Genome-Wide Association Study of Cryptosporidiosis in Infants Implicates PRKCA

Cryptosporidium spp. prevalence in the general population in Guinea: first large-scale screening study

Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrheal mortality in children in Africa and Asia. Despite the public health significance of this parasite, its molecular epidemiology and circulation in Guinea remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium in the Guinean general population. To achieve this, fecal samples were collected from 834 individuals, both with and without digestive disorders, at two hospitals in Conakry. The presence of the parasite in the stool samples was detected using nested PCR targeting the SSU rDNA gene, followed by sequencing of the PCR products for genotyping of the isolates. The PCR-based prevalence was 0.12% for the whole cohort, and 0.2% among adults. The low frequency of Cryptosporidium observed in the current study is thus consistent with the prevalence of this parasite already reported in certain other African countries. The species identified in the positive samples was Cryptosporidium hominis. This study is the first to report the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in the general population of Guinea. Given the potential of this parasite to cause life-threatening diarrhea, further studies are needed to clarify the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium in this country.

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Diarrhea Frequency and Duration in the First Year of Life in Bangladeshi Infants

BACKGROUND

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years old worldwide. Known diarrhea risk factors include sanitation, water sources, and pathogens but do not fully explain the heterogeneity in frequency and duration of diarrhea in young children. We evaluated the role of host genetics in diarrhea.

METHODS

Using 3 well-characterized birth cohorts from an impoverished area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, we compared infants with no diarrhea in the first year of life to those with an abundance, measured by either frequency or duration. We performed a genome-wide association analysis for each cohort under an additive model and then meta-analyzed across the studies.

RESULTS

For diarrhea frequency, we identified 2 genome-wide significant loci associated with not having any diarrhea, on chromosome 21 within the noncoding RNA AP000959 (C allele odds ratio [OR] = 0.31, P = 4.01 × 10-8), and on chromosome 8 within SAMD12 (T allele OR = 0.35, P = 4.74 × 10-7). For duration of diarrhea, we identified 2 loci associated with no diarrhea, including the same locus on chromosome 21 (C allele OR = 0.31, P = 1.59 × 10-8) and another locus on chromosome 17 near WSCD1 (C allele OR = 0.35, P = 1.09 × 10-7).

CONCLUSIONS

These loci are in or near genes involved in enteric nervous system development and intestinal inflammation and may be potential targets for diarrhea therapeutics.

Targeting hepatitis B vaccine escape using immunogenetics in Bangladeshi infants

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine escape mutants (VEM) are increasingly described, threatening progress in control of this virus worldwide. Here we studied the relationship between host genetic variation, vaccine immunogenicity and viral sequences implicating VEM emergence. In a cohort of 1,096 Bangladeshi children, we identified human leukocyte antigen (HLA) variants associated with response vaccine antigens. Using an HLA imputation panel with 9,448 south Asian individuals DPB1*04:01 was associated with higher HBV antibody responses (p=4.5×10-30). The underlying mechanism is a result of higher affinity binding of HBV surface antigen epitopes to DPB1*04:01 dimers. This is likely a result of evolutionary pressure at the HBV surface antigen 'a-determinant' segment incurring VEM specific to HBV. Prioritizing pre-S isoform HBV vaccines may tackle the rise of HBV vaccine evasion.

Infectious Disease Sensitivity to Climate and Other Driver-Pressure Changes: Research Effort and Gaps for Lyme Disease and Cryptosporidiosis

Climate sensitivity of infectious diseases is discussed in many studies. A quantitative basis for distinguishing and predicting the disease impacts of climate and other environmental and anthropogenic driver-pressure changes, however, is often lacking. To assess research effort and identify possible key gaps that can guide further research, we here apply a scoping review approach to two widespread infectious diseases: Lyme disease (LD) as a vector-borne and cryptosporidiosis as a water-borne disease. Based on the emerging publication data, we further structure and quantitatively assess the driver-pressure foci and interlinkages considered in the published research so far. This shows important research gaps for the roles of rarely investigated water-related and socioeconomic factors for LD, and land-related factors for cryptosporidiosis. For both diseases, the interactions of host and parasite communities with climate and other driver-pressure factors are understudied, as are also important world regions relative to the disease geographies; in particular, Asia and Africa emerge as main geographic gaps for LD and cryptosporidiosis research, respectively. The scoping approach developed and gaps identified in this study should be useful for further assessment and guidance of research on infectious disease sensitivity to climate and other environmental and anthropogenic changes around the world.

Immunity to Cryptosporidium: Lessons from Acquired and Primary Immunodeficiencies

Cryptosporidium is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite that infects gut epithelial cells and causes self-limited diarrhea in immunocompetent individuals. However, in immunocompromised hosts with global defects in T cell function, this infection can result in chronic, life-threatening disease. In addition, there is a subset of individuals with primary immunodeficiencies associated with increased risk for life-threatening cryptosporidiosis. These patients highlight MHC class II expression, CD40-CD40L interactions, NF-κB signaling, and IL-21 as key host factors required for resistance to this enteric pathogen. Understanding which immune deficiencies do (or do not) lead to increased risk for severe Cryptosporidium may reveal mechanisms of parasite restriction and aid in the identification of novel strategies to manage this common pathogen in immunocompetent and deficient hosts.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Campylobacter-Positive Diarrhea Identifies Genes Involved in Toxin Processing and Inflammatory Response

Diarrhea is responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 children each year, many of whom reside in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). Additionally, children with multiple diarrheal infections early in life have increased growth stunting and malnutrition and decreased vaccine efficacy. Two bacteria that contribute to the burden of diarrhea are Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, both are endemic in Bangladesh. However, not all children that are exposed to these pathogens, including Campylobacter, will experience diarrhea. We hypothesized that host genetics may influence susceptibility to Campylobacter infections and performed a genome-wide association study in 534 children from two independent birth cohorts in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Infants were monitored for diarrhea for the first 2 years of life and only defined as controls if all diarrheal samples in the first year were negative for Campylobacter jejuni/C. coli. Each cohort was analyzed separately under an additive model and adjusted for length-for-age z-scores at birth and 12 months, sex, water treatment, and ancestry. In a fixed effect inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis of these two cohorts, we identified a genome-wide significant region on chromosome 8 in intron 4 of the rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 10 gene (ARHGEF10). Individuals with the G allele (rs13281104) had a 2-fold lower risk of having a Campylobacter-associated diarrheal episode than individuals with the A allele (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.58, P = 3.6 × 10-7). This SNP is associated with decreased expression of the neighboring gene, CLN8, which may be involved in the transport of the cytolethal distending toxin produced by Campylobacter. IMPORTANCE Children in low-to-middle-income countries often suffer from multiple enteric infections in their first few years of life, many of which have the potential for long-lasting effects. These children are already likely to be malnourished and underweight, and chronic intestinal disturbances exacerbate these conditions. Despite public health interventions aimed at improving water, sanitation, and hygiene, enteric infections are still a leading cause of death for children under five. Previous work has included transmission dynamics, pathogen characteristics, and evaluation of interventions. Here, we examined the role of host genetic variation in susceptibility to diarrhea-associated Campylobacter infection. In our meta-analysis of two independent birth cohorts from Dhaka, Bangladesh, we found that children carrying a specific genetic variant (rs13281104, in an intron of ARHGEF10) were half as likely to have a diarrhea-associated Campylobacter infection in their first year of life. This protective effect may be achieved by decreasing gene expression and thereby impacting host-pathogen interactions and host immune response.

Forward Genetics in Apicomplexa Biology: The Host Side of the Story

Forward genetic approaches have been widely used in parasitology and have proven their power to reveal the complexities of host-parasite interactions in an unbiased fashion. Many aspects of the parasite's biology, including the identification of virulence factors, replication determinants, antibiotic resistance genes, and other factors required for parasitic life, have been discovered using such strategies. Forward genetic approaches have also been employed to understand host resistance mechanisms to parasitic infection. Here, we will introduce and review all forward genetic approaches that have been used to identify host factors involved with Apicomplexa infections, which include classical genetic screens and QTL mapping, GWAS, ENU mutagenesis, overexpression, RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 library screens. Collectively, these screens have improved our understanding of host resistance mechanisms, immune regulation, vaccine and drug designs for Apicomplexa parasites. We will also discuss how recent advances in molecular genetics give present opportunities to further explore host-parasite relationships.

Protein Kinase C-α Is a Gatekeeper of Cryptosporidium Sporozoite Adherence and Invasion

Cryptosporidium infection is a leading cause of diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality in young children globally. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human protein kinase C-α (PRKCA) gene region have been associated with susceptibility to cryptosporidiosis. Here, we examined the role of protein kinase C-α (PKCα) activity in human HCT-8 intestinal epithelial cells during infection with Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites. To delineate the role of PKCα in infection, we developed a fluorescence-based imaging assay to differentiate adherent from intracellular parasites. We tested pharmacological agonists and antagonists of PKCα and measured the effect on C. parvum sporozoite adherence to and invasion of HCT-8 cells. We demonstrate that both PKCα agonists and antagonists significantly alter parasite adherence and invasion in vitro. We found that HCT-8 cell PKCα is activated by C. parvum infection. Our findings suggest intestinal epithelial cell PKCα as a potential host-directed therapeutic target for cryptosporidiosis and implicate PKCα activity as a mediator of parasite adherence and invasion.

Parasite protein pirates host cytoskeletal modulator during invasion

Host cytoskeletal rearrangements are an essential yet poorly understood component of Cryptosporidium invasion. Guérin et al. demonstrate that actin rearrangements occur immediately during adherence and capture a unique mechanism of invasion using live-cell imaging. The authors identify a parasite-secreted effector, ROP1, recruited by a host protein, LMO7, involved in pathogenesis.

Host Genome-Wide Association Study of Infant Susceptibility to Shigella-Associated Diarrhea

Shigella is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhea globally and the causative agent of shigellosis and bacillary dysentery. Associated with 80 to 165 million cases of diarrhea and >13% of diarrheal deaths, in many regions, Shigella exposure is ubiquitous while infection is heterogenous. To characterize host-genetic susceptibility to Shigella-associated diarrhea, we performed two independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) including Bangladeshi infants from the PROVIDE and CBC birth cohorts in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Cases were infants with Shigella-associated diarrhea (n = 143) and controls were infants with no Shigella-associated diarrhea in the first 13 months of life (n = 446). Shigella-associated diarrhea was identified via quantitative PCR (qPCR) threshold cycle (C_T ) distributions for the ipaH gene, carried by all four Shigella species and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli Host GWAS were performed under an additive genetic model. A joint analysis identified protective loci on chromosomes 11 (rs582240, within the KRT18P59 pseudogene; P = 6.40 × 10^-8; odds ratio [OR], 0.43) and 8 (rs12550437, within the lincRNA RP11-115J16.1; P = 1.49 × 10^-7; OR, 0.48). Conditional analyses identified two previously suggestive loci, a protective locus on chromosome 7 (rs10266841, within the 3' untranslated region [UTR] of CYTH3; P _conditional = 1.48 × 10^-7; OR, 0.44) and a risk-associated locus on chromosome 10 (rs2801847, an intronic variant within MPP7; P _conditional = 8.37 × 10^-8; OR, 5.51). These loci have all been indirectly linked to bacterial type 3 secretion system (T3SS) activity, its components, and bacterial effectors delivered into host cells. Host genetic factors that may affect bacterial T3SS activity and are associated with the host response to Shigella-associated diarrhea may provide insight into vaccine and drug development efforts for Shigella-associated diarrheal disease.

HLA class I and II associations with common enteric pathogens in the first year of life

BACKGROUND

genetic susceptibility to infection is mediated by numerous host factors, including the highly diverse, classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, which are critical genetic determinants of immunity. We systematically evaluated the effect of HLA alleles and haplotypes on susceptibility to 12 common enteric infections in children during the first year of life in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

METHODS

a birth cohort of 601 Bangladeshi infants was prospectively monitored for diarrhoeal disease. Each diarrhoeal stool sample was analyzed for enteric pathogens by multiplex TaqMan Array Card (TAC). High resolution genotyping of HLA class I (A and B) and II (DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1) genes was performed by next-generation sequencing. We compared the frequency of HLA alleles and haplotypes between infected and uninfected children.

FINDINGS

we identified six individual allele associations and one five-locus haplotype association. One allele was associated with protection: A*24:02 - EAEC. Five alleles were associated with increased risk: A*24:17 - typical EPEC, B*15:01 - astrovirus, B*38:02 - astrovirus, B*38:02 - Cryptosporidium and DQA1*01:01 - Cryptosporidium. A single five-locus haplotype was associated with protection: A*11:01~B*15:02~DRB1*12:02~DQA1*06:01~DQB1*03:01- adenovirus 40/41.

INTERPRETATION

our findings suggest a role for HLA in susceptibility to early enteric infection for five pathogens. Understanding the genetic contribution of HLA in susceptibility has important implications in vaccine design and understanding regional differences in incidence of enteric infection.

FUNDING

this research was supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Molecular Epidemiology of Human Cryptosporidiosis in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Cryptosporidiosis is one of the most important causes of moderate to severe diarrhea and diarrhea-related mortality in children under 2 years of age in low- and middle-income countries. In recent decades, genotyping and subtyping tools have been used in epidemiological studies of human cryptosporidiosis. Results of these studies suggest that higher genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. is present in humans in these countries at both species and subtype levels and that anthroponotic transmission plays a major role in human cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium hominis is the most common Cryptosporidium species in humans in almost all the low- and middle-income countries examined, with five subtype families (namely, Ia, Ib, Id, Ie, and If) being commonly found in most regions. In addition, most Cryptosporidium parvum infections in these areas are caused by the anthroponotic IIc subtype family rather than the zoonotic IIa subtype family. There is geographic segregation in Cryptosporidium hominis subtypes, as revealed by multilocus subtyping. Concurrent and sequential infections with different Cryptosporidium species and subtypes are common, as immunity against reinfection and cross protection against different Cryptosporidium species are partial. Differences in clinical presentations have been observed among Cryptosporidium species and C. hominis subtypes. These observations suggest that WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene)-based interventions should be implemented to prevent and control human cryptosporidiosis in low- and middle-income countries.

Association of PRKCA expression and polymorphisms with layer duck eggshell quality

1. Eggshell quality is important for the poultry industry. Calcium is deposited during eggshell formation, and protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA) is involved in transmembrane transport of calcium ions in cells. However, the biological function of PRKCA in poultry is still not understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the association of mRNA expression and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the PRKCA gene with eggshell quality in laying ducks. 2. The mRNA expression and SNPs of the PRKCA gene were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and sequencing of PCR products in 45-week-old female Sansui ducks, which is a high production layer duck breed in China. The association of mRNA expression and SNPs in the PRKCA gene with layer duck eggshell traits was analysed using SPSS (v18.0) software. 3. The results demonstrated that PRKCA mRNA was widely expressed in all examined tissues, and expression was highest in kidney and lowest in the gizzard. Furthermore, the PRKCA mRNA level in uterus was significantly positively correlated with eggshell strength and eggshell weight (P < 0.05). Three novel SNPs, the synonymous mutations of g.9571770 T > C in exon 5, g.9583222 C > T and g.9583227 G > A in exon 7, were found in the PRKCA gene, giving four haplotypes and 10 diplotypes, which affected the mRNA secondary structure and free energy. The g.9583222 C > T and g.9583227 G > A mutations were significantly associated with eggshell strength (P < 0.05). Diplotype H1H1 was advantageous for increasing the strength and thickness of an eggshell. 4. In conclusion, the study showed that the mRNA transcription and genetic variation in the PRKCA gene could significantly affect the strength of duck eggshell and that the PRKCA gene is an important candidate gene for improving eggshell quality in poultry.

Cryptosporidium Infections in Africa-How Important Is Zoonotic Transmission? A Review of the Evidence

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa, is the etiological agent of cryptosporidiosis, an intestinal infection characterized by profuse watery diarrhea. Over 30 species of Cryptosporidium are recognized, some host specific whereas others infect a broader host range. Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum are the species most commonly associated with human infection; C. hominis is largely associated only with human infections, but C. parvum is also associated with infection in animals, especially young ruminants. In some regions, cryptosporidiosis is a serious veterinary problem, particularly for calves, and lambs. Many outbreaks of human cryptosporidiosis have been associated with zoonotic transmission following contact with infected animals. In Africa, where cryptosporidiosis is a major contributor to pediatric morbidity and mortality, evidence suggests transmission is principally anthroponotic. Given the frequent close contact between humans and animals in Africa, the apparent predominance of human-to-human transmission is both interesting and puzzling. In this article, after a brief "text book" introduction to the parasite, we consider in separate sections the different aspects of relevance to Cryptosporidium transmission in African countries, describing different aspects of the various species and subtypes in human and animal infections, considering livestock management practices in different African countries, and looking for any characteristic "hot spots" where zoonotic transmission has apparently occurred. Studies where transmission networks have been investigated are particularly relevant. Finally, in a separate section, we try to gather these different strands of evidence together in order to assess the reasons behind the apparent predominance of anthroponotic transmission in Africa. Reviewing the available evidence provides an opportunity to re-think transmission pathways, not only in Africa but also elsewhere, and also to pose questions. Does the predominance of human-to-human transmission in Africa reflect a relative absence of zoonotic C. parvum in African livestock? Are Africans less susceptible to zoonotic Cryptosporidium infection, perhaps resulting from early immunostimulation by C. hominis or due to inherent genetic traits? Is the African environment-in all its variety-simply more detrimental to oocyst survival? Will the so-called hypertransmissible subtypes, currently relatively rare in Africa, be introduced from Europe or elsewhere, and, if so, will they fade out or establish and spread? Our intention with this manuscript is not only to summarize and consolidate diverse data, thereby providing an overview of data gaps, but also to provide food for thought regarding transmission of a parasite that continues to have a considerable impact on both human and animal health.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Cryptosporidiosis in Infants Implicates PRKCA

Diarrhea is a major cause of both morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially among young children. Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of diarrhea in children, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where it is responsible for over 200,000 deaths per year. Beyond the initial clinical presentation of diarrhea, it is associated with long-term sequelae such as malnutrition and neurocognitive developmental deficits. Risk factors include poverty and overcrowding, and yet not all children with these risk factors and exposure are infected, nor do all infected children develop symptomatic disease. One potential risk factor to explain these differences is their human genome. To identify genetic variants associated with symptomatic cryptosporidiosis, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) examining 6.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 873 children from three independent cohorts in Dhaka, Bangladesh, namely, the Dhaka Birth Cohort (DBC), the Performance of Rotavirus and Oral Polio Vaccines in Developing Countries (PROVIDE) study, and the Cryptosporidiosis Birth Cohort (CBC). Associations were estimated separately for each cohort under an additive model, adjusting for length-for-age Z-score at 12 months of age, the first two principal components to account for population substructure, and genotyping batch. The strongest meta-analytic association was with rs58296998 (P = 3.73 × 10-8), an intronic SNP and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) of protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA). Each additional risk allele conferred 2.4 times the odds of Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in the first year of life. This genetic association suggests a role for protein kinase C alpha in pediatric cryptosporidiosis and warrants further investigation.IMPORTANCE Globally, diarrhea remains one of the major causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality. The initial symptoms of diarrhea can often lead to long-term consequences for the health of young children, such as malnutrition and neurocognitive developmental deficits. Despite many children having similar exposures to infectious causes of diarrhea, not all develop symptomatic disease, indicating a possible role for human genetic variation. Here, we conducted a genetic study of susceptibility to symptomatic disease associated with Cryptosporidium infection (a leading cause of diarrhea) in three independent cohorts of infants from Dhaka, Bangladesh. We identified a genetic variant within protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA) associated with higher risk of cryptosporidiosis in the first year of life. These results indicate a role for human genetics in susceptibility to cryptosporidiosis and warrant further research to elucidate the mechanism.