1
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Rahm M, Kwast H, Wessels HJCT, Noga MJ, Lefeber DJ. Mixed-phase weak anion-exchange/reversed-phase LC-MS/MS for analysis of nucleotide sugars in human fibroblasts. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:3595-3604. [PMID: 38676823 PMCID: PMC11156716 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05313-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Nucleotide sugars (NS) fulfil important roles in all living organisms and in humans, related defects result in severe clinical syndromes. NS can be seen as the "activated" sugars used for biosynthesis of a wide range of glycoconjugates and serve as substrates themselves for the synthesis of other nucleotide sugars. NS analysis is complicated by the presence of multiple stereoisomers without diagnostic transition ions, therefore requiring separation by liquid chromatography. In this paper, we explored weak anion-exchange/reversed-phase chromatography on a hybrid column for the separation of 17 nucleotide sugars that can occur in humans. A robust and reproducible method was established with intra- and inter-day coefficients of variation below 10% and a linear range spanning three orders of magnitude. Application to patient fibroblasts with genetic defects in mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase beta, CDP-L-ribitol pyrophosphorylase A, and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase showed abnormal levels of guanosine-5'-diphosphate-α-D-mannose (GDP-Man), cytidine-5'-diphosphate-L-ribitol (CDP-ribitol), and cytidine-5'-monophosphate-N-acetyl-β-D-neuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac), respectively, in consonance with expectations based on the diagnosis. In conclusion, a novel, semi-quantitative method was established for the analysis of nucleotide sugars that can be applied to diagnose several genetic glycosylation disorders in fibroblasts and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Rahm
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke Kwast
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory (TML), Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Groote Plein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans J C T Wessels
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory (TML), Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Groote Plein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marek J Noga
- Laboratory of Clinical Genetics, Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk J Lefeber
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory (TML), Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Groote Plein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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2
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Imae R, Manya H, Tsumoto H, Umezawa K, Miura Y, Endo T. Changes in the amount of nucleotide sugars in aged mouse tissues. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwae032. [PMID: 38598324 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging affects tissue glycan profiles, which may alter cellular functions and increase the risk of age-related diseases. Glycans are biosynthesized by glycosyltransferases using the corresponding nucleotide sugar, and the availability of nucleotide sugars affects glycosylation efficiency. However, the effects of aging on nucleotide sugar profiles and contents are yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of aging on nucleotide sugars using a new LC-MS/MS method. Specifically, the new method was used to determine the nucleotide sugar contents of various tissues (brain, liver, heart, skeletal muscle, kidney, lung, and colon) of male C57BL/6NCr mice (7- or 26-month-old). Characteristic age-associated nucleotide sugar changes were observed in each tissue sample. Particularly, there was a significant decrease in UDP-glucuronic acid content in the kidney of aged mice and a decrease in the contents of several nucleotide sugars, including UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine, in the brain of aged mice. Additionally, there were variations in nucleotide sugar profiles among the tissues examined regardless of the age. The kidneys had the highest concentration of UDP-glucuronic acid among the seven tissues. In contrast, the skeletal muscle had the lowest concentration of total nucleotide sugars among the tissues; however, CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid and CDP-ribitol were relatively enriched. Conclusively, these findings may contribute to the understanding of the roles of glycans in tissue aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieko Imae
- Molecular Glycobiology, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Manya
- Molecular Glycobiology, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Hiroki Tsumoto
- Proteome Research, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Keitaro Umezawa
- Proteome Research, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Yuri Miura
- Proteome Research, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
| | - Tamao Endo
- Molecular Glycobiology, Research Team for Mechanism of Aging, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
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3
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Izquierdo L. The glycobiology of plasmodium falciparum: New approaches and recent advances. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 66:108178. [PMID: 37216996 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Like any other microorganism, pathogenic protozoan parasites rely heavily on glycoconjugates and glycan binding proteins to protect themselves from the environment and to interact with their diverse hosts. A thorough comprehension of how glycobiology contributes to the survival and virulence of these organisms may reveal unknown aspects of their biology and may open much needed avenues for the design of new strategies against them. In the case of Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the vast majority of malaria cases and deaths, the restricted variety and the simplicity of its glycans seemed to confer limited significance to the role played by glycoconjugates in the parasite. Nonetheless, the last 10 to 15 years of research are revealing a clearer and more defined picture. Thus, the use of new experimental techniques and the results obtained provide new avenues for understanding the biology of the parasite, as well as opportunities for the development of much required new tools against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Jia X, Zhang H, Qin H, Li K, Liu X, Wang W, Ye M, Yin H. Protein O-GlcNAcylation impairment caused by N-acetylglucosamine phosphate mutase deficiency leads to growth variations in Arabidopsis thaliana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:613-635. [PMID: 36799458 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
As an essential enzyme in the uridine diphosphate (UDP)-GlcNAc biosynthesis pathway, the significant role of N-acetylglucosamine phosphate mutase (AGM) remains unknown in plants. In the present study, a functional plant AGM (AtAGM) was identified from Arabidopsis thaliana. AtAGM catalyzes the isomerization of GlcNAc-1-P and GlcNAc-6-P, and has broad catalytic activity on different phosphohexoses. UDP-GlcNAc contents were significantly decreased in AtAGM T-DNA insertional mutants, which caused temperature-dependent growth defects in seedlings and vigorous growth in adult plants. Further analysis revealed that protein O-GlcNAcylation but not N-glycosylation was dramatically impaired in Atagm mutants due to UDP-GlcNAc shortage. Combined with the results from O-GlcNAcylation or N-glycosylation deficient mutants, and O-GlcNAcase inhibitor all suggested that protein O-GlcNAcylation impairment mainly leads to the phenotypic variations of Atagm plants. In conclusion, based on the essential role in UDP-GlcNAc biosynthesis, AtAGM is important for plant growth mainly via protein O-GlcNAcylation-level regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Jia
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Hongqiang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Kuikui Li
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Wenxia Wang
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Mingliang Ye
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Heng Yin
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 116023, Dalian, China
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5
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Fenollar À, Ros-Lucas A, Pía Alberione M, Martínez-Peinado N, Ramírez M, Ángel Rosales-Motos M, Y. Lee L, Alonso-Padilla J, Izquierdo L. Compounds targeting GPI biosynthesis or N-glycosylation are active against Plasmodium falciparum. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:850-863. [PMID: 35222844 PMCID: PMC8841962 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Compounds targeting key steps in GPI biosynthesis abrogate P. falciparum growth. N-glycosylation disruption halts parasite development and induces delayed death. Tunicamycin-induced delayed death is not linked with the synthesis of isoprenoids. In summary, two metabolic pathways are outlined for further drug target exploration.
The emergence of resistance to first-line antimalarials, including artemisinin, the last effective malaria therapy in some regions, stresses the urgent need to develop new effective treatments against this disease. The identification and validation of metabolic pathways that could be targeted for drug development may strongly contribute to accelerate this process. In this study, we use fully characterized specific inhibitors targeting glycan biosynthetic pathways as research tools to analyze their effects on the growth of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and to validate these metabolic routes as feasible chemotherapeutic targets. Through docking simulations using models predicted by AlphaFold, we also shed new light into the modes of action of some of these inhibitors. Molecules inhibiting N-acetylglucosaminyl-phosphatidylinositol de-N-acetylase (GlcNAc-PI de-N-acetylase, PIGL/GPI12) or the inositol acyltransferase (GWT1), central for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis, halt the growth of intraerythrocytic asexual parasites during the trophozoite stages of the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Remarkably, the nucleoside antibiotic tunicamycin, which targets UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase (ALG7) and N-glycosylation in other organisms, induces a delayed-death effect and inhibits parasite growth during the second IDC after treatment. Our data indicate that tunicamycin induces a specific inhibitory effect, hinting to a more substantial role of the N-glycosylation pathway in P. falciparum intraerythrocytic asexual stages than previously thought. To sum up, our results place GPI biosynthesis and N-glycosylation pathways as metabolic routes with potential to yield much-needed therapeutic targets against the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Àngel Fenollar
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Pía Alberione
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nieves Martínez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Ramírez
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Rosales-Motos
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ling Y. Lee
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
- Corresponding author at: Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
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6
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Goerdeler F, Seeberger PH, Moscovitz O. Unveiling the Sugary Secrets of Plasmodium Parasites. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:712538. [PMID: 34335547 PMCID: PMC8322443 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.712538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites cause malaria disease, one of the leading global health burdens for humanity, infecting hundreds of millions of people each year. Different glycans on the parasite and the host cell surface play significant roles in both malaria pathogenesis and host defense mechanisms. So far, only small, truncated N- and O-glycans have been identified in Plasmodium species. In contrast, complex glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) glycolipids are highly abundant on the parasite’s cell membrane and are essential for its survival. Moreover, the parasites express lectins that bind and exploit the host cell surface glycans for different aspects of the parasite life cycle, such as adherence, invasion, and evasion of the host immune system. In parallel, the host cell glycocalyx and lectin expression serve as the first line of defense against Plasmodium parasites and directly dictate susceptibility to Plasmodium infection. This review provides an overview of the glycobiology involved in Plasmodium-host interactions and its contribution to malaria pathogenesis. Recent findings are presented and evaluated in the context of potential therapeutic exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Goerdeler
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany.,Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter H Seeberger
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany.,Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oren Moscovitz
- Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
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7
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Rashidi S, Tuteja R, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Shafiei R, Ghani E, Karimazar M, Nguewa P, Manzano-Román R. The main post-translational modifications and related regulatory pathways in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum: An update. J Proteomics 2021; 245:104279. [PMID: 34089893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2021.104279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There are important challenges when investigating individual post-translational modifications (PTMs) or protein interaction network and delineating if PTMs or their changes and cross-talks are involved during infection, disease initiation or as a result of disease progression. Proteomics and in silico approaches now offer the possibility to complement each other to further understand the regulatory involvement of these modifications in parasites and infection biology. Accordingly, the current review highlights key expressed or altered proteins and PTMs are invisible switches that turn on and off the function of most of the proteins. PTMs include phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitylation, palmitoylation, myristoylation, prenylation, acetylation, methylation, and epigenetic PTMs in P. falciparum which have been recently identified. But also other low-abundant or overlooked PTMs that might be important for the parasite's survival, infectivity, antigenicity, immunomodulation and pathogenesis. We here emphasize the PTMs as regulatory pathways playing major roles in the biology, pathogenicity, metabolic pathways, survival, host-parasite interactions and the life cycle of P. falciparum. Further validations and functional characterizations of such proteins might confirm the discovery of therapeutic targets and might most likely provide valuable data for the treatment of P. falciparum, the main cause of severe malaria in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Renu Tuteja
- Parasite Biology Group, ICGEB, P. O. Box 10504, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | - Reza Shafiei
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Esmaeel Ghani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Karimazar
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Paul Nguewa
- University of Navarra, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), c/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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8
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Wang Z, Li X, Spasojevic I, Lu L, Shen Y, Qu X, Hoffmann U, Warner DS, Paschen W, Sheng H, Yang W. Increasing O-GlcNAcylation is neuroprotective in young and aged brains after ischemic stroke. Exp Neurol 2021; 339:113646. [PMID: 33600817 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Spliced X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1s) together with the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) and O-GlcNAcylation forms the XBP1s/HBP/O-GlcNAc axis. Our previous studies have provided evidence that activation of this axis is neuroprotective after ischemic stroke and critically, ischemia-induced O-GlcNAcylation is impaired in the aged brain. However, the XBP1s' neuroprotective role and its link to O-GlcNAcylation in stroke, as well as the therapeutic potential of targeting this axis in stroke, have not been well established. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying this age-related impairment of O-GlcNAcylation induction after brain ischemia remain completely unknown. In this study, using transient ischemic stroke models, we first demonstrated that neuron-specific overexpression of Xbp1s improved outcome, and pharmacologically boosting O-GlcNAcylation with thiamet-G reversed worse outcome observed in neuron-specific Xbp1 knockout mice. We further showed that thiamet-G treatment improved long-term functional recovery in both young and aged animals after transient ischemic stroke. Mechanistically, using an analytic approach developed here, we discovered that availability of UDP-GlcNAc was compromised in the aged brain, which may constitute a novel mechanism responsible for the impaired O-GlcNAcylation activation in the aged brain after ischemia. Finally, based on this new mechanistic finding, we evaluated and confirmed the therapeutic effects of glucosamine treatment in young and aged animals using both transient and permanent stroke models. Our data together support that increasing O-GlcNAcylation is a promising strategy in stroke therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoran Wang
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ivan Spasojevic
- Department of Medicine - Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; PK/PD Core Laboratory, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Liping Lu
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yuntian Shen
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xingguang Qu
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ulrike Hoffmann
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David S Warner
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Wulf Paschen
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Huaxin Sheng
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Center for Perioperative Organ Protection, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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9
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Sun Q, Fan TWM, Lane AN, Higashi RM. An Ion Chromatography-Ultrahigh-Resolution-MS 1/Data-Independent High-Resolution MS 2 Method for Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics Reconstruction of Central Metabolic Networks. Anal Chem 2021; 93:2749-2757. [PMID: 33482055 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The metabolome comprises a complex network of interconnecting enzyme-catalyzed reactions that involve transfers of numerous molecular subunits. Thus, the reconstruction of metabolic networks requires metabolite substructures to be tracked. Subunit tracking can be achieved by tracing stable isotopes through metabolic transformations using NMR and ultrahigh -resolution (UHR)-mass spectrometry (MS). UHR-MS1 readily resolves and counts isotopic labels in metabolites but requires tandem MS to help identify isotopic enrichment in substructures. However, it is challenging to perform chromatography-based UHR-MS1 with its long acquisition time, while acquiring MS2 data on many coeluting labeled isotopologues for each metabolite. We have developed an ion chromatography (IC)-UHR-MS1/data-independent(DI)-HR-MS2 method to trace the fate of 13C atoms from [13C6]-glucose ([13C6]-Glc) in 3D A549 spheroids in response to anticancer selenite and simultaneously 13C/15N atoms from [13C5,15N2]-glutamine ([13C5,15N2]-Gln) in 2D BEAS-2B cells in response to arsenite transformation. This method retains the complete isotopologue distributions of metabolites via UHR-MS1 while simultaneously acquiring substructure label information via DI-MS2. These details in metabolite labeling patterns greatly facilitate rigorous reconstruction of multiple, intersecting metabolic pathways of central metabolism, which are illustrated here for the purine/pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis. The pathways reconstructed based on subunit-level isotopologue analysis further reveal specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions that are impacted by selenite or arsenite treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiushi Sun
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry (CESB), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States
| | - Teresa W-M Fan
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry (CESB), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States
| | - Andrew N Lane
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry (CESB), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States
| | - Richard M Higashi
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry (CESB), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States.,Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States
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10
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Noell K, Pitula JS. A Dual Omics Approach to Evaluate Transcriptional and Metabolic Responses During Lipid Deprivation in an Oyster Parasite, Perkinsus marinus. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2021; 25:93-101. [PMID: 33571063 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2020.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Perkinsus marinus, a protozoan and the causative agent of perkinsosis (dermo disease) is a prevalent parasite found within the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). In this study, we explore metabolic processes of P. marinus cells under lipid-depleted medium conditions to elucidate the interchanging flux of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Although P. marinus can synthesize their own lipids from available nutrients, they display a slower growth in medium not supplemented with lipids as opposed to medium with lipids. Under these conditions, using transcriptomics, we surprisingly observed evidence of stimulated lipid degradation through increased transcription of two core β-oxidation pathway enzymes. Simultaneously, phospholipid biosynthetic pathways were downregulated. Metabolomic analysis supported the transcriptomic results. Most fatty acids were decreased in lipid-deplete medium as opposed to lipid-replete medium, and available glucose was fermented to lactate. A significant increase in the cholesterol derivative zymosterol further supported a downregulation of membrane synthesis under the experimental conditions. A robust tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was apparent by enhanced citrate synthase transcription, and a simultaneous reduction in branched chain amino acids. It is concluded that although P. marinus has the capacity for synthesizing its own lipids, it can respond to lipid deprivation in medium by oxidizing readily available stores, and likely transitioning into a resting stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Noell
- Department of Natural Science, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph S Pitula
- Department of Natural Science, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA
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11
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Plasmodium falciparum Apicomplexan-Specific Glucosamine-6-Phosphate N-Acetyltransferase Is Key for Amino Sugar Metabolism and Asexual Blood Stage Development. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02045-20. [PMID: 33082260 PMCID: PMC7587441 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02045-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites cause a major burden on global health and economy. The absence of treatments, the emergence of resistances against available therapies, and the parasite’s ability to manipulate host cells and evade immune systems highlight the urgent need to characterize new drug targets to treat infections caused by these parasites. We demonstrate that glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA1), required for the biosynthesis of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), is essential for P. falciparum asexual blood stage development and that the disruption of the gene encoding this enzyme quickly causes the death of the parasite within a life cycle. The high-resolution crystal structure of the GNA1 ortholog from the apicomplexan parasite C. parvum, used here as a surrogate, highlights significant differences from human GNA1. These divergences can be exploited for the design of specific inhibitors against the malaria parasite. UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), the main product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, is an important metabolite in protozoan parasites since its sugar moiety is incorporated into glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) glycolipids and N- and O-linked glycans. Apicomplexan parasites have a hexosamine pathway comparable to other eukaryotic organisms, with the exception of the glucosamine-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA1) enzymatic step that has an independent evolutionary origin and significant differences from nonapicomplexan GNA1s. By using conditional genetic engineering, we demonstrate the requirement of GNA1 for the generation of a pool of UDP-GlcNAc and for the development of intraerythrocytic asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Furthermore, we present the 1.95 Å resolution structure of the GNA1 ortholog from Cryptosporidium parvum, an apicomplexan parasite which is a leading cause of diarrhea in developing countries, as a surrogate for P. falciparum GNA1. The in-depth analysis of the crystal shows the presence of specific residues relevant for GNA1 enzymatic activity that are further investigated by the creation of site-specific mutants. The experiments reveal distinct features in apicomplexan GNA1 enzymes that could be exploitable for the generation of selective inhibitors against these parasites, by targeting the hexosamine pathway. This work underscores the potential of apicomplexan GNA1 as a drug target against malaria.
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12
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Jia X, Zeng H, Bose SK, Wang W, Yin H. Chitosan oligosaccharide induces resistance to Pst DC3000 in Arabidopsis via a non-canonical N-glycosylation regulation pattern. Carbohydr Polym 2020; 250:116939. [PMID: 33049851 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Roles of protein N-glycosylation in chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) induced resistance were investigated in the present study. Results demonstrated that N-glycosylation deficient Arabidopsis mutants (stt3a and ManI) were more susceptible against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000) than wild type (WT) plants. Surprisingly, in stt3a and ManI, COS-induced resistance to Pst DC3000 was mostly intact, and the up-regulation effect on SA- and JA-mediated signalling pathways also similar like WT. Nucleotide sugars accumulation and N-glycosylation related genes expression were differently regulated after COS treatment. Global glycomics analysis quantified 157 N-glycan isomers, and 56.7, 50.3 and 47.1 % of them were significantly changed in COS, mock + Pst, and COS + Pst treated plants, respectively. Moreover, COS pretreatment could reverse the effect of Pst DC3000 on many N-glycans, suggesting that COS regulates protein N-glycosylation via a non-canonical pattern compared with plant defense, which may contribute to its obvious disease control effect when N-glycosylation impairment occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Jia
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Haihong Zeng
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Santosh Kumar Bose
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Wenxia Wang
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Heng Yin
- Dalian Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Agricultural Preparations, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Carbohydrates, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
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13
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Tamana S, Promponas VJ. An updated view of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex in Plasmodium. Glycobiology 2019; 29:385-396. [PMID: 30835280 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the controversy regarding the importance of protein N-linked glycosylation in species of the genus Plasmodium, genes potentially encoding core subunits of the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex have already been characterized in completely sequenced genomes of malaria parasites. Nevertheless, the currently established notion is that only four out of eight subunits of the OST complex-which is considered conserved across eukaryotes-are present in Plasmodium species. In this study, we carefully conduct computational analysis to provide unequivocal evidence that all components of the OST complex, with the exception of Swp1/Ribophorin II, can be reliably identified within completely sequenced plasmodial genomes. In fact, most of the subunits currently considered as absent from Plasmodium refer to uncharacterized protein sequences already existing in sequence databases. Interestingly, the main reason why the unusually short Ost4 subunit (36 residues long in yeast) has not been identified so far in plasmodia (and possibly other species) is the failure of gene-prediction pipelines to detect such a short coding sequence. We further identify elusive OST subunits in select protist species with completely sequenced genomes. Thus, our work highlights the necessity of a systematic approach towards the characterization of OST subunits across eukaryotes. This is necessary both for obtaining a concrete picture of the evolution of the OST complex but also for elucidating its possible role in eukaryotic pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Tamana
- Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, CY, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Vasilis J Promponas
- Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, CY, Nicosia, Cyprus
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14
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Sanz S, Aquilini E, Tweedell RE, Verma G, Hamerly T, Hritzo B, Tripathi A, Machado M, Churcher TS, Rodrigues JA, Izquierdo L, Dinglasan RR. Protein O-Fucosyltransferase 2 Is Not Essential for Plasmodium berghei Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:238. [PMID: 31334132 PMCID: PMC6616114 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thrombospondin type I repeat (TSR) domains are commonly O-fucosylated by protein O-fucosyltransferase 2 (PoFUT2), and this modification is required for optimal folding and secretion of TSR-containing proteins. The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum expresses proteins containing TSR domains, such as the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) and circumsporozoite surface protein (CSP), which are O-fucosylated. TRAP and CSP are present on the surface of sporozoites and play essential roles in mosquito and human host invasion processes during the transmission stages. Here, we have generated PoFUT2 null-mutant P. falciparum and Plasmodium berghei (rodent) malaria parasites and, by phenotyping them throughout their complete life cycle, we show that PoFUT2 disruption does not affect the growth through the mosquito stages for both species. However, contrary to what has been described previously by others, P. berghei PoFUT2 null mutant sporozoites showed no deleterious motility phenotypes and successfully established blood stage infection in mice. This unexpected result indicates that the importance of O-fucosylation of TSR domains may differ between human and RODENT malaria parasites; complicating our understanding of glycosylation modifications in malaria biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Sanz
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Eleonora Aquilini
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Unidade de Malária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rebecca E Tweedell
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Garima Verma
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Timothy Hamerly
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Bernadette Hritzo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Abhai Tripathi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marta Machado
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Unidade de Malária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Thomas S Churcher
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - João A Rodrigues
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Unidade de Malária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rhoel R Dinglasan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute, Gainesville, FL, United States
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15
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Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are amongst the most prevalent and morbidity-causing pathogens worldwide. They are responsible for severe diseases in humans and livestock and are thus of great public health and economic importance. Until the sequencing of apicomplexan genomes at the beginning of this century, the occurrence of N- and O-glycoproteins in these parasites was much debated. The synthesis of rudimentary and divergent N-glycans due to lineage-specific gene loss is now well established and has been recently reviewed. Here, we will focus on recent studies that clarified classical O-glycosylation pathways and described new nucleocytosolic glycosylations in Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agents of toxoplasmosis. We will also review the glycosylation of proteins containing thrombospondin type 1 repeats by O-fucosylation and C-mannosylation, newly discovered in Toxoplasma and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The functional significance of these post-translational modifications has only started to emerge, but the evidence points towards roles for these protein glycosylation pathways in tissue cyst wall rigidity and persistence in the host, oxygen sensing, and stability of proteins involved in host invasion.
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16
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Aguilar R, Ubillos I, Vidal M, Balanza N, Crespo N, Jiménez A, Nhabomba A, Jairoce C, Dosoo D, Gyan B, Ayestaran A, Sanz H, Campo JJ, Gómez-Pérez GP, Izquierdo L, Dobaño C. Antibody responses to α-Gal in African children vary with age and site and are associated with malaria protection. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9999. [PMID: 29968771 PMCID: PMC6030195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28325-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Naturally-acquired antibody responses to malaria parasites are not only directed to protein antigens but also to carbohydrates on the surface of Plasmodium protozoa. Immunoglobulin M responses to α-galactose (α-Gal) (Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R)-containing glycoconjugates have been associated with protection from P. falciparum infection and, as a result, these molecules are under consideration as vaccine targets; however there are limited field studies in endemic populations. We assessed a wide breadth of isotype and subclass antibody response to α-Gal in children from Mozambique (South East Africa) and Ghana (West Africa) by quantitative suspension array technology. We showed that anti-α-Gal IgM, IgG and IgG1–4 levels vary mainly depending on the age of the child, and also differ in magnitude in the two sites. At an individual level, the intensity of malaria exposure to P. falciparum and maternally-transferred antibodies affected the magnitude of α-Gal responses. There was evidence for a possible protective role of anti-α-Gal IgG3 and IgG4 antibodies. However, the most consistent findings were that the magnitude of IgM responses to α-Gal was associated with protection against clinical malaria over a one-year follow up period, especially in the first months of life, while IgG levels correlated with malaria risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Aguilar
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Itziar Ubillos
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Marta Vidal
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Núria Balanza
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Núria Crespo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Alfons Jiménez
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Augusto Nhabomba
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Chenjerai Jairoce
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - David Dosoo
- Kintampo Health Research Center, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Ben Gyan
- Kintampo Health Research Center, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Aintzane Ayestaran
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Hèctor Sanz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joseph J Campo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Carlota Dobaño
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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17
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Goddard-Borger ED, Boddey JA. Implications of Plasmodium glycosylation on vaccine efficacy and design. Future Microbiol 2018; 13:609-612. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ethan D Goddard-Borger
- The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Justin A Boddey
- The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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18
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Cova M, López-Gutiérrez B, Artigas-Jerónimo S, González-Díaz A, Bandini G, Maere S, Carretero-Paulet L, Izquierdo L. The Apicomplexa-specific glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase gene family encodes a key enzyme for glycoconjugate synthesis with potential as therapeutic target. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4005. [PMID: 29507322 PMCID: PMC5838249 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22441-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa form a phylum of obligate parasitic protozoa of great clinical and veterinary importance. These parasites synthesize glycoconjugates for their survival and infectivity, but the enzymatic steps required to generate the glycosylation precursors are not completely characterized. In particular, glucosamine-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA1) activity, needed to produce the essential UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) donor, has not been identified in any Apicomplexa. We scanned the genomes of Plasmodium falciparum and representatives from six additional main lineages of the phylum for proteins containing the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) domain. One family of GNAT-domain containing proteins, composed by a P. falciparum sequence and its six apicomplexan orthologs, rescued the growth of a yeast temperature-sensitive GNA1 mutant. Heterologous expression and in vitro assays confirmed the GNA1 enzymatic activity in all lineages. Sequence, phylogenetic and synteny analyses suggest an independent origin of the Apicomplexa-specific GNA1 family, parallel to the evolution of a different GNA1 family in other eukaryotes. The inability to disrupt an otherwise modifiable gene target suggests that the enzyme is essential for P. falciparum growth. The relevance of UDP-GlcNAc for parasite viability, together with the independent evolution and unique sequence features of Apicomplexa GNA1, highlights the potential of this enzyme as a selective therapeutic target against apicomplexans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cova
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Borja López-Gutiérrez
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Artigas-Jerónimo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aida González-Díaz
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giulia Bandini
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - Steven Maere
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lorenzo Carretero-Paulet
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium.
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium.
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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