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Alfaro-Sifuentes R, Lares-Jiménez LF, Rojas-Hernández S, Carrasco-Yépez MM, Rojas-Ortega DA, Rodriguez-Anaya LZ, Gonzalez-Galaviz JR, Lares-Villa F. Immunogens in Balamuthia mandrillaris: a proteomic exploration. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:173. [PMID: 38536506 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08193-2] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Balamuthia mandrillaris is the causative agent of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, a rare and often fatal infection affecting the central nervous system. The amoeba is isolated from diverse environmental sources and can cause severe infections in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. Given the limited understanding of B. mandrillaris, our research aimed to explore its protein profile, identifying potential immunogens crucial for early granulomatous amoebic encephalitis diagnosis. Cultures of B. mandrillaris and other amoebas were grown under axenic conditions, and total amoebic extracts were obtained. Proteomic analyses, including two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, were performed. A 50-kDa band showed a robust recognition of antibodies from immunized BALB/c mice; peptides contained in this band were matched with elongation factor-1 alpha, which emerged as a putative key immunogen. Besides, lectin blotting revealed the presence of glycoproteins in B. mandrillaris, and confocal microscopy demonstrated the focal distribution of the 50-kDa band throughout trophozoites. Cumulatively, these observations suggest the participation of the 50-kDa band in adhesion and recognition mechanisms. Thus, these collective findings demonstrate some protein characteristics of B. mandrillaris, opening avenues for understanding its pathogenicity and developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalía Alfaro-Sifuentes
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Especialidad en Biotecnología, Departamento de Biotecnología y Ciencias Alimentarias, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, 85000, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México.
| | - Luis Fernando Lares-Jiménez
- Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Veterinarias, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, 85000, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México
| | - Saul Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Díaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Diego Alexander Rojas-Ortega
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de La Salud (CICSA), FCS, Universidad Anáhuac México, 52786, Huixquilucan, Estado de México, México
| | | | | | - Fernando Lares-Villa
- Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Veterinarias, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, 85000, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México.
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Gutiérrez-Sánchez M, Carrasco-Yépez MM, Correa-Basurto J, Ramírez-Salinas GL, Rojas-Hernández S. Two MP2CL5 Antigen Vaccines from Naegleria fowleri Stimulate the Immune Response against Meningitis in the BALB/c Model. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0018123. [PMID: 37272791 PMCID: PMC10353451 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00181-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is an etiological agent that generates primary amoebic meningoencephalitis; unfortunately, no effective treatment or vaccine is available. The objective of this work was to determine the immunoprotective response of two vaccine antigens, as follows: (i) the polypeptide band of 19 kDa or (ii) a predicted immunogenic peptide from the membrane protein MP2CL5 (Smp145). Both antigens were administered intranasally in mice using cholera toxin (CT) as an adjuvant. The survival rate and immune response of immunized mice with both antigens and challenged with N. fowleri trophozoites were measured in the nose-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and nasal passages (NPs) by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also determined the immunolocalization of both antigens in N. fowleri trophozoites by confocal microscopy. Immunization with the polypeptide band of 19 kDa alone or coadministered with CT was able to confer 80% and 100% of protection, respectively. The immunization with both antigens (alone or coadministered with CT) showed an increase in T and B lymphocytes. In addition, there was an increase in the expression of integrin α4β1 and IgA in the nasal cavity of protected mice, and the IgA, IgG, and IgM levels were increased in serum and nasal washes. The immunolocalization of both antigens in N. fowleri trophozoites was observed in the plasma membrane, specifically in pseudopod-like structures. The MP2CL5 antigens evaluated in this work were capable of conferring protection which would lead us to consider them as potential candidates for vaccines against meningitis caused by N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Gutiérrez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular y Celular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María Maricela Carrasco-Yépez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología, Grupo CyMA, Unidad de Investigación Interdisciplinaria en Ciencias de la Salud y la Educación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM FES Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - José Correa-Basurto
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotécnológica (Laboratory for the Design and Development of New Drugs and Biotechnological Innovation), Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gema Lizbeth Ramírez-Salinas
- Laboratorio de Diseño y Desarrollo de Nuevos Fármacos e Innovación Biotécnológica (Laboratory for the Design and Development of New Drugs and Biotechnological Innovation), Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular y Celular, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
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Rojas-Ortega DA, Rojas-Hernández S, Sánchez-Mendoza ME, Gómez-López M, Sánchez-Camacho JV, Rosales-Cruz E, Yépez MMC. Role of FcγRIII in the nasal cavity of BALB/c mice in the primary amebic meningoencephalitis protection model. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:1087-1105. [PMID: 36913025 PMCID: PMC10009362 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07810-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Different mechanisms of the host immune response against the primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in the mouse protection model have been described. It has been proposed that antibodies opsonize Naegleria fowleri trophozoites; subsequently, the polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) surround the trophozoites to avoid the infection. FcγRs activate signaling pathways of adapter proteins such as Syk and Hck on PMNs to promote different effector cell functions which are induced by the Fc portion of the antibody-antigen complexes. In this work, we analyzed the activation of PMNs, epithelial cells, and nasal passage cells via the expression of Syk and Hck genes. Our results showed an increment of the FcγRIII and IgG subclasses in the nasal cavity from immunized mice as well as Syk and Hck expression was increased, whereas in the in vitro assay, we observed that when the trophozoites of N. fowleri were opsonized with IgG anti-N. fowleri and interacted with PMN, the expression of Syk and Hck was also increased. We suggest that PMNs are activated via their FcγRIII, which leads to the elimination of the trophozoites in vitro, while in the nasal cavity, the adhesion and consequently infection are avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Alexander Rojas-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Modesto Gómez-López
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Jennifer Viridiana Sánchez-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Erika Rosales-Cruz
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Hematopatología, Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
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Retana Moreira L, Steller Espinoza MF, Chacón Camacho N, Cornet-Gomez A, Sáenz-Arce G, Osuna A, Lomonte B, Abrahams Sandí E. Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles Secreted by a Clinical Isolate of Naegleria fowleri and Identification of Immunogenic Components within Their Protein Cargo. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:983. [PMID: 36101365 PMCID: PMC9312180 DOI: 10.3390/biology11070983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid vesicles released by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, involved in intercellular communication, immunomodulation and pathogenesis. In this study, we performed a characterization of the EVs produced by trophozoites of a clinical isolate of the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri (N. fowleri). Size distribution, zeta potential, protein profile and protease activity were analyzed. Under our incubation conditions, EVs of different sizes were observed, with a predominant population ranging from 206 to 227 nm. SDS-PAGE revealed protein bands of 25 to 260 KDa. The presence of antigenic proteins was confirmed by Western blot, which evidenced strongest recognition by rat polyclonal antibodies raised against N. fowleri in the region close to 80 KDa and included peptidases, as revealed by zymography. Proteins in selected immunorecognized bands were further identified using nano-ESI-MS/MS. A preliminary proteomic profile of the EVs identified at least 184 proteins as part of the vesicles' cargo. Protease activity assays, in combination with the use of inhibitors, revealed the predominance of serine proteases. The present characterization uncovers the complexity of EVs produced by N. fowleri, suggesting their potential relevance in the release of virulence factors involved in pathogenicity. Owing to their cargo's diversity, further research on EVs could reveal new therapeutic targets or biomarkers for developing rapid and accurate diagnostic tools for lethal infections such as the one caused by this amoeba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lissette Retana Moreira
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (M.F.S.E.); (N.C.C.); (E.A.S.)
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica
| | - María Fernanda Steller Espinoza
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (M.F.S.E.); (N.C.C.); (E.A.S.)
| | - Natalia Chacón Camacho
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (M.F.S.E.); (N.C.C.); (E.A.S.)
| | - Alberto Cornet-Gomez
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Campus de Fuentenueva, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (A.C.-G.); (A.O.)
| | | | - Antonio Osuna
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Campus de Fuentenueva, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (A.C.-G.); (A.O.)
| | - Bruno Lomonte
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica;
| | - Elizabeth Abrahams Sandí
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (M.F.S.E.); (N.C.C.); (E.A.S.)
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica
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Güémez A, García E. Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis by Naegleria fowleri: Pathogenesis and Treatments. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11091320. [PMID: 34572533 PMCID: PMC8469197 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba (FLA) that is commonly known as the "brain-eating amoeba." This parasite can invade the central nervous system (CNS), causing an acute and fulminating infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Even though PAM is characterized by low morbidity, it has shown a mortality rate of 98%, usually causing death in less than two weeks after the initial exposure. This review summarizes the most recent information about N. fowleri, its pathogenic molecular mechanisms, and the neuropathological processes implicated. Additionally, this review includes the main therapeutic strategies described in case reports and preclinical studies, including the possible use of immunomodulatory agents to decrease neurological damage.
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Isolation and Identification of Naegleria Species in Irrigation Channels for Recreational Use in Mexicali Valley, Mexico. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9100820. [PMID: 33036396 PMCID: PMC7600940 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9100820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Naegleria are free-living amoebae that are widely distributed in water and soil environments. Moreover, Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic amoeba species that causes a fatal disease in the central nervous system known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. Since most reported infections due to N. fowleri are reported in recreational waters worldwide, this study was aimed to describe the presence of these amoebic genus in Mexicali Valley irrigation channels of recreational use. A total of nine water samples were collected and processed by triplicate, in nine different sites of the Valley. After filtering and culturing the samples, plates were examined, and the observed amoebae were morphologically identified at the genus level. In addition, the pathogenicity of these amoebic isolates was checked, and molecular characterization was performed by PCR/sequencing. The results revealed the presence of Naegleria spp. in all the channels sampled. Finally, molecular identification confirmed the presence of five different species of Naegleria: N. fowleri, N. australiensis, N. gruberi, N. clarki and N. pagei. The presence of these protists, particularly N. fowleri, should be considered as a potential human health risk in the region.
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Identification of Immunogenic Antigens of Naegleria fowleri Adjuvanted by Cholera Toxin. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060460. [PMID: 32531943 PMCID: PMC7350353 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The intranasal administration of Naegleria fowleri lysates plus cholera toxin (CT) increases protection against N. fowleri meningoencephalitis in mice, suggesting that humoral immune response mediated by antibodies is crucial to induce protection against the infection. In the present study, we applied a protein analysis to detect and identify immunogenic antigens from N. fowleri, which might be responsible for such protection. A Western blot assay of N. fowleri polypeptides was performed using the serum and nasal washes from mice immunized with N. fowleri lysates, either alone or with CT after one, two, three, or four weekly immunizations and challenged with trophozoites of N. fowleri. Immunized mice with N. fowleri plus CT, after four doses, had the highest survival rate (100%). Nasal or sera IgA and IgG antibody response was progressively stronger as the number of immunizations was increased, and that response was mainly directed to 250, 100, 70, 50, 37, and 19 kDa polypeptide bands, especially in the third and fourth immunization. Peptides present in these immunogenic bands were matched by nano-LC–ESI-MSMS with different proteins, which could serve as candidates for a vaccine against N. fowleri infection.
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