1
|
Horcajo P, Ortega-Mora LM, Benavides J, Sánchez-Sánchez R, Amieva R, Collantes-Fernández E, Pastor-Fernández I. Ovine placental explants: A new ex vivo model to study host‒pathogen interactions in reproductive pathogens. Theriogenology 2023; 212:157-171. [PMID: 37729817 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.09.009] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive failure is one of the main performance constraints in ruminant livestock. Transmissible agents such as Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are commonly involved in the occurrence of abortion in ruminants, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. While in vivo models are optimal for the study of abortion pathogenesis, they have a high economic cost and come with ethical concerns. Unfortunately, alternative in vitro models fail to replicate the complex in vivo placental structure. To overcome the limitations of currently available models, we developed an ex vivo model based on the cultivation of fresh and cryopreserved sheep placental explants, enabling the biobanking of tissues. Reproducible and simple markers of tissue integrity (histology, RNA concentrations), viability (resazurin reduction), and functionality (synthesis of steroid hormones) were also investigated, allowing a clear quality assessment of the model. This work shows that, similar to fresh explants, tissues cryopreserved in ethylene glycol using slow freezing rates maintain not only their structure and function but also their receptivity to T. gondii and N. caninum infection. In addition, the findings demonstrate that explant lifespan is mainly limited by the culture method, with protocols requiring improvements to extend it beyond 2 days. These findings suggest that cryopreserved tissues can be exploited to study the initial host‒pathogen interactions taking place in the placenta, thus deepening the knowledge of the specific mechanisms that trigger reproductive failure in sheep. Importantly, this work paves the way for the development of similar models in related species and contributes to the reduction of experimental animal use in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Julio Benavides
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Grulleros, León, 24346, Spain.
| | - Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Rafael Amieva
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Esther Collantes-Fernández
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Iván Pastor-Fernández
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Augendre L, Costa D, Escotte-Binet S, Aubert D, Villena I, Dumètre A, La Carbona S. Surrogates of foodborne and waterborne protozoan parasites: A review. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2023; 33:e00212. [PMID: 38028241 PMCID: PMC10661733 DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2023.e00212] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayetanensis, and Toxoplasma gondii are major causes of waterborne and foodborne diseases worldwide. The assessment of their removal or inactivation during water treatment and food processing remains challenging, partly because research on these parasites is hindered by various economical, ethical, methodological, and biological constraints. To address public health concerns and gain new knowledge, researchers are increasingly seeking alternatives to the use of such pathogenic parasites. Over the past few decades, several non-pathogenic microorganisms and manufactured microparticles have been evaluated as potential surrogates of waterborne and foodborne protozoan parasites. Here, we review the surrogates that have been reported for C. parvum, C. cayetanensis, and T. gondii oocysts, and discuss their use and relevance to assess the transport, removal, and inactivation of these parasites in food and water matrices. Biological surrogates including non-human pathogenic Eimeria parasites, microorganisms found in water sources (anaerobic and aerobic spore-forming bacteria, algae), and non-biological surrogates (i.e. manufactured microparticles) have been identified. We emphasize that such surrogates have to be carefully selected and implemented depending on the parasite and the targeted application. Eimeria oocysts appear as promising surrogates to investigate in the future the pathogenic coccidian parasites C. cayetanensis and T. gondii that are the most challenging to work with.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laure Augendre
- EA 7510 ESCAPE Epidemiosurveillance and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment, University of Reims Champagne Ardennes, Faculty of Medicine, SFR Cap Santé Fed 4231, 51 Rue Cognacq Jay, 51096 Reims Cedex, France
- ACTALIA Food Safety, 310 Rue Popielujko, 50000, Saint-Lô, France
| | - Damien Costa
- EA 7510 ESCAPE Epidemiosurveillance and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment, University of Rouen Normandie, University Hospital of Rouen, 22 Boulevard Gambetta, 76183 Rouen Cedex, France
| | - Sandie Escotte-Binet
- EA 7510 ESCAPE Epidemiosurveillance and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment, University of Reims Champagne Ardennes, Faculty of Medicine, SFR Cap Santé Fed 4231, 51 Rue Cognacq Jay, 51096 Reims Cedex, France
| | - Dominique Aubert
- EA 7510 ESCAPE Epidemiosurveillance and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment, University of Reims Champagne Ardennes, Faculty of Medicine, SFR Cap Santé Fed 4231, 51 Rue Cognacq Jay, 51096 Reims Cedex, France
| | - Isabelle Villena
- EA 7510 ESCAPE Epidemiosurveillance and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment, University of Reims Champagne Ardennes, Faculty of Medicine, SFR Cap Santé Fed 4231, 51 Rue Cognacq Jay, 51096 Reims Cedex, France
| | - Aurélien Dumètre
- Aix-Marseille University, IRD, AP-HM, IHU Méditerranée Infection, UMR Vectors - Tropical and Mediterranean Infections, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sena F, Cancela S, Bollati-Fogolín M, Pagotto R, Francia ME. Exploring Toxoplasma gondii´s Biology within the Intestinal Epithelium: intestinal-derived models to unravel sexual differentiation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1134471. [PMID: 37313339 PMCID: PMC10258352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1134471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of intestinal-derived culture systems have been developed to mimic in vivo cell behavior and organization, incorporating different tissue and microenvironmental elements. Great insight into the biology of the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, has been attained by using diverse in vitro cellular models. Nonetheless, there are still processes key to its transmission and persistence which remain to be elucidated, such as the mechanisms underlying its systemic dissemination and sexual differentiation both of which occur at the intestinal level. Because this event occurs in a complex and specific cellular environment (the intestine upon ingestion of infective forms, and the feline intestine, respectively), traditional reductionist in vitro cellular models fail to recreate conditions resembling in vivo physiology. The development of new biomaterials and the advances in cell culture knowledge have opened the door to a next generation of more physiologically relevant cellular models. Among them, organoids have become a valuable tool for unmasking the underlying mechanism involved in T. gondii sexual differentiation. Murine-derived intestinal organoids mimicking the biochemistry of the feline intestine have allowed the generation of pre-sexual and sexual stages of T. gondii for the first time in vitro, opening a window of opportunity to tackling these stages by "felinizing" a wide variety of animal cell cultures. Here, we reviewed intestinal in vitro and ex vivo models and discussed their strengths and limitations in the context of a quest for faithful models to in vitro emulate the biology of the enteric stages of T. gondii.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Sena
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Saira Cancela
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Molecular, Cellular, and Animal Technology Program (ProTeMCA), Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mariela Bollati-Fogolín
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Molecular, Cellular, and Animal Technology Program (ProTeMCA), Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Romina Pagotto
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María E. Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Parres-Mercader M, Pance A, Gómez-Díaz E. Novel systems to study vector-pathogen interactions in malaria. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1146030. [PMID: 37305421 PMCID: PMC10253182 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1146030] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Some parasitic diseases, such as malaria, require two hosts to complete their lifecycle: a human and an insect vector. Although most malaria research has focused on parasite development in the human host, the life cycle within the vector is critical for the propagation of the disease. The mosquito stage of the Plasmodium lifecycle represents a major demographic bottleneck, crucial for transmission blocking strategies. Furthermore, it is in the vector, where sexual recombination occurs generating "de novo" genetic diversity, which can favor the spread of drug resistance and hinder effective vaccine development. However, understanding of vector-parasite interactions is hampered by the lack of experimental systems that mimic the natural environment while allowing to control and standardize the complexity of the interactions. The breakthrough in stem cell technologies has provided new insights into human-pathogen interactions, but these advances have not been translated into insect models. Here, we review in vivo and in vitro systems that have been used so far to study malaria in the mosquito. We also highlight the relevance of single-cell technologies to progress understanding of these interactions with higher resolution and depth. Finally, we emphasize the necessity to develop robust and accessible ex vivo systems (tissues and organs) to enable investigation of the molecular mechanisms of parasite-vector interactions providing new targets for malaria control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Parres-Mercader
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN, CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | - Alena Pance
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Elena Gómez-Díaz
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN, CSIC), Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Faral-Tello P, Pagotto R, Bollati-Fogolín M, Francia ME. Modeling the human placental barrier to understand Toxoplasma gondii´s vertical transmission. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1130901. [PMID: 36968102 PMCID: PMC10034043 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1130901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous apicomplexan parasite that can infect virtually any warm-blooded animal. Acquired infection during pregnancy and the placental breach, is at the core of the most devastating consequences of toxoplasmosis. T. gondii can severely impact the pregnancy’s outcome causing miscarriages, stillbirths, premature births, babies with hydrocephalus, microcephaly or intellectual disability, and other later onset neurological, ophthalmological or auditory diseases. To tackle T. gondii’s vertical transmission, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying host-parasite interactions at the maternal-fetal interface. Nonetheless, the complexity of the human placenta and the ethical concerns associated with its study, have narrowed the modeling of parasite vertical transmission to animal models, encompassing several unavoidable experimental limitations. Some of these difficulties have been overcome by the development of different human cell lines and a variety of primary cultures obtained from human placentas. These cellular models, though extremely valuable, have limited ability to recreate what happens in vivo. During the last decades, the development of new biomaterials and the increase in stem cell knowledge have led to the generation of more physiologically relevant in vitro models. These cell cultures incorporate new dimensions and cellular diversity, emerging as promising tools for unraveling the poorly understood T. gondii´s infection mechanisms during pregnancy. Herein, we review the state of the art of 2D and 3D cultures to approach the biology of T. gondii pertaining to vertical transmission, highlighting the challenges and experimental opportunities of these up-and-coming experimental platforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Faral-Tello
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Romina Pagotto
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Maria E. Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- *Correspondence: Maria E. Francia,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Warschkau D, Seeber F. Advances towards the complete in vitro life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii. Fac Rev 2023; 12:1. [PMID: 36846606 PMCID: PMC9944905 DOI: 10.12703/r/12-1] [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] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The full life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii cannot be recapitulated in vitro, and access to certain stages, such as mature tissue cysts (bradyzoites) and oocysts (sporozoites), traditionally requires animal experiments. This has greatly hindered the study of the biology of these morphologically and metabolically distinct stages, which are essential for the infection of humans and animals. However, several breakthrough advances have been made in recent years towards obtaining these life stages in vitro, such as the discovery of several molecular factors that induce differentiation and commitment to the sexual cycle, and different culture methods that use, for example, myotubes and intestinal organoids to obtain mature bradyzoites and different sexual stages of the parasite. We review these novel tools and approaches, highlight their limitations and challenges, and discuss what research questions can already be answered with these models. We finally identify future routes for recapitulating the entire sexual cycle in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Warschkau
- FG16: Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Seeber
- FG16: Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pan M, Ge CC, Fan YM, Jin QW, Shen B, Huang SY. The determinants regulating Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoite development. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1027073. [PMID: 36439853 PMCID: PMC9691885 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1027073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic pathogen capable of infecting almost all cells of warm-blooded vertebrates. In intermediate hosts, this parasite reproduces asexually in two forms, the tachyzoite form during acute infection that proliferates rapidly and the bradyzoite form during chronic infection that grows slowly. Depending on the growth condition, the two forms can interconvert. The conversion of tachyzoites to bradyzoites is critical for T. gondii transmission, and the reactivation of persistent bradyzoites in intermediate hosts may lead to symptomatic toxoplasmosis. However, the mechanisms that control bradyzoite differentiation have not been well studied. Here, we review recent advances in the study of bradyzoite biology and stage conversion, aiming to highlight the determinants associated with bradyzoite development and provide insights to design better strategies for controlling toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Pan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ceng-Ceng Ge
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Min Fan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Wang Jin
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
In vitro cultivation methods for coccidian parasite research. Int J Parasitol 2022:S0020-7519(22)00153-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|