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Dias BKM, Mohanty A, Garcia CRS. Melatonin as a Circadian Marker for Plasmodium Rhythms. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7815. [PMID: 39063057 PMCID: PMC11277106 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147815] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium, a digenetic parasite, requires a host and a vector for its life cycle completion. Most Plasmodium species display circadian rhythmicity during their intraerythrocytic cycle within the host, aiding in immune evasion. This rhythmicity, however, diminishes in in vitro cultures, highlighting the importance of host-derived signals for synchronizing the parasite's asexual cycle. Studies indicate a species-specific internal clock in Plasmodium, dependent on these host signals. Melatonin, a hormone the pineal gland produces under circadian regulation, impacts various physiological functions and is extensively reviewed as the primary circadian marker affecting parasite rhythms. Research suggests that melatonin facilitates synchronization through the PLC-IP3 signaling pathway, activating phospholipase C, which triggers intracellular calcium release and gene expression modulation. This evidence strongly supports the role of melatonin as a key circadian marker for parasite synchronization, presenting new possibilities for targeting the melatonin pathway when developing novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Célia R. S. Garcia
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-000, SP, Brazil; (B.K.M.D.); (A.M.)
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Rahmah Z, Nirmala KC, Nashichuddin A, Riskiyana R, Milliana A, Indriana N, Astari LF, Ayudianti P, Kholil M. Effect of neem leaf extract ( Azadirachta indica) in reducing the degree of parasitemia and apoptosis in C57BL mice with cerebral malaria. Vet World 2024; 17:1497-1503. [PMID: 39185035 PMCID: PMC11344125 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.1497-1503] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Brain malaria, which results from Plasmodium falciparum infection, is responsible for substantial fatalities and health issues. These processes, including cytoadherence, rosetting, and sequestration, induce an immune response, hypoxia, brain microvascular obstruction, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and cell death. Parasitemia level can reveal the presence of infection and its association with apoptosis-related genes. Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves with antimalarial properties could replace ineffective Indonesian malaria medications. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of neem leaf extract on cerebral malaria-induced parasitemia and neuron cell apoptosis in mice through an in vivo approach. Materials and Methods 13-16 weeks old C57BL mice received infection by Plasmodium berghei strain ANKA. Parasitemia was estimated daily from the mice's tail blood. 8 mg, 12 mg, and 16 mg of a 96% ethanolic neem leaf extract were orally given for 6 days. Healthy, positive, and negative controls were included for treatment comparisons. On the 7th day, brain tissue was analyzed for (p > 0.05) gene expression. Through immunohistochemistry, both cell apoptosis in neurons expressing caspase-3 within a brain sample and the degree of parasitemia in a blood smear were assessed. The Pearson correlation test and one-way analysis of variance were employed to analyze the data. Results Neem leaf extract reduces parasitemia and neuron cell apoptosis at multiple dosages (p < 0.000). Apoptosis in brain neurons and parasitemia show a strong positive correlation (r = +0.939). Neem leaf extract at doses of 12 and 16 mg was the most effective in reducing parasitemia levels and causing cell death. Conclusions Neem leaf therapy significantly reduced the degree of parasitemia and cell apoptosis in C57BL mice compared with the control group without treatment (p = 0.05). This shows that neem leaves have the potential to be a candidate drug for malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zainabur Rahmah
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Kautsar Citra Nirmala
- Medicine Study Program, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Ach Nashichuddin
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Riskiyana Riskiyana
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Alvi Milliana
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Nurfianti Indriana
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Lina Fitria Astari
- Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Prida Ayudianti
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, and Health Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia
| | - Munawar Kholil
- Department of Agriculture Product Technology, Politeknik Negeri Ketapang, Ketapang, Indonesia
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Holland JG, Prior KF, O'Donnell AJ, Reece SE. Testing the evolutionary drivers of malaria parasite rhythms and their consequences for host-parasite interactions. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13752. [PMID: 39006006 PMCID: PMC11246599 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Undertaking certain activities at the time of day that maximises fitness is assumed to explain the evolution of circadian clocks. Organisms often use daily environmental cues such as light and food availability to set the timing of their clocks. These cues may be the environmental rhythms that ultimately determine fitness, act as proxies for the timing of less tractable ultimate drivers, or are used simply to maintain internal synchrony. While many pathogens/parasites undertake rhythmic activities, both the proximate and ultimate drivers of their rhythms are poorly understood. Explaining the roles of rhythms in infections offers avenues for novel interventions to interfere with parasite fitness and reduce the severity and spread of disease. Here, we perturb several rhythms in the hosts of malaria parasites to investigate why parasites align their rhythmic replication to the host's feeding-fasting rhythm. We manipulated host rhythms governed by light, food or both, and assessed the fitness implications for parasites, and the consequences for hosts, to test which host rhythms represent ultimate drivers of the parasite's rhythm. We found that alignment with the host's light-driven rhythms did not affect parasite fitness metrics. In contrast, aligning with the timing of feeding-fasting rhythms may be beneficial for the parasite, but only when the host possess a functional canonical circadian clock. Because parasites in clock-disrupted hosts align with the host's feeding-fasting rhythms and yet derive no apparent benefit, our results suggest cue(s) from host food act as a proxy rather than being a key selective driver of the parasite's rhythm. Alternatively, parasite rhythmicity may only be beneficial because it promotes synchrony between parasite cells and/or allows parasites to align to the biting rhythms of vectors. Our results also suggest that interventions can disrupt parasite rhythms by targeting the proxies or the selective factors driving them without impacting host health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob G. Holland
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | | | - Sarah E. Reece
- Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Institute of Immunology and Infection ResearchUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
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Carvalho Cabral P, Weinerman J, Olivier M, Cermakian N. Time of day and circadian disruption influence host response and parasite growth in a mouse model of cerebral malaria. iScience 2024; 27:109684. [PMID: 38680656 PMCID: PMC11053314 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109684] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a disease caused by infection with parasite Plasmodium spp. We studied the circadian regulation of host responses to the parasite, in a mouse model of cerebral malaria. The course of the disease was markedly affected by time of infection, with decreased parasitemia and increased inflammation upon infection in the middle of the night. At this time, there were fewer reticulocytes, which are target cells of the parasites. We next investigated the effects of desynchronization of host clocks on the infection: after 10 weeks of recurrent jet lags, mice showed decreased parasite growth and lack of parasite load rhythmicity, paralleled by a loss of glucose rhythm. Accordingly, disrupting host metabolic rhythms impacted parasite load rhythmicity. In summary, our findings of a circadian modulation of malaria parasite growth and infection shed light on aspects of the disease relevant to human malaria and could contribute to new therapeutic or prophylactic measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Carvalho Cabral
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Joelle Weinerman
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Martin Olivier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Nicolas Cermakian
- Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
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Borrmann H, Rijo-Ferreira F. Crosstalk between circadian clocks and pathogen niche. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012157. [PMID: 38723104 PMCID: PMC11081299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are intrinsic 24-hour oscillations found in nearly all life forms. They orchestrate key physiological and behavioral processes, allowing anticipation and response to daily environmental changes. These rhythms manifest across entire organisms, in various organs, and through intricate molecular feedback loops that govern cellular oscillations. Recent studies describe circadian regulation of pathogens, including parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi, some of which have their own circadian rhythms while others are influenced by the rhythmic environment of hosts. Pathogens target specific tissues and organs within the host to optimize their replication. Diverse cellular compositions and the interplay among various cell types create unique microenvironments in different tissues, and distinctive organs have unique circadian biology. Hence, residing pathogens are exposed to cyclic conditions, which can profoundly impact host-pathogen interactions. This review explores the influence of circadian rhythms and mammalian tissue-specific interactions on the dynamics of pathogen-host relationships. Overall, this demonstrates the intricate interplay between the body's internal timekeeping system and its susceptibility to pathogens, which has implications for the future of infectious disease research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Borrmann
- Berkeley Public Health, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Filipa Rijo-Ferreira
- Berkeley Public Health, Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Motta FC, McGoff K, Moseley RC, Cho CY, Kelliher CM, Smith LM, Ortiz MS, Leman AR, Campione SA, Devos N, Chaorattanakawee S, Uthaimongkol N, Kuntawunginn W, Thongpiam C, Thamnurak C, Arsanok M, Wojnarski M, Vanchayangkul P, Boonyalai N, Smith PL, Spring MD, Jongsakul K, Chuang I, Harer J, Haase SB. The parasite intraerythrocytic cycle and human circadian cycle are coupled during malaria infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2216522120. [PMID: 37279274 PMCID: PMC10268210 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2216522120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
During infections with the malaria parasites Plasmodium vivax, patients exhibit rhythmic fevers every 48 h. These fever cycles correspond with the time the parasites take to traverse the intraerythrocytic cycle (IEC). In other Plasmodium species that infect either humans or mice, the IEC is likely guided by a parasite-intrinsic clock [Rijo-Ferreiraet al., Science 368, 746-753 (2020); Smith et al., Science 368, 754-759 (2020)], suggesting that intrinsic clock mechanisms may be a fundamental feature of malaria parasites. Moreover, because Plasmodium cycle times are multiples of 24 h, the IECs may be coordinated with the host circadian clock(s). Such coordination could explain the synchronization of the parasite population in the host and enable alignment of IEC and circadian cycle phases. We utilized an ex vivo culture of whole blood from patients infected with P. vivax to examine the dynamics of the host circadian transcriptome and the parasite IEC transcriptome. Transcriptome dynamics revealed that the phases of the host circadian cycle and the parasite IEC are correlated across multiple patients, showing that the cycles are phase coupled. In mouse model systems, host-parasite cycle coupling appears to provide a selective advantage for the parasite. Thus, understanding how host and parasite cycles are coupled in humans could enable antimalarial therapies that disrupt this coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis C. Motta
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL33431
| | - Kevin McGoff
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC28223
| | | | - Chun-Yi Cho
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Christina M. Kelliher
- Department of Molecular & Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH03755
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Suwanna Chaorattanakawee
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | | | | | - Chadin Thongpiam
- US-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | | | - Montri Arsanok
- US-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | | | | | - Nonlawat Boonyalai
- US-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | - Philip L. Smith
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Bethesda, MD20817
| | - Michele D. Spring
- US-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | - Krisada Jongsakul
- US-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | - Ilin Chuang
- US Naval Medical Research Center-Asia in Singapore, Assigned to Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok10400, Thailand
| | - John Harer
- Geometric Data Analytics, Durham, NC27701
| | - Steven B. Haase
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Medicine Duke University, Durham, NC27710
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Labeed FH, Beale AD, Schneider P, Kitcatt SJ, Kruchek EJ, Reece SE. Circadian rhythmicity in murine blood: Electrical effects of malaria infection and anemia. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:994487. [PMID: 36440448 PMCID: PMC9686327 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.994487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are biological adaptations to the day-night cycle, whereby cells adapt to changes in the external environment or internal physiology according to the time of day. Whilst many cellular clock mechanisms involve gene expression feedback mechanisms, clocks operate even where gene expression is absent. For example, red blood cells (RBCs) do not have capacity for gene expression, and instead possess an electrophysiological oscillator where cytosolic potassium plays a key role in timekeeping. We examined murine blood under normal conditions as well as in two perturbed states, malaria infection and induced anemia, to assess changes in baseline cellular electrophysiology and its implications for the electrophysiological oscillator. Blood samples were analyzed at 4-h intervals over 2 days by dielectrophoresis, and microscopic determination of parasitemia. We found that cytoplasmic conductivity (indicating the concentration of free ions in the cytoplasm and related to the membrane potential) exhibited circadian rhythmic behavior in all three cases (control, malaria and anemia). Compared to control samples, cytoplasm conductivity was decreased in the anemia group, whilst malaria-infected samples were in antiphase to control. Furthermore, we identified rhythmic behavior in membrane capacitance of malaria infected cells that was not replicated in the other samples. Finally, we reveal the historically famous rhythmicity of malaria parasite replication is in phase with cytoplasm conductivity. Our findings suggest the electrophysiological oscillator can impact on malaria parasite replication and/or is vulnerable to perturbation by rhythmic parasite activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima H. Labeed
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Fatima H. Labeed,
| | - Andrew D. Beale
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Petra Schneider
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J. Kitcatt
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J. Kruchek
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E. Reece
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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