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Li X, Ma Y, Li G, Jin G, Xu L, Li Y, Wei P, Zhang L. Leprosy: treatment, prevention, immune response and gene function. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1298749. [PMID: 38440733 PMCID: PMC10909994 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1298749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the leprosy cases have fallen dramatically, the incidence of leprosy has remained stable over the past years, indicating that multidrug therapy seems unable to eradicate leprosy. More seriously, the emergence of rifampicin-resistant strains also affects the effectiveness of treatment. Immunoprophylaxis was mainly carried out through vaccination with the BCG but also included vaccines such as LepVax and MiP. Meanwhile, it is well known that the infection and pathogenesis largely depend on the host's genetic background and immunity, with the onset of the disease being genetically regulated. The immune process heavily influences the clinical course of the disease. However, the impact of immune processes and genetic regulation of leprosy on pathogenesis and immunological levels is largely unknown. Therefore, we summarize the latest research progress in leprosy treatment, prevention, immunity and gene function. The comprehensive research in these areas will help elucidate the pathogenesis of leprosy and provide a basis for developing leprosy elimination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Ma
- Chronic Infectious Disease Control Section, Nantong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nantong, China
| | - Guoli Li
- Department of Chronic Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangjie Jin
- Department of Chronic Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunhui Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pingmin Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lianhua Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Chronic Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, China
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Khan M, Khan S, Lohani M, Ahmed MM, Sharma D, Ishrat R, Ahmad S, Sherwani S, Haque S, Bhagwath SS. Assessment of key regulatory genes and identification of possible drug targets for Leprosy (Hansen's disease) using network-based approach. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2023:1-20. [PMID: 36696368 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2023.2168509] [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: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Leprosy is a major health concern and continues to be a source of fear and stigma among people worldwide. Despite remarkable achievements in the treatment, understanding of pathogenesis and transmission, epidemiology of leprosy still remains inadequate. The prolonged incubation period, slow rates of occurrence in those exposed and deceptive clinical presentation pose challenges to develop reliable strategies to stop transmission. Hence, there is a need for improved diagnostics and therapies to prevent mortality caused by leprosy. The objectives of this study are to identify significant genes from protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network of leprosy and to choose the most effective therapeutic targets. Fifty genes related with leprosy were discovered by literature mining. These genes were used to construct a primary network. Leading Eigen Vector method was used to break down the primary network into various sub-networks or communities. It was found that the primary network was divided into many sub-networks at the 6 levels. Seed genes were traced at each level till key regulatory genes were identified. Three seed genes, namely, GNAI3, NOTCH1, and HIF1A, were able to make their way till the final motif stage. These genes along with their interacting partners were considered key regulators of the leprosy network. This study provides leprosy-associated key genes which can lead to improved diagnosis and therapies for leprosy patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahvish Khan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saif Khan
- Department of Basic Dental and Medical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Ha'il University, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohtashim Lohani
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Murshad Ahmed
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Diksha Sharma
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Romana Ishrat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Saheem Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Subuhi Sherwani
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing & Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sundeep S Bhagwath
- Department of Basic Dental and Medical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Ha'il University, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
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3
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Wang X, Liu Y. Offense and Defense in Granulomatous Inflammation Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:797749. [PMID: 35846773 PMCID: PMC9277142 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.797749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Granulomatous inflammation (GI) diseases are a group of chronic inflammation disorders characterized by focal collections of multinucleated giant cells, epithelioid cells and macrophages, with or without necrosis. GI diseases are closely related to microbes, especially virulent intracellular bacterial infections are important factors in the progression of these diseases. They employ a range of strategies to survive the stresses imposed upon them and persist in host cells, becoming the initiator of the fighting. Microbe-host communication is essential to maintain functions of a healthy host, so defense capacity of hosts is another influence factor, which is thought to combine to determine the result of the fighting. With the development of gene research technology, many human genetic loci were identified to be involved in GI diseases susceptibility, providing more insights into and knowledge about GI diseases. The current review aims to provide an update on the most recent progress in the identification and characterization of bacteria in GI diseases in a variety of organ systems and clinical conditions, and examine the invasion and escape mechanisms of pathogens that have been demonstrated in previous studies, we also review the existing data on the predictive factors of the host, mainly on genetic findings. These strategies may improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying GI diseases, and open new avenues for the study of the associated conditions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwen Wang
- Shaanxi Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Oral Medicine, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Shaanxi International Joint Research Center for Oral Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Histology and Pathology, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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Increased oxidative stress in elderly leprosy patients is related to age but not to bacillary load. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009214. [PMID: 33690671 PMCID: PMC7978340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009214] [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: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leprosy continues to be a public health problem in Brazil. Furthermore, detection rates in elderly people have increased, particularly those of multibacillary (L-Lep) patients, who are responsible for transmitting M. leprae. Part of the decline in physiological function during aging is due to increased oxidative damage and change in T cell subpopulations, which are critical in defense against the disease. It is not still clear how age-related changes like those related to oxidation affect elderly people with leprosy. The aim of this work was to verify whether the elderly leprosy patients have higher ROS production and how it can impact the evolution of leprosy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS 87 leprosy patients, grouped according to age range and clinical form of leprosy, and 25 healthy volunteers were analyzed. Gene expression analysis of antioxidant and oxidative burst enzymes were performed in whole blood using Biomark's microfluidic-based qPCR. The same genes were evaluated in skin lesion samples by RT-qPCR. The presence of oxidative damage markers (carbonylated proteins and 4-hydroxynonenal) was analyzed by a DNPH colorimetric assay and immunofluorescence. Carbonylated protein content was significantly higher in elderly compared to young patients. One year after multidrug therapy (MDT) discharge and M. leprae clearance, oxidative damage increased in young L-Lep patients but not in elderly ones. Both elderly T and L-Lep patients present higher 4-HNE in cutaneous lesions than the young, mainly surrounding memory CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, young L-Lep demonstrated greater ability to neutralize ROS compared to elderly L-Lep patients, who presented lower gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, mainly glutathione peroxidase. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We conclude that elderly patients present exacerbated oxidative damage both in blood and in skin lesions and that age-related changes can be an important factor in leprosy immunopathogenesis. Ultimately, elderly patients could benefit from co-supplementation of antioxidants concomitant to MDT, to avoid worsening of the disease.
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Brand MD. Riding the tiger - physiological and pathological effects of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide generated in the mitochondrial matrix. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 55:592-661. [PMID: 33148057 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1828258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Elevated mitochondrial matrix superoxide and/or hydrogen peroxide concentrations drive a wide range of physiological responses and pathologies. Concentrations of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in the mitochondrial matrix are set mainly by rates of production, the activities of superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD2) and peroxiredoxin-3 (PRDX3), and by diffusion of hydrogen peroxide to the cytosol. These considerations can be used to generate criteria for assessing whether changes in matrix superoxide or hydrogen peroxide are both necessary and sufficient to drive redox signaling and pathology: is a phenotype affected by suppressing superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production; by manipulating the levels of SOD2, PRDX3 or mitochondria-targeted catalase; and by adding mitochondria-targeted SOD/catalase mimetics or mitochondria-targeted antioxidants? Is the pathology associated with variants in SOD2 and PRDX3 genes? Filtering the large literature on mitochondrial redox signaling using these criteria highlights considerable evidence that mitochondrial superoxide and hydrogen peroxide drive physiological responses involved in cellular stress management, including apoptosis, autophagy, propagation of endoplasmic reticulum stress, cellular senescence, HIF1α signaling, and immune responses. They also affect cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and the cell cycle. Filtering the huge literature on pathologies highlights strong experimental evidence that 30-40 pathologies may be driven by mitochondrial matrix superoxide or hydrogen peroxide. These can be grouped into overlapping and interacting categories: metabolic, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and neurological diseases; cancer; ischemia/reperfusion injury; aging and its diseases; external insults, and genetic diseases. Understanding the involvement of mitochondrial matrix superoxide and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in these diseases can facilitate the rational development of appropriate therapies.
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6
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Mi Z, Liu H, Zhang F. Advances in the Immunology and Genetics of Leprosy. Front Immunol 2020; 11:567. [PMID: 32373110 PMCID: PMC7176874 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy, a disease caused by the intracellular parasite Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis, has affected humans for more than 4,000 years and is a stigmatized disease even now. Since clinical manifestations of leprosy patients present as an immune-related spectrum, leprosy is regarded as an ideal model for studying the interaction between host immune response and infection; in fact, the landscape of leprosy immune responses has been extensively investigated. Meanwhile, leprosy is to some extent a genetic disease because the genetic factors of hosts have long been considered major contributors to this disease. Many immune-related genes have been discovered to be associated with leprosy. However, immunological and genetic findings have rarely been studied and discussed together, and as a result, the effects of gene variants on leprosy immune responses and the molecular mechanisms of leprosy pathogenesis are largely unknown. In this context, we summarized advances in both the immunology and genetics of leprosy and discussed the perspective of the combination of immunological and genetic approaches in studying the molecular mechanism of leprosy pathogenesis. In our opinion, the integrating of immunological and genetic approaches in the future may be promising to elucidate the molecular mechanism of leprosy onset and how leprosy develops into different types of leprosy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Mi
- Shandong Provincial Hospital for Skin Diseases & Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Shandong Provincial Hospital for Skin Diseases & Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Furen Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Hospital for Skin Diseases & Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
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7
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Uaska Sartori PV, Penna GO, Bührer-Sékula S, Pontes MAA, Gonçalves HS, Cruz R, Virmond MCL, Dias-Baptista IMF, Rosa PS, Penna MLF, Medeiros Fava V, Stefani MMA, Távora Mira M. Human Genetic Susceptibility of Leprosy Recurrence. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1284. [PMID: 31992776 PMCID: PMC6987179 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58079-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Host genetic susceptibility to leprosy has been intensively investigated over the last decades; however, there are no studies on the role of genetic variants in disease recurrence. A previous initiative identified three recurrent cases of leprosy for which none of the M. leprae strains, as obtained in the first and the second diagnosis, had any known genomic variants associated to resistance to Multidrug therapy; in addition, whole genome sequencing indicated that the same M. leprae was causing two out of the three recurrences. Thus, these individuals were suspected of being particularly susceptible to M. leprae infection, either as relapse or reinfection. To verify this hypothesis, 19 genetic markers distributed across 11 loci (14 genes) classically associated with leprosy were genotyped in the recurrent and in three matching non-recurrent leprosy cases. An enrichment of risk alleles was observed in the recurrent cases, suggesting the existence of a particularly high susceptibility genetic profile among leprosy patients predisposing to disease recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Verchai Uaska Sartori
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Rua Imaculada Conceição 1155 - Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Gerson O Penna
- Tropical Medicine Centre, University of Brasília, UnB - Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, S/N, Asa Norte, Brasília - DF, CEP, 70.904.970, Brasil
- Escola Fiocruz de Governo, Fiocruz Brasília, Avenida L3 Norte, s/n, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Gleba A, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Samira Bührer-Sékula
- Tropical Pathology and Public Health Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Rua 235 - s/n - Setor Universitário - Goiania, Goiania, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Maria A A Pontes
- Dona Libânia Dermatology Centre, R. Pedro I, 1033 - Centro, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Heitor S Gonçalves
- Dona Libânia Dermatology Centre, R. Pedro I, 1033 - Centro, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Rossilene Cruz
- Tropical Dermatology and Venerology, Fundação Alfredo da Matta, Av. Codajás, 24 - Cachoeirinha, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Marcos C L Virmond
- Lauro Souza Lima Institute, Rodovia Comandante João Ribeiro de Barros, km 225/226, s/n - Distrito Industrial Marcus Vinícius Feliz Machado, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ida M F Dias-Baptista
- Lauro Souza Lima Institute, Rodovia Comandante João Ribeiro de Barros, km 225/226, s/n - Distrito Industrial Marcus Vinícius Feliz Machado, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Patricia S Rosa
- Lauro Souza Lima Institute, Rodovia Comandante João Ribeiro de Barros, km 225/226, s/n - Distrito Industrial Marcus Vinícius Feliz Machado, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria L F Penna
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Marquês do Paraná, 303, Centro, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Medeiros Fava
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health (IDIGH) Program at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), 1001 Boulevard Décarie, Bioinformatics suite ES1.5561, H4A 3J1., Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mariane M A Stefani
- Escola Fiocruz de Governo, Fiocruz Brasília, Avenida L3 Norte, s/n, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Gleba A, Brasília, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Távora Mira
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Rua Imaculada Conceição 1155 - Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
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Dallmann-Sauer M, Correa-Macedo W, Schurr E. Human genetics of mycobacterial disease. Mamm Genome 2018; 29:523-538. [PMID: 30116885 PMCID: PMC6132723 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-018-9765-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterial diseases are caused by members of the genus Mycobacterium, acid-fast bacteria characterized by the presence of mycolic acids within their cell walls. Claiming almost 2 million lives every year, tuberculosis (TB) is the most common mycobacterial disease and is caused by infection with M. tuberculosis and, in rare cases, by M. bovis or M. africanum. The second and third most common mycobacterial diseases are leprosy and buruli ulcer (BU), respectively. Both diseases affect the skin and can lead to permanent sequelae and deformities. Leprosy is caused by the uncultivable M. leprae while the etiological agent of BU is the environmental bacterium M. ulcerans. After exposure to these mycobacterial species, a majority of individuals will not progress to clinical disease and, among those who do, inter-individual variability in disease manifestation and outcome can be observed. Susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases carries a human genetic component and intense efforts have been applied over the past decades to decipher the exact nature of the genetic factors controlling disease susceptibility. While for BU this search was mostly conducted on the basis of candidate genes association studies, genome-wide approaches have been widely applied for TB and leprosy. In this review, we summarize some of the findings achieved by genome-wide linkage, association and transcriptome analyses in TB disease and leprosy and the recent genetic findings for BU susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Dallmann-Sauer
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.,The McGill International TB Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Departments of Human Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Wilian Correa-Macedo
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.,The McGill International TB Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Erwin Schurr
- Program in Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health, Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,The McGill International TB Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Departments of Human Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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9
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Kretzschmar GC, Oliveira LC, Nisihara RM, Velavan TP, Stinghen ST, Stahlke ERS, Petzl-Erler ML, de Messias-Reason IJT, Boldt ABW. Complement receptor 1 (CR1, CD35) association with susceptibility to leprosy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006705. [PMID: 30092084 PMCID: PMC6103516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pathophysiological mechanisms are still incompletely understood for leprosy, an urgent public health issue in Brazil. Complement receptor 1 (CR1) binds complement fragments C3b/C4b deposited on mycobacteria, mediating its entrance in macrophages. We investigated CR1 polymorphisms, gene expression and soluble CR1 levels in a case-control study with Brazilian leprosy patients, aiming to understand the role of this receptor in differential susceptibility to the disease. Methodology Nine polymorphisms were haplotyped by multiplex PCR-SSP in 213 leprosy patients (47% multibacillary) and 297 controls. mRNA levels were measured by qPCR and sCR1 by ELISA, in up to 80 samples. Principal findings Individuals with the most common recombinant haplotype harboring rs3849266*T in intron 21 and rs3737002*T in exon 26 (encoding p.1408Met of the York Yka+ antigen), presented twice higher susceptibility to leprosy (OR = 2.43, p = 0.017). Paucibacillary patients with these variants presented lower sCR1 levels, thus reducing the anti-inflammatory response (p = 0.040 and p = 0.046, respectively). Furthermore, the most ancient haplotype increased susceptibility to the multibacillary clinical form (OR = 3.04, p = 0.01) and presented the intronic rs12034383*G allele, which was associated with higher gene expression (p = 0.043), probably increasing internalization of the parasite. Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between the levels of sCR1 and mannose-binding lectin (initiator molecule of the lectin pathway of complement, recognized by CR1) (R = -0.52, p = 0.007). Conclusions The results lead us to suggest a regulatory role for CR1 polymorphisms on mRNA and sCR1 levels, with haplotype-specific effects increasing susceptibility to leprosy, probably by enhancing parasite phagocytosis and inflammation. The reasons for which some individuals resist Mycobacteria leprae infection, whereas others contract leprosy and only a subgroup of them become severely affected, are still poorly understood. The complement receptor 1 (CR1) serves as a gate for bacterial entry in macrophages, but its importance in the spread of infection and emergence of symptoms is unknown. Despite having many common structural and regulatory variants, the CR1 gene was investigated only once in a leprosy association study in Malawi. In order to fill in this gap, we investigated if CR1 polymorphisms are co-responsible for differential disease susceptibility in 213 leprosy patients and 297 controls, also measuring mRNA and soluble CR1 levels. Associations were dependent on specific combinations of variants in regulatory and coding regions, which were also associated with gene and protein expression. Thus, this study corroborates the importance of the CR1 receptor in the susceptibility to leprosy and is the first to bring information about CR1 polymorphisms in the Brazilian population, as well as to show the relationship between genotypes and mRNA and sCR1 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luana Caroline Oliveira
- Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Renato Mitsunori Nisihara
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Department of Clinical Pathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Human Parasitology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Vietnamese- German Center for Medical Research, VG-CARE, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Sérvio Túlio Stinghen
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Department of Clinical Pathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Luiza Petzl-Erler
- Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Iara José T. de Messias-Reason
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Department of Clinical Pathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Angelica Beate Winter Boldt
- Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Department of Clinical Pathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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10
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Luukinen H, Hammarén MM, Vanha-Aho LM, Svorjova A, Kantanen L, Järvinen S, Luukinen BV, Dufour E, Rämet M, Hytönen VP, Parikka M. Priming of innate antimycobacterial immunity by heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes induces sterilizing response in the adult zebrafish tuberculosis model. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm.031658. [PMID: 29208761 PMCID: PMC5818079 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.031658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the most problematic infectious agents, owing to its highly developed mechanisms to evade host immune responses combined with the increasing emergence of antibiotic resistance. Host-directed therapies aiming to optimize immune responses to improve bacterial eradication or to limit excessive inflammation are a new strategy for the treatment of tuberculosis. In this study, we have established a zebrafish-Mycobacterium marinum natural host-pathogen model system to study induced protective immune responses in mycobacterial infection. We show that priming adult zebrafish with heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes (HKLm) at 1 day prior to M. marinum infection leads to significantly decreased mycobacterial loads in the infected zebrafish. Using rag1−/− fish, we show that the protective immunity conferred by HKLm priming can be induced through innate immunity alone. At 24 h post-infection, HKLm priming leads to a significant increase in the expression levels of macrophage-expressed gene 1 (mpeg1), tumor necrosis factor α (tnfa) and nitric oxide synthase 2b (nos2b), whereas superoxide dismutase 2 (sod2) expression is downregulated, implying that HKLm priming increases the number of macrophages and boosts intracellular killing mechanisms. The protective effects of HKLm are abolished when the injected material is pretreated with nucleases or proteinase K. Importantly, HKLm priming significantly increases the frequency of clearance of M. marinum infection by evoking sterilizing immunity (25 vs 3.7%, P=0.0021). In this study, immune priming is successfully used to induce sterilizing immunity against mycobacterial infection. This model provides a promising new platform for elucidating the mechanisms underlying sterilizing immunity and to develop host-directed treatment or prevention strategies against tuberculosis. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes induces immune responses that lead to increased clearance of mycobacterial infection in the adult zebrafish tuberculosis model via innate immune mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Luukinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Milka Marjut Hammarén
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena-Maija Vanha-Aho
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Aleksandra Svorjova
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Kantanen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sampsa Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Eric Dufour
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mika Rämet
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,PEDEGO Research Unit, and Medical Research Center Oulu, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Children and Adolescents, Oulu University Hospital, FI-90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Vesa Pekka Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mataleena Parikka
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.,Oral and Maxillofacial Unit, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland
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Wang D, Li GD, Fan Y, Zhang DF, Bi R, Yu XF, Long H, Li YY, Yao YG. The mtDNA replication-related genes TFAM and POLG are associated with leprosy in Han Chinese from Southwest China. J Dermatol Sci 2017; 88:349-356. [PMID: 28958595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogen Mycobacterium leprae of leprosy is heavily dependent on the host energy metabolites and nutritional products for survival. Previously we and others have identified associations of several mitochondrion-related genes and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number alterations with leprosy and/or its subtype. We hypothesized that genetic variants of mtDNA replication-related genes would affect leprosy. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify genetic associations between the mtDNA replication-related genes TFAM, POLG and leprosy. METHODS Genetic association study was performed in 2898 individuals from two independent sample sets in Yunnan Province, China. We first screened 7 tag SNPs of TFAM and POLG in 527 leprosy cases and 583 controls (Sample I). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis and differential mRNA expression were analyzed to discern potential effect of risk variants. The entire exon region of TFAM and POLG were further analyzed in 798 leprosy cases and 990 controls (Sample II; 4327 East Asians from the ExAC dataset was included as a reference control) by using targeted gene sequencing for fine mapping potentially causal variants. RESULTS Two tag SNPs of TFAM (rs1049432, P=0.007) and POLG (rs3176238, P=0.006) were associated with multibacillary leprosy (MB) in Sample I and the significance survived correction for multiple comparisons. SNPs rs1937 of TFAM (which was linked with rs1049432) and rs61756401 of POLG were associated with leprosy, whereas no potentially causative coding variants were identified in Sample II. The eQTL analysis showed that rs1049432 was a significant cis eQTL for TFAM in nerve tissue (P=1.20×10-12), and rs3176238 was a significant cis eQTL for POLG in nerve (P=3.90×10-13) and skin tissues (P=2.50×10-11). Consistently, mRNA level of POLG was differentially expressed in leprotic skin lesions. CONCLUSIONS Genetic variants of TFAM and POLG were associated with leprosy in Han Chinese, presumably by affecting gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Guo-Dong Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China; Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Yu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Deng-Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Rui Bi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Xiu-Feng Yu
- Wenshan Institute of Dermatology, Wenshan, Yunnan, 663000, China
| | - Heng Long
- Wenshan Institute of Dermatology, Wenshan, Yunnan, 663000, China
| | - Yu-Ye Li
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650032, China
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China; Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
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