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Mekarnia N, Benallal KE, Sádlová J, Vojtková B, Mauras A, Imbert N, Longhitano M, Harrat Z, Volf P, Loiseau PM, Cojean S. Effect of Phlebotomus papatasi on the fitness, infectivity and antimony-resistance phenotype of antimony-resistant Leishmania major Mon-25. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100554. [PMID: 38941845 PMCID: PMC11261056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100554] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Leishmania major is responsible for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. Therapy is mainly based on the use of antimony-based drugs; however, treatment failures and illness relapses were reported. Although studies were developed to understand mechanisms of drug resistance, the interactions of resistant parasites with their reservoir hosts and vectors remain poorly understood. Here we compared the development of two L. major MON-25 trivalent antimony-resistant lines, selected by a stepwise in vitro Sb(III)-drug pressure, to their wild-type parent line in the natural vector Phlebotomus papatasi. The intensity of infection, parasite location and morphological forms were compared by microscopy. Parasite growth curves and IC50 values have been determined before and after the passage in Ph. papatasi. qPCR was used to assess the amplification rates of some antimony-resistance gene markers. In the digestive tract of sand flies, Sb(III)-resistant lines developed similar infection rates as the wild-type lines during the early-stage infections, but significant differences were observed during the late-stage of the infections. Thus, on day 7 p. i., resistant lines showed lower representation of heavy infections with colonization of the stomodeal valve and lower percentage of metacyclic promastigote forms in comparison to wild-type strains. Observed differences between both resistant lines suggest that the level of Sb(III)-resistance negatively correlates with the quality of the development in the vector. Nevertheless, both resistant lines developed mature infections with the presence of infective metacyclic forms in almost half of infected sandflies. The passage of parasites through the sand fly guts does not significantly influence their capacity to multiply in vitro. The IC50 values and molecular analysis of antimony-resistance genes showed that the resistant phenotype of Sb(III)-resistant parasites is maintained after passage through the sand fly. Sb(III)-resistant lines of L. major MON-25 were able to produce mature infections in Ph. papatasi suggesting a possible circulation in the field using this vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalia Mekarnia
- UR 7510 ESCAPE - USC Anses, School of Pharmacy, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Pôle Santé, 51100 Reims, France; UMR 8076 BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Kamal-Eddine Benallal
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Arboviruses and Emergent Viruses, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, 16047, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Aurélie Mauras
- UMR 8076 BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Nicolas Imbert
- UMR 8076 BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France; UMR BIPAR, Laboratory of Animal Health, Anses, INRAe, EnvA, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Maryline Longhitano
- UMR 8076 BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France; National Malaria Reference Center, AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat Claude Bernard, 75018, Paris, France
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Algerian Academy for Science and Technology, Villa Rais Hamidou, Chemin Omar Kachkar, El Madania, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Sandrine Cojean
- UMR 8076 BioCIS, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400, Orsay, France; UMR BIPAR, Laboratory of Animal Health, Anses, INRAe, EnvA, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France; National Malaria Reference Center, AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat Claude Bernard, 75018, Paris, France
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Sádlová J, Yeo M, Mateus DS, Phelan J, Hai LA, Bhattacharyya T, Kurtev S, Sebesta O, Myskova J, Seblova V, Andersson B, Florez de Sessions P, Volf P, Miles MA. Comparative genomics of Leishmania donovani progeny from genetic crosses in two sand fly species and impact on the diversity of diagnostic and vaccine candidates. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011920. [PMID: 38295092 PMCID: PMC10830044 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Sand fly transmitted Leishmania species are responsible for severe, wide ranging, visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases. Genetic exchange can occur among natural Leishmania populations and hybrids can now be produced experimentally, with limitations. Feeding Phlebotomus orientalis or Phlebotomus argentipes on two strains of Leishmania donovani yielded hybrid progeny, selected using double drug resistance and fluorescence markers. Fluorescence activated cell sorting of cultured clones derived from these hybrids indicated diploid progeny. Multilocus sequence typing of the clones showed hybridisation and nuclear heterozygosity, although with inheritance of single haplotypes in a kinetoplastid target. Comparative genomics showed diversity of clonal progeny between single chromosomes, and extraordinary heterozygosity across all 36 chromosomes. Diversity between progeny was seen for the HASPB antigen, which has been noted previously as having implications for design of a therapeutic vaccine. Genomic diversity seen among Leishmania strains and hybrid progeny is of great importance in understanding the epidemiology and control of leishmaniasis. As an outcome of this study we strongly recommend that wider biological archives of different Leishmania species from endemic regions should be established and made available for comparative genomics. However, in parallel, performance of genetic crosses and genomic comparisons should give fundamental insight into the specificity, diversity and limitations of candidate diagnostics, vaccines and drugs, for targeted control of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Matthew Yeo
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - David S. Mateus
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - Jody Phelan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - Le Anh Hai
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - Tapan Bhattacharyya
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Kurtev
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
| | - Ondrej Sebesta
- Laboratory of Confocal and Fluorescence Microscopy, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Myskova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Seblova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Björn Andersson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paola Florez de Sessions
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Biomedical Sciences Institutes, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael A. Miles
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom
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Gupta P, Mansuri R, Priydarshni P, Behera S, Zaidi A, Nehar S, Sahoo GC, Pandey K, Ali V. Interaction between Cfd1 and Nbp35 proteins involved in cytosolic FeS cluster assembly machinery deciphers a stable complexation in Leishmania donovani. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127073. [PMID: 37774824 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127073] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania donovani is the causative unicellular parasite for visceral leishmaniasis (VL); and FeS proteins are likely to be very essential for their survival and viability. Cytosolic FeS cluster assembly (CIA) machinery is one of the four systems for the biosynthesis and transfer of FeS clusters among eukaryotes; Cfd1 and Nbp35 are the scaffold components for cytosolic FeS cluster biogenesis. We investigated the role of CIA machinery components and purified Cfd1 and Nbp35 proteins of L. donovani. We also investigated the interactive nature between LdCfd1 and LdNbp35 proteins by in silico analysis, in vitro co-purification, pull down assays along with in vivo immuno-precipitation; which inferred that both LdCfd1 and LdNbp35 proteins are interacting with each other. Thus, our collective data revealed the interaction between these two proteins which forms a stable complex that can be attributed to the cellular process of FeS clusters biogenesis, and transfer to target apo-proteins of L. donovani. The expression of Cfd1 and Nbp35 proteins in Amp B resistant parasites is up-regulated leading to increased amount of FeS proteins. Hence, it favors increased tolerance towards ROS level, which helps parasites survival under drug pressure contributing in Amphotericin B resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parool Gupta
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Rani Mansuri
- Department of Bio-informatics, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Priya Priydarshni
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Sachidananda Behera
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Amir Zaidi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Shamshun Nehar
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Ganesh Chandra Sahoo
- Department of Bio-informatics, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Vahab Ali
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Agam Kuan, Patna 800007, India.
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Sadlova J, Vojtkova B, Lestinova T, Becvar T, Frynta D, Benallal KE, Mekarnia N, Harrat Z, Volf P. Infectiousness of Asymptomatic Meriones shawi, Reservoir Host of Leishmania major. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040614. [PMID: 37111500 PMCID: PMC10143307 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases are neglected diseases caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania that threaten millions of people worldwide. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. major is a typical zoonosis transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies and maintained in rodent reservoirs. The female sand fly was assumed to become infected by feeding on the skin lesion of the host, and the relative contribution of asymptomatic individuals to disease transmission was unknown. In this study, we infected 32 Meriones shawi, North African reservoirs, with a natural dose of L. major obtained from the gut of infected sand flies. Skin manifestations appeared in 90% of the animals, and xenodiagnosis with the proven vector Phlebotomus papatasi showed transmissibility in 67% of the rodents, and 45% were repeatedly infectious to sand flies. Notably, the analysis of 113 xenodiagnostic trials with 2189 sand flies showed no significant difference in the transmissibility of animals in the asymptomatic and symptomatic periods; asymptomatic animals were infectious several weeks before the appearance of skin lesions and several months after their healing. These results clearly confirm that skin lesions are not a prerequisite for vector infection in CL and that asymptomatic animals are an essential source of L. major infection. These data are important for modeling the epidemiology of CL caused by L. major.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtkova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Lestinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Becvar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kamal Eddine Benallal
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Eco Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases and Population Genetics, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, 16045 Algiers, Algeria
| | - Nalia Mekarnia
- Laboratory of Eco Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases and Population Genetics, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, 16045 Algiers, Algeria
- EA ESCAPE 7510, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51 Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096 Reims CEDEX, France
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratory of Eco Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases and Population Genetics, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, 16045 Algiers, Algeria
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
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Pacakova L, Harant K, Volf P, Lestinova T. Three types of Leishmania mexicana amastigotes: Proteome comparison by quantitative proteomic analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1022448. [DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1022448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is the unicellular parasite transmitted by phlebotomine sand fly bite. It exists in two different forms; extracellular promastigotes, occurring in the gut of sand flies, and intracellular, round-shaped amastigotes residing mainly in vertebrate macrophages. As amastigotes originating from infected animals are often present in insufficient quality and quantity, two alternative types of amastigotes were introduced for laboratory experiments: axenic amastigotes and amastigotes from macrophages infected in vitro. Nevertheless, there is very little information about the degree of similarity/difference among these three types of amastigotes on proteomic level, whose comparison is crucial for assessing the suitability of using alternative types of amastigotes in experiments. In this study, L. mexicana amastigotes obtained from lesion of infected BALB/c mice were proteomically compared with alternatively cultivated amastigotes (axenic and macrophage-derived ones). Amastigotes of all three types were isolated, individually treated and analysed by LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis with quantification using TMT10-plex isobaric labeling. Significant differences were observed in the abundance of metabolic enzymes, virulence factors and proteins involved in translation and condensation of DNA. The most pronounced differences were observed between axenic amastigotes and lesion-derived amastigotes, macrophage-derived amastigotes were mostly intermediate between axenic and lesion-derived ones.
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Khan MAA, Faisal K, Chowdhury R, Nath R, Ghosh P, Ghosh D, Hossain F, Abd El Wahed A, Mondal D. Evaluation of molecular assays to detect Leishmania donovani in Phlebotomus argentipes fed on post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis patients. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:465. [PMID: 34503557 PMCID: PMC8428120 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04961-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) caused by Leishmania donovani (LD) is a skin disorder that often appears after treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. PKDL patients are potential reservoirs of LD parasites, which can initiate a new epidemic of anthroponotic VL. Therefore, host infectiousness to its sand fly vector is a critical factor for transmission, and its accurate estimation can facilitate control strategies. At present, conventional microscopy serves as the reference method to detect parasites in its vector. However, low sensitivity of microscopy can be a limiting factor. METHODS In this study, real-time quantitative PCR (LD-qPCR) and recombinase polymerase amplification (LD-RPA) assays were evaluated against microscopy for the detection of LD DNA extracted from live sand flies five days after controlled feeding on PKDL cases. RESULTS The sensitivity of LD-qPCR and LD-RPA assays were found to be 96.43 and 100%, respectively, against microscopy for the selected fed sand flies (n = 28), and an absolute specificity of both molecular tools for apparently unfed sand flies (n = 30). While the proportion of infectious cases among 47 PKDL patients was estimated as 46.81% as defined by microscopic detection of LD in at least one fed sand fly per case, LD-RPA assay evaluation of only the microscopy negative sand flies fed to those 47 PKDL cases estimated an even greater proportion of infectious cases (51.06%). In overall estimation of the infectious cases in retrospective manner, discordance in positivity rate was observed (p < 0.05) between LD-RPA (59.57%) assay and microscopy (46.81%), while LD-RPA had slightly better positivity rate than LD-qPCR (55.32%) as well. CONCLUSIONS Considering the sensitivity, cost, detection time, and field applicability, RPA assay can be considered as a promising single molecular detection tool for investigations pertaining to LD infections in sand flies and/or host infectiousness in PKDL, while it can also be useful in confirmation of microscopy negative sand fly samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Anik Ashfaq Khan
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 43, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Khaledul Faisal
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rajashree Chowdhury
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rupen Nath
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Prakash Ghosh
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Debashis Ghosh
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Faria Hossain
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ahmed Abd El Wahed
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 43, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Dinesh Mondal
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh. .,Laboratory Sciences and Services Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh, 1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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Becvar T, Vojtkova B, Siriyasatien P, Votypka J, Modry D, Jahn P, Bates P, Carpenter S, Volf P, Sadlova J. Experimental transmission of Leishmania (Mundinia) parasites by biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009654. [PMID: 34115806 PMCID: PMC8221790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites, causative agents of leishmaniasis, are currently divided into four subgenera: Leishmania, Viannia, Sauroleishmania and Mundinia. The recently established subgenus Mundinia has a wide geographical distribution and contains five species, three of which have the potential to infect and cause disease in humans. While the other Leishmania subgenera are transmitted exclusively by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), natural vectors of Mundinia remain uncertain. This study investigates the potential of sand flies and biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to transmit Leishmania parasites of the subgenus Mundinia. Sand flies (Phlebotomus argentipes, P. duboscqi and Lutzomyia migonei) and Culicoides biting midges (Culicoides sonorensis) were exposed to five Mundinia species through a chicken skin membrane and dissected at specific time intervals post bloodmeal. Potentially infected insects were also allowed to feed on ear pinnae of anaesthetized BALB/c mice and the presence of Leishmania DNA was subsequently confirmed in the mice using polymerase chain reaction analyses. In C. sonorensis, all Mundinia species tested were able to establish infection at a high rate, successfully colonize the stomodeal valve and produce a higher proportion of metacyclic forms than in sand flies. Subsequently, three parasite species, L. martiniquensis, L. orientalis and L. sp. from Ghana, were transmitted to the host mouse ear by C. sonorensis bite. In contrast, transmission experiments entirely failed with P. argentipes, although colonisation of the stomodeal valve was observed for L. orientalis and L. martiniquensis and metacyclic forms of L. orientalis were recorded. This laboratory-based transmission of Mundinia species highlights that Culicoides are potential vectors of members of this ancestral subgenus of Leishmania and we suggest further studies in endemic areas to confirm their role in the lifecycles of neglected pathogens. Leishmania parasites are causative agents of leishmaniasis, a disease affecting millions of humans worldwide. It is widely accepted that these flagellates are transmitted exclusively by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae). Reservoir hosts and insect vectors for the newly established Leishmania subgenus Mundinia, however, remain poorly understood. Preliminary evidence from field-based studies discovered biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) that were naturally infected by L. (Mundinia) macropodum in Australia. This surprising finding led us to carry out a detailed laboratory study aimed at comparison of the development of all currently known species of the subgenus Mundinia in both putative vector families. We found that all five Mundinia species developed successfully in C. sonorensis and the successful transmission of three Mundinia species from infected insects to mice was demonstrated for the first time. This is the first detailed in vivo evidence that biting midges can act as competent vectors of Leishmania parasites of the subgenus Mundinia and has considerable epidemiological implications for control of these neglected pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Becvar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtkova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Padet Siriyasatien
- Vector Biology and Vector Borne Disease Research Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jan Votypka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Modry
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Veterinary Sciences/CINeZ, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Jahn
- Equine Clinic, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Paul Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Carpenter
- Entomology Group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Variable bites and dynamic populations; new insights in Leishmania transmission. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009033. [PMID: 33493192 PMCID: PMC7861551 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease which kills an estimated 50,000 people each year, with its deadly impact confined mainly to lower to middle income countries. Leishmania parasites are transmitted to human hosts by sand fly vectors during blood feeding. Recent experimental work shows that transmission is modulated by the patchy landscape of infection in the host's skin, and the parasite population dynamics within the vector. Here we assimilate these new findings into a simple probabilistic model for disease transmission which replicates recent experimental results, and assesses their relative importance. The results of subsequent simulations, describing random parasite uptake and dynamics across multiple blood meals, show that skin heterogeneity is important for transmission by short-lived flies, but that for longer-lived flies with multiple bites the population dynamics within the vector dominate transmission probability. Our results indicate that efforts to reduce fly lifespan beneath a threshold of around two weeks may be especially helpful in reducing disease transmission.
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Ojha R, Pandey RK, Prajapati VK. Vaccinomics strategy to concoct a promising subunit vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis targeting sandfly and leishmania antigens. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 156:548-557. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.04.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Van Bockstal L, Hendrickx S, Maes L, Caljon G. Sand Fly Studies Predict Transmission Potential of Drug-resistant Leishmania. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:785-795. [PMID: 32713762 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites have the capacity to rapidly adapt to changing environments in their digenetic life cycle which alternates between a vertebrate and an invertebrate host. Emergence of resistance following drug exposure can evoke phenotypic alterations that affect several aspects of parasite fitness in both hosts. Current studies of the impact of resistance are mostly limited to interactions with the mammalian host and characterization of in vitro parasite growth and differentiation. Development in the vector and transmission capacity have been largely ignored. This review reflects on the impact of drug resistance on its spreading potential with specific focus on the use of the sand fly infection model to evaluate parasite development in the vector and the ensuing transmission potential of drug-resistant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieselotte Van Bockstal
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sarah Hendrickx
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
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TLR4 abrogates the Th1 immune response through IRF1 and IFN-β to prevent immunopathology during L. infantum infection. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008435. [PMID: 32210480 PMCID: PMC7135367 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A striking feature of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is chronic inflammation in the spleen and liver, and VL patients present increased production levels of multiple inflammatory mediators, which contribute to tissue damage and disease severity. Here, we combined an experimental model with the transcriptional profile of human VL to demonstrate that the TLR4-IFN-β pathway regulates the chronic inflammatory process and is associated with the asymptomatic form of the disease. Tlr4-deficient mice harbored fewer parasites in their spleen and liver than wild-type mice. TLR4 deficiency enhanced the Th1 immune response against the parasite, which was correlated with an increased activation of dendritic cells (DCs). Gene expression analyses demonstrated that IRF1 and IFN-β were expressed downstream of TLR4 after infection. Accordingly, IRF1- and IFNAR-deficient mice harbored fewer parasites in the target organs than wild-type mice due to having an increased Th1 immune response. However, the absence of TLR4 or IFNAR increased the serum transaminase levels in infected mice, indicating the presence of liver damage in these animals. In addition, IFN-β limits IFN-γ production by acting directly on Th1 cells. Using RNA sequencing analysis of human samples, we demonstrated that the transcriptional signature for the TLR4 and type I IFN (IFN-I) pathways was positively modulated in asymptomatic subjects compared with VL patients and thus provide direct evidence demonstrating that the TLR4-IFN-I pathway is related to the nondevelopment of the disease. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the TLR4-IRF1 pathway culminates in IFN-β production as a mechanism for dampening the chronic inflammatory process and preventing immunopathology development. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most lethal neglected tropical diseases and is caused by Leishmania parasites. Most subjects infected with Leishmania present subclinical VL symptoms, and their immune response is mediated by Th1 cells and immunoregulatory mechanisms. However, when infection progresses to disease, VL patients present increased levels of inflammatory mediators in the serum which are related to the severity of disease. During infection, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) interact with Leishmania parasites and contribute to the outcome of the disease. Herein, we report that TLR4 signaling hampers the chronic immune response during VL to prevent immunopathology. TLR4 triggers the activation of IRF1 and thus induces the transcription of IFN-β, which in turn acts directly on Th1 cells to limit the production of IFN-γ. In addition, a transcription analysis of human VL samples provides direct evidence demonstrating that the TLR4-IFN-I pathway is related to the asymptomatic form of the disease. Collectively, our findings reveal that TLR4 hampers the Th1 immune response through IRF1 and IFN-β to prevent immunopathology during VL.
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Vaselek S, Prudhomme J, Myskova J, Lestinova T, Spitzova T, Bañuls AL, Volf P. Comparative Study of Promastigote- and Amastigote-Initiated Infection of Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) Conducted in Different Biosafety Level Laboratories. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:601-607. [PMID: 31702779 PMCID: PMC7044723 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are natural vectors of Leishmania. For the initiation of sand fly experimental infections either Leishmania amastigotes or promastigotes can be used. In order to obtain comparable results, it is necessary to adjust and standardize procedures. During this study, we conducted promastigote- and amastigote-initiated infections of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908 parasites in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus Newstead, 1911 in two laboratories with different levels of biosafety protection. Protocol originally designed for a biosafety level 2 facility was modified for biosafety level 3 facility and infection parameters were compared. Particularly, specially designed plastic containers were used for blood feeding; feeders were placed outside the sand fly cage, on the top of the mesh; feeding was performed inside the climatic chamber; separation of engorged females was done in Petri dishes kept on ice; engorged females were kept in the cardboard containers until dissection. All experiments, conducted in both laboratories, resulted in fully developed late stage infections with high number of parasites and colonization of the stomodeal valve. We demonstrated that protocol originally designed for biosafety level 2 facilities can be successfully modified for other biosafety facilities, depending on the special requirements of the individual institution/laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slavica Vaselek
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jorian Prudhomme
- UMR MIVEGEC (IRD - CNRS - University of Montpellier), IRD center, 911 avenue Agropolis, Montpellier, France
| | - Jitka Myskova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Lestinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tatiana Spitzova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anne-Laure Bañuls
- UMR MIVEGEC (IRD - CNRS - University of Montpellier), IRD center, 911 avenue Agropolis, Montpellier, France
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
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Sadlova J, Vojtkova B, Becvar T, Lestinova T, Spitzova T, Bates P, Volf P. Host competence of the African rodents Arvicanthis neumanni, A. niloticus and Mastomys natalensis for Leishmania donovani from Ethiopia and L. ( Mundinia) sp. from Ghana. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2019; 11:40-45. [PMID: 31879594 PMCID: PMC6920283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani is regarded as mostly anthroponotic, but a role for animal reservoir hosts in transmission has been suggested in East Africa. Field studies in this region have shown the presence of this parasite in several mammalian species, including rodents of the genera Arvicanthis and Mastomys. Further, the natural reservoirs of Leishmania (Mundinia) sp. causing human cutaneous disease in Ghana, West Africa, are unknown. This study assessed the potential role of the Sub-Saharan rodents Arvicanthis neumanni, A. niloticus and Mastomys natalensis as hosts of L. donovani and L. sp. from Ghana, based on experimental infections of animals and xenodiagnoses. The distribution and load of parasites were determined post mortem using qPCR from the blood, skin and viscera samples. The attractiveness of Arvicanthis and Mastomys to Phlebotomus orientalis was tested by pair-wise comparisons. None of the animals inoculated with L. donovani were infectious to P. orientalis females, although, in some animals, parasites were detected by PCR even 30 weeks post infection. Skin infections were characterized by low numbers of parasites while high parasite burdens were present in spleen, liver and lymph nodes only. Therefore, wild Arvicanthis and Mastomys found infected with L. donovani, should be considered parasite sinks rather than parasite reservoirs. This is indirectly supported also by results of host choice experiments with P. orientalis in which females preferred humans over both Arvicanthis and Mastomys, and their feeding rates on rodents ranged from 1.4 to 5.8% only. Therefore, the involvement of these rodents in transmission of L. donovani by P. orientalis is very unlikely. Similarly, poor survival of Leishmania parasites in the studied rodents and negative results of xenodiagnostic experiments do not support the involvement of Arvicanthis and Mastomys spp. in the transmission cycle of L. sp. from Ghana. Three species of Sub-Saharan rodents were infected and xenodiagnosed. Skin infections in Arvicanthis and Mastomys were characterized by low parasite loads. None of animals inoculated with leishmania were infectious to sand flies. Phlebotomus orientalis females significantly preferred man over rodents. Rodents are unlikely to be involved in the circulation of the two studied Leishmania in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtkova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Becvar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Lestinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tatiana Spitzova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Paul Bates
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Seblova V, Dujardin JC, Rijal S, Domagalska MA, Volf P. ISC1, a new Leishmania donovani population emerging in the Indian sub-continent: Vector competence of Phlebotomus argentipes. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 76:104073. [PMID: 31629887 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the most severe form of the disease, is caused by Leishmania donovani in the Indian sub-continent (ISC). Whole genome sequencing studies revealed that two parasite populations exist in the ISC: a main population named the Core Group (CG) found mostly in the lowlands, and a new, genetically different subpopulation called ISC1. Parasites belonging to the CG were shown to be responsible for the recent epidemics, while the ISC1 variant was originally identified in hilly districts of Nepal and was later on increasingly found in the lowlands. Importantly, the ISC1 and CG isolates differ in their drug susceptibility and virulence signatures, suggesting that ISC1 constitutes an emerging and functionally different variant of L. donovani. In present study we aimed to address the potential of ISC1 transmission by the natural vector of L. donovani in the lowlands, Phlebotomus argentipes. By experimental infection of sand flies with parasites of the different genotypes, we demonstrate that ISC1 and CG strains are developing similarly in P. argentipes, suggesting that P. argentipes is a fully competent vector for ISC1 parasites. Integration of previous and current findings shows thus that ISC1 is a new and different variant of L. donovani, fully adapted to spread in the ISC through the main vector. This information is directly useful for managers of the elimination program. Furthermore, integration of our successive studies (genotyping, phenotyping and vector competence) demonstrates the relevance of molecular surveillance and should be of interest for scientists working on vector borne diseases and control managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Seblova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Suman Rijal
- BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | | | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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15
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Bongiorno G, Di Muccio T, Bianchi R, Gramiccia M, Gradoni L. Laboratory transmission of an Asian strain of Leishmania tropica by the bite of the southern European sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:417-421. [PMID: 30940471 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Imported cases of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania tropica are increasingly documented in Europe. We investigated the ability of Phlebotomus perniciosus, a competent vector of Leishmania infantum widespread in southwestern Europe, to support the growth and transmissibility of an Asian strain of L. tropica recently isolated from a refugee. Parasite growth behavior was investigated in laboratory-reared sand flies fed artificially with promastigotes as well as in sand flies infected after biting on footpad lesions induced in hamsters by promastigote inoculation. The evolution of infection was checked by gut microscopy and quantitative real-time PCR, and it was found to be similar between promastigote- and amastigote-initiated infections. In 80% of infected sand flies, despite survival and flourishing growth of promastigotes after blood digestion and defecation, either the parasites died, or failed to migrate to the foregut and/or to mature into infective forms. However, in the remaining 20% L. tropica developed into abundant metacyclic promastigotes. The quantitative real-time PCR assay detected variable loads of gut promastigotes irrespective of morphological evidence of viability or progressive/final death. Parasite transmissibility was investigated by exposing naive hamsters to P. perniciosus previously infected on chronic lesions induced in hamsters which survived to take a second blood meal. Two months post exposure, lesions developed in skin sites bitten by sand flies confirmed to harbor metacyclic promastigotes; in the following months, the presence of viable and transmissible L. tropica parasites in lesions was demonstrated by xenodiagnosis assays. Our findings support the hypothesis that, in particular epidemiological situations, P. perniciosus may play the role of an occasional L. tropica vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia Bongiorno
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Trentina Di Muccio
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Bianchi
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Gramiccia
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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16
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Di-Blasi T, Telleria EL, Marques C, Couto RDM, da Silva-Neves M, Jancarova M, Volf P, Tempone AJ, Traub-Csekö YM. Lutzomyia longipalpis TGF-β Has a Role in Leishmania infantum chagasi Survival in the Vector. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:71. [PMID: 30972305 PMCID: PMC6445956 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing number of studies concerning insect immunity, Lutzomyia longipalpis immune responses in the presence of Leishmania infantum chagasi infection has not been widely investigated. The few available studies analyzed the role of the Toll and IMD pathways involved in response against Leishmania and microbial infections. Nevertheless, effector molecules responsible for controlling sand fly infections have not been identified. In the present study we investigated the role a signal transduction pathway, the Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) pathway, on the interrelation between L. longipalpis and L. i. chagasi. We identified an L. longipalpis homolog belonging to the multifunctional cytokine TGF-β gene family (LlTGF-β), which is closely related to the activin/inhibin subfamily and potentially involved in responses to infections. We investigated this gene expression through the insect development and in adult flies infected with L. i. chagasi. Our results showed that LlTGF-β was expressed in all L. longipalpis developmental stages and was upregulated at the third day post L. i. chagasi infection, when protein levels were also higher as compared to uninfected insects. At this point blood digestion is finished and parasites are in close contact with the insect gut. In addition, we investigated the role of LlTGF-β on L. longipalpis infection by L. i. chagasi using either gene silencing by RNAi or pathway inactivation by addition of the TGF-β receptor inhibitor SB431542. The blockage of the LlTGF-β pathway increased significantly antimicrobial peptides expression and nitric oxide levels in the insect gut, as expected. Both methods led to a decreased L. i. chagasi infection. Our results show that inactivation of the L. longipalpis TGF-β signal transduction pathway reduce L. i. chagasi survival, therefore suggesting that under natural conditions the parasite benefits from the insect LlTGF-β pathway, as already seen in Plamodium infection of mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Di-Blasi
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erich Loza Telleria
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Parasitology Department, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Christiane Marques
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo de Macedo Couto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Monique da Silva-Neves
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Magdalena Jancarova
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petr Volf
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Antonio Jorge Tempone
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yara Maria Traub-Csekö
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Sadlova J, Homola M, Myskova J, Jancarova M, Volf P. Refractoriness of Sergentomyia schwetzi to Leishmania spp. is mediated by the peritrophic matrix. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006382. [PMID: 29617364 PMCID: PMC5902042 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The peritrophic matrix (PM) is an acellular chitin-containing envelope which in most blood sucking insects encloses the ingested blood meal and protects the midgut epithelium. Type I PM present in sand flies and other blood sucking batch feeders is secreted around the meal by the entire midgut in response to feeding. Here we tested the hypothesis that in Sergentomyia schwetzi the PM creates a physical barrier that prevents escape of Leishmania parasites from the endoperitrophic space. Methodology/Principal findings Morphology and ultrastructure of the PM as well the production of endogenous chitinase in S. schwetzi were compared with three sand fly species, which are natural vectors of Leishmania. Long persistence of the PM in S. schwetzi was not accompanied by different morphology or decreased production of chitinase. To confirm the role of the PM in refractoriness of S. schwetzi to Leishmania parasites, culture supernatant from the fungus Beauveria bassiana containing chitinase was added to the infective bloodmeal to disintegrate the PM artificially. In females treated with B. bassiana culture supernatants the PM was weakened and permeable, lacking multilayered inner structure; Leishmania colonized the midgut and the stomodeal valve and produced metacyclic forms. In control females Leishmania infections were lost during defecation. Conclusions/Significance Persistence of the PM till defecation of the bloodmeal represents an important factor responsible for refractoriness of S. schwetzi to Leishmania development. Leishmania major as well as L. donovani promastigotes survived defecation and developed late-stage infections only in females with PM disintegrated artificially by B. bassiana culture supernatants containing exogenous chitinase. Phlebotomine sand flies are the main vectors of Leishmania parasites. However, only about ten percent of the described sand fly species are proven or suspected vectors. Several factors controlling vector competence act during the early phase of infection preceding defecation of bloodmeal remnants. Sand flies of the genus Sergentomyia including S. schwetzi were repeatedly suggested to be involved in Leishmania transmission in Africa. Here, we tested the hypothesis that S. schwetzi is refractory to all Leishmania species tested due to the long persistence of the peritrophic matrix, the chitinous envelope which surrounds ingested blood within the sand fly midgut. Addition of exogenous chitinase to the S. schwetzi infectious bloodmeal led to disintegration of the peritrophic matrix which allowed Leishmania parasites to escape into the midgut and produce mature infections with colonization of the stomodeal valve and generation of infective metacyclic forms. Parasites in control flies were not able to escape from the peritrophic matrix and were lost with the defecation of blood remnants. The study strongly suggests that in S. schwetzi the peritrophic matrix forms an important barrier for the development of Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Miroslav Homola
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Myskova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Magdalena Jancarova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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18
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Pruzinova K, Sadlova J, Myskova J, Lestinova T, Janda J, Volf P. Leishmania mortality in sand fly blood meal is not species-specific and does not result from direct effect of proteinases. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:37. [PMID: 29335002 PMCID: PMC5769529 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2613-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmania development in sand flies is confined to the alimentary tract and is closely connected with blood meal digestion. Previously, it has been published that activities of sand fly midgut proteases are harmful to Leishmania, especially to amastigote-promastigote transition forms. However, our experiments with various Leishmania-sand fly pairs gave quite opposite results. Methods We evaluated the effect of semi-digested midgut content on different life stages of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania majorin vitro. Various morphological forms of parasites, including macrophage-derived amastigotes and transition forms, were incubated 2 h with midguts dissected at various intervals (6–72 h) post-blood meal or with commercially available proteinase, and their viability was determined using flow cytometry. In parallel, using amastigote-initiated experimental infections, we compared development of L. donovani in sand flies that are either susceptible (Phlebotomus argentipes and P. orientalis) or refractory (P. papatasi and Sergentomyia schwetzi) to this parasite. Results In vitro, sand fly midgut homogenates affected L. major and L. donovani in a similar way; in all sand fly species, the most significant mortality effect was observed by the end of the blood meal digestion process. Surprisingly, the most susceptible Leishmania stages were promastigotes, while mortality of transforming parasites and amastigotes was significantly lower. Parasites were also susceptible to killing by rabbit blood in combination with proteinase, but resistant to proteinase itself. In vivo, L. donovani developed late-stage infections in both natural vectors; in P. argentipes the development was much faster than in P. orientalis. On the other hand, in refractory species P. papatasi and S. schwetzi, promastigotes survived activity of digestive enzymes but were lost during defecation. Conclusions We demonstrated that Leishmania transition forms are more resistant to the killing effect of semi-digested blood meal than 24 h-old promastigotes. Data suggest that Leishmania mortality is not caused directly by sand fly proteases, we assume that this mortality results from toxic products of blood meal digestion. Survival of L. donovani promastigotes in refractory sand flies until blood meal defecation, together with similar mortality of Leishmania parasites incubated in vitro with midgut homogenates of susceptible as well as refractory species, contradict the previously raised hypotheses about the role of midgut proteases in sand fly vector competence to Leishmania. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2613-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Pruzinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - 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
| | - Tereza Lestinova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jozef Janda
- Cytometry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Skin parasite landscape determines host infectiousness in visceral leishmaniasis. Nat Commun 2017; 8:57. [PMID: 28680146 PMCID: PMC5498584 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00103-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that the infectiousness of patients for the sand fly vector of visceral leishmaniasis is linked to parasites found in the skin. Using a murine model that supports extensive skin infection with Leishmania donovani, spatial analyses at macro-(quantitative PCR) and micro-(confocal microscopy) scales indicate that parasite distribution is markedly skewed. Mathematical models accounting for this heterogeneity demonstrate that while a patchy distribution reduces the expected number of sand flies acquiring parasites, it increases the infection load for sand flies feeding on a patch, increasing their potential for onward transmission. Models representing patchiness at both macro- and micro-scales provide the best fit with experimental sand fly feeding data, pointing to the importance of the skin parasite landscape as a predictor of host infectiousness. Our analysis highlights the skin as a critical site to consider when assessing treatment efficacy, transmission competence and the impact of visceral leishmaniasis elimination campaigns. Parasitemia has been considered the main determinant of visceral leishmaniasis transmission. By combining imaging, qPCR and experimental xenodiagnoses with mathematical models, Doehl et al. argue that the patchy landscape of parasites in the skin is necessary to explain infectiousness.
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20
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Tiwari N, Kumar V, Gedda MR, Singh AK, Singh VK, Gannavaram S, Singh SP, Singh RK. Identification and Characterization of miRNAs in Response to Leishmania donovani Infection: Delineation of Their Roles in Macrophage Dysfunction. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:314. [PMID: 28303124 PMCID: PMC5332369 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The outcome of Leishmania infection depends on parasite abilities to evade host immune response and its survival in hostile environment of host macrophages. Despite a wealth of gained crucial information, parasite strategies by which it dampens host macrophage functions remain poorly understood. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved class of endogenous 22-nucleotide small non-coding RNA gene products, described to participate in the regulation of almost every cellular process investigated so far. In this study, we identified 940 miRNAs in Leishmania donovani infected macrophages by de novo sequencing out of which levels of 85 miRNAs were found to be consistently modified by parasite infection. Herein, we report the functional characteristics of 10 miRNAs i.e., mir-3620, mir-6385, mir-6973a, mir-6996, mir-328, mir-8113, mir-3473f, mir-763, mir-6540, and mir-1264 that were differentially but constantly regulated in infected macrophages for their role in regulation of macrophage effector functions. The target gene prediction and biological interaction analysis revealed involvement of these miRNAs in various biological processes such as apoptosis inhibition, phagocytosis, drug response, and T cell phenotypic transitions. These findings could contribute for the better understanding of macrophages dysfunction and leishmanial pathogenesis. Further, the identified miRNAs could also be used as biomarker/s in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics of Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeraj Tiwari
- Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Parasitology and Molecular Biology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute Patna, India
| | - Mallikarjuna Rao Gedda
- Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
| | - Ashish K Singh
- Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
| | - Vijay K Singh
- Bioinformatics Programme, Centre for Biological Science, Central University of South Bihar Patna, India
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Surya P Singh
- Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University Varanasi, India
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