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Bourgeois JS, Hu LT. Hitchhiker's Guide to Borrelia burgdorferi. J Bacteriol 2024:e0011624. [PMID: 39140751 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00116-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Don't Panic. In the nearly 50 years since the discovery of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi has emerged as an unlikely workhorse of microbiology. Interest in studying host-pathogen interactions fueled significant progress in making the fastidious microbe approachable in laboratory settings, including the development of culture methods, animal models, and genetic tools. By developing these systems, insight has been gained into how the microbe is able to survive its enzootic cycle and cause human disease. Here, we discuss the discovery of B. burgdorferi and its development as a model organism before diving into the critical lessons we have learned about B. burgdorferi biology at pivotal stages of its lifecycle: gene expression changes during the tick blood meal, colonization of a new vertebrate host, and developing a long-lasting infection in that vertebrate until a new tick feeds. Our goal is to highlight the advancements that have facilitated B. burgdorferi research and identify gaps in our current understanding of the microbe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Bourgeois
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Linden T Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Gwynne PJ, Stocks KLK, Karozichian ES, Pandit A, Hu LT. Metabolic modeling predicts unique drug targets in Borrelia burgdorferi. mSystems 2023; 8:e0083523. [PMID: 37855615 PMCID: PMC10734484 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00835-23] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Lyme disease is often treated using long courses of antibiotics, which can cause side effects for patients and risks the evolution of antimicrobial resistance. Narrow-spectrum antimicrobials would reduce these risks, but their development has been slow because the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is difficult to work with in the laboratory. To accelerate the drug discovery pipeline, we developed a computational model of B. burgdorferi's metabolism and used it to predict essential enzymatic reactions whose inhibition prevented growth in silico. These predictions were validated using small-molecule enzyme inhibitors, several of which were shown to have specific activity against B. burgdorferi. Although the specific compounds used are not suitable for clinical use, we aim to use them as lead compounds to develop optimized drugs targeting the pathways discovered here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Gwynne
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kee-Lee K. Stocks
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elysse S. Karozichian
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aarya Pandit
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Linden T. Hu
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Kumaresan V, Ingle TM, Kilgore N, Zhang G, Hermann BP, Seshu J. Cellular and transcriptome signatures unveiled by single-cell RNA-Seq following ex vivo infection of murine splenocytes with Borrelia burgdorferi. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1296580. [PMID: 38149246 PMCID: PMC10749944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1296580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the US, is caused by a spirochetal pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Distinct host responses are observed in susceptible and resistant strains of inbred of mice following infection with Bb reflecting a subset of inflammatory responses observed in human Lyme disease. The advent of post-genomic methodologies and genomic data sets enables dissecting the host responses to advance therapeutic options for limiting the pathogen transmission and/or treatment of Lyme disease. Methods In this study, we used single-cell RNA-Seq analysis in conjunction with mouse genomics exploiting GFP-expressing Bb to sort GFP+ splenocytes and GFP- bystander cells to uncover novel molecular and cellular signatures that contribute to early stages of immune responses against Bb. Results These data decoded the heterogeneity of splenic neutrophils, macrophages, NK cells, B cells, and T cells in C3H/HeN mice in response to Bb infection. Increased mRNA abundance of apoptosis-related genes was observed in neutrophils and macrophages clustered from GFP+ splenocytes. Moreover, complement-mediated phagocytosis-related genes such as C1q and Ficolin were elevated in an inflammatory macrophage subset, suggesting upregulation of these genes during the interaction of macrophages with Bb-infected neutrophils. In addition, the role of DUSP1 in regulating the expression of Casp3 and pro-inflammatory cytokines Cxcl1, Cxcl2, Il1b, and Ccl5 in Bb-infected neutrophils were identified. Discussion These findings serve as a growing catalog of cell phenotypes/biomarkers among murine splenocytes that can be exploited for limiting spirochetal burden to limit the transmission of the agent of Lyme disease to humans via reservoir hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatesh Kumaresan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Taylor MacMackin Ingle
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Nathan Kilgore
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Guoquan Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Brian P. Hermann
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Janakiram Seshu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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4
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Petnicki-Ocwieja T, McCarthy JE, Powale U, Langston PK, Helble JD, Hu LT. Borrelia burgdorferi initiates early transcriptional re-programming in macrophages that supports long-term suppression of inflammation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011886. [PMID: 38157387 PMCID: PMC10783791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the causative agent of Lyme disease, establishes a long-term infection and leads to disease manifestations that are the result of host immune responses to the pathogen. Inflammatory manifestations resolve spontaneously despite continued bacterial presence, suggesting inflammatory cells become less responsive over time. This is mimicked by in vitro repeated stimulations, resulting in tolerance, a phenotypic subset of innate immune memory. We performed comparative transcriptional analysis of macrophages in acute and memory states and identified sets of Tolerized, Hyper-Induced, Secondary-Induced and Hyper-Suppressed genes resulting from memory induction, revealing previously unexplored networks of genes affected by cellular re-programming. Tolerized gene families included inflammatory mediators and interferon related genes as would be predicted by the attenuation of inflammation over time. To better understand how cells mediate inflammatory hypo-responsiveness, we focused on genes that could mediate maintenance of suppression, such as Hyper-Induced genes which are up-regulated in memory states. These genes were notably enriched in stress pathways regulated by anti-inflammatory modulators. We examined one of the most highly expressed negative regulators of immune pathways during primary stimulation, Aconitate decarboxylase 1 (Acod1), and tested its effects during in vivo infection with Bb. As predicted by our in vitro model, we show its inflammation-suppressive downstream effects are sustained during in vivo long-term infection with Bb, with a specific role in Lyme carditis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Petnicki-Ocwieja
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Julie E. McCarthy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Urmila Powale
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Graduate Program in Immunology, Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - P. Kent Langston
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School and Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jennifer D. Helble
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Linden T. Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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5
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Helble JD, Walsh MJ, McCarthy JE, Smith NP, Tirard AJ, Arnold BY, Villani AC, Hu LT. Single-cell RNA sequencing of murine ankle joints over time reveals distinct transcriptional changes following Borrelia burgdorferi infection. iScience 2023; 26:108217. [PMID: 37953958 PMCID: PMC10632114 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, which can be readily modeled in laboratory mice. In order to understand the cellular and transcriptional changes that occur during B. burgdorferi infection, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of ankle joints of infected C57BL/6 mice over time. We found that macrophages/monocytes, T cells, synoviocytes and fibroblasts all showed significant differences in gene expression of both inflammatory and non-inflammatory genes that peaked early and returned to baseline before the typical resolution of arthritis. Predictions of cellular interactions showed that macrophages appear to communicate extensively between different clusters of macrophages as well as with fibroblasts and synoviocytes. Our data give unique insights into the interactions between B. burgdorferi and the murine immune system over time and allow for a better understanding of mechanisms by which the dysregulation of the immune response may lead to prolonged symptoms in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D. Helble
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Michael J. Walsh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Julie E. McCarthy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Neal P. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Alice J. Tirard
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Benjamin Y. Arnold
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Linden T. Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Prado LG, Camara NOS, Barbosa AS. Cell lipid biology in infections: an overview. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1148383. [PMID: 37868347 PMCID: PMC10587689 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1148383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipids are a big family of molecules with a vast number of functions in the cell membranes, within the cytoplasm, and extracellularly. Lipid droplets (LDs) are the most common storage organelles and are present in almost every tissue type in the body. They also have structural functions serving as building blocks of cellular membranes and may be precursors of other molecules such as hormones, and lipoproteins, and as messengers in signal transduction. Fatty acids (FAs), such as sterol esters and triacylglycerols, are stored in LDs and are used in β-oxidation as fuel for tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. FA uptake and entrance in the cytoplasm are mediated by membrane receptors. After a cytoplasmic round of α- and β-oxidation, FAs are guided into the mitochondrial matrix by the L-carnitine shuttle system, where they are fully metabolized, and enter the TCA cycle. Pathogen infections may lead to impaired lipid metabolism, usage of membrane phospholipids, and LD accumulation in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Otherwise, bacterial pathogens may use lipid metabolism as a carbon source, thus altering the reactions and leading to cellular and organelles malfunctioning. This review aims to describe cellular lipid metabolism and alterations that occur upon infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Gavião Prado
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Niels Olsen Saraiva Camara
- Laboratório de Imunobiologia de Transplantes, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Disciplina de Nefrologia, Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Forrest IS, O’Neal AJ, Pedra JHF, Do R. Cholesterol Contributes to Risk, Severity, and Machine Learning-Driven Diagnosis of Lyme Disease. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:839-847. [PMID: 37227948 PMCID: PMC10506776 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad307] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the US, yet its host factors are poorly understood and diagnostic tests are limited. We evaluated patients in a large health system to uncover cholesterol's role in the susceptibility, severity, and machine learning-based diagnosis of Lyme disease. METHODS A longitudinal health system cohort comprised 1 019 175 individuals with electronic health record data and 50 329 with linked genetic data. Associations of blood cholesterol level, cholesterol genetic scores comprising common genetic variants, and burden of rare loss-of-function (LoF) variants in cholesterol metabolism genes with Lyme disease were investigated. A portable machine learning model was constructed and tested to predict Lyme disease using routine lipid and clinical measurements. RESULTS There were 3832 cases of Lyme disease. Increasing cholesterol was associated with greater risk of Lyme disease and hypercholesterolemia was more prevalent in Lyme disease cases than in controls. Cholesterol genetic scores and rare LoF variants in CD36 and LDLR were associated with Lyme disease risk. Serological profiling of cases revealed parallel trajectories of rising cholesterol and immunoglobulin levels over the disease course, including marked increases in individuals with LoF variants and high cholesterol genetic scores. The machine learning model predicted Lyme disease solely using routine lipid panel, blood count, and metabolic measurements. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the value of large-scale genetic and clinical data to reveal host factors underlying infectious disease biology, risk, and prognosis and the potential for their clinical translation to machine learning diagnostics that do not need specialized assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain S Forrest
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anya J O’Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ron Do
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Guérin M, Shawky M, Zedan A, Octave S, Avalle B, Maffucci I, Padiolleau-Lefèvre S. Lyme borreliosis diagnosis: state of the art of improvements and innovations. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:204. [PMID: 37528399 PMCID: PMC10392007 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02935-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
With almost 700 000 estimated cases each year in the United States and Europe, Lyme borreliosis (LB), also called Lyme disease, is the most common tick-borne illness in the world. Transmitted by ticks of the genus Ixodes and caused by bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, LB occurs with various symptoms, such as erythema migrans, which is characteristic, whereas others involve blurred clinical features such as fatigue, headaches, arthralgia, and myalgia. The diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis, based on a standard two-tiered serology, is the subject of many debates and controversies, since it relies on an indirect approach which suffers from a low sensitivity depending on the stage of the disease. Above all, early detection of the disease raises some issues. Inappropriate diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis leads to therapeutic wandering, inducing potential chronic infection with a strong antibody response that fails to clear the infection. Early and proper detection of Lyme disease is essential to propose an adequate treatment to patients and avoid the persistence of the pathogen. This review presents the available tests, with an emphasis on the improvements of the current diagnosis, the innovative methods and ideas which, ultimately, will allow more precise detection of LB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Guérin
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique Et Cellulaire (GEC), CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France
| | - Marc Shawky
- Connaissance Organisation Et Systèmes TECHniques (COSTECH), EA 2223, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France
| | - Ahed Zedan
- Polyclinique Saint Côme, 7 Rue Jean Jacques Bernard, 60204, Compiègne, France
| | - Stéphane Octave
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique Et Cellulaire (GEC), CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France
| | - Bérangère Avalle
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique Et Cellulaire (GEC), CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France
| | - Irene Maffucci
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique Et Cellulaire (GEC), CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France
| | - Séverine Padiolleau-Lefèvre
- Unité de Génie Enzymatique Et Cellulaire (GEC), CNRS UMR 7025, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203, Compiègne, France.
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Grygorieva G, Pylypenko D, Krasnopolsky Y. Liposomes: from August Wassermann to vaccines against COVID-19. ADMET AND DMPK 2023; 11:487-497. [PMID: 37937239 PMCID: PMC10626513 DOI: 10.5599/admet.1926] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose The development of vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a big challenge for many countries in 2020-2022. mRNA vaccines were shown to be effective and safe and have been widely used worldwide in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The fundamental factor in creating mRNA vaccines, which ensures effective delivery of mRNA to the host cells, is the composition of lipid nanoparticles, namely the presence of ionized charged lipids, which ensures the binding of mRNA molecules. However, the significant role of liposomes in the development of liposomal vaccines and identification of immunochemical reactions involving lipids should be assessed in the context of the development of the pioneering idea of August Wassermann about the use of liposomal antigens in the diagnosis and immunoprophylaxis of serious human diseases. Experimental Approach The review is devoted to the use of liposomal antigens as antigen-delivery systems for diagnosis and immunoprophylaxis. Key Results Studies of cardiolipin antigen in serodiagnosis of syphilis became the foundation of antibodies in diagnosing various infectious diseases and pathological conditions, such as tuberculosis, lupus erythematosus, COVID-19, borreliosis, etc. Identification of antiphospholipid antibodies (mainly anticardiolipin) and today is the most important diagnostic tool for antiphospholipid syndrome. Conclusion The liposomal system first proposed in 1906 for the diagnosis of syphilis evolved more than a century later into mRNA vaccines, which are used today in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganna Grygorieva
- SI “Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology of NAMS of Ukraine”, 14, Ezhene Potier Str., Kyiv, 03680, Ukraine
| | - Daria Pylypenko
- State Biotechnological University, 44, Alchevskikh str., Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine
| | - Yuriy Krasnopolsky
- National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, 2, Kyrpychova str., Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine
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O’Neal A, Singh N, Rolandelli A, Laukaitis HJ, Wang X, Shaw D, Young B, Narasimhan S, Dutta S, Snyder G, Samaddar S, Marnin L, Butler L, Mendes M, Cabrera Paz F, Valencia L, Sundberg E, Fikrig E, Pal U, Weber D, Pedra J. Croquemort elicits activation of the immune deficiency pathway in ticks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2208673120. [PMID: 37155900 PMCID: PMC10193931 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2208673120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune deficiency (IMD) pathway directs host defense in arthropods upon bacterial infection. In Pancrustacea, peptidoglycan recognition proteins sense microbial moieties and initiate nuclear factor-κB-driven immune responses. Proteins that elicit the IMD pathway in non-insect arthropods remain elusive. Here, we show that an Ixodes scapularis homolog of croquemort (Crq), a CD36-like protein, promotes activation of the tick IMD pathway. Crq exhibits plasma membrane localization and binds the lipid agonist 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol. Crq regulates the IMD and jun N-terminal kinase signaling cascades and limits the acquisition of the Lyme disease spirochete B. burgdorferi. Additionally, nymphs silenced for crq display impaired feeding and delayed molting to adulthood due to a deficiency in ecdysteroid synthesis. Collectively, we establish a distinct mechanism for arthropod immunity outside of insects and crustaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya J. O’Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Nisha Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Agustin Rolandelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Hanna J. Laukaitis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Dana K. Shaw
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA99164
| | - Brianna D. Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06510
| | - Shraboni Dutta
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - Greg A. Snyder
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Sourabh Samaddar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Liron Marnin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - L. Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - M. Tays Mendes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Francy E. Cabrera Paz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Luisa M. Valencia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Eric J. Sundberg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06510
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - David J. Weber
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Biomolecular Therapeutics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
| | - Joao H. F. Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21201
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11
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Couret J, Schofield S, Narasimhan S. The environment, the tick, and the pathogen - It is an ensemble. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1049646. [PMID: 36405964 PMCID: PMC9666722 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1049646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis is one of the predominant vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease in the USA. The geographic distribution of I. scapularis, endemic to the northeastern and northcentral USA, is expanding as far south as Georgia and Texas, and northwards into Canada and poses an impending public health problem. The prevalence and spread of tick-borne diseases are influenced by the interplay of multiple factors including microbiological, ecological, and environmental. Molecular studies have focused on interactions between the tick-host and pathogen/s that determine the success of pathogen acquisition by the tick and transmission to the mammalian host. In this review we draw attention to additional critical environmental factors that impact tick biology and tick-pathogen interactions. With a focus on B. burgdorferi we highlight the interplay of abiotic factors such as temperature and humidity as well as biotic factors such as environmental microbiota that ticks are exposed to during their on- and off-host phases on tick, and infection prevalence. A molecular understanding of this ensemble of interactions will be essential to gain new insights into the biology of tick-pathogen interactions and to develop new approaches to control ticks and tick transmission of B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannelle Couret
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Samantha Schofield
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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12
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Arora G, Hart T, Fikrig E. Use of host lipids by the Lyme disease spirochete may lead to biomarkers. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:e158254. [PMID: 35289311 PMCID: PMC8920323 DOI: 10.1172/jci158254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in North America and Europe, however, current biomarkers inconsistently detect the disease. In this issue of the JCI, Gwynne et al. revealed how the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi relies on host lipids for growth. The authors used a murine model to show that B. burgdorferi infection led to the production of antibodies against phospholipids, possibly as a consequence of incorporation into the spirochete membrane. Antibodies were induced against phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylserine. Notably, no antibodies against cardiolipin were found, distinguishing Lyme disease from syphilis and some other diseases. Sera samples from patients with Lyme disease suggested that these antibodies may help diagnose B. burgdorferi infection and that antibody titers may effectively indicate the response to treatment. These findings suggest that B. burgdorferi-induced anti-lipid antibodies, in conjunction with a careful clinical assessment, may aid in the diagnosis of Lyme disease.
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