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Tsagmo JMN, Rotureau B, Calvo Alvarez E. Animal models of neglected parasitic diseases: In vivo multimodal imaging of experimental trypanosomatid infections. Methods Cell Biol 2024; 188:205-236. [PMID: 38880525 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
African trypanosomiases and leishmaniases are significant neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that affect millions globally, with severe health and socio-economic consequences, especially in endemic regions. Understanding the pathogenesis and dissemination of Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp. parasites within their hosts is pivotal for the development of effective interventions. Whole-body bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging systems (BLI and FLI, respectively), are powerful tools to visualize and quantify the progression and distribution of these parasites in real-time within live animal models. By combining this technology with the engineering of stable T. brucei and Leishmania spp. strains expressing luciferase and/or fluorescent proteins, crucial aspects of the infection process including the parasites' homing, the infection dynamics, the tissue tropism, or the efficacy of experimental treatments and vaccines can be deeply investigated. This methodology allows for enhanced sensitivity and resolution, elucidating previously unrecognized infection niches and dynamics. Importantly, whole-body in vivo imaging is non-invasive, enabling for longitudinal studies during the course of an infection in the same animal, thereby aligning with the "3Rs" principle of animal research. Here, we detail a protocol for the generation of dual-reporter T. brucei and L. major, and their use to infect mice and follow the spatiotemporal dynamics of infection by in vivo imaging systems. Additionally, 3D micro-computed tomography (μCT) coupled to BLI in T. brucei-infected animals is applied to gain insights into the anatomical parasite distribution. This Chapter underscores the potential of these bioimaging modalities as indispensable tools in parasitology, paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies and deeper insights into host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Marc Ngoune Tsagmo
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, INSERM U1201, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Brice Rotureau
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, INSERM U1201, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Parasitology Unit, Institut Pasteur of Guinea, Conakry, Guinea
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2
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Abstract
Leishmaniasis (visceral and cutaneous), Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis cause substantial death and morbidity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Although the situation has improved for human African trypanosomiasis, there remains an urgent need for new medicines to treat leishmaniasis and Chagas disease; the clinical development pipeline is particularly sparse for Chagas disease. In this Review, we describe recent advances in our understanding of the biology of the causative pathogens, particularly from the drug discovery perspective, and we explore the progress that has been made in the development of new drug candidates and the identification of promising molecular targets. We also explore the challenges in developing new clinical candidates and discuss potential solutions to overcome such hurdles.
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3
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De Vlaminck K, Van Hove H, Kancheva D, Scheyltjens I, Pombo Antunes AR, Bastos J, Vara-Perez M, Ali L, Mampay M, Deneyer L, Miranda JF, Cai R, Bouwens L, De Bundel D, Caljon G, Stijlemans B, Massie A, Van Ginderachter JA, Vandenbroucke RE, Movahedi K. Differential plasticity and fate of brain-resident and recruited macrophages during the onset and resolution of neuroinflammation. Immunity 2022; 55:2085-2102.e9. [PMID: 36228615 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Microglia and border-associated macrophages (BAMs) are brain-resident self-renewing cells. Here, we examined the fate of microglia, BAMs, and recruited macrophages upon neuroinflammation and through resolution. Upon infection, Trypanosoma brucei parasites invaded the brain via its border regions, triggering brain barrier disruption and monocyte infiltration. Fate mapping combined with single-cell sequencing revealed microglia accumulation around the ventricles and expansion of epiplexus cells. Depletion experiments using genetic targeting revealed that resident macrophages promoted initial parasite defense and subsequently facilitated monocyte infiltration across brain barriers. These recruited monocyte-derived macrophages outnumbered resident macrophages and exhibited more transcriptional plasticity, adopting antimicrobial gene expression profiles. Recruited macrophages were rapidly removed upon disease resolution, leaving no engrafted monocyte-derived cells in the parenchyma, while resident macrophages progressively reverted toward a homeostatic state. Long-term transcriptional alterations were limited for microglia but more pronounced in BAMs. Thus, brain-resident and recruited macrophages exhibit diverging responses and dynamics during infection and resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen De Vlaminck
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hannah Van Hove
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Daliya Kancheva
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Scheyltjens
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ana Rita Pombo Antunes
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Bastos
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Monica Vara-Perez
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Leen Ali
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Myrthe Mampay
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lauren Deneyer
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Juliana Fabiani Miranda
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ruiyao Cai
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Luc Bouwens
- Cell Differentiation Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Benoît Stijlemans
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jo A Van Ginderachter
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Roosmarijn E Vandenbroucke
- Barriers in Inflammation Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Ghent Gut Inflammation Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kiavash Movahedi
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Laboratory, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
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4
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Koester DC, Marx VM, Williams S, Jiricek J, Dauphinais M, René O, Miller SL, Zhang L, Patra D, Chen YL, Cheung H, Gable J, Lakshminarayana SB, Osborne C, Galarneau JR, Kulkarni U, Richmond W, Bretz A, Xiao L, Supek F, Wiesmann C, Honnappa S, Be C, Mäser P, Kaiser M, Ritchie R, Barrett MP, Diagana TT, Sarko C, Rao SPS. Discovery of Novel Quinoline-Based Proteasome Inhibitors for Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). J Med Chem 2022; 65:11776-11787. [PMID: 35993839 PMCID: PMC9469205 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a vector-borne disease caused by kinetoplastid parasites of the Trypanosoma genus. The disease proceeds in two stages, with a hemolymphatic blood stage and a meningo-encephalic brain stage. In the latter stage, the parasite causes irreversible damage to the brain leading to sleep cycle disruption and is fatal if untreated. An orally bioavailable treatment is highly desirable. In this study, we present a brain-penetrant, parasite-selective 20S proteasome inhibitor that was rapidly optimized from an HTS singleton hit to drug candidate compound 7 that showed cure in a stage II mouse efficacy model. Here, we describe hit expansion and lead optimization campaign guided by cryo-electron microscopy and an in silico model to predict the brain-to-plasma partition coefficient Kp as an important parameter to prioritize compounds for synthesis. The model combined with in vitro and in vivo experiments allowed us to advance compounds with favorable unbound brain-to-plasma ratios (Kp,uu) to cure a CNS disease such as HAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis C. Koester
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Vanessa M. Marx
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Sarah Williams
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Jan Jiricek
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Maxime Dauphinais
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Olivier René
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Sarah L. Miller
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Debjani Patra
- Novartis
Institutes for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Yen-Liang Chen
- Lead
Discovery, Novartis Institutes for Tropical
Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Harry Cheung
- Lead
Discovery, Novartis Institutes for Tropical
Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Jonathan Gable
- Lead
Discovery, Novartis Institutes for Tropical
Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Suresh B. Lakshminarayana
- Pharmacokinetic
Sciences, Novartis Institutes for Tropical
Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Colin Osborne
- Pharmacokinetic
Sciences, Pharmacology and Comparative Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Jean-Rene Galarneau
- Preclinical
Safety, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical
Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Upendra Kulkarni
- Chemical
and Pharmaceutical Profiling, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Wendy Richmond
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Angela Bretz
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Linda Xiao
- Pharmacology, Novartis Institutes for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Frantisek Supek
- Novartis
Institutes for Biomedical Research, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | | | - Srinivas Honnappa
- Novartis
Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Celine Be
- Novartis
Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Mäser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University
of Basel, CH 4000 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Kaiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University
of Basel, CH 4000 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ryan Ritchie
- University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K
| | | | - Thierry T. Diagana
- Novartis
Institutes for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Christopher Sarko
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Srinivasa P. S. Rao
- Novartis
Institutes for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
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Dibello E, Comini MA, Benítez D. A Simple, Robust, and Affordable Bioluminescent Assay for Drug Screening Against Infective African Trypanosomes. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2524:149-162. [PMID: 35821469 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2453-1_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This chapter introduces a simple and robust in vitro viability assay to screen bioactive small molecules (e.g., natural, synthetic) against the monomorphic and infective (bloodstream) form of Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The assay relies on a bioluminescent transgenic parasite harboring a genetically encoded copy of a thermostable redshifted firefly luciferase from Photinus pyralis.The major advantages of the assay are simplicity and cost efficiency, along with excellent quality parameters. The bioassay allows estimating parasite numbers and viability (and metabolic state) as a function of bioluminescence (BL) signal. Parasites are grown in the presence of the molecules of interest in a 96-well microplate, and 24 h later, BL is determined with a simple protocol lacking washing steps, using cost-efficient reagents with a reasonable readout time for high-throughput applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Dibello
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Diego Benítez
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Chatelain E, Scandale I. Animal models of Chagas disease and their translational value to drug development. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:1381-1402. [PMID: 32812830 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1806233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION American trypanosomiasis, better known as Chagas disease, is a global public health issue. Current treatments targeting the causative parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, are limited to two old nitroheterocyclic compounds; new, safer drugs are needed. New tools to identify compounds suitable for parasitological cure in humans have emerged through efforts in drug discovery. AREAS COVERED Animal disease models are an integral part of the drug discovery process. There are numerous experimental models of Chagas disease described and in use; rather than going through each of these and their specific features, the authors focus on developments in recent years, in particular the imaging technologies that have dramatically changed the Chagas R&D landscape, and provide a critical view on their value and limitations for moving compounds forward into further development. EXPERT OPINION The application of new technological advances to the field of drug development for Chagas disease has led to the implementation of new and robust/standardized in vivo models that contributed to a better understanding of host/parasite interactions. These new models should also build confidence in their translational value for moving compounds forward into clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Chatelain
- R&D Department, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) , Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- R&D Department, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) , Geneva, Switzerland
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7
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Benítez D, Dibello E, Bonilla M, Comini MA. A simple, robust, and affordable bioluminescent assay for drug discovery against infective African trypanosomes. Drug Dev Res 2020; 83:253-263. [PMID: 31958156 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
African trypanosomiasis is a major problem for human and animal health in endemic countries, where it threatens millions of people and affects economic development. New drugs are needed to overcome the toxicity, administration, low efficacy, and resistance issues of the current chemotherapy. Robust, simple, and economical high-throughput, whole-cell-based assays are required to accelerate the identification of novel chemical entities. With this aim, we generated a bioluminescent cell line of the bloodstream stage of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and established a screening assay. Trypanosomes were stably transfected to constitutively express a thermostable red-shifted luciferase. The growth phenotype and drug sensitivity of the reporter cell line were essentially identical to that of the parental cell line. The endogenous luciferase activity, measured by a simple bioluminescence assay, proved to be proportional to parasite number and metabolic status. The assay, optimized to detect highly potent compounds in a 96-well-plate format, was validated by screening a small compound library (inter-assay values for Z' factor and coefficient variation were 0.77 and 5.8%, respectively). With a hit-confirmation ratio of ~97%, the assay was potent enough to identify several hits with EC50 ≤ 10 μM. Preliminary tests indicated that the assay can be scaled up to a 384-well-plate format without compromising its robustness. In summary, we have generated reporter trypanosomes and a simple, robust, and affordable bioluminescence screening assay with great potential to speed up the early-phase drug discovery against African trypanosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Benítez
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estefania Dibello
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mariana Bonilla
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Laboratorio de Fisicoquímica Biológica y Laboratorio de Enzimología, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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8
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Dóró É, Jacobs SH, Hammond FR, Schipper H, Pieters RP, Carrington M, Wiegertjes GF, Forlenza M. Visualizing trypanosomes in a vertebrate host reveals novel swimming behaviours, adaptations and attachment mechanisms. eLife 2019; 8:48388. [PMID: 31547905 PMCID: PMC6759355 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomes are important disease agents of humans, livestock and cold-blooded species, including fish. The cellular morphology of trypanosomes is central to their motility, adaptation to the host’s environments and pathogenesis. However, visualizing the behaviour of trypanosomes resident in a live vertebrate host has remained unexplored. In this study, we describe an infection model of zebrafish (Danio rerio) with Trypanosoma carassii. By combining high spatio-temporal resolution microscopy with the transparency of live zebrafish, we describe in detail the swimming behaviour of trypanosomes in blood and tissues of a vertebrate host. Besides the conventional tumbling and directional swimming, T. carassii can change direction through a ‘whip-like’ motion or by swimming backward. Further, the posterior end can act as an anchoring site in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a vertebrate infection model that allows detailed imaging of trypanosome swimming behaviour in vivo in a natural host environment. Trypanosomes are one-celled parasites that cause the disease trypanosomiasis, which is also known as sleeping sickness. Trypanosomiasis is transmitted to humans and animals by a type of fly, known as tse-tse, which is commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa. A bite from the tse-tse fly transfers the trypanosome cells into the host’s bloodstream, where they spread from the blood to the internal organs and brain. This leads to a long-term illness, which can sometimes result in a coma and eventually death. Once in the blood trypanosomes move around using a structure similar to an underwater propeller called the flagellum. How the trypanosomes move and behave in the blood determines how the infection will progress. Until now it has only been possible to observe trypanosomes in plastic dishes or in blood drawn from infected patients. However, neither of these settings mimic the conditions of the bloodstream, and it is currently impossible to look inside human hosts to watch how trypanosomes move. To overcome this hurdle, Doro et al. infected zebrafish with Trypanosoma carassii, a close relative of the sub-Saharan trypanosomes that specifically infects fish. Zebrafish are transparent when young, making it possible to observe the parasite in the blood and tissues of live fish using a microscope. Doro et al. noticed that Trypanosoma carassii cells adapt to different environments in the host by using different swimming techniques. For example, in small capillaries trypanosomes were dragged along with the blood flow, whilst in larger vessels, when blood flow was slow or there were fewer red blood cells, trypanosomes actively swam against the current. The parasites were also able to change direction by using their flagella in a ‘whip-like’ motion. Lastly, it was discovered that Trypanosoma carassii could rapidly attach to blood vessel walls using one end of its cell body, even when blood flow was strong. This behaviour may help the parasites escape from the bloodstream into the surrounding tissues, making the infection more dangerous. Studying how trypanosomes infect zebrafish at this high level of detail provides new insights into how these parasites move and behave inside a host. An important question that remains to be answered, is how exactly the trypanosomes leave the bloodstream. A better understanding of the whole infection process may hint at new ways of fighting these deadly infections in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva Dóró
- Department of Animal Sciences, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Sem H Jacobs
- Department of Animal Sciences, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ffion R Hammond
- Department of Animal Sciences, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Henk Schipper
- Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Remco Pm Pieters
- Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Mark Carrington
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Geert F Wiegertjes
- Department of Animal Sciences, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands.,Department of Animal Sciences, Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Maria Forlenza
- Department of Animal Sciences, Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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9
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MacGregor P, Gonzalez-Munoz AL, Jobe F, Taylor MC, Rust S, Sandercock AM, Macleod OJS, Van Bocxlaer K, Francisco AF, D’Hooge F, Tiberghien A, Barry CS, Howard P, Higgins MK, Vaughan TJ, Minter R, Carrington M. A single dose of antibody-drug conjugate cures a stage 1 model of African trypanosomiasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007373. [PMID: 31120889 PMCID: PMC6532856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections of humans and livestock with African trypanosomes are treated with drugs introduced decades ago that are not always fully effective and often have severe side effects. Here, the trypanosome haptoglobin-haemoglobin receptor (HpHbR) has been exploited as a route of uptake for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that is completely effective against Trypanosoma brucei in the standard mouse model of infection. Recombinant human anti-HpHbR monoclonal antibodies were isolated and shown to be internalised in a receptor-dependent manner. Antibodies were conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) toxin and killed T. brucei in vitro at picomolar concentrations. A single therapeutic dose (0.25 mg/kg) of a HpHbR antibody-PBD conjugate completely cured a T. brucei mouse infection within 2 days with no re-emergence of infection over a subsequent time course of 77 days. These experiments provide a demonstration of how ADCs can be exploited to treat protozoal diseases that desperately require new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula MacGregor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fatoumatta Jobe
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Medimmune, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Martin C. Taylor
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Rust
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Medimmune, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alan M. Sandercock
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Medimmune, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Matthew K. Higgins
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tristan J. Vaughan
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Medimmune, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ralph Minter
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, Medimmune, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Carrington
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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10
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Calvo-Alvarez E, Cren-Travaillé C, Crouzols A, Rotureau B. A new chimeric triple reporter fusion protein as a tool for in vitro and in vivo multimodal imaging to monitor the development of African trypanosomes and Leishmania parasites. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2018; 63:391-403. [PMID: 29339220 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomiases and leishmaniases, caused by a group of related protist parasites, are Neglected Tropical Diseases currently threatening >500 million people worldwide. Reporter proteins have revolutionised the research on infectious diseases and have opened up new advances in the understanding of trypanosomatid-borne diseases in terms of both biology, pathogenesis and drug development. Here, we describe the generation and some applications of a new chimeric triple reporter fusion protein combining the red-shifted firefly luciferase PpyREH9 and the tdTomato red fluorescent protein, fused by the TY1 tag. Expressed in both Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Leishmania major transgenic parasites, this construct was successfully assessed on different state-of-the-art imaging technologies, at different scales ranging from whole organism to cellular level, both in vitro and in vivo in murine models. For T. b. brucei, the usefulness of this triple marker to monitor the entire parasite cycle in both tsetse flies and mice was further demonstrated. This stable reporter allows to qualitatively and quantitatively scrutinize in real-time several crucial aspects of the parasite's development, including the development of African trypanosomes in the dermis of the mammalian host. We briefly discuss developments in bio-imaging technologies and highlight how we could improve our understanding of parasitism by combining the genetic engineering of parasites to the one of the hosting organisms in which they complete their developmental program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Calvo-Alvarez
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur and INSERM U1201, Paris, France.
| | - Christelle Cren-Travaillé
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur and INSERM U1201, Paris, France
| | - Aline Crouzols
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur and INSERM U1201, Paris, France
| | - Brice Rotureau
- Trypanosome Transmission Group, Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur and INSERM U1201, Paris, France
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11
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Burrell-Saward H, Harris AJ, de LaFlor R, Sallam H, Alavijeh MS, Ward TH, Croft SL. Dose-dependent effect and pharmacokinetics of fexinidazole and its metabolites in a mouse model of human African trypanosomiasis. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2017; 50:203-209. [PMID: 28552771 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2017.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected tropical disease, with a population of 70 million at risk. Current treatment options are limited. In the search for new therapeutics, the repurposing of the broad-spectrum antiprotozoal drug fexinidazole has completed Phase III trials with the anticipation that it will be the first oral treatment for HAT. This study used the recently validated bioluminescence imaging model to assess the dose and rate of kill effect of fexinidazole in infected mice, and the dose-dependent effect of fexinidazole on trypanosome infection. Pharmacokinetics of fexinidazole in plasma and central nervous system (CNS) compartments were similar in both infected and uninfected mice. Drug distribution within the CNS was further examined by microdialysis, showing similar levels in the cortex and hippocampus. However, high variability in drug distribution and exposure was found between mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie Burrell-Saward
- Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | - Hatem Sallam
- Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mo S Alavijeh
- Pharmidex, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Theresa H Ward
- Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Simon L Croft
- Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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12
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Field MC, Horn D, Fairlamb AH, Ferguson MAJ, Gray DW, Read KD, De Rycker M, Torrie LS, Wyatt PG, Wyllie S, Gilbert IH. Anti-trypanosomatid drug discovery: an ongoing challenge and a continuing need. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017; 15:217-231. [PMID: 28239154 PMCID: PMC5582623 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 265] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The WHO recognizes human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease and the leishmaniases as neglected tropical diseases. These diseases are caused by parasitic trypanosomatids and range in severity from mild and self-curing to near invariably fatal. Public health advances have substantially decreased the effect of these diseases in recent decades but alone will not eliminate them. In this Review, we discuss why new drugs against trypanosomatids are required, approaches that are under investigation to develop new drugs and why the drug discovery pipeline remains essentially unfilled. In addition, we consider the important challenges to drug discovery strategies and the new technologies that can address them. The combination of new drugs, new technologies and public health initiatives is essential for the management, and hopefully eventual elimination, of trypanosomatid diseases from the human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Field
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - David Horn
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Alan H Fairlamb
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Michael A J Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - David W Gray
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Kevin D Read
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Manu De Rycker
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Leah S Torrie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Paul G Wyatt
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Ian H Gilbert
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
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13
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Electroconvulsive stimulation transiently enhances the permeability of the rat blood-brain barrier and induces astrocytic changes. Brain Res Bull 2017; 128:92-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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14
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Dauchy FA, Bonhivers M, Landrein N, Dacheux D, Courtois P, Lauruol F, Daulouède S, Vincendeau P, Robinson DR. Trypanosoma brucei CYP51: Essentiality and Targeting Therapy in an Experimental Model. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0005125. [PMID: 27855164 PMCID: PMC5113867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is the main causative agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness. Because of limited alternatives and treatment toxicities, new therapeutic options are urgently needed for patients with HAT. Sterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) is a potential drug target but its essentiality has not been determined in T. brucei. We used a tetracycline-inducible RNAi system to assess the essentiality of CYP51 in T. brucei bloodstream form (BSF) cells and we evaluated the effect of posaconazole, a well-tolerated triazole drug, within a panel of virulent strains in vitro and in a murine model. Expression of CYP51 in several T. brucei cell lines was demonstrated by western blot and its essentiality was demonstrated by RNA interference (CYP51RNAi) in vitro. Following reduction of TbCYP51 expression by RNAi, cell growth was reduced and eventually stopped compared to WT or non-induced cells, showing the requirement of CYP51 in T. brucei. These phenotypes were rescued by addition of ergosterol. Additionally, CYP51RNAi induction caused morphological defects with multiflagellated cells (p<0.05), suggesting cytokinesis dysfunction. The survival of CYP51RNAi Doxycycline-treated mice (p = 0.053) and of CYP51RNAi 5-day pre-induced Doxycycline-treated mice (p = 0.008) were improved compared to WT showing a CYP51 RNAi effect on trypanosomal virulence in mice. The posaconazole concentrations that inhibited parasite growth by 50% (IC50) were 8.5, 2.7, 1.6 and 0.12 μM for T. b. brucei 427 90-13, T. b. brucei Antat 1.1, T. b. gambiense Feo (Feo/ITMAP/1893) and T. b. gambiense Biyamina (MHOM/SD/82), respectively. During infection with these last three virulent strains, posaconazole-eflornithine and nifurtimox-eflornithine combinations showed similar improvement in mice survival (p≤0.001). Our results provide support for a CYP51 targeting based treatment in HAT. Thus posaconazole used in combination may represent a therapeutic alternative for trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric-Antoine Dauchy
- University of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, France
- IRD-CIRAD-University of Bordeaux, France
- University Hospital of Bordeaux, Department of infectious and tropical diseases, Hôpital Pellegrin, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Mélanie Bonhivers
- University of Bordeaux, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
- CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
| | - Nicolas Landrein
- University of Bordeaux, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
- CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
| | - Denis Dacheux
- University of Bordeaux, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
- CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
- Bordeaux INP, ENSTBB, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
| | - Pierrette Courtois
- University of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, France
- IRD-CIRAD-University of Bordeaux, France
| | - Florian Lauruol
- University of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, France
- IRD-CIRAD-University of Bordeaux, France
| | - Sylvie Daulouède
- University of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, France
- IRD-CIRAD-University of Bordeaux, France
| | - Philippe Vincendeau
- University of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, France
- IRD-CIRAD-University of Bordeaux, France
- University Hospital of Bordeaux, laboratoire de parasitologie, Hôpital Pellegrin, France
| | - Derrick R. Robinson
- University of Bordeaux, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
- CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, France
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Burrell-Saward H, Ward TH. Bioluminescence Imaging to Detect Late Stage Infection of African Trypanosomiasis. JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS : JOVE 2016. [PMID: 27284970 DOI: 10.3791/54032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a multi-stage disease that manifests in two stages; an early blood stage and a late stage when the parasite invades the central nervous system (CNS). In vivo study of the late stage has been limited as traditional methodologies require the removal of the brain to determine the presence of the parasites. Bioluminescence imaging is a non-invasive, highly sensitive form of optical imaging that enables the visualization of a luciferase-transfected pathogen in real-time. By using a transfected trypanosome strain that has the ability to produce late stage disease in mice we are able to study the kinetics of a CNS infection in a single animal throughout the course of infection, as well as observe the movement and dissemination of a systemic infection. Here we describe a robust protocol to study CNS infections using a bioluminescence model of African trypanosomiasis, providing real time non-invasive observations which can be further analyzed with optional downstream approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theresa H Ward
- Department of Infection and Immunity, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Diseases;
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16
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LIN XIAN, LI HONGRU, LIN XIAOFEN, YU MEIE, TU XUNWEI, HUA ZHIDAN, LIN MING, XU NENGLUAN, HAN LILI, CHEN YUSHENG. Silencing of Livin inhibits tumorigenesis and metastasis via VEGF and MMPs pathway in lung cancer. Int J Oncol 2015; 47:657-67. [PMID: 26094984 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2015.3058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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