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Hoblos R, Khalil K, Karam M, Bazzi S. The role of NF-κB transcription factor in the regulation of cytokine induced thermal hyperalgesia in a Leishmania major model in BALB/c mice. Exp Parasitol 2024; 267:108864. [PMID: 39577554 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2024] [Revised: 11/16/2024] [Accepted: 11/18/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused mainly by Leishmania major (L. major) is one of the trending models used to investigate induced hyperalgesia and the involved cytokines. Previous studies approached the role of several cytokines in the observed hyperalgesia, but the molecular mechanisms orchestrating such a response still needed to be addressed. In this study, we inspect the role of the NF-κB in the modulation of L. major-prompted hyperalgesia and cytokine expression in BALB/c mice by administering celastrol, a potent blocker of this transcription factor. Intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg of celastrol attenuated the L. major-induced thermal hyperalgesia in BALB/c mice for 15 days and 21 days, respectively, as detected by hot plate and tail flick behavioral assessments. Cytokine levels were quantified in the infected paws of BALB/c mice using Sandwich ELISA. The administration of 1 mg/kg celastrol decreased TNF-α levels in L. major infected mice for 23 days, and IL-1β expression declined significantly for 23 days using both celastrol dosages. However, no significant change was observed in the levels of IL-10 in our experimental groups. The activation of NF-κB was detected by observing the phosphorylation levels of the p65 subunit using PathScan phospho-ELISA. The level of NF-κB phosphorylation was elevated in L. major infected BALB/c mice. Only administering 1 mg/kg celastrol suppressed the phosphorylation of p65, thus inactivating NF-kB. In conclusion, our results provide new insights into the correlation between the activation of NF-kB, the induction of thermal hyperalgesia, and the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β in the L. major-induced hyperalgesia model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Hoblos
- University of Balamand, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Lebanon
| | - Karl Khalil
- Lebanese American University, School of Medicine, Lebanon.
| | - Marc Karam
- University of Balamand, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Lebanon
| | - Samer Bazzi
- University of Balamand, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Lebanon
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2
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Palomino-Cano C, Moreno E, Irache JM, Espuelas S. Targeting and activation of macrophages in leishmaniasis. A focus on iron oxide nanoparticles. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1437430. [PMID: 39211053 PMCID: PMC11357945 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1437430] [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: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrophages play a pivotal role as host cells for Leishmania parasites, displaying a notable functional adaptability ranging from the proinflammatory, leishmanicidal M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory, parasite-permissive M2 phenotype. While macrophages can potentially eradicate amastigotes through appropriate activation, Leishmania employs diverse strategies to thwart this activation and redirect macrophages toward an M2 phenotype, facilitating its survival and replication. Additionally, a competition for iron between the two entities exits, as iron is vital for both and is also implicated in macrophage defensive oxidative mechanisms and modulation of their phenotype. This review explores the intricate interplay between macrophages, Leishmania, and iron. We focus the attention on the potential of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) as a sort of immunotherapy to treat some leishmaniasis forms by reprogramming Leishmania-permissive M2 macrophages into antimicrobial M1 macrophages. Through the specific targeting of iron in macrophages, the use of IONPs emerges as a promising strategy to finely tune the parasite-host interaction, endowing macrophages with an augmented antimicrobial arsenal capable of efficiently eliminating these intrusive microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Palomino-Cano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Esther Moreno
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Juan M. Irache
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Medical Research Institute (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Socorro Espuelas
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Medical Research Institute (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
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3
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Contreras-Ortiz JME, Hernández-Mendoza D, Márquez-Dueñas C, Manning-Cela R, Santillán M. In vitro characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi infection dynamics in skeletal and cardiac myotubes models suggests a potential cell-to-cell transmission in mediating cardiac pathology. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012288. [PMID: 38913744 PMCID: PMC11226117 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease predominantly affects the heart, esophagus, and colon in its chronic phase. However, the precise infection mechanisms of the causal agent Trypanosoma cruzi in these tissue types remain incompletely understood. This study investigated T. cruzi infection dynamics in skeletal (SM) and cardiac myotubes (CM) differentiated from H9c2(2-1) myoblasts (control). SM and CM were generated using 1% fetal bovine serum (FBS) without or with retinoic acid, respectively. Initial invasion efficiencies and numbers of released parasites were equivalent between undifferentiated and differentiated cells (~0.3-0.6%). Concomitantly, parasite motility patterns were similar across cell lines. However, CM demonstrated significantly higher infection kinetics over time, reaching 13.26% infected cells versus 3.12% for SM and 3.70% for myoblasts at later stages. Cellular automata modeling suggested an enhanced role for cell-to-cell transmission in driving the heightened parasitism observed in CM. The increased late-stage susceptibility of CM, potentially mediated by cell-to-cell transfer mechanisms of the parasite, aligns with reported clinical tropism patterns. The myotube infection models provide novel insights into Chagas disease pathogenesis that are not fully attainable through in vivo examination alone. Expanding knowledge in this area could aid therapeutic development for this neglected illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- José María Eloy Contreras-Ortiz
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, México
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, CDMX, Ciudad de México, México
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Daniel Hernández-Mendoza
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, México
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, CDMX, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Claudia Márquez-Dueñas
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, México
| | - Rebeca Manning-Cela
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, CDMX, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Moisés Santillán
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, México
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4
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Selvapandiyan A, Puri N, Kumar P, Alam A, Ehtesham NZ, Griffin G, Hasnain SE. Zooming in on common immune evasion mechanisms of pathogens in phagolysosomes: potential broad-spectrum therapeutic targets against infectious diseases. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:6780197. [PMID: 36309472 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular viral, bacterial, or parasitic pathogens evade the host immune challenges to propagate and cause fatal diseases. The microbes overpower host immunity at various levels including during entry into host cells, phagosome formation, phagosome maturation, phagosome-lysosome fusion forming phagolysosomes, acidification of phagolysosomes, and at times after escape into the cytosol. Phagolysosome is the final organelle in the phagocyte with sophisticated mechanisms to degrade the pathogens. The immune evasion strategies by the pathogens include the arrest of host cell apoptosis, decrease in reactive oxygen species, the elevation of Th2 anti-inflammatory response, avoidance of autophagy and antigen cross-presentation pathways, and escape from phagolysosomal killing. Since the phagolysosome organelle in relation to infection/cure is seldom discussed in the literature, we summarize here the common host as well as pathogen targets manipulated or utilized by the pathogens established in phagosomes and phagolysosomes, to hijack the host immune system for their benefit. These common molecules or pathways can be broad-spectrum therapeutic targets for drug development for intervention against infectious diseases caused by different intracellular pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niti Puri
- Cellular and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India.,Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, United States
| | - Anwar Alam
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India.,Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Nasreen Zafar Ehtesham
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - George Griffin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, St. George's University of London, London, SW17 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India.,Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, 201310, India
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Rodríguez-González J, Wilkins-Rodríguez AA, Gutiérrez-Kobeh L. Involvement of Akt and the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL in the inhibition of apoptosis of dendritic cells by Leishmania mexicana. Parasite Immunol 2022; 44:e12917. [PMID: 35340042 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Leishmania mexicana inhibits camptothecin (CPT)-induced apoptosis of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC) through the down-regulation of p38 and JNK phosphorylation, while the kinase Akt is maintained active for 24 hours. In addition, the infection of moDC with L. mexicana promastigotes increases the protein presence of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL. In the present work we aimed to investigate the role of Akt in the inhibition of apoptosis of moDC by L. mexicana and in the modulation of the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and Bcl-xL. moDC were infected with L. mexicana metacyclic promastigotes and treated with CPT, an Akt inhibitor, or both and the MOMP and protein presence of active caspase 3, Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and Bcl-xL were evaluated. Our results show that the specific inhibition of Akt reverts the apoptosis protective effect exerted by L. mexicana on moDC reflected by a reduction in MOMP, caspase 3 activation, and upregulation of Bcl-xL. Interestingly, we also found that the infection of moDC with L. mexicana promastigotes induces a decrease in Bcl-2 along with an isoform change of Mcl-1, this independently to Akt activity. We demonstrated that Akt is deeply involved in the inhibition of apoptosis of moDC by L. mexicana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Rodríguez-González
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ciudad de México, México.,Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Arturo A Wilkins-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ciudad de México, México
| | - Laila Gutiérrez-Kobeh
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ciudad de México, México
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6
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Bąska P, Norbury LJ. The Role of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) in the Immune Response against Parasites. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030310. [PMID: 35335634 PMCID: PMC8950322 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system consists of various cells, organs, and processes that interact in a sophisticated manner to defend against pathogens. Upon initial exposure to an invader, nonspecific mechanisms are raised through the activation of macrophages, monocytes, basophils, mast cells, eosinophils, innate lymphoid cells, or natural killer cells. During the course of an infection, more specific responses develop (adaptive immune responses) whose hallmarks include the expansion of B and T cells that specifically recognize foreign antigens. Cell to cell communication takes place through physical interactions as well as through the release of mediators (cytokines, chemokines) that modify cell activity and control and regulate the immune response. One regulator of cell states is the transcription factor Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) which mediates responses to various stimuli and is involved in a variety of processes (cell cycle, development, apoptosis, carcinogenesis, innate and adaptive immune responses). It consists of two protein classes with NF-κB1 (p105/50) and NF-κB2 (p100/52) belonging to class I, and RelA (p65), RelB and c-Rel belonging to class II. The active transcription factor consists of a dimer, usually comprised of both class I and class II proteins conjugated to Inhibitor of κB (IκB). Through various stimuli, IκB is phosphorylated and detached, allowing dimer migration to the nucleus and binding of DNA. NF-κB is crucial in regulating the immune response and maintaining a balance between suppression, effective response, and immunopathologies. Parasites are a diverse group of organisms comprised of three major groups: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Each group induces distinct effector immune mechanisms and is susceptible to different types of immune responses (Th1, Th2, Th17). This review describes the role of NF-κB and its activity during parasite infections and its contribution to inducing protective responses or immunopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Bąska
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Luke J. Norbury
- Department of Biosciences and Food Technology, School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia;
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Li Y, Rizk MA, Galon EM, Liu M, Li J, Ringo AE, Ji S, Zafar I, Tumwebaze MA, Benedicto B, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I, Chahan B, Xuan X. Discovering the Potent Inhibitors Against Babesia bovis in vitro and Babesia microti in vivo by Repurposing the Natural Product Compounds. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:762107. [PMID: 34912876 PMCID: PMC8666878 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.762107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we screened 502 natural product compounds against the in vitro growth of Babesia (B.) bovis. Then, the novel and potent identified compounds were further evaluated for their in vitro efficacies using viability and cytotoxicity assays. The in vivo inhibitory effects of the selected compounds were evaluated using B. microti “rodent strain” in mice model. Three potent compounds, namely, Rottlerin (RL), Narasin (NR), Lasalocid acid (LA), exhibited the lowest IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) as follows: 5.45 ± 1.20 μM for RL, 1.86 ± 0.66 μM for NR, and 3.56 ± 1.41 μM for LA. The viability result revealed the ability of RL and LA to prevent the regrowth of treated parasite at 4 × IC50 and 2 × IC50, respectively, while 4 × IC50 of NR was sufficient to stop the regrowth of parasite. The hematology parameters of B. microti in vivo were different in the NR-treated groups as compared to the infected/untreated group. Interestingly, intraperitoneal administration of NR exhibiting inhibition in the growth of B. microti in mice was similar to that observed after administration of the commonly used antibabesial drug, diminazene aceturate (DA) (76.57% for DA, 74.73% for NR). Our findings indicate the richness of natural product compounds by novel potent antibabesial candidates, and the identified potent compounds, especially NR, might be used for the treatment of animal babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongchang Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Parasitology Laboratory, Veterinary College, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Aaron Edmond Ringo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Iqra Zafar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Maria Agnes Tumwebaze
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Byamukama Benedicto
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Bayin Chahan
- Parasitology Laboratory, Veterinary College, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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