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Yadav M, Dahiya N, Janjoter S, Kataria D, Dixit R, Sehrawat N. A review on RNA interference studies in Anophelines to reveal candidate genes for malaria transmission blocking vaccine. Life Sci 2024; 351:122822. [PMID: 38866221 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Malaria is a major public health concern. The development of parasite-based vaccine RTS/AS01 has some therapeutic value but its lower efficacy is one of the major limitations. Mosquito-based transmission-blocking vaccines could have a higher potential for parasite inhibition within the mosquitoes. Several genes of mosquito midgut, salivary gland, hemolymph, etc. get activate in response to the Plasmodium-infected blood and helps in parasite invasion directly or indirectly inside the mosquito. The studies of such genes provided a new insight into developing the more efficient vaccines. In the field of malaria genetics research, RNAi has become an innovative strategy used to identify mosquito candidate genes for transmission-blocking vaccines. This review targeted the gene studies that have been conducted in the period 2000-2023 in different malaria vectors against different malarial parasites using the RNAi approach to reveal mosquito novel gene candidates for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Nisha Dahiya
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Sangeeta Janjoter
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | - Divya Kataria
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India
| | | | - Neelam Sehrawat
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
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Hernandez-Caballero I, Hellgren O, Garcia-Longoria Batanete L. Genomic advances in the study of the mosquito vector during avian malaria infection. Parasitology 2023; 150:1330-1339. [PMID: 37614176 PMCID: PMC10941221 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Invertebrate host–parasite associations are one of the keystones in order to understand vector-borne diseases. The study of these specific interactions provides information not only about how the vector is affected by the parasite at the gene-expression level, but might also reveal mosquito strategies for blocking the transmission of the parasites. A very well-known vector for human malaria is Anopheles gambiae. This mosquito species has been the main focus for genomics studies determining essential key genes and pathways over the course of a malaria infection. However, to-date there is an important knowledge gap concerning other non-mammophilic mosquito species, for example some species from the Culex genera which may transmit avian malaria but also zoonotic pathogens such as West Nile virus. From an evolutionary perspective, these 2 mosquito genera diverged 170 million years ago, hence allowing studies in both species determining evolutionary conserved genes essential during malaria infections, which in turn might help to find key genes for blocking malaria cycle inside the mosquito. Here, we extensively review the current knowledge on key genes and pathways expressed in Anopheles over the course of malaria infections and highlight the importance of conducting genomic investigations for detecting pathways in Culex mosquitoes linked to infection of avian malaria. By pooling this information, we underline the need to increase genomic studies in mosquito–parasite associations, such as the one in Culex–Plasmodium, that can provide a better understanding of the infection dynamics in wildlife and reduce the negative impact on ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Hernandez-Caballero
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, E-06071 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Olof Hellgren
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Sweden
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Wang M, Wang J. Glucose transporter GLUT1 influences Plasmodium berghei infection in Anopheles stephensi. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:285. [PMID: 32503601 PMCID: PMC7275331 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04155-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sugar-feeding provides energy for mosquitoes. Facilitated glucose transporters (GLUTs) are responsible for the uptake of glucose in animals. However, knowledge of GLUTs function in Anopheles spp. is limited. Methods Phylogenetic analysis of GLUTs in Anopheles stephensi was performed by the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The spatial and temporal expression patterns of four Asteglut genes were analyzed by qPCR. The function of Asteglut1 was examined using a dsRNA-mediated RNA interference method. Transcriptome analysis was used to investigate the global influence of Asteglut1 on mosquito physiology. Results We identified 4 glut genes, Asteglut1, Asteglutx, Asteglut3 and Asteglut4 in An. stephensi. Asteglut1, Asteglut3 and Asteglut4 were mainly expressed in the midgut. Plasmodium berghei infection differentially regulated the expression of Asteglut genes with significant downregulation of Asteglut1 and Asteglut4, while upregulation of Asteglutx. Only knocking-down Asteglut1 facilitated Plasmodium berghei infection in An. stephensi. This might be due to the accumulation of glucose prior to blood-feeding in dsAsteglut1-treated mosquitoes. Our transcriptome analysis revealed that knockdown of Asteglut1 differentially regulated expression of genes associated with multiple functional clusters, especially those related to detoxification and immunity. The dysregulation of multiple pathways might contribute to the increased P. berghei infection. Conclusions Our study shows that Asteglut1 participates in defense against P. berghei in An. stephensi. The regulation of Asteglut1 on vector competence might through modulating multiple biological processes, such as detoxification and immunity.![]()
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Boonkaew T, Mongkol W, Prasert S, Paochan P, Yoneda S, Nguitragool W, Kumpitak C, Sattabongkot J, Kubera A. Transcriptome analysis of Anopheles dirus and Plasmodium vivax at ookinete and oocyst stages. Acta Trop 2020; 207:105502. [PMID: 32320680 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is transmitted by Plasmodium parasites through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes. One of the most important mosquito vectors in the Greater Mekong Subregion is Anopheles dirus. This study reports RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) transcriptome analysis of An. dirus at 18 hours and 7 days after a P. vivax-infected blood meal, which represent infection at the ookinete and oocyst parasite developmental stages, respectively. Following infection, 582 An. dirus transcripts were modulated. The 2,408 P. vivax transcripts could be classified into ookinete-specific, two-stage, and oocyst-specific groups. Results were validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Gene ontology analysis of the vector and parasite revealed several biological pathways for both, providing a better understanding of Anopheles-Plasmodium interactions at the ookinete and oocyst stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tippawan Boonkaew
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Watcharakorn Mongkol
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Sureerat Prasert
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Pattaweeya Paochan
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Saki Yoneda
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate school of Engineering, Osaka University, Japan
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Chalermpon Kumpitak
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Anchanee Kubera
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand; Centre for Advanced Studies in Tropical Natural Resources, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.
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Contreras M, Karlsen M, Villar M, Olsen RH, Leknes LM, Furevik A, Yttredal KL, Tartor H, Grove S, Alberdi P, Brudeseth B, de la Fuente J. Vaccination with Ectoparasite Proteins Involved in Midgut Function and Blood Digestion Reduces Salmon Louse Infestations. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010032. [PMID: 31963779 PMCID: PMC7157638 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infestation with the salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepoda, Caligidae) affects Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) production in European aquaculture. Furthermore, high levels of salmon lice in farms significantly increase challenge pressure against wild salmon populations. Currently, available control methods for salmon louse have limitations, and vaccination appears as an attractive, environmentally sound strategy. In this study, we addressed one of the main limitations for vaccine development, the identification of candidate protective antigens. Based on recent advances in tick vaccine research, herein, we targeted the salmon louse midgut function and blood digestion for the identification of candidate target proteins for the control of ectoparasite infestations. The results of this translational approach resulted in the identification and subsequent evaluation of the new candidate protective antigens, putative Toll-like receptor 6 (P30), and potassium chloride, and amino acid transporter (P33). Vaccination with these antigens provided protection in Atlantic salmon by reducing adult female (P33) or chalimus II (P30) sea lice infestations. These results support the development of vaccines for the control of sea lice infestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marinela Contreras
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (M.C.); (M.V.); (P.A.)
| | - Marius Karlsen
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (M.C.); (M.V.); (P.A.)
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Science and Chemical Technologies, and Regional Centre for Biomedical Research (CRIB), University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Rolf Hetlelid Olsen
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
| | - Lisa Marie Leknes
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
| | - Anette Furevik
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
| | - Karine Lindmo Yttredal
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
| | - Haitham Tartor
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, 0106 Oslo, Norway; (H.T.); (S.G.)
| | - Soren Grove
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, 0106 Oslo, Norway; (H.T.); (S.G.)
- Institute of Marine Research, 5005 Bergen, Norway
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (M.C.); (M.V.); (P.A.)
| | - Bjorn Brudeseth
- Pharmaq AS, P.O. Box 267, Skoyen, N-0213 Oslo, Norway; (M.K.); (R.H.O.); (L.M.L.); (A.F.); (K.L.Y.)
- Correspondence: (B.B.); (J.d.l.F.)
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; (M.C.); (M.V.); (P.A.)
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Correspondence: (B.B.); (J.d.l.F.)
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Dias F, Couto J, Ferrolho J, Seron GS, Bell-Sakyi L, Antunes S, Domingos A. Folate pathway modulation in Rhipicephalus ticks in response to infection. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67 Suppl 2:94-99. [PMID: 31231926 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Folate pathways components were demonstrated to be present in RNA-sequencing data obtained from uninfected and pathogen-infected Rhipicephalus ticks. Here, PCR and qPCR allowed the identification of folate-related genes in Rhipicephalus spp. ticks and in the tick cell line IDE8. Genes coding for GTP cyclohydrolase I (gch-I), thymidylate synthase (ts) and 6-pyrovoyltetrahydropterin (ptps) were identified. Differential gene expression was evaluated by qPCR between uninfected and infected samples of four biological systems, showing significant upregulation and largest fold-change for the gch-I gene in the majority of the biological systems, supporting the selection for functional analysis by RNAi silencing. Efficient knockdown of the gch-I gene in uninfected and Ehrlichia canis-infected IDE8 cells showed no detectable impact on the capacity of the bacteria to invade or replicate in the tick cells. Overall, this work demonstrated an increase in the expression of some folate-related genes, though not always statistically significantly, in the presence of infection, suggesting gene expression modulation of these pathways, either as a tick response to an invader or manipulation of the tick cell machinery by the pathogens to their advantage. This discovery points to folate pathways as interesting targets for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Dias
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Couto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Ferrolho
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gustavo S Seron
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHTM-IHMT-UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
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Roth A, Adapa SR, Zhang M, Liao X, Saxena V, Goffe R, Li S, Ubalee R, Saggu GS, Pala ZR, Garg S, Davidson S, Jiang RHY, Adams JH. Unraveling the Plasmodium vivax sporozoite transcriptional journey from mosquito vector to human host. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12183. [PMID: 30111801 PMCID: PMC6093925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30713-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites transmitted by mosquito bite are remarkably efficient in establishing human infections. The infection process requires roughly 30 minutes and is highly complex as quiescent sporozoites injected with mosquito saliva must be rapidly activated in the skin, migrate through the body, and infect the liver. This process is poorly understood for Plasmodium vivax due to low infectivity in the in vitro models. To study this skin-to-liver-stage of malaria, we used quantitative bioassays coupled with transcriptomics to evaluate parasite changes linked with mammalian microenvironmental factors. Our in vitro phenotyping and RNA-seq analyses revealed key microenvironmental relationships with distinct biological functions. Most notable, preservation of sporozoite quiescence by exposure to insect-like factors coupled with strategic activation limits untimely activation of invasion-associated genes to dramatically increase hepatocyte invasion rates. We also report the first transcriptomic analysis of the P. vivax sporozoite interaction in salivary glands identifying 118 infection-related differentially-regulated Anopheles dirus genes. These results provide important new insights in malaria parasite biology and identify priority targets for antimalarial therapeutic interventions to block P. vivax infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Roth
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Swamy R Adapa
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Xiangyun Liao
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Vishal Saxena
- Molecular Parasitology and System Biology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India
| | - Raaven Goffe
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Suzanne Li
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ratawan Ubalee
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Gagandeep S Saggu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergic and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Zarna R Pala
- Molecular Parasitology and System Biology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India
| | - Shilpi Garg
- Molecular Parasitology and System Biology Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India
| | - Silas Davidson
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rays H Y Jiang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
| | - John H Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
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Antunes S, Couto J, Ferrolho J, Rodrigues F, Nobre J, Santos AS, Santos-Silva MM, de la Fuente J, Domingos A. Rhipicephalus bursa Sialotranscriptomic Response to Blood Feeding and Babesia ovis Infection: Identification of Candidate Protective Antigens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:116. [PMID: 29780749 PMCID: PMC5945973 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are among the most prevalent blood-feeding arthropods, and they act as vectors and reservoirs for numerous pathogens. Sialotranscriptomic characterizations of tick responses to blood feeding and pathogen infections can offer new insights into the molecular interplay occurring at the tick-host-pathogen interface. In the present study, we aimed to identify and characterize Rhipicephalus bursa salivary gland (SG) genes that were differentially expressed in response to blood feeding and Babesia ovis infection. Our experimental approach consisted of RNA sequencing of SG from three different tick samples, fed-infected, fed-uninfected, and unfed-uninfected, for characterization and inter-comparison. Overall, 7,272 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were constructed from unfed-uninfected, 13,819 ESTs from fed-uninfected, and 15,292 ESTs from fed-infected ticks. Two catalogs of transcripts that were differentially expressed in response to blood feeding and B. ovis infection were produced. Four genes coding for a putative vitellogenin-3, lachesin, a glycine rich protein, and a secreted cement protein were selected for RNA interference functional studies. A reduction of 92, 65, and 51% was observed in vitellogenin-3, secreted cement, and lachesin mRNA levels in SG, respectively. The vitellogenin-3 knockdown led to increased tick mortality, with 77% of ticks dying post-infestation. The reduction of the secreted cement protein-mRNA levels resulted in 46% of ticks being incapable of correctly attaching to the host and significantly lower female weights post-feeding in comparison to the control group. The lachesin knockdown resulted in a 70% reduction of the levels associated with B. ovis infection in R. bursa SG and 70% mortality. These results improved our understanding of the role of tick SG genes in Babesia infection/proliferation and tick feeding. Moreover, lachesin, vitellogenin-3, and secreted cement proteins were validated as candidate protective antigens for the development of novel tick and tick-borne disease control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Couto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Ferrolho
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fábio Rodrigues
- Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Nobre
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Pólo de Santarém, Vale de Santarém, Portugal
| | - Ana S Santos
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas Dr. Francisco Cambournac (CEVDI/INSA), Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - M Margarida Santos-Silva
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas Dr. Francisco Cambournac (CEVDI/INSA), Águas de Moura, Portugal
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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9
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Couto J, Tonk M, Ferrolho J, Antunes S, Vilcinskas A, de la Fuente J, Domingos A, Cabezas-Cruz A. Antiplasmodial activity of tick defensins in a mouse model of malaria. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:844-849. [PMID: 29567145 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease affecting millions of people mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and some South American countries. Drug resistance to first-line antimalarial drugs (e.g. chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and artemisinin) is a major constrain in malaria control. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown promising results in controlling Plasmodium spp. parasitemia in in vitro and in vivo models of infection. Defensins are AMPs that act primarily by disrupting the integrity of cell membranes of invasive microbes. We previously showed that defensins from the tick Ixodes ricinus inhibited significantly the growth of P. falciparum in vitro, a property that was conserved during evolution. Here, we tested the activity of three I. ricinus defensins against P. chabaudi in mice. A single dose of defensin (120 μl of 1 mg/ml solution) was administered intravenously to P. chabaudi-infected mice, and the parasitemia was followed for 24 h post-treatment. Defensin treatment inhibited significantly the replication (measured as increases in parasitemia) of P. chabaudi after 1 h and 12 h of treatment. Furthermore, defensin injection was not associated with toxicity. These results agreed with the previous report of antiplasmodial activity of tick defensins against P. falciparum in vitro and justify further studies for the use of tick defensins to control malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Couto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine - Instituto de Higiene e Medicina, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHMT-IHMT-UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miray Tonk
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, D-35394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Joana Ferrolho
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine - Instituto de Higiene e Medicina, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHMT-IHMT-UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine - Instituto de Higiene e Medicina, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHMT-IHMT-UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Strasse 2, D-35394 Giessen, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine - Instituto de Higiene e Medicina, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (GHMT-IHMT-UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, 94700, France; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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