishmania metaphylome: a comprehensive survey of Leishmania protein phylogenetic relationships. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:887. [PMID: 26518129 PMCID: PMC4628237 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2091-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic disease with diverse clinical manifestations and a complex epidemiology. It has been shown that its parasite-related traits vary between species and that they modulate infectivity, pathogenicity, and virulence. However, understanding of the species-specific adaptations responsible for these features and their evolutionary background is limited. To improve our knowledge regarding the parasite biology and adaptation mechanisms of different Leishmania species, we conducted a proteome-wide phylogenomic analysis to gain insights into Leishmania evolution. Results The analysis of the reconstructed phylomes (totaling 45,918 phylogenies) allowed us to detect genes that are shared in pathogenic Leishmania species, such as calpain-like cysteine peptidases and 3'a2rel-related proteins, or genes that could be associated with visceral or cutaneous development. This analysis also established the phylogenetic relationship of several hypothetical proteins whose roles remain to be characterized. Our findings demonstrated that gene duplication constitutes an important evolutionary force in Leishmania, acting on protein families that mediate host-parasite interactions, such as amastins, GP63 metallopeptidases, cathepsin L-like proteases, and our methods permitted a deeper analysis of their phylogenetic relationships. Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of proteome wide phylogenetic analyses to detect adaptation and evolutionary processes in different organisms and underscore the need to characterize the role of expanded and species-specific proteins in the context of Leishmania evolution by providing a framework for the phylogenetic relationships of Leishmania proteins. Phylogenomic data are publicly available for use through PhylomeDB (http://www.phylomedb.org). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2091-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo O Valdivia
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. .,Department of Parasitology, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru. .,Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Lima, Peru.
| | - Larissa L S Scholte
- Genomics and Computational Biology Group, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Genomics and Computational Biology Group, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. .,Instituto Tecnológico Vale - ITV, Belém, Brazil.
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain. .,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. .,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Daniella C Bartholomeu
- Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antonio Carlos, 6627 - Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. .,Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Lima, Peru.
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19
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Di-Blasi T, Lobo AR, Nascimento LM, Córdova-Rojas JL, Pestana K, Marín-Villa M, Tempone AJ, Telleria EL, Ramalho-Ortigão M, McMahon-Pratt D, Traub-Csekö YM. The flagellar protein FLAG1/SMP1 is a candidate for Leishmania-sand fly interaction. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015; 15:202-9. [PMID: 25793476 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a serious problem that affects mostly poor countries. Various species of Leishmania are the agents of the disease, which take different clinical manifestations. The parasite is transmitted by sandflies, predominantly from the Phlebotomus genus in the Old World and Lutzomyia in the New World. During development in the gut, Leishmania must survive various challenges, which include avoiding being expelled with blood remnants after digestion. It is believed that attachment to the gut epithelium is a necessary step for vector infection, and molecules from parasites and sand flies have been implicated in this attachment. In previous work, monoclonal antibodies were produced against Leishmania. Among these an antibody was obtained against Leishmania braziliensis flagella, which blocked the attachment of Leishmania panamensis flagella to Phlebotomus papatasi guts. The protein recognized by this antibody was identified and named FLAG1, and the complete FLAG1 gene sequence was obtained. This protein was later independently identified as a small, myristoylated protein and called SMP1, so from now on it will be denominated FLAG1/SMP1. The FLAG1/SMP1 gene is expressed in all developmental stages of the parasite, but has higher expression in promastigotes. The anti-FLAG1/SMP1 antibody recognized the flagellum of all Leishmania species tested and generated the expected band by western blots. This antibody was used in attachment and infection blocking experiments. Using the New World vector Lutzomyia longipalpis and Leishmania infantum chagasi, no inhibition of attachment ex vivo or infection in vivo was seen. On the other hand, when the Old World vectors P. papatasi and Leishmania major were used, a significant decrease of both attachment and infection were seen in the presence of the antibody. We propose that FLAG1/SMP1 is involved in the attachment/infection of Leishmania in the strict vector P. papatasi and not the permissive vector L. longipalpis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Di-Blasi
- 1 Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz , FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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20
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Phillips MR, Turco SJ. Characterization of a ricin-resistant mutant of Leishmania donovani that expresses lipophosphoglycan. Glycobiology 2014; 25:428-37. [PMID: 25472443 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwu130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The abundant cell-surface lipophosphoglycan (LPG) of Leishmania parasites plays a central role throughout the eukaryote's life cycle. A number of LPG-defective mutants and their complementing genes have been isolated and have proven invaluable in assessing the importance of LPG and related glycoconjugates in parasite virulence. While ricin agglutination selection protocols frequently result in lpg- mutants, one Leishmania donovani variant we isolated, named JABBA, was found to be lpg+. Procyclic (logarithmic) JABBA expresses significant amounts of a large-sized LPG, larger than observed from procyclic wild type but similar in size to LPG from wild type from metacyclic (stationary) phase. Structural analysis of the LPG from logarithmically grown JABBA by capillary electrophoresis protocols revealed that it averaged 30 repeat units composed of the unsubstituted Gal(β1,4)Man(α1)-PO4 typical of wild-type L. donovani. Analysis of JABBA LPG caps indicated that 20% is branched trisaccharide Gal(β1,4)[Glc(β1,2)]Man and tetrasaccharide Gal(β1,4)[Glc(β1,2)Man(α1,2)]Man instead of the usual Gal(β1,4)Man and Man(α1,2)Man terminating caps. Consistent with these structural observations, analyses of the relevant glycosyltransferases in JABBA microsomes involved in LPG biosynthesis showed a 2-fold increase in elongating mannosylphosphoryltransferase activity and up-regulation of a β-glucosyltransferase activity. Furthermore, the caps of JABBA LPG are cryptic in presentation as shown by the loss of binding by the lectins, ricin, peanut agglutinin and concanavalin A and reduced accessibility of the terminal galactose residues to oxidation by galactose oxidase. These results indicate that LPG from JABBA is intriguingly similar to the larger LPG in wild-type parasites that arises following the differentiation of the non-infectious procyclic promastigotes to infectious, metacyclic forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Salvatore J Turco
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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21
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Antoniou M, Gramiccia M, Molina R, Dvorak V, Volf P. The role of indigenous phlebotomine sandflies and mammals in the spreading of leishmaniasis agents in the Mediterranean region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 18:20540. [PMID: 23929183 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2013.18.30.20540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
An updated view of the establishment and spread of the leishmaniases in Europe is presented, mostly with respect to newly emerging and re-emerging foci and the incrimination of neglected as well as new reservoir hosts. At the same time, a concept of specific versus permissive vectors reassesses the potential role of various sandfly species in Leishmania transmission and considers the risk of introduction of exotic Leishmania species in Europe. The leishmaniases are dynamic diseases and the circumstances of transmission are continually changing in relation to environmental, demographic and human behavioural factors. Changes in the habitat of the natural hosts and vectors, immunosuppressive conditions (like infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or organ transplantation-associated therapies in humans) and the consequences of war, all contribute to the transformation of the epidemiology of leishmaniasis. Such changes should be considered when studying the spread of the disease throughout Europe for targeted control measures to safeguard public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Antoniou
- Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology Parasitology Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Iraklion, Greece
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