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Nayeri T, Sarvi S, Daryani A. Effective factors in the pathogenesis of Toxoplasmagondii. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31558. [PMID: 38818168 PMCID: PMC11137575 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite in humans and animals. It infects about 30 % of the human population worldwide and causes potentially fatal diseases in immunocompromised hosts and neonates. For this study, five English-language databases (ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) and the internet search engine Google Scholar were searched. This review was accomplished to draw a global perspective of what is known about the pathogenesis of T. gondii and various factors affecting it. Virulence and immune responses can influence the mechanisms of parasite pathogenesis and these factors are in turn influenced by other factors. In addition to the host's genetic background, the type of Toxoplasma strain, the routes of transmission of infection, the number of passages, and different phases of parasite life affect virulence. The identification of virulence factors of the parasite could provide promising insights into the pathogenesis of this parasite. The results of this study can be an incentive to conduct more intensive research to design and develop new anti-Toxoplasma agents (drugs and vaccines) to treat or prevent this infection. In addition, further studies are needed to better understand the key agents in the pathogenesis of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tooran Nayeri
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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2
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Moss WJ, Brusini L, Kuehnel R, Brochet M, Brown KM. Apicomplexan phosphodiesterases in cyclic nucleotide turnover: conservation, function, and therapeutic potential. mBio 2024; 15:e0305623. [PMID: 38132724 PMCID: PMC10865986 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03056-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa encompasses a large number of intracellular parasites infecting a wide range of animals. Cyclic nucleotide signaling is crucial for a variety of apicomplexan life stages and cellular processes. The cyclases and kinases that synthesize and respond to cyclic nucleotides (i.e., 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate and 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) are highly conserved and essential throughout the parasite phylum. Growing evidence indicates that phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are also critical for regulating cyclic nucleotide signaling via cyclic nucleotide hydrolysis. Here, we discuss recent advances in apicomplexan PDE biology and opportunities for therapeutic interventions, with special emphasis on the major human apicomplexan parasite genera Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, and Babesia. In particular, we show a highly flexible repertoire of apicomplexan PDEs associated with a wide range of cellular requirements across parasites and lifecycle stages. Despite this phylogenetic diversity, cellular requirements of apicomplexan PDEs for motility, host cell egress, or invasion are conserved. However, the molecular wiring of associated PDEs is extremely malleable suggesting that PDE diversity and redundancy are key for the optimization of cyclic nucleotide turnover to respond to the various environments encountered by each parasite and life stage. Understanding how apicomplexan PDEs are regulated and integrating multiple signaling systems into a unified response represent an untapped avenue for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. Moss
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lorenzo Brusini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ronja Kuehnel
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kevin M. Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
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3
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Yeh YT, Del Álamo JC, Caffrey CR. Biomechanics of parasite migration within hosts. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:164-175. [PMID: 38172015 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.12.001] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The dissemination of protozoan and metazoan parasites through host tissues is hindered by cellular barriers, dense extracellular matrices, and fluid forces in the bloodstream. To overcome these diverse biophysical impediments, parasites implement versatile migratory strategies. Parasite-exerted mechanical forces and upregulation of the host's cellular contractile machinery are the motors for these strategies, and these are comparably better characterized for protozoa than for helminths. Using the examples of the protozoans, Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium, and the metazoan, Schistosoma mansoni, we highlight how quantitative tools such as traction force and reflection interference contrast microscopies have improved our understanding of how parasites alter host mechanobiology to promote their migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Yeh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Juan C Del Álamo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 93093, USA
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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4
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Orchanian SB, Still K, Harris TH, Lodoen MB. Deficiency in astrocyte CCL2 production reduces neuroimmune control of Toxoplasma gondii infection. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011710. [PMID: 38206985 PMCID: PMC10807779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011710] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects one-third of the world's human population and establishes infection in the brain. Cerebral immune cell infiltration is critical for controlling the parasite, but little is known about the molecular cues guiding immune cells to the brain during infection. Activated astrocytes produce CCL2, a chemokine that mediates inflammatory monocyte recruitment to tissues by binding to the CCR2 receptor. We detected elevated CCL2 production in the brains of C57BL/6J mice by 15 days after T. gondii infection. Utilizing confocal microscopy and intracellular flow cytometry, we identified microglia and brain-infiltrating myeloid cells as the main producers of CCL2 during acute infection, and CCL2 was specifically produced in regions of parasite infection in the brain. In contrast, astrocytes became the dominant CCL2 producer during chronic T. gondii infection. To determine the role of astrocyte-derived CCL2 in mobilizing immune cells to the brain and controlling T. gondii infection, we generated GFAP-Cre x CCL2fl/fl mice, in which astrocytes are deficient in CCL2 production. We observed significantly decreased immune cell recruitment and increased parasite burden in the brain during chronic, but not acute, infection of mice deficient in astrocyte CCL2 production, without an effect on peripheral immune responses. To investigate potential mechanisms explaining the reduced control of T. gondii infection, we analyzed key antimicrobial and immune players in host defense against T. gondii and detected a reduction in iNOS+ myeloid cells, and T. gondii-specific CD4+ T cells in the knockout mice. These data uncover a critical role for astrocyte-derived CCL2 in immune cell recruitment and parasite control in the brain during chronic, but not acute, T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B. Orchanian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Katherine Still
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Tajie H. Harris
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Melissa B. Lodoen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
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May DA, Taha F, Child MA, Ewald SE. How colonization bottlenecks, tissue niches, and transmission strategies shape protozoan infections. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:1074-1086. [PMID: 37839913 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Protozoan pathogens such as Plasmodium spp., Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Trypanosoma spp. are often associated with high-mortality, acute and chronic diseases of global health concern. For transmission and immune evasion, protozoans have evolved diverse strategies to interact with a range of host tissue environments. These interactions are linked to disease pathology, yet our understanding of the association between parasite colonization and host homeostatic disruption is limited. Recently developed techniques for cellular barcoding have the potential to uncover the biology regulating parasite transmission, dissemination, and the stability of infection. Understanding bottlenecks to infection and the in vivo tissue niches that facilitate chronic infection and spread has the potential to reveal new aspects of parasite biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana A May
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Fatima Taha
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew A Child
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Sarah E Ewald
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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Dong W, Zhong Q, Gu YL, Liang N, Zhou YH, Cong XM, Liang JY, Wang XM. Is Toxoplasma gondii infection a concern in individuals with rheumatic diseases? Evidence from a case-control study based on serological diagnosis. Microb Pathog 2023; 182:106257. [PMID: 37460066 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106257] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii infection in clinical cases of rheumatic diseases is increasing, whereas, the relationship between T. gondii infection and rheumatic diseases is still ambiguous and contradictory. Thus, the present case-control study based on serological diagnosis was carried out to identify the underlying relationship between T. gondii infection and rheumatic diseases in China. Serological results showed that rheumatic patients (17.25%, 79/458) had a significantly higher T. gondii seroprevalence than control subjects (10.70%, 49/458) (p = 0.004). However, the difference in T. gondii seroprevalence among clinical rheumatic disease forms was insignificant. Moreover, disease duration not effect the T. gondii seroprevalence in the included clinical rheumatic patients. Three risk factors (presence of cats at home, blood transfusion history, and consumption of raw shellfish) were identified through multivariate analysis to affect the T. gondii seroprevalence in the included clinical rheumatic patients. In conclusion, these results indicate that the latent T. gondii infection in clinical rheumatic patients should cause alarm and attention in the course of future scientific research or clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Qun Zhong
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Lin Gu
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Liang
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying-Hong Zhou
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ming Cong
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun-Yang Liang
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Ming Wang
- Weihaiwei People's Hospital, Weihai, Shandong Province, 264200, People's Republic of China.
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Enriquez CK, Morrow JK, Graves A, Johnson A. Evaluation of real-time polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses using cerebrospinal fluid. J Vet Intern Med 2023; 37:1893-1898. [PMID: 37549306 PMCID: PMC10472993 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona remains an antemortem diagnostic challenge in some horses. Recent work suggested the use of real-time PCR (rtPCR) on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a promising diagnostic tool. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of S. neurona rtPCR on CSF for EPM diagnosis using horses with EPM and S. neurona-seropositive horses with other neurologic conditions. ANIMALS Ninety-nine horses with neurologic disease that underwent complete neurologic examination, CSF collection, and, if euthanized, necropsy including the central nervous system (CNS). METHODS Retrospective case-control study using banked CSF samples. Samples from horses with neurologic abnormalities and necropsy-confirmed EPM diagnosis, presumptive EPM diagnosis using strict criteria (SnSAG2/4/3 ELISA serum:CSF titer ratios <50) and horses diagnosed with other neurologic diseases were used. RESULTS Fifty-two horses had EPM; 23 were confirmed on necropsy, and 29 were presumptive clinical diagnoses. The other 47 horses all had necropsy-confirmed diagnoses. Four of the 47 horses had normal neurologic findings on necropsy and the remaining 43 horses had neurologic diseases including equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy, trauma, and other miscellaneous conditions. One CSF sample was weakly positive for S. neurona by rtPCR, this sample was obtained from a horse with confirmed EDM. Samples from the other 98 horses were negative for S. neurona by rtPCR. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Our study contradicts previous conclusions that S. neurona rtPCR is potentially useful for EPM diagnosis, because our results indicate that the assay has a low sensitivity (0%) for EPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Katherine Enriquez
- Department of Clinical StudiesUniversity of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center Hospital for Large AnimalsKennett SquarePennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Amy Graves
- Equine Diagnostic Solutions, LLCLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Amy Johnson
- Department of Clinical StudiesUniversity of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center Hospital for Large AnimalsKennett SquarePennsylvaniaUSA
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Ghasemikhah R, Hakimzadeh Z, Gilani A, Sarmadian H, Sarmadian R, Yousefbeigi N. An HIV-positive woman with massive brain lesion due to toxoplasmosis: A case report. Clin Case Rep 2023; 11:e7688. [PMID: 37457995 PMCID: PMC10340077 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.7688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Key Clinical Message Toxoplasmosis-related huge brain lesions may require decompressive craniectomy and lesion excision to avoid brain damage. In this situation, injectable cotrimoxazole is a better choice for treatment. Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is a worldly distributed obligate intracellular protozoa. Toxoplasmosis is a prevalent opportunistic infection in HIV-infected people, but it was rarely recorded prior to the identification of HIV infection. Here, we report a toxoplasmosis brain lesion in an Iranian HIV-positive patient. A 45-year-old woman with a complaint of malaise was referred to the Valiasr Hospital in Arak city. In her past clinical history, the patient had a history of anemia, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and positive HIV. The patient was informed of the diagnosis of massive brain toxoplasmosis as a definite diagnosis. The patient was then taken to the operating room for a left decompressive craniectomy, during which the ensuing brain lesion was excised. After a few days, she was discharged from the hospital in good condition and without any complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Ghasemikhah
- Department of Parasitology & MycologyArak University of Medical SciencesArakIran
| | - Zahra Hakimzadeh
- Neurosciences Research Center (NSRC)Tabriz University of Medical SciencesEast AzerbaijanIran
| | - Abolfazl Gilani
- Sina Trauma & Surgery Research CenterTehran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Hossein Sarmadian
- Department of Infectious DiseasesArak University of Medical SciencesArakIran
| | - Roham Sarmadian
- Infectious Diseases Research CenterArak University of Medical SciencesArakIran
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Kelsen A, Kent RS, Snyder AK, Wehri E, Bishop SJ, Stadler RV, Powell C, Martorelli di Genova B, Rompikuntal PK, Boulanger MJ, Warshaw DM, Westwood NJ, Schaletzky J, Ward GE. MyosinA is a druggable target in the widespread protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002110. [PMID: 37155705 PMCID: PMC10185354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002110] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that can cause severe disease in its human hosts. The ability of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites to invade into, egress from, and move between cells of the hosts they infect is critical to parasite virulence and disease progression. An unusual and highly conserved parasite myosin motor (TgMyoA) plays a central role in T. gondii motility. The goal of this work was to determine whether the parasite's motility and lytic cycle can be disrupted through pharmacological inhibition of TgMyoA, as an approach to altering disease progression in vivo. To this end, we first sought to identify inhibitors of TgMyoA by screening a collection of 50,000 structurally diverse small molecules for inhibitors of the recombinant motor's actin-activated ATPase activity. The top hit to emerge from the screen, KNX-002, inhibited TgMyoA with little to no effect on any of the vertebrate myosins tested. KNX-002 was also active against parasites, inhibiting parasite motility and growth in culture in a dose-dependent manner. We used chemical mutagenesis, selection in KNX-002, and targeted sequencing to identify a mutation in TgMyoA (T130A) that renders the recombinant motor less sensitive to compound. Compared to wild-type parasites, parasites expressing the T130A mutation showed reduced sensitivity to KNX-002 in motility and growth assays, confirming TgMyoA as a biologically relevant target of KNX-002. Finally, we present evidence that KNX-002 can slow disease progression in mice infected with wild-type parasites, but not parasites expressing the resistance-conferring TgMyoA T130A mutation. Taken together, these data demonstrate the specificity of KNX-002 for TgMyoA, both in vitro and in vivo, and validate TgMyoA as a druggable target in infections with T. gondii. Since TgMyoA is essential for virulence, conserved in apicomplexan parasites, and distinctly different from the myosins found in humans, pharmacological inhibition of MyoA offers a promising new approach to treating the devastating diseases caused by T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kelsen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Anne K. Snyder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Eddie Wehri
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Bishop
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel V. Stadler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Cameron Powell
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Bruno Martorelli di Genova
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Pramod K. Rompikuntal
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Martin J. Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - David M. Warshaw
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Westwood
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Schaletzky
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Gary E. Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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10
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Almallah TM, Khedr SI, El Nouby KA, Younis SS, Elazeem MA, Elmehy DA. The synergetic potential of Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus fermentum probiotics in alleviating the outcome of acute toxoplasmosis in mice. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:927-937. [PMID: 36786888 PMCID: PMC10006249 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07787-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is an immunologically complex disease, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Although there are several therapeutic regimens for such disease, the majority of them have many drawbacks. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to improve the current regimen in an effort to achieve a well-tolerated therapy while also enhancing the host immune response. Famous for their immunomodulatory effect, Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus fermentum probiotics were chosen to be evaluated in this study as an adjuvant therapy against the virulent RH Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) strain. Experimental mice were divided into control and treated groups. The control group was further subdivided into two groups: group I: 10 uninfected mice and group II: 20 infected untreated mice. The treated experimental group was subdivided into three groups (20 mice each); group III: sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP) treated, group IV: probiotics treated, and group V: SMZ-TMP combined with probiotics. The results obtained revealed that combined therapy increased survival rate and time up to 95% and 16 days, respectively, with an 82% reduction of tachyzoites and marked distortion, as detected by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Additionally, combined therapy alleviated the severity and the extent of the inflammatory cells' infiltration, thereby reducing hepatocyte degeneration. Intriguingly, serum IF-γ level showed a significant increase to 155.92 ± 10.12 ng/L with combined therapy, reflecting the immunological role of the combined therapy. The current results revealed that probiotics have a high adjuvant potential in alleviating the impact of toxoplasmosis. Using probiotics as a synergistic treatment to modulate conventional therapy in systemic toxoplasmosis may gain popularity due to their low cost and current availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasneem M Almallah
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Safaa I Khedr
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Kholoud A El Nouby
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Salwa S Younis
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mona A Elazeem
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Dalia A Elmehy
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
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Giuliano CJ, Wei KJ, Harling FM, Waldman BS, Farringer MA, Boydston EA, Lan TCT, Thomas RW, Herneisen AL, Sanderlin AG, Coppens I, Dvorin JD, Lourido S. Functional profiling of the Toxoplasma genome during acute mouse infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.05.531216. [PMID: 36945434 PMCID: PMC10028831 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.05.531216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Within a host, pathogens encounter a diverse and changing landscape of cell types, nutrients, and immune responses. Examining host-pathogen interactions in animal models can therefore reveal aspects of infection absent from cell culture. We use CRISPR-based screens to functionally profile the entire genome of the model apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii during mouse infection. Barcoded gRNAs were used to track mutant parasite lineages, enabling detection of bottlenecks and mapping of population structures. We uncovered over 300 genes that modulate parasite fitness in mice with previously unknown roles in infection. These candidates span multiple axes of host-parasite interaction, including determinants of tropism, host organelle remodeling, and metabolic rewiring. We mechanistically characterized three novel candidates, including GTP cyclohydrolase I, against which a small-molecule inhibitor could be repurposed as an antiparasitic compound. This compound exhibited antiparasitic activity against T. gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal agent of malaria. Taken together, we present the first complete survey of an apicomplexan genome during infection of an animal host, and point to novel interfaces of host-parasite interaction that may offer new avenues for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth J. Wei
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA
- Biology Department, MIT, Cambridge, MA
| | - Faye M. Harling
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA
- Biology Department, MIT, Cambridge, MA
| | | | - Madeline A. Farringer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Sciences in Public Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Raina W. Thomas
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA
- Biology Department, MIT, Cambridge, MA
| | - Alice L. Herneisen
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA
- Biology Department, MIT, Cambridge, MA
| | | | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jeffrey D. Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA
- Biology Department, MIT, Cambridge, MA
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Saad AE, Zoghroban HS, Ghanem HB, El-Guindy DM, Younis SS. The effects of L-citrulline adjunctive treatment of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain infection in a mouse model. Acta Trop 2023; 239:106830. [PMID: 36638878 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular protozoan parasite and its therapeutic limitations are one of its major problems. L-citrulline is an organic compound that has beneficial effects on many diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of L-citrulline, alone or in combination with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP) on acute toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii RH virulent strain. In our study, 60 Swiss albino mice were divided into two main groups; the control group and the infected treated group, which was subdivided into group IIa: infected treated with L-citrulline, group IIb: infected treated with SMZ-TMP, and group IIc: infected treated with L-citrulline combined with SMZ-TMP. The effects of treatment were assessed by parasitological study, electron microscopic study of tachyzoites, and histopathological study of the liver. Moreover, ELISA measurement of the serum level of Interferon-gamma, Interleukin 10, Nitric oxide, and apoptotic markers was used. It was noticed that L-citrulline combined with SMZ-TMP significantly increased the survival time of infected mice with a significant decrease in the number of tachyzoites compared to the other groups. Moreover, it increased the levels of measured cytokines and serum anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and improved the extent of liver cell damage associated with a decrease in inflammatory infiltration. In conclusion, L-citrulline supplementation was found to be effective against acute toxoplasmosis, especially when combined with SMZ-TMP as it has multifactorial mechanisms; nitric oxide production, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and immune stimulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer E Saad
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt.; Medical Parasitology sub-unit, Pathology Department, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Hager S Zoghroban
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - Heba B Ghanem
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia; Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - Dina M El-Guindy
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - Salwa S Younis
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
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Wang R, Wu M, Cai H, An R, Chen Y, Wang J, Zhou N, Du J. Preparation and Preliminary Application of Epitope Peptide-Based Antibody against Toxoplasma gondii GRA3. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8030143. [PMID: 36977144 PMCID: PMC10053247 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8030143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein GRA3 has been shown to promote Toxoplasma gondii transmission and proliferation by interacting with the host cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through calcium-regulated cyclophilin ligands (CAMLG). Although many studies have focused on the interaction between the host cell endoplasmic reticulum and GRA3, no polyclonal antibodies (PcAbs) against GRA3 have been reported to date. According to the antigenicity prediction and exposure site analysis, three antigen peptide sequences were selected to prepare polyclonal antibodies targeting GRA3. Peptide scans revealed that the major antigenic epitope sequences were 125ELYDRTDRPGLK136, 202FFRRRPKDGGAG213, and 68NEAGESYSSATSG80, respectively. The GRA3 PcAb specifically recognized the GRA3 of T. gondii type Ⅱ ME49. The development of PcAbs against GRA3 is expected to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which GRA3 regulates host cell function and contribute to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Minmin Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Haijian Cai
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Center for Scientific Research of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ran An
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jian Du
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonoses of High Institutions in Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Correspondence:
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Souza JS, Farani PSG, Ferreira BIS, Barbosa HS, Menna-Barreto RFS, Moreira OC, Mariante RM. Establishment of a murine model of congenital toxoplasmosis and validation of a qPCR assay to assess the parasite load in maternal and fetal tissues. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1124378. [PMID: 36922978 PMCID: PMC10009190 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1124378] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a disease that affects warm-blooded animals and one third of the human population worldwide. Pregnant women who have never been exposed to the parasite constitute an important risk group, as infection during pregnancy often leads to congenital toxoplasmosis, the most severe form of the disease. Current therapy for toxoplasmosis is the same as it was 50 years ago and has little or no effect when vertical transmission occurs. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new strategies to prevent mother-to-fetus transmission. The implementation of experimental animal models of congenital toxoplasmosis that reproduces the transmission rates and clinical signs in humans opens an avenue of possibilities to interfere in the progression of the disease. In addition, knowing the parasite load in maternal and fetal tissues after infection, which may be related to organ abnormalities and disease outcome, is another important step in designing a promising intervention strategy. Therefore, we implemented here a murine model of congenital toxoplasmosis with outbred Swiss Webster mice infected intravenously with tachyzoites of the ME49 strain of T. gondii that mimics the frequency of transmission of the parasite, as well as important clinical signs of human congenital toxoplasmosis, such as macrocephaly, in addition to providing a highly sensitive quantitative real-time PCR assay to assess parasite load in mouse tissues. As the disease is not restricted to humans, also affecting several domestic animals, including companion animals and livestock, they can also benefit from the model presented in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica S Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Priscila S G Farani
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Department of Biological Science, Border Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Beatriz I S Ferreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helene S Barbosa
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Otacilio C Moreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael M Mariante
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Toxoplasma gondii Dissemination in the Brain Is Facilitated by Infiltrating Peripheral Immune Cells. mBio 2022; 13:e0283822. [PMID: 36445695 PMCID: PMC9765297 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02838-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in our understanding of pathogenic access to the central nervous system (CNS), the mechanisms by which intracellular pathogens disseminate within the dense cellular network of neural tissue remain poorly understood. To address this issue, longitudinal analysis of Toxoplasma gondii dissemination in the brain was conducted using 2-photon imaging through a cranial window in living mice that transgenically express enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-claudin-5. Extracellular T. gondii parasites were observed migrating slowly (1.37 ± 1.28 μm/min) and with low displacement within the brain. In contrast, a population of highly motile infected cells transported vacuoles of T. gondii significantly faster (6.30 ± 3.09 μm/min) and with a higher displacement than free parasites. Detailed analysis of microglial dynamics using CX3CR1-GFP mice revealed that T. gondii-infected microglia remained stationary, and infection did not increase the extension/retraction of microglial processes. The role of infiltrating immune cells in shuttling T. gondii was examined by labeling of peripheral hematopoietic cells with anti-CD45 antibody. Infected CD45+ cells were found crawling along the CNS vessel walls and trafficked T. gondii within the brain parenchyma at significantly higher speeds (3.35 ± 1.70 μm/min) than extracellular tachyzoites. Collectively, these findings highlight a dual role for immune cells in neuroprotection and in facilitating parasite dissemination within the brain. IMPORTANCE T. gondii is a foodborne parasite that infects the brain and can cause fatal encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. However, there is a limited understanding of how the parasites disseminate through the brain and evade immune clearance. We utilized intravital imaging to visualize extracellular T. gondii tachyzoites and infected cells migrating within the infected mouse brain during acute infection. The infection of motile immune cells infiltrating the brain from the periphery significantly increased the dissemination of T. gondii in the brain compared to that of free parasites migrating using their own motility: the speed and displacement of these infected cells would enable them to cover nearly 1 cm of distance per day! Among the infiltrating cells, T. gondii predominantly infected monocytes and CD8+ T cells, indicating that the parasite can hijack immune cells that are critical for controlling the infection in order to enhance their dissemination within the brain.
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Wang Z, Qu T, Qi H, Zhao S, Shi H, Bai W, Yu Y, Wu X, Zhao P. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in women with a gynecological tumor living in eastern China. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14569. [PMID: 36540800 PMCID: PMC9760017 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection and malignancy has attracted increased attention in recent years, but little is known of T. gondii infection among women diagnosed with a gynecological tumor (GT) in China. We conducted a case-control study involving 460 women diagnosed with a GT and 460 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) to estimate the infection process of T. gondii and understand the risk factors of T. gondii infection in patients with a GT. Levels of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays every 12 months. After a median follow-up time of 4.3 years (range 4 to 5 years), 55/460 (11.96%) patients with a GT and 15/460 (3.26%) HCs were seroprevalence for T. gondii antibodies, respectively (P = 0.001). IgG antibodies against T. gondii were found in 54 GT patients (11.74%) and 15 HCs (3.26%), respectively (P = 0.001). The seroprevalence of T. gondii IgM antibodies was similar in patients with a GT and with HCs (2.83% vs 1.3%, P = 0.105). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed contact with cats (OR, 6.67; 95% CI [2.89-10.75]; P = 0.001), exposure to soil (OR, 2.16; 95% CI [1.14-4.10]; P = 0.019), being a farm-worker (OR, 4.17; 95% CI [1.20-11.49]; P = 0.006) and history of chemotherapy (OR, 3.16; 95% CI [1.56-6.45]; P = 0.001) to be independent risk factors for T. gondii infection. Women with an ovarian cancer or endometrial cancer had higher T. gondii seroprevalence than that of HCs. Moreover, T. gondii infection in patients with a GT mostly acquired within two years of diagnosis, but the infection in healthy controls had no obvious time characteristics. Here, we demonstrated that T. gondii infection is significantly higher in patients with a GT (especially in women with an ovarian tumor) compared to HCs. Thus, infection with this parasite should be avoided in patients with a GT, and the causal relationship between T. gondii and GTs should be studied in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjun Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Tingting Qu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Huiyang Qi
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Shuchao Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Hailei Shi
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Wenye Bai
- Department of Hepatobilary and Surgery Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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17
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Wang L, Wang H, Wei S, Huang X, Yu C, Meng Q, Wang D, Yin G, Huang Z. Toxoplasma gondii induces MLTC-1 apoptosis via ERS pathway. Exp Parasitol 2022; 244:108429. [PMID: 36403802 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108429] [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: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a serious intracellular parasite and mammalian infection can damage the reproductive system and lead to apoptosis of Murine Leydig tumor cells (MLTC-1); however, the mechanism is unclear. The testis Leydig cell is the main testosterone synthesis cell in male mammals. We studied the mechanism of T. gondii infection on Leydig cell apoptosis in vitro. MLTC-1 were divided into control and experimental groups. Experiment group cells and tachyzoites were co-cultured, in a 1:20 ratio, for 3, 6, 9, and 12 h. T. gondii entered the cells and caused lesions at 12 h. Flow cytometry showed that the apoptosis rate of the experiment group increased with time and was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the control group. RT-qPCR and western blot demonstrated that the expression of P53, Caspase-3, and Bax were significantly increased at 12 h (P < 0.05). Bcl-2 expression was significantly increased at 12 h (P < 0.05). The ER stress (ERS) pathway was important in cell apoptosis. RT-qPCR and western blot showed that the expression of CHOP was significantly increased at 12 h (P < 0.05). These data indicate that T. gondii induced MLTC-1 cell apoptosis may occur via the ERS pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Hailun Wang
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Shihao Wei
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Xiaoyu Huang
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Chunchen Yu
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Qingrui Meng
- Jinshan College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Dengfeng Wang
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China
| | - Guangwen Yin
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China.
| | - Zhijian Huang
- Engineering Laboratory of Animal Pharmaceuticals and College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350002, PR China.
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Lee J, Kim J, Lee JH, Choi YM, Choi H, Cho HD, Cha GH, Lee YH, Jo EK, Park BH, Yuk JM. SIRT1 Promotes Host Protective Immunity against Toxoplasma gondii by Controlling the FoxO-Autophagy Axis via the AMPK and PI3K/AKT Signalling Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13578. [PMID: 36362370 PMCID: PMC9654124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) regulates cellular processes by deacetylating non-histone targets, including transcription factors and intracellular signalling mediators; thus, its abnormal activation is closely linked to the pathophysiology of several diseases. However, its function in Toxoplasma gondii infection is unclear. We found that SIRT1 contributes to autophagy activation via the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways, promoting anti-Toxoplasma responses. Myeloid-specific Sirt1-/- mice exhibited an increased cyst burden in brain tissue compared to wild-type mice following infection with the avirulent ME49 strain. Consistently, the intracellular survival of T. gondii was markedly increased in Sirt1-deficient bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). In contrast, the activation of SIRT1 by resveratrol resulted in not only the induction of autophagy but also a significantly increased anti-Toxoplasma effect. Notably, SIRT1 regulates the FoxO-autophagy axis in several human diseases. Importantly, the T. gondii-induced phosphorylation, acetylation, and cytosolic translocation of FoxO1 was enhanced in Sirt1-deficient BMDMs and the pharmacological inhibition of PI3K/AKT signalling reduced the cytosolic translocation of FoxO1 in BMDMs infected with T. gondii. Further, the CaMKK2-dependent AMPK signalling pathway is responsible for the effect of SIRT1 on the FoxO3a-autophagy axis and for its anti-Toxoplasma activity. Collectively, our findings reveal a previously unappreciated role for SIRT1 in Toxoplasma infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jina Lee
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Jinju Kim
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Jae-Hyung Lee
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Yong Min Choi
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Hyeonil Choi
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Hwan-Doo Cho
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Guang-Ho Cha
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Young-Ha Lee
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Eun-Kyeong Jo
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
| | - Byung-Hyun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Jae-Min Yuk
- Department of Infection Biology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Infection Control Convergence Research Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Korea
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The beta subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase is critical for cell cycle progression and parasite development in Toxoplasma gondii. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:532. [DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04556-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Xiao Q, Li J, Chen J, Tan Q, Chen X, Li H, Zhao X, Zhang X. Uba1: A Potential Ubiquitin-like Activator Protein of Urm1 in Toxoplasma gondii. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810298. [PMID: 36142209 PMCID: PMC9499322 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We had shown in our previous study that TgUrm1 (ubiquitin-related Modifier 1) was involved in the regulation of anti-oxidant stress in Toxoplasma gondii by conjugating with TgAhp1. It is generally believed that Urm1 binds to target proteins through a mechanism involving Uba (ubiquitin-like activator protein). Here, we identified the TgUrm1-exclusive ubiquitin-like activator-TgUba1, which was located in the cytoplasm of Toxoplasma. TgUba1 contained three domains, including the atrophin-1 domain (ANT1), the E1-like domain (AD), and the rhodanese homology domain (RHD). We explored the interaction of TgUba1 with TgUrm1, and the AD domain was essential for the interaction of the two proteins. The TgUba1 knockout and complementary mutants were obtained based on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The knockout of TgUba1 attenuated parasite proliferation and virulence in mice, but not invasion and egress processes, revealing the pivotal role played by TgUba1 in T. gondii survival. Meanwhile, the conjugate band of TgUrm1 was significantly reduced under oxidative stress stimulation without TgUba1, indicating that TgUba1 enhanced the targeted conjugation ability of TgUrm1 in response to oxidative stress, especially under diamide (Dia) stimulation. Furthermore, eleven TgUba1-interacting proteins were identified by proximity-based protein labeling techniques, relating them to ubiquitin-like modifications, anti-oxidative stress and metabolic regulation processes. In conclusion, TgUba1 was essential for T. gondii survival and might be a potential ubiquitin-like activator protein for TgUrm1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Xiao
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Jinxuan Li
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Junpeng Chen
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Qianqian Tan
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Hongmei Li
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhao
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Room 115, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (X.Z.)
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Zhu L, Qi W, Yang G, Yang Y, Wang Y, Zheng L, Fu Y, Cheng X. Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Protein 7 (ROP7) Interacts with NLRP3 and Promotes Inflammasome Hyperactivation in THP-1-Derived Macrophages. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101630. [PMID: 35626667 PMCID: PMC9139738 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a common opportunistic protozoan pathogen that can parasitize the karyocytes of humans and virtually all other warm-blooded animals. In the host’s innate immune response to T. gondii infection, inflammasomes can mediate the maturation of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18, which further enhances the immune response. However, how intercellular parasites specifically provoke inflammasome activation remains unclear. In this study, we found that the T. gondii secretory protein, rhoptry protein 7 (ROP7), could interact with the NACHT domain of NLRP3 through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assays. When expressing ROP7 in differentiated THP-1 cells, there was significant up-regulation in NF-κB and continuous release of IL-1β. This process is pyroptosis-independent and leads to inflammasome hyperactivation through the IL-1β/NF-κB/NLRP3 feedback loop. The loss of ROP7 in tachyzoites did not affect parasite proliferation in host cells but did attenuate parasite-induced inflammatory activity. In conclusion, these findings unveil that a T. gondii-derived protein is able to promote inflammasome activation, and further study of ROP7 will deepen our understanding of host innate immunity to parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zhu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
| | - Wanjun Qi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
| | - Yurong Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China;
| | - Yuwen Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, The Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (Y.W.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lulu Zheng
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, The Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (Y.W.); (L.Z.)
| | - Yongfeng Fu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Xunjia Cheng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
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22
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Zhu K, Liu K, Huang J, Weng X, Chen Q, Gao T, Chen K, Jing C, Wang J, Yang G. Toxoplasma gondii infection as a risk factor for osteoporosis: a case-control study. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:151. [PMID: 35477558 PMCID: PMC9044867 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05257-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background More than one-third of the total world population is infected by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). T. gondii has been linked to various diseases, such as cancer, mental disorders, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), etc. However, the effects of T. gondii infection on the risk of osteoporosis are unclear. Our study aimed to uncover evidence to determine whether patients exposed to T. gondii have an increased or decreased risk of osteoporosis in people with abnormal bone mineral density (BMD) by using case–control study. Methods A total of 729 patients, including 316 osteopenia and 413 osteoporosis patients of Han Chinese ancestry were selected in the study. Their blood samples were collected and the levels of specific IgG antibodies against T. gondii were measured using ELISA assay. We obtained some information about the patients from the medical record that included demographic indexes and clinical data. A logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of T. gondii infection on femur osteoporosis, lumbar osteoporosis and compound osteoporosis. Potential interaction was analyzed using multifactor dimensionality reduction software 1.0.0 (MDR 1.0.0). Results 113 positive patients with T. gondii infections have been detected, including 80 cases of osteoporosis and 33 cases of osteopenia, the infection rates of T. gondii were 19.37% (80/413) and 10.44% (33/316), respectively. The patients with T.gondii infections were at a 2.60 times higher risk of suffering from compound osteoporosis than those without T. gondii infections (OR = 2.60, 95% CI 1.54–4.39, P < 0.001), but not associated with femur osteoporosis (OR = 1.01, 95% CI 0.43–2.34, P = 0.989) and lumbar osteoporosis (OR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.34–2.07, P = 0.705) after adjusting for the covariates. Moreover, a significantly higher risk of compound osteoporosis in the individuals with all two factors (T. gondii infection, Female) was observed compared with reference group (without T. gondii infection, male) under the interaction model (OR = 11.44, 95%CI = 5.44–24.05, P < 0.001). And the individuals with all two factors (T. gondii infection, over 70 years) exhibited a 8.14-fold higher possibility of developing compound osteoporosis compared with reference group (without T. gondii infection, under 70 years) (OR = 8.14, 95% CI 3.91–16.93, P < 0.001). We further stratified by age and sex, and found that women with T. gondii infection was more likely to develop compound osteoporosis than those without infection(OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.67–5.81, P < 0.001), but we not found the association between T. gondii infection and compound osteoporosis in males (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.37–4.94, P = 0.645). Conclusions T. gondii infection is a risk factor for osteoporosis, especially compound osteoporosis. Meanwhile, it is very necessary for patients with osteoporosis to further diagnose and treat T. gondii infection, especially women. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05257-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehui Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.,Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Junsi Huang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xueqiong Weng
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiaoyun Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianyu Gao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Kebing Chen
- Department of Spine Surgery, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Chunxia Jing
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.
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23
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Bonifácio LG, Melo M, Ayo CM, Assoni LCP, Olímpio LM, Nogueira MR, Spegiorin LCJF, Barbosa DMU, de Mattos LC, Pereira-Chioccola VL, Brandão CC. TNFα rs1799964 TT genotype may be a susceptibility factor for vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and clinical signs in newborns from pregnant women with acute toxoplasmosis. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:4759-4768. [PMID: 35332413 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07327-y] [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: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the main impacts of Toxoplasma gondii infection occurs during pregnancy and is related to the vertical transmission of the parasite (congenital toxoplasmosis), which can cause severe clinical outcomes and fetal death. During acute infection, in order to control the rapid replication of tachyzoites, different host immune response genes are activated, and these include cytokine-encoding genes. Considering that polymorphisms in cytokine genes may increase susceptibility to vertical transmission of T. gondii by determining the immune status of the pregnant woman, this study evaluated the influence of polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) rs1799964 (- 1031) and interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) rs16944 (- 511) genes on gestational toxoplasmosis and on the vertical transmission of the parasite and verified the allele and genotype frequency of these polymorphisms in pregnant patients whose respective newborn did or did not present clinical abnormalities suggestive of congenital toxoplasmosis. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 204 pregnant patients with (n = 114) or without (n = 90) infection by T. gondii were enrolled. No associations were found involving the polymorphisms rs1799964 (- 1031) of the TNFα gene and rs16944 (- 511) of the IL1β gene with the increased chance of T. gondii infection during pregnancy. However, it was observed that the maternal TT genotype referring to the polymorphism of the TNFα gene seems to influence the vertical transmission of the parasite (P = 0.01; χ2 = 6.05) and the presence of clinical manifestation in newborns from pregnancies with acute toxoplasmosis (P = 0.007; χ2 = 9.68). CONCLUSION The TNFα rs1799964 TT genotype may act as a susceptibility factor for the vertical transmission of parasite and for the presence of clinical signs in newborns from pregnant women with acute toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Gonzalez Bonifácio
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Mirele Melo
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Christiane Maria Ayo
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Letícia Carolina Paraboli Assoni
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Larissa Martins Olímpio
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Mariana Reis Nogueira
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | - Lígia Cosentino Junqueira Franco Spegiorin
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil.,High Risk Pregnancy Outpatient Clinic of Hospital de Base, Regional Medical Faculty Foundation of São José do Rio Preto (HB-FUNFARME), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Deusenia Machado Ulisses Barbosa
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil.,Pediatric Outpatient Clinic of Hospital de Base, Regional Medical Faculty Foundation of São José do Rio Preto (HB-FUNFARME), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos de Mattos
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil
| | | | - Cinara Cássia Brandão
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5416, São José do Rio Preto, SP, 15090-000, Brazil.
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24
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Rosa RB, da Costa MS, Teixeira SC, de Castro EF, Dantas WM, Ferro EAV, da Silva MV. Calomys callosus: An Experimental Animal Model Applied to Parasitic Diseases Investigations of Public Health Concern. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030369. [PMID: 35335694 PMCID: PMC8948650 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The appearance and spread of parasitic diseases around the world aroused the interest of the scientific community to discover new animal models for improving the quality and specificity of surveys. Calomys callosus is a rodent native to South America, an easy handling model, with satisfactory longevity and reproducibility. C. callosus is susceptible to toxoplasmosis and can be used as experimental model for the study the pathogenesis, treatment, vertical transmission, and ocular toxoplasmosis. C. callosus can also be used to study cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, as the animals present cutaneous lesions, as well as parasites in the organs. C. callosus has epidemiological importance in Chagas disease, and since it is a Trypanosoma cruzi natural host in which rodents show high parasitemia and lethality, they are also effective as a model of congenital transmission. In the study of schistosomiasis, Schistosoma mansoni was proven to be a C. callosus natural host; thus, this rodent is a great model for fibrosis, hepatic granulomatous reaction, and celloma associated with lymphomyeloid tissue (CALT) during S. mansoni infection. In this review, we summarize the leading studies of parasitic diseases that used C. callosus as a rodent experimental model, describing the main uses and characteristics that led them to be considered an effective model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Borges Rosa
- Rodents Animal Facilities Complex, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38400-902, Brazil; (R.B.R.); (M.S.d.C.); (E.F.d.C.)
| | - Mylla Spirandelli da Costa
- Rodents Animal Facilities Complex, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38400-902, Brazil; (R.B.R.); (M.S.d.C.); (E.F.d.C.)
| | - Samuel Cota Teixeira
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38405-318, Brazil; (S.C.T.); (E.A.V.F.)
| | - Emilene Ferreira de Castro
- Rodents Animal Facilities Complex, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38400-902, Brazil; (R.B.R.); (M.S.d.C.); (E.F.d.C.)
| | | | - Eloisa Amália Vieira Ferro
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38405-318, Brazil; (S.C.T.); (E.A.V.F.)
| | - Murilo Vieira da Silva
- Rodents Animal Facilities Complex, Federal University of Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38400-902, Brazil; (R.B.R.); (M.S.d.C.); (E.F.d.C.)
- Correspondence:
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25
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Martins HDD, da Silva QP, Gonçalves LFF, Leonel ACLDS, Perez DEDC, Bonan PRF. Ulcerative lesion on lower lip. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2022; 134:415-419. [PMID: 35461796 DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hélder Domiciano Dantas Martins
- Oral Pathology Post Graduate Program, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil; PhD student, Dentistry Post Graduation Program, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
| | - Quemuel Pereira da Silva
- MSc Student, Dentistry Post Graduation Program, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
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26
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Figueiredo CA, Steffen J, Morton L, Arumugam S, Liesenfeld O, Deli MA, Kröger A, Schüler T, Dunay IR. Immune response and pathogen invasion at the choroid plexus in the onset of cerebral toxoplasmosis. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:17. [PMID: 35027063 PMCID: PMC8759173 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02370-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a highly successful parasite being able to cross all biological barriers of the body, finally reaching the central nervous system (CNS). Previous studies have highlighted the critical involvement of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) during T. gondii invasion and development of subsequent neuroinflammation. Still, the potential contribution of the choroid plexus (CP), the main structure forming the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier (BCSFB) have not been addressed. METHODS To investigate T. gondii invasion at the onset of neuroinflammation, the CP and brain microvessels (BMV) were isolated and analyzed for parasite burden. Additionally, immuno-stained brain sections and three-dimensional whole mount preparations were evaluated for parasite localization and morphological alterations. Activation of choroidal and brain endothelial cells were characterized by flow cytometry. To evaluate the impact of early immune responses on CP and BMV, expression levels of inflammatory mediators, tight junctions (TJ) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were quantified. Additionally, FITC-dextran was applied to determine infection-related changes in BCSFB permeability. Finally, the response of primary CP epithelial cells to T. gondii parasites was tested in vitro. RESULTS Here we revealed that endothelial cells in the CP are initially infected by T. gondii, and become activated prior to BBB endothelial cells indicated by MHCII upregulation. Additionally, CP elicited early local immune response with upregulation of IFN-γ, TNF, IL-6, host-defence factors as well as swift expression of CXCL9 chemokine, when compared to the BMV. Consequently, we uncovered distinct TJ disturbances of claudins, associated with upregulation of MMP-8 and MMP-13 expression in infected CP in vivo, which was confirmed by in vitro infection of primary CP epithelial cells. Notably, we detected early barrier damage and functional loss by increased BCSFB permeability to FITC-dextran in vivo, which was extended over the infection course. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, our data reveal a close interaction between T. gondii infection at the CP and the impairment of the BCSFB function indicating that infection-related neuroinflammation is initiated in the CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caio Andreeta Figueiredo
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Steffen
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lorena Morton
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Sushmitha Arumugam
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Liesenfeld
- Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene, Charité Medical School, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mária A Deli
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Andrea Kröger
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schüler
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ildiko Rita Dunay
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Medical Faculty, Otto-Von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany. .,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, CBBS, Magdeburg, Germany.
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Babekir A, Mostafa S, Obeng-Gyasi E. The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG Antibody and Chronic Kidney Disease Biomarkers. Microorganisms 2022; 10:115. [PMID: 35056564 PMCID: PMC8779693 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a parasite that infects more than 40 million Americans and causes toxoplasmosis. Most cases of toxoplasmosis are asymptomatic; however, T. gondii is capable of invading organs like the kidney, causing chronic infections and cell destruction. METHODS This study focused on evaluating the association between T. gondii exposure and chronic kidney disease (CKD) using data from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). T. gondii exposure was assessed using Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibody status, and the status of CKD was assessed using the CKD biomarkers. The evaluation of risk rate and population prevalence was performed. In addition, multivariable regression models were used to further investigate this association after adjusting for sociodemographic, anthropometric, behavioral, and clinical covariates commonly associated with kidney dysfunction. RESULTS The positive T. gondii IgG antibody participants had significantly higher levels of CKD biomarkers, including second albumin-to-creatinine ratio (p = 0.0376), second albuminuria (p = 0.0005), and persistent albuminuria (p < 0.0001) compared to the negative participants. Furthermore, there were statistical associations between T. gondii exposure and the status of CKD (negative vs. positive) (p = 0.0001), and between T. gondii exposure and the CKD stage (negative, stage 1, …, stage 5) (p = 0.0004). Without adjusting for age, the positive T. gondii participants had a significantly higher risk (27% higher) of having CKD than the negative participants (RRcrude = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.09-1.49). The age-adjusted prevalence of CKD was higher among Toxoplasma-positive participants compared to the Toxoplasma-negative participants (10.45 vs. 8.99). T. gondii infection was significantly associated with CKD (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.06-1.84, p = 0.00447) after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and BMI. Age was positively associated with CKD (OR = 8.89, 95% CI = 6.31-12.51, p < 0.0001) with the participants 45+ years old being 8.89 times more likely to have CKD than those who are <45 years old, after adjusting for T. gondii infection, gender, race/ethnicity, and BMI. Moreover, positive T. gondii increased the odds of CKD progression (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.07-1.86, p = 0.0424). CONCLUSIONS Positive T. gondii IgG antibody is associated with CKD and the progression of CKD stages. This association is more apparent among older people. Further investigations are needed to examine these findings in different geographical locations and among differentially exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Babekir
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
| | - Sayed Mostafa
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
| | - Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
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28
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Stadler RV, Nelson SR, Warshaw DM, Ward GE. A circular zone of attachment to the extracellular matrix provides directionality to the motility of Toxoplasma gondii in 3D. eLife 2022; 11:85171. [PMID: 36519527 PMCID: PMC9839348 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects 30-40% of the world's population. Infections are typically subclinical but can be severe and, in some cases, life threatening. Central to the virulence of T. gondii is an unusual form of substrate-dependent motility that enables the parasite to invade cells of its host and to disseminate throughout the body. A hetero-oligomeric complex of proteins that functions in motility has been characterized, but how these proteins work together to drive forward motion of the parasite remains controversial. A key piece of information needed to understand the underlying mechanism(s) is the directionality of the forces that a moving parasite exerts on the external environment. The linear motor model of motility, which has dominated the field for the past two decades, predicts continuous anterior-to-posterior force generation along the length of the parasite. We show here using three-dimensional traction force mapping that the predominant forces exerted by a moving parasite are instead periodic and directed in toward the parasite at a fixed circular location within the extracellular matrix. These highly localized forces, which are generated by the parasite pulling on the matrix, create a visible constriction in the parasite's plasma membrane. We propose that the ring of inward-directed force corresponds to a circumferential attachment zone between the parasite and the matrix, through which the parasite propels itself to move forward. The combined data suggest a closer connection between the mechanisms underlying parasite motility and host cell invasion than previously recognized. In parasites lacking the major surface adhesin, TgMIC2, neither the inward-directed forces nor the constriction of the parasite membrane are observed. The trajectories of the TgMIC2-deficient parasites are less straight than those of wild-type parasites, suggesting that the annular zone of TgMIC2-mediated attachment to the extracellular matrix normally constrains the directional options available to the parasite as it migrates through its surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel V Stadler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - Shane R Nelson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - David M Warshaw
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
| | - Gary E Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of MedicineBurlingtonUnited States
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Nihad Baqer N, Shihab Ahmed N, Jabbar Saheb E. The association between serum level and genetic variation of IL-3 (rs40401) in recurrent abortion women infected with toxoplasmosis in Iraq. Cytokine 2022; 149:155718. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Analogs of marinopyrrole A show enhancement to observed in vitro potency against acute Toxoplasma gondii infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 66:e0079421. [PMID: 34662196 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00794-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a globally distributed infection with severe clinical consequences for immunocompromised individuals and developing fetuses. There are few available treatments, and these are associated with potentially severe adverse effects. Marinopyrrole A, a compound discovered in a marine Streptomyces species, has previously been found to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity, prompting our interest in exploring efficacy against Toxoplasma gondii. We found that marinopyrrole A was a highly potent anti-Toxoplasma molecule, with an in vitro 50% maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.31 μM corresponding to a higher potency than that of the current standard of care (pyrimethamine); however, addition of 20% serum led to abrogation of potency, and toxicity to human cell lines was observed. Yet, application of marinopyrrole A to an in vivo lethal acute infection model facilitated significantly enhanced survival at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg. We then tested a series of marinopyrrole A analogs-RL002, RL003, and RL125-demonstrating significantly increased potency in vitro, with IC50 values ranging from 0.09-0.17 μM (3.6-6.8X increase relative to pyrimethamine). No detectable cytotoxicity was observed up to 50 μM in human foreskin fibroblasts, with cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells ranging from ∼28-50 μM, corresponding to >200X selectivity for parasites over host cells. All analogs additionally showed reduced sensitivity to serum. Further, RL003 potently inhibited in vitro-generated bradyzoites at 0.245 μM. Taken together, these data support further development of marinopyrrole A analogs as promising anti-Toxoplasma molecules to further combat this prevalent infection.
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Mouveaux T, Roger E, Gueye A, Eysert F, Huot L, Grenier-Boley B, Lambert JC, Gissot M. Primary brain cell infection by Toxoplasma gondii reveals the extent and dynamics of parasite differentiation and its impact on neuron biology. Open Biol 2021; 11:210053. [PMID: 34610266 PMCID: PMC8492179 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a eukaryotic parasite that forms latent cysts in the brain of immunocompetent individuals. The latent parasite infection of the immune-privileged central nervous system is linked to most complications. With no drug currently available to eliminate the latent cysts in the brain of infected hosts, the consequences of neurons' long-term infection are unknown. It has long been known that T. gondii specifically differentiates into a latent form (bradyzoite) in neurons, but how the infected neuron responds to the infection remains to be elucidated. We have established a new in vitro model resulting in the production of mature bradyzoite cysts in brain cells. Using dual, host and parasite RNA-seq, we characterized the dynamics of differentiation of the parasite, revealing the involvement of key pathways in this process. Moreover, we identified how the infected brain cells responded to the parasite infection revealing the drastic changes that take place. We showed that neuronal-specific pathways are strongly affected, with synapse signalling being particularly affected, especially glutamatergic synapse signalling. The establishment of this new in vitro model allows investigating both the dynamics of parasite differentiation and the specific response of neurons to long-term infection by this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Mouveaux
- U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Emmanuel Roger
- U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Alioune Gueye
- U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Fanny Eysert
- U1167, University of Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Ludovic Huot
- U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | | | - Jean-Charles Lambert
- U1167, University of Lille, Inserm, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Mathieu Gissot
- U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
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Abou-El-Naga IF, Gomaa MM, ElAchy SN. Effect of HIV aspartyl protease inhibitors on experimental infection with a cystogenic Me49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Pathog Glob Health 2021; 116:107-118. [PMID: 34420500 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1967628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease of major significant perspectives in public health and veterinary medicine. So far, the available drugs control only the active infection, once the parasite encysts in the tissues, they lose their efficacy. Cytokines; IFN-γ and IL-10, play a critical role in the modulation of toxoplasmic encephalitis and neuro-inflammation in chronic toxoplasmosis. Antiretroviral protease inhibitors applied in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, revealed activity against multiple parasites. Aluvia (lopinavir/ritonavir) (L/R); an aspartyl protease inhibitor, had efficiently treated T. gondii RH strain infection. We investigated the potential activity of L/R against experimental T. gondii infection with a cystogenic Me49 strain in mice, considering the role of IFN-γ and IL-10 in the neuropathology versus pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine combination therapy. Three aluvia regimens were applied; starting on the day of infection (acute phase), 2-week PI (early chronic phase) and eight weeks PI (late chronic phase). L/R reduced the brain-tissue cyst burden significantly in all treatment regimens. It impaired the parasite infectivity markedly in the late chronic phase. Ultrastructural changes were detected in Toxoplasma cyst membrane and wall, bradyzoite membrane and nuclear envelope. The signs of bradyzoite paraptosis and cytoplasmic lipid droplets were observed. L/R had significantly reduced the brain-homogenate levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 in its three regimens however, they could not reach the normal level in chronic phases. Cerebral hypercellularity, perivascular inflammatory response, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates and glial cellular reaction were ameliorated by L/R treatment. Herein, L/R was proved to possess promising preventive and therapeutic perspectives in chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Fathy Abou-El-Naga
- Department Of Medical Parasitology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Maha Mohamed Gomaa
- Department Of Medical Parasitology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Samar Nabil ElAchy
- Department Of Pathology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Wang ZH, Zhang W, Zhang XZ, Yao XR, Huang W, Jia H, Liu XL, Hou SH, Wang XJ. Development of a real-time recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) molecular diagnosis assay for sensitive and rapid detection of Toxoplasma gondii. Vet Parasitol 2021; 298:109489. [PMID: 34384956 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan intracellular parasite, is present in a wide range of hosts, including virtually all species of warm-blooded vertebrates. Toxoplasmosis spreads to humans through a variety of pathways, including contaminated food or water, and close contact with various types of domestic animals. It poses a severe threat to human health, and contributes to important economic losses, not only in cost-of-illness but also in surveillance programs. It is thus necessary to develop a rapid point-of-care field diagnostic technology to control or prevent pathogen transmission to economically important livestock animals, domestic animals, and human beings. In this study, we develop a real-time isothermal amplification method capable of detecting the T. gondii genome in swine and feline blood samples. This method can detect toxoplasma genome with a lowest detection limit of 102 copies of per reaction under optimal reaction conditions of 36 °C for 25 min. The assay displayed advantages in sensitivity and specificity in comparison to traditional real-time PCR, and can be performed in a portable instrument.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Hua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Beijing Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiu-Zhong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xin-Ran Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hong Jia
- Beijing Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis/College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Shao-Hua Hou
- Beijing Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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The role of IL-12 in stimulating NK cells against Toxoplasma gondii infection: a mini-review. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:2303-2309. [PMID: 34110502 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07204-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that can remarkably infect, survive, and replicate in almost all mammalian cells and can cause severe neurological and ocular damage in immunocompromised individuals. It is known that Natural Killer cells (NK cells), as a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte, have critical protective roles in innate immunity during the T. gondii infection through releasing interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a pivotal critical cytokine for the generation of IFN-γ-producing NK cells. Several studies have shown cytokines' impact on NK cell activation; and IL-2 has an important role with a potent stimulatory factor for NK cells. In this review, we summarized the mechanism of interleukin-12 production stimulation by T. gondii tachyzoites and discussed several factors affecting this mechanism.
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Yao L, Xu L, Zhou L, Wu S, Zou W, Chen M, Chen J, Peng H. Toxoplasma gondii Type-I ROP18 Targeting Human E3 Ligase TRIM21 for Immune Escape. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:685913. [PMID: 34124071 PMCID: PMC8187923 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.685913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular pathogen that exerts its virulence through inhibiting host’s innate immune responses, which is mainly related to the type II interferon (IFN-γ) response. IFN-γ inducible tripartite motif 21 (TRIM21), an E3 ligase, plays an important role in anti-infection responses against the intracellular pathogens including bacteria, virus, and parasite. We found that T. gondii virulence factor ROP18 of the type I RH strain (TgROP18I) interacted with human TRIM21, and promoted the latter’s phosphorylation, which subsequently accelerated TRIM21 degradation through lysosomal pathway. Furthermore, TRIM21 protein level was found to be upregulated during RH and CEP strains of T. gondii infection. TRIM21 knocking down reduced the ubiquitin labeling on the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) [which led to parasitophorous vacuole (PV) acidification and death of CEP tachyzoites], and relieved the inhibition of CEP proliferation induced by IFN-γ in human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells which was consistent with the result of TRIM21 overexpression. On the other hand, TRIM21 overexpression enhanced the inhibition of CEP proliferation, and inhibited the binding of IκB-α with p65 to activate the IFN-γ-inducible NF-κB pathway, which might be resulted by TRIM21-IκB-α interaction. In brief, our research identified that in human cells, IFN-γ-inducible TRIM21 functioned in the innate immune responses against type III T. gondii infection; however, TgROP18I promoted TRIM21 phosphorylation, leading to TRIM21 degradation for immune escape in type I strain infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liqing Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuizhen Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weihao Zou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiating Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongjuan Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Blocking Palmitoylation of Toxoplasma gondii Myosin Light Chain 1 Disrupts Glideosome Composition but Has Little Impact on Parasite Motility. mSphere 2021; 6:6/3/e00823-20. [PMID: 34011689 PMCID: PMC8265671 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00823-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that causes severe disease in immunocompromised individuals and the developing fetus. Like other apicomplexans, T. gondii uses an unusual form of substrate-dependent gliding motility to invade cells of its hosts and to disseminate throughout the body during infection. It is well established that a myosin motor consisting of a class XIVa heavy chain (TgMyoA) and two light chains (TgMLC1 and TgELC1/2) plays an important role in parasite motility. The ability of the motor to generate force at the parasite periphery is thought to be reliant upon its anchoring and immobilization within a peripheral membrane-bound compartment, the inner membrane complex (IMC). The motor does not insert into the IMC directly; rather, this interaction is believed to be mediated by the binding of TgMLC1 to the IMC-anchored protein, TgGAP45. Therefore, the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45 is considered a key element in the force transduction machinery of the parasite. TgMLC1 is palmitoylated, and we show here that palmitoylation occurs on two N-terminal cysteine residues, C8 and C11. Mutations that block TgMLC1 palmitoylation completely abrogate the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45. Surprisingly, the loss of TgMLC1 binding to TgGAP45 in these mutant parasites has little effect on their ability to initiate or sustain movement. These results question a key tenet of the current model of apicomplexan motility and suggest that our understanding of gliding motility in this important group of human and animal pathogens is not yet complete. IMPORTANCE Gliding motility plays a central role in the life cycle of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites. The myosin motor thought to power motility is essential for virulence but distinctly different from the myosins found in humans. Consequently, an understanding of the mechanism(s) underlying parasite motility and the role played by this unusual myosin may reveal points of vulnerability that can be targeted for disease prevention or treatment. We show here that mutations that uncouple the motor from what is thought to be a key structural component of the motility machinery have little impact on parasite motility. This finding runs counter to predictions of the current, widely held “linear motor” model of motility, highlighting the need for further studies to fully understand how apicomplexan parasites generate the forces necessary to move into, out of, and between cells of the hosts they infect.
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Babekir A, Mostafa S, Obeng-Gyasi E. The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and Cardiovascular Biomarkers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:4908. [PMID: 34062965 PMCID: PMC8125424 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a protozoan parasite with high prevalence worldwide. More than 40 million individuals in the United States carry this parasite. T. gondii infection causes toxoplasmosis, which is the leading cause of death associated with foodborne diseases in the United States. T. gondii infects humans through different routes, and it is capable of invading a wide range of tissues in the human body following the infection. Methods: The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of T. gondii among adults in the United States and its association with cardiovascular health using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2009-2010). Considering the limitation of studies investigating the relationship between T. gondii and cardiovascular biomarkers, this study was focused on assessing the association of T. gondii to nine cardiovascular biomarkers. First, those biomarkers were investigated individually using several statistical tests and models. Second, we developed an overall cardiovascular biomarker index (OCBI) from eight critical biomarkers to better explain the T. gondii potential cumulative effect on the cardiovascular system. These analyses were adjusted for demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric factors. Results:T. gondii IgG antibody-positive participants had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0022), triglycerides (p = 0.0399), C-reactive protein (p = 0.0422), gamma glutamyl transferase (p = 0.0400), and fasting glucose (p = 0.0213) than the negative participants. In addition, the positive participants had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0431) than the negative participants. Adjusting for age, T. gondii positive had a significant negative association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0026) and a significant positive association with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0179), triglycerides (p = 0.0154), and gamma glutamyl transferase (p = 0.0026). With the exception of the low-density lipoprotein, these associations remained statistically significant when adjusting for demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric factors. These results potentially indicate the role of T. gondii in driving cardiovascular-related biomarkers toward dysfunction. The analysis also revealed a significant difference in the OCBI among positive and negative participants (p = 0.0020), with the (cumulative) odds of positive participants having a higher level of OCBI being 0.71 times lower than the odds for negative participants (OR = 0.29). Conclusions: Positive T. gondii IgG antibody was significantly associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular-related biomarkers, including systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and gamma glutamyl transferase. T. gondii-positive individuals were more likely to have a lower cardiovascular biomarkers index than the negative individuals. Finally, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among U.S. adults was associated with demographic characteristics including age, ethnicity, country of birth, and occupation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Babekir
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
| | - Sayed Mostafa
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
| | - Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA;
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
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French T, Israel N, Düsedau HP, Tersteegen A, Steffen J, Cammann C, Topfstedt E, Dieterich D, Schüler T, Seifert U, Dunay IR. The Immunoproteasome Subunits LMP2, LMP7 and MECL-1 Are Crucial Along the Induction of Cerebral Toxoplasmosis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:619465. [PMID: 33968021 PMCID: PMC8099150 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.619465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell survival and function critically relies on the fine-tuned balance of protein synthesis and degradation. In the steady state, the standard proteasome is sufficient to maintain this proteostasis. However, upon inflammation, the sharp increase in protein production requires additional mechanisms to limit protein-associated cellular stress. Under inflammatory conditions and the release of interferons, the immunoproteasome (IP) is induced to support protein processing and recycling. In antigen-presenting cells constitutively expressing IPs, inflammation-related mechanisms contribute to the formation of MHC class I/II-peptide complexes, which are required for the induction of T cell responses. The control of Toxoplasma gondii infection relies on Interferon-γ (IFNγ)-related T cell responses. Whether and how the IP affects the course of anti-parasitic T cell responses along the infection as well as inflammation of the central nervous system is still unknown. To answer this question we used triple knockout (TKO) mice lacking the 3 catalytic subunits of the immunoproteasome (β1i/LMP2, β2i/MECL-1 and β5i/LMP7). Here we show that the numbers of dendritic cells, monocytes and CD8+ T cells were reduced in Toxoplasma gondii-infected TKO mice. Furthermore, impaired IFNγ, TNF and iNOS production was accompanied by dysregulated chemokine expression and altered immune cell recruitment to the brain. T cell differentiation was altered, apoptosis rates of microglia and monocytes were elevated and STAT3 downstream signaling was diminished. Consequently, anti-parasitic immune responses were impaired in TKO mice leading to elevated T. gondii burden and prolonged neuroinflammation. In summary we provide evidence for a critical role of the IP subunits β1i/LMP2, β2i/MECL-1 and β5i/LMP7 for the control of cerebral Toxoplasma gondii infection and subsequent neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy French
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Israel
- Friedrich Loeffler-Institute of Medical Microbiology-Virology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Henning Peter Düsedau
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anne Tersteegen
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Steffen
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Cammann
- Friedrich Loeffler-Institute of Medical Microbiology-Virology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Eylin Topfstedt
- Friedrich Loeffler-Institute of Medical Microbiology-Virology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Daniela Dieterich
- Institute of Pharmacology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schüler
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Seifert
- Friedrich Loeffler-Institute of Medical Microbiology-Virology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ildiko Rita Dunay
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
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Seo HH, Han HW, Lee SE, Hong SH, Cho SH, Kim SC, Koo SK, Kim JH. Modelling Toxoplasma gondii infection in human cerebral organoids. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 9:1943-1954. [PMID: 32820712 PMCID: PMC7534270 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1812435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cell-derived cerebral organoids have the potential to recapitulate the pathophysiology of in vivo human brain tissue, constituting a valuable resource for modelling brain disorders, including infectious diseases. Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular protozoan parasite, infects most warm-blooded animals, including humans, causing toxoplasmosis. In immunodeficient patients and pregnant women, infection often results in severe central nervous system disease and fetal miscarriage. However, understanding the molecular pathophysiology of the disease has been challenging due to limited in vitro model systems. Here, we developed a new in vitro model system of T. gondii infection using human brain organoids. We observed that tachyzoites can infect human cerebral organoids and are transformed to bradyzoites and replicate in parasitophorous vacuoles to form cysts, indicating that the T. gondii asexual life cycle is efficiently simulated in the brain organoids. Transcriptomic analysis of T. gondii-infected organoids revealed the activation of the type I interferon immune response against infection. In addition, in brain organoids, T. gondii exhibited a changed transcriptome related to protozoan invasion and replication. This study shows cerebral organoids as physiologically relevant in vitro model systems useful for advancing the understanding of T. gondii infections and host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyang-Hee Seo
- Division of Intractable Diseases, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.,National Stem Cell Bank of Korea, Korea Institute of Health, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Won Han
- Division of Intractable Diseases, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.,National Stem Cell Bank of Korea, Korea Institute of Health, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Eun Lee
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hee Hong
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin-Hyeong Cho
- Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Cheol Kim
- Division of Bio-Medical Informatics, Center for Genome Science, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Kyung Koo
- Division of Intractable Diseases, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.,National Stem Cell Bank of Korea, Korea Institute of Health, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hyun Kim
- Division of Intractable Diseases, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.,National Stem Cell Bank of Korea, Korea Institute of Health, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
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Chu JQ, Gao FF, Wu W, Li C, Pan Z, Sun J, Wang H, Huang C, Lee SH, Quan JH, Lee YH. Expression profiles of NOD-like receptors and regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Toxoplasma gondii-infected human small intestinal epithelial cells. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:153. [PMID: 33712075 PMCID: PMC7953608 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04666-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that primarily infects through the oral route. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) play crucial roles in the immune responses generated during parasitic infection and also drive the inflammatory response against invading parasites. However, little is known about the regulation of NLRs and inflammasome activation in T. gondii-infected human small intestinal epithelial (FHs 74 Int) cells. METHODS FHs 74 Int cells infected with T. gondii were subsequently evaluated for morphological changes, cytotoxicity, expression profiles of NLRs, inflammasome components, caspase-cleaved interleukins (ILs), and the mechanisms of NLRP3 and NLRP6 inflammasome activation. Immunocytochemistry, lactate dehydrogenase assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting techniques were utilized for analysis. RESULTS Under normal and T. gondii-infected conditions, members of the NLRs, inflammasome components and caspase-cleaved ILs were expressed in the FHs Int 74 cells, except for NLRC3, NLRP5, and NLRP9. Among the NLRs, mRNA expression of NOD2, NLRP3, NLRP6, and NAIP1 was significantly increased in T. gondii-infected cells, whereas that of NLRP2, NLRP7, and CIITA mRNAs decreased significantly in a time-dependent manner. In addition, T. gondii infection induced NLRP3, NLRP6 and NLRC4 inflammasome activation and production of IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33 in FHs 74 Int cells. T. gondii-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation was strongly associated with the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK; however, JNK1/2 had a weak effect. NLRP6 inflammasome activation was not related to the MAPK pathway in FHs 74 Int cells. CONCLUSIONS This study highlighted the expression profiles of NLRs and unraveled the underlying mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in T. gondii-infected FHs 74 Int cells. These findings may contribute to understanding of the mucosal and innate immune responses induced by the NLRs and inflammasomes during T. gondii infection in FHs 74 Int cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Qi Chu
- Stem Cell Research and Cellular Therapy Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Fei Fei Gao
- Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project for Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea.,Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Weiyun Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunchao Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaobin Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinhui Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Huang
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Sang Hyuk Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sun General Hospital, Daejeon, 34084, Republic of Korea.,Department of Infection Biology, Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, 6 Munhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Juan-Hua Quan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, 524001, People's Republic of China.
| | - Young-Ha Lee
- Brain Korea 21 FOUR Project for Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 35015, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Infection Biology, Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, 6 Munhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea.
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41
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In Vitro Selection Implicates ROP1 as a Resistance Gene for an Experimental Therapeutic Benzoquinone Acyl Hydrazone in Toxoplasma gondii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.01040-20. [PMID: 33361291 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01040-20] [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: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed apicomplexan parasite and the causative agent of toxoplasmosis in humans. While pharmaceuticals exist to combat acute infection, they can produce serious adverse reactions, demonstrating a need for enhanced therapies. KG8 is a benzoquinone acyl hydrazone chemotype identified from a previous chemical screen for which we previously showed in vitro and in vivo efficacy against T. gondii However, the genetic target and mechanism of action of KG8 remain unknown. To investigate potential targets, we generated resistant T. gondii lines by chemical mutagenesis followed by in vitro selection. Whole-genome sequencing of resistant clones revealed a P207S mutation in the gene encoding rhoptry organelle protein 1 (ROP1) in addition to two lesser resistance-conferring mutations in the genes for rhoptry organelle protein 8 (ROP8) and a putative ADP/ATP carrier protein (TGGT1_237700). Expressing ROP1P207S in parental parasites was sufficient to confer significant (10.3-fold increased half-maximal effective concentration [EC50]) KG8 resistance. After generating a library of mutants carrying hypermutated rop1 alleles followed by KG8 pressure, we sequenced the most resistant clonal isolate (>16.9-fold increased EC50) and found independent recapitulation of the P207S mutation, along with three additional mutations in the same region. We also demonstrate that a rop1 knockout strain is insensitive to KG8. These data implicate ROP1 as a putative resistance gene of KG8. This work further identifies a compound that can be used in future studies to better understand ROP1 function and highlights this novel chemotype as a potential scaffold for the development of improved T. gondii therapeutics.
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42
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Willner MJ, Xiao Y, Kim HS, Chen X, Xu B, Leong KW. Modeling SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with opioid use disorder with brain organoids. J Tissue Eng 2021; 12:2041731420985299. [PMID: 33738089 PMCID: PMC7934045 DOI: 10.1177/2041731420985299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated a preexisting epidemic: the opioid crisis. Much literature has shown that the circumstances imposed by COVID-19, such as social distancing regulations, medical and financial instability, and increased mental health issues, have been detrimental to those with opioid use disorder (OUD). In addition, unexpected neurological sequelae in COVID-19 patients suggest that COVID-19 compromises neuroimmunity, induces hypoxia, and causes respiratory depression, provoking similar effects as those caused by opioid exposure. Combined conditions of COVID-19 and OUD could lead to exacerbated complications. With limited human in vivo options to study these complications, we suggest that iPSC-derived brain organoid models may serve as a useful platform to investigate the physiological connection between COVID-19 and OUD. This mini-review highlights the advances of brain organoids in other neuropsychiatric and infectious diseases and suggests their potential utility for investigating OUD and COVID-19, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moshe J Willner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yang Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hye Sung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Regenerative Dental Medicine, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matter Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Xuejing Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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43
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Zhang R, Zheng W, Daugschies A, Bangoura B. Apicomplexan co-infections impair with phagocytic activity in avian macrophages. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:4159-4168. [PMID: 33029719 PMCID: PMC7704517 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06900-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Mixed infections of Toxoplasma gondii and Eimeria tenella are likely to occur frequently due to the high prevalence of both pathogens in free-ranging chickens. In this study, we investigated the co-occurrence of the two parasites in the same immune-competent host cell towards altered patterns of parasite-host interactions. Chicken blood monocyte-derived macrophages were co-infected with T. gondii RH tachyzoites and E. tenella Houghton sporozoites in vitro for 24 h. Through monitoring the uptake of pH-sensitive pHrodo™ Zymosan BioParticles ("Zymosan") by macrophages, we created a three-dimensional model and to analyze quantitatively phagocytosis using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Assessments of parasite populations were performed by qPCR at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h post-infection (hpi). At 6 hpi, phagocytosis was inhibited in the E. tenella-infected cultures while no inhibition of phagocytosis was observed due to T. gondii. Phagocytosis activity revealed more complex interactions during co-infection. At 12 and 24 hpi, phagocytosis response to "Zymosan" was distinctly weaker in co-infected cells than in all other groups except for cells mono-infected with high doses of E. tenella at 24 hpi. By qPCR, significantly reduced numbers of both intracellular parasites were recorded (10-fold) in all infected groups at 2 hpi. At 12 hpi, the T. gondii population reached lowest values but dramatically increased by 24 hpi. Our data confirm that macrophage phagocytosis is involved in the control of invasion by apicomplexan parasites in chicken which particularly applies to E. tenella infection and it was able to be altered by the co-existing parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runhui Zhang
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Wanpeng Zheng
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arwid Daugschies
- Institute of Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.,Albrecht-Daniel-Thaer-Institute, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Berit Bangoura
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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44
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Elkerdany ED, Elnassery SM, Arafa FM, Zaki SAF, Mady RF. In vitro effect of a novel protease inhibitor cocktail on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. Exp Parasitol 2020; 219:108010. [PMID: 33007297 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.108010] [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: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease and a global food and water-borne infection. The disease is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is a highly successful and remarkable pathogen because of its ability to infect almost any nucleated cell in warm-blooded animals. The present study was done to demonstrate the effect of protease inhibitors cocktail (PIC), which inhibit both cysteine and serine proteases, on in vitro cultured T. gondii tachyzoites on HepG2 cell line. This was achieved by assessing its effect on the invasion of the host cells and the intracellular development of T.gondii tachyzoites through measuring their number and viability after their incubation with PIC. Based on the results of the study, it was evident that the inhibitory action of the PIC was effective when applied to tachyzoites before their cultivation on HepG2 cells. Pre-treatment of T.gondii tachyzoites with PIC resulted in failure of the invasion of most of the tachyzoites and decreased the intracellular multiplication and viability of the tachyzoites that succeeded in the initial invasion process. Ultrastructural studies showed morphological alteration in tachyzoites and disruption in their organelles. This effect was irreversible till the complete lysis of cell monolayer in cultures. It can be concluded that PIC, at in vitro levels, could prevent invasion and intracellular multiplication of Toxoplasma tachyzoites. In addition, it is cost effective compared to individual protease inhibitors. It also had the benefit of combined therapy as it lowered the concentration of each protease inhibitor used in the cocktail. Other in vivo experiments are required to validate the cocktail efficacy against toxoplasmosis. Further studies may be needed to establish the exact mechanism by which the PIC exerts its effect on Toxoplasma tachyzoites behavior and its secretory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman D Elkerdany
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Suzanne M Elnassery
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Fadwa M Arafa
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Sahar Abdel-Fattah Zaki
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Egypt.
| | - Rasha F Mady
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
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45
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Yoshida N, Domart MC, Peddie CJ, Yakimovich A, Mazon-Moya MJ, Hawkins TA, Collinson L, Mercer J, Frickel EM, Mostowy S. The zebrafish as a novel model for the in vivo study of Toxoplasma gondii replication and interaction with macrophages. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm043091. [PMID: 32461265 PMCID: PMC7390642 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.043091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite capable of invading any nucleated cell. Three main clonal lineages (type I, II, III) exist and murine models have driven the understanding of general and strain-specific immune mechanisms underlying Toxoplasma infection. However, murine models are limited for studying parasite-leukocyte interactions in vivo, and discrepancies exist between cellular immune responses observed in mouse versus human cells. Here, we developed a zebrafish infection model to study the innate immune response to Toxoplasma in vivo By infecting the zebrafish hindbrain ventricle, and using high-resolution microscopy techniques coupled with computer vision-driven automated image analysis, we reveal that Toxoplasma invades brain cells and replicates inside a parasitophorous vacuole to which type I and III parasites recruit host cell mitochondria. We also show that type II and III strains maintain a higher infectious burden than type I strains. To understand how parasites are cleared in vivo, we further analyzed Toxoplasma-macrophage interactions using time-lapse microscopy and three-dimensional correlative light and electron microscopy (3D CLEM). Time-lapse microscopy revealed that macrophages are recruited to the infection site and play a key role in Toxoplasma control. High-resolution 3D CLEM revealed parasitophorous vacuole breakage in brain cells and macrophages in vivo, suggesting that cell-intrinsic mechanisms may be used to destroy the intracellular niche of tachyzoites. Together, our results demonstrate in vivo control of Toxoplasma by macrophages, and highlight the possibility that zebrafish may be further exploited as a novel model system for discoveries within the field of parasite immunity.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Disease Models, Animal
- Host-Parasite Interactions
- Macrophages/immunology
- Macrophages/parasitology
- Macrophages/ultrastructure
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
- Microscopy, Fluorescence
- Microscopy, Video
- Parasite Load
- Rhombencephalon/immunology
- Rhombencephalon/microbiology
- Rhombencephalon/ultrastructure
- Time Factors
- Toxoplasma/growth & development
- Toxoplasma/immunology
- Toxoplasma/ultrastructure
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/immunology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/parasitology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal/pathology
- Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral/immunology
- Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral/parasitology
- Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral/pathology
- Zebrafish/parasitology
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagisa Yoshida
- Host-Toxoplasma Interaction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1BF, UK
- Section of Microbiology, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Marie-Charlotte Domart
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1BF, UK
| | - Christopher J Peddie
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1BF, UK
| | - Artur Yakimovich
- MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Artificial Intelligence for Life Sciences CIC, 40 Gowers Walk, London, E1 8BH, UK
| | - Maria J Mazon-Moya
- Section of Microbiology, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Thomas A Hawkins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lucy Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1BF, UK
| | - Jason Mercer
- MRC-Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Eva-Maria Frickel
- Host-Toxoplasma Interaction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1BF, UK
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Serge Mostowy
- Section of Microbiology, MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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46
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López-Osorio S, Chaparro-Gutiérrez JJ, Gómez-Osorio LM. Overview of Poultry Eimeria Life Cycle and Host-Parasite Interactions. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:384. [PMID: 32714951 PMCID: PMC7351014 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria are organisms which invade the intestinal tract, causing coccidiosis, an enteric disease of major economic importance worldwide. The disease causes high morbidity ranging from an acute, bloody enteritis with high mortality, to subclinical disease. However, the presence of intestinal lesions depends on the Eimeria species. The most important poultry Eimeria species are: E. tenella, E. necatrix, E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. brunetti, E. mitis, and E. praecox. Key points to better understanding the behavior of this species are the host-parasite interactions and its life cycle. The present paper reviews the literature available regarding the life cycle and the initial host-parasite interaction. More studies are needed to better understand these interactions in poultry Eimerias, taking into account that almost all the information available was generated from other apicomplexan parasites that generate human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara López-Osorio
- CIBAV Research Group, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Luis M. Gómez-Osorio
- CIBAV Research Group, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Alura Animal Health and Nutrition, Medellin, Colombia
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47
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Méndez-Hernández EM, Hernández-Tinoco J, Salas-Pacheco JM, Sánchez-Anguiano LF, Arias-Carrión O, Sandoval-Carrillo AA, Castellanos-Juárez FX, Ruano-Calderón LÁ, Alvarado-Esquivel C. Toxoplasma gondii infection and multiple sclerosis: An age- and a gender-matched case-control seroprevalence study. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2020; 10:76-79. [PMID: 32628617 PMCID: PMC7391378 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2019.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The link between Toxoplasma gondii infection and multiple sclerosis remains controversial. In the present study, we aimed to determine the association between T.gondii seropositivity and multiple sclerosis. Using an age- and gender-matched case-control study, we studied 45 patients who had multiple sclerosis attended in two public hospitals and 225 control subjects without this disease and other neurological disorders in Durango City, Mexico. Serum samples of cases and controls were analyzed for detection of anti-Toxoplasma IgG using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. One (2.22%) of the 45 patients with multiple sclerosis, and 15 (6.67%) of the 225 control subjects without this disease were seropositive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. No statistically significant difference (OR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.04–2.47; P = 0.48) in seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies between cases and controls was found. The frequency of T. gondii seropositivity did not vary among cases and controls about sex or age groups. Results of this study do not support an association between seropositivity to T. gondii and multiple sclerosis. However, additional research with larger sample sizes to confirm this lack of association should be conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edna Madai Méndez-Hernández
- 1Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca, Carretera Federal México Puebla Km 35, Ixtapaluca, 56530, Mexico
| | - Jesús Hernández-Tinoco
- 2Biomedical Research Laboratory. Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
| | - José Manuel Salas-Pacheco
- 3Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera-Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
| | - Luis Francisco Sánchez-Anguiano
- 3Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera-Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
| | - Oscar Arias-Carrión
- 4Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento y Sueño, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ada Agustina Sandoval-Carrillo
- 3Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera-Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
| | - Francisco Xavier Castellanos-Juárez
- 3Institute for Scientific Research "Dr. Roberto Rivera-Damm", Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
| | | | - Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel
- 2Biomedical Research Laboratory. Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juárez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, Durango, 34000, Mexico
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48
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Mandelbrot L. Congenital toxoplasmosis: What is the evidence for chemoprophylaxis to prevent fetal infection? Prenat Diagn 2020; 40:1693-1702. [PMID: 32453454 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Although prenatal diagnosis and prenatal and neonatal therapy of congenital toxoplasmosis are available, there is controversy concerning the effectiveness of prophylaxis to prevent placental transmission. Experimental, parasitological, and clinical data suggest a "window of opportunity" following maternal infection. Among medications active against Toxoplasma gondii, mainly spiramycin (Spy) and pyrimethamine + sulfonamide combinations (P-S) have been evaluated. Results from observational studies suffered treatment bias, since prescriptions differed according to the gestational age at seroconversion, which is the major risk factor for transmission, and many lacked precise timing. Some large retrospective studies found no difference in transmission according to prophylactic treatment, but transmission was lower when treatment started promptly after maternal seroconversion. A few recent studies adjusting for timing of infection observed lower transmission in case of P-S than other or no prophylaxis. In the only randomized controlled trial, transmission was lower with P-S than S (18.5% vs 30%, P = .147); this association was strengthened when the treatment was started within 3 weeks of seroconversion, and the incidence of fetal cerebral ultrasound signs was significantly reduced in the P-S group. Rapid initiation of prophylactic therapy following maternal infection, which is usually asymptomatic, requires systematic screening for maternal seroconversion during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Mandelbrot
- Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris Nord Université de Paris, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France.,Inserm IAME 1137, Université de Paris, Paris, France
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49
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Ferreira FB, de Macêdo-Júnior AG, Lopes CS, Silva MV, Ramos ELP, Júnior ÁF, Vitaliano SN, Santiago FM, Santos ALQ, Mineo JR, Mineo TWP. Serological evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Melanosuchus niger (Spix, 1825) and Caimam crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2020; 12:42-45. [PMID: 32420024 PMCID: PMC7217805 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with worldwide prevalence, known to affect a large variety of warm-blooded hosts. However, its ability to induce long-lasting infections in cold-blooded animals remains unclear. The most likely source of infection is through consumption of meat containing tissue cysts or by ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts. The current global climate change trend and the progressive degradation of natural habitats are prone to alter the distribution of ectotherm populations over a short period of time, which may favor contact between these animals and the protozoan. In association, alligator meat is considered a delicacy in many regions and its consumption has been previously related to a diversity of foodborne diseases. In that sense, we proposed in this study to search for specific antibodies against T. gondii in serum samples of two common species of alligators from the Brazilian fauna (Melanosuchus niger and Caimam crocodilus). We obtained the serum samples from 84 alligators from the Araguaia region, which were tested by agglutination assays that do not require species-specific secondary antibodies (Modified Agglutination Test – MAT; Indirect Hemagglutination Assay – IHA). From the 84 samples tested, eight (9.5%) were positive by MAT. From those, seven (87.5% of MAT+, 8.3% of the total) were also positive by IHA, reassuring a probable exposure of these animals to the parasite. Direct parasite detection in muscle fragments of one serologically reactive alligator did not yield positive results. Our results provide serological evidence that Brazilian alligators may be exposed to T. gondii and further studies should be performed to elucidate whether alligators are natural hosts of this ubiquitous protozoan parasite. Exposure to T. gondii was verified in sera of 84 Brazilian alligators. The serum samples were analyzed to 2 serological assays: MAT and HAI. 7 samples were found to be positive in bothserological tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Batista Ferreira
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Arlindo Gomes de Macêdo-Júnior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Carolina Salomão Lopes
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Murilo Vieira Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Eliézer Lucas Pires Ramos
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Ferreira Júnior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Netto Vitaliano
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Maria Santiago
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - André Luis Quagliatto Santos
- Laboratory for Education and Research on Wild Animals (LAPAS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
| | - Tiago Wilson Patriarca Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, CEP, 38400 902, Brazil
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Rodríguez ME, Rizzi M, Caeiro LD, Masip YE, Perrone A, Sánchez DO, Búa J, Tekiel V. Transmigration of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes through 3D cultures resembling a physiological environment. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13207. [PMID: 32270902 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
To disseminate and colonise tissues in the mammalian host, Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastogotes should cross several biological barriers. How this process occurs or its impact in the outcome of the disease is largely speculative. We examined the in vitro transmigration of trypomastigotes through three-dimensional cultures (spheroids) to understand the tissular dissemination of different T. cruzi strains. Virulent strains were highly invasive: trypomastigotes deeply transmigrate up to 50 μm inside spheroids and were evenly distributed at the spheroid surface. Parasites inside spheroids were systematically observed in the space between cells suggesting a paracellular route of transmigration. On the contrary, poorly virulent strains presented a weak migratory capacity and remained in the external layers of spheroids with a patch-like distribution pattern. The invasiveness-understood as the ability to transmigrate deep into spheroids-was not a transferable feature between strains, neither by soluble or secreted factors nor by co-cultivation of trypomastigotes from invasive and non-invasive strains. Besides, we demonstrated that T. cruzi isolates from children that were born congenitally infected presented a highly migrant phenotype while an isolate from an infected mother (that never transmitted the infection to any of her children) presented significantly less migration. In brief, we demonstrated that in a 3D microenvironment each strain presents a characteristic migration pattern that can be associated to their in vivo behaviour. Altogether, data presented here repositionate spheroids as a valuable tool to study host-pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Exequiel Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Rizzi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas D Caeiro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yamil E Masip
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alina Perrone
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel O Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jacqueline Búa
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Carlos G. Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria Tekiel
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. R. Ugalde" (IIBIO) Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM)-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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