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Belhimeur S, Briquet S, Peronet R, Pham J, Commere PH, Formaglio P, Amino R, Scherf A, Silvie O, Mecheri S. Plasmodium-encoded murine IL-6 impairs liver stage infection and elicits long-lasting sterilizing immunity. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1143012. [PMID: 37143657 PMCID: PMC10152192 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1143012] [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: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Plasmodium sporozoites (SPZ) inoculated by Anopheles mosquitoes into the skin of the mammalian host migrate to the liver before infecting hepatocytes. Previous work demonstrated that early production of IL-6 in the liver is detrimental for the parasite growth, contributing to the acquisition of a long-lasting immune protection after immunization with live attenuated parasites. Methods Considering that IL-6 as a critical pro-inflammatory signal, we explored a novel approach whereby the parasite itself encodes for the murine IL-6 gene. We generated transgenic P. berghei parasites that express murine IL-6 during liver stage development. Results and Discussion Though IL-6 transgenic SPZ developed into exo-erythrocytic forms in hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo, these parasites were not capable of inducing a blood stage infection in mice. Furthermore, immunization of mice with transgenic IL-6-expressing P. berghei SPZ elicited a long-lasting CD8+ T cell-mediated protective immunity against a subsequent infectious SPZ challenge. Collectively, this study demonstrates that parasite-encoded IL-6 attenuates parasite virulence with abortive liver stage of Plasmodium infection, forming the basis of a novel suicide vaccine strategy to elicit protective antimalarial immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Belhimeur
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS ERL9195 and Inserm U1201, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte Parasites, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Briquet
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1135, CNRS ERL 8255, Paris, France
| | - Roger Peronet
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS ERL9195 and Inserm U1201, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte Parasites, Paris, France
| | - Jennifer Pham
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Centre d’élevage et de production des anophèles (CEPIA), Paris, France
| | | | - Pauline Formaglio
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS ERL9195 and Inserm U1201, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte Parasites, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Silvie
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1135, CNRS ERL 8255, Paris, France
| | - Salaheddine Mecheri
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS ERL9195 and Inserm U1201, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte Parasites, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Salaheddine Mecheri,
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Thawnashom K, Kaneko M, Xangsayarath P, Chaiyawong N, Yahata K, Asada M, Adams JH, Kaneko O. Validation of Plasmodium vivax centromere and promoter activities using Plasmodium yoelii. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226884. [PMID: 31860644 PMCID: PMC6924662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the leading cause of malaria outside Africa and represents a significant health and economic burden on affected countries. A major obstacle for P. vivax eradication is the dormant hypnozoite liver stage that causes relapse infections and the limited antimalarial drugs that clear this stage. Advances in studying the hypnozoite and other unique biological aspects of this parasite are hampered by the lack of a continuous in vitro laboratory culture system and poor availability of molecular tools for genetic manipulation. In this study, we aim to develop molecular tools that can be used for genetic manipulation of P. vivax. A putative P. vivax centromere sequence (PvCEN) was cloned and episomal centromere based plasmids expressing a GFP marker were constructed. Centromere activity was evaluated using a rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii. A plasmid carrying PvCEN was stably maintained in asexual-stage parasites in the absence of drug pressure, and approximately 45% of the parasites retained the plasmid four weeks later. The same retention rate was observed in parasites possessing a native P. yoelii centromere (PyCEN)-based control plasmid. The segregation efficiency of the plasmid per nuclear division was > 99% in PvCEN parasites, compared to ~90% in a control parasite harboring a plasmid without a centromere. In addition, we observed a clear GFP signal in both oocysts and salivary gland sporozoites isolated from mosquitoes. In blood-stage parasites after liver stage development, GFP positivity in PvCEN parasites was comparable to control PyCEN parasites. Thus, PvCEN plasmids were maintained throughout the parasite life cycle. We also validated several P. vivax promoter activities and showed that hsp70 promoter (~1 kb) was active throughout the parasite life cycle. This is the first data for the functional characterization of a P. vivax centromere that can be used in future P. vivax biological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittisak Thawnashom
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Mueang, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Miho Kaneko
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Phonepadith Xangsayarath
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Nattawat Chaiyawong
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kazuhide Yahata
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Masahito Asada
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - John H. Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Osamu Kaneko
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Tedla MG, Every AL, Scheerlinck JPY. Investigating immune responses to parasites using transgenesis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:303. [PMID: 31202271 PMCID: PMC6570953 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3550-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites comprise diverse and complex organisms, which substantially impact human and animal health. Most parasites have complex life-cycles, and by virtue of co-evolution have developed multifaceted, often life-cycle stage-specific relationships with the immune system of their hosts. The complexity in the biology of many parasites often limits our knowledge of parasite-specific immune responses, to in vitro studies only. The relatively recent development of methods to stably manipulate the genetic make-up of many parasites has allowed a better understanding of host-parasite interactions, particularly in vivo. In this regard, the use of transgenic parasites can facilitate the study of immunomodulatory mechanisms under in vivo conditions. Therefore, in this review, we specifically highlighted the current developments in the use of transgenic parasites to unravel the host's immune response to different life-cycle stages of some key parasite species such as Leishmania, Schistosoma, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium and Trypanosome and to some degree, the use of transgenic nematode parasites is also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mebrahtu G. Tedla
- Centre for Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Alison L. Every
- Centre for Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
- Present Address: College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086 Australia
| | - Jean-Pierre Y. Scheerlinck
- Centre for Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
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Abstract
The primate malaria Plasmodium knowlesi has a long-standing history as an experimental malaria model. Studies using this model parasite in combination with its various natural and experimental non-human primate hosts have led to important advances in vaccine development and in our understanding of malaria invasion, immunology and parasite-host interactions. The adaptation to long-term in vitro continuous blood stage culture in rhesus monkey, Macaca fascicularis and human red blood cells, as well as the development of various transfection methodologies has resulted in a highly versatile experimental malaria model, further increasing the potential of what was already a very powerful model. The growing evidence that P. knowlesi is an important human zoonosis in South-East Asia has added relevance to former and future studies of this parasite species.
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Transgenic Plasmodium knowlesi: relieving a bottleneck in malaria research? Trends Parasitol 2009; 25:370-4. [PMID: 19635679 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2009.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2009] [Revised: 05/14/2009] [Accepted: 05/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium knowlesi is a primate malaria parasite that is phylogenetically close to the major human parasite Plasmodium vivax. P. knowlesi causes life-threatening disease in humans, infects a wide range of non-human primates and is one of few malaria parasites amenable to cyclical in vitro propagation. A robust in vivo and in vitro genetic manipulation system has been developed for this parasite, enabling in vitro-in vivo shuttling of transgenes, which (together with recent characterization of its genome and that of its macaque experimental host) offers unique opportunities to gain insight in molecular function and parasite-host interactions.
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Singh B, Kim Sung L, Matusop A, Radhakrishnan A, Shamsul SSG, Cox-Singh J, Thomas A, Conway DJ. A large focus of naturally acquired Plasmodium knowlesi infections in human beings. Lancet 2004; 363:1017-24. [PMID: 15051281 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(04)15836-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 673] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND About a fifth of malaria cases in 1999 for the Kapit division of Malaysian Borneo had routinely been identified by microscopy as Plasmodium malariae, although these infections appeared atypical and a nested PCR assay failed to identify P malariae DNA. We aimed to investigate whether such infections could be attributable to a variant form of P malariae or a newly emergent Plasmodium species. METHODS We took blood samples from 208 people with malaria in the Kapit division between March, 2000, and November, 2002. The small subunit ribosomal RNA and the circumsporozoite protein genes were sequenced for eight isolates that had been microscopically identified as P malariae. All blood samples were characterised with a genus-specific and species-specific nested PCR assay together with newly designed P knowlesi-specific primers. FINDINGS All DNA sequences were phylogenetically indistinguishable from those of P knowlesi, a malaria parasite of long-tailed macaque monkeys, but were significantly different from other malaria parasite species. By PCR assay, 120 (58%) of 208 people with malaria tested positive for P knowlesi, whereas none was positive for P malariae. P knowlesi parasites in human erythrocytes were difficult to distinguish from P malariae by microscopy. Most of the P knowlesi infections were in adults and we did not note any clustering of cases within communities. P knowlesi infections were successfully treated with chloroquine and primaquine. INTERPRETATION Naturally acquired P knowlesi infections, misdiagnosed by microscopy mainly as P malariae, accounted for over half of all malaria cases in our study. Morphological similarities between P knowlesi and P malariae necessitate the use of molecular methods for correct identification. Further work is needed to determine whether human P knowlesi infections in the Kapit division are acquired from macaque monkeys or whether a host switch to human beings has occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balbir Singh
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
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