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Shapira T, Christofferson M, Av-Gay Y. The antimicrobial activity of innate host-directed therapies: A systematic review. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 63:107138. [PMID: 38490573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Intracellular human pathogens are the deadliest infectious diseases and are difficult to treat effectively due to their protection inside the host cell and the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). An emerging approach to combat these intracellular pathogens is host-directed therapies (HDT), which harness the innate immunity of host cells. HDT rely on small molecules to promote host protection mechanisms that ultimately lead to pathogen clearance. These therapies are hypothesized to: (1) possess indirect yet broad, cross-species antimicrobial activity, (2) effectively target drug-resistant pathogens, (3) carry a reduced susceptibility to the development of AMR and (4) have synergistic action with conventional antimicrobials. As the field of HDT expands, this systematic review was conducted to collect a compendium of HDT and their characteristics, such as the host mechanisms affected, the pathogen inhibited, the concentrations investigated and the magnitude of pathogen inhibition. The evidential support for the main four HDT hypotheses was assessed and concluded that HDT demonstrate robust cross-species activity, are active against AMR pathogens, clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted pathogens. However, limited information exists to support the notion that HDT are synergistic with canonical antimicrobials and are less predisposed to AMR development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirosh Shapira
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew Christofferson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Infectious Disease, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yossef Av-Gay
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Infectious Disease, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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2
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Chandley P, Ranjan R, Kumar S, Rohatgi S. Host-parasite interactions during Plasmodium infection: Implications for immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1091961. [PMID: 36685595 PMCID: PMC9845897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1091961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a global infectious disease that remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Multiple environmental and host and parasite factors govern the clinical outcomes of malaria. The host immune response against the Plasmodium parasite is heterogenous and stage-specific both in the human host and mosquito vector. The Plasmodium parasite virulence is predominantly associated with its ability to evade the host's immune response. Despite the availability of drug-based therapies, Plasmodium parasites can acquire drug resistance due to high antigenic variations and allelic polymorphisms. The lack of licensed vaccines against Plasmodium infection necessitates the development of effective, safe and successful therapeutics. To design an effective vaccine, it is important to study the immune evasion strategies and stage-specific Plasmodium proteins, which are targets of the host immune response. This review provides an overview of the host immune defense mechanisms and parasite immune evasion strategies during Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, we also summarize and discuss the current progress in various anti-malarial vaccine approaches, along with antibody-based therapy involving monoclonal antibodies, and research advancements in host-directed therapy, which can together open new avenues for developing novel immunotherapies against malaria infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Chandley
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Ravikant Ranjan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Soma Rohatgi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India,*Correspondence: Soma Rohatgi,
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3
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Xu L, Qi Q, Zhu J, Ma X. N-Methyl Protoporphyrin IX: An Understudied Porphyrin. Chem Res Toxicol 2022; 35:2186-2193. [PMID: 36459538 PMCID: PMC10039788 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00214] [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] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
N-Methyl protoporphyrin IX (NmePPIX) is a derivative of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) and the lattice of heme. Certain xenobiotics strongly induce NmePPIX production in the liver. The existence of endogenous NmePPIX in untreated animal liver has also been reported. The detailed mechanisms of NmePPIX biosynthesis remain unclear, but cytochrome P450 enzymes are thought to be critical in xenobiotic-induced NmePPIX production. High levels of NmePPIX cause PPIX accumulation because NmePPIX is a potent inhibitor (Ki = 7 nM) of ferrochelatase, the last enzyme in the heme biosynthesis pathway that converts PPIX to heme. NmePPIX is also involved in several other physiological processes, including inhibition of nitric oxide production and promotion of lamin aggregation. Compared to the two well-characterized porphyrins, PPIX and heme, NmePPIX is understudied regarding the mechanism of formation, fate, and physiological functions. This Review summarizes the current understanding of NmePPIX and provides perspectives on areas of future research on NmePPIX.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaochao Ma
- Corresponding Author: Xiaochao Ma, Ph.D., Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261. Tel. (412) 648-9448;
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Role of Host Small GTPases in Apicomplexan Parasite Infection. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071370. [PMID: 35889089 PMCID: PMC9319929 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Apicomplexa are obligate intracellular parasites responsible for several important human diseases. These protozoan organisms have evolved several strategies to modify the host cell environment to create a favorable niche for their survival. The host cytoskeleton is widely manipulated during all phases of apicomplexan intracellular infection. Moreover, the localization and organization of host organelles are altered in order to scavenge nutrients from the host. Small GTPases are a class of proteins widely involved in intracellular pathways governing different processes, from cytoskeletal and organelle organization to gene transcription and intracellular trafficking. These proteins are already known to be involved in infection by several intracellular pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites. In this review, we recapitulate the mechanisms by which apicomplexan parasites manipulate the host cell during infection, focusing on the role of host small GTPases. We also discuss the possibility of considering small GTPases as potential targets for the development of novel host-targeted therapies against apicomplexan infections.
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5
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Sishtla K, Lambert-Cheatham N, Lee B, Han DH, Park J, Sardar Pasha SPB, Lee S, Kwon S, Muniyandi A, Park B, Odell N, Waller S, Park IY, Lee SJ, Seo SY, Corson TW. Small-molecule inhibitors of ferrochelatase are antiangiogenic agents. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:1010-1023.e14. [PMID: 35090600 PMCID: PMC9233146 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.01.001] [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: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Activity of the heme synthesis enzyme ferrochelatase (FECH) is implicated in multiple diseases. In particular, it is a mediator of neovascularization in the eye and thus an appealing therapeutic target for preventing blindness. However, no drug-like direct FECH inhibitors are known. Here, we set out to identify small-molecule inhibitors of FECH as potential therapeutic leads using a high-throughput screening approach to identify potent inhibitors of FECH activity. A structure-activity relationship study of a class of triazolopyrimidinone hits yielded drug-like FECH inhibitors. These compounds inhibit FECH in cells, bind the active site in cocrystal structures, and are antiangiogenic in multiple in vitro assays. One of these promising compounds was antiangiogenic in vivo in a mouse model of choroidal neovascularization. This foundational work may be the basis for new therapeutic agents to combat not only ocular neovascularization but also other diseases characterized by FECH activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamakshi Sishtla
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Nathan Lambert-Cheatham
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Bit Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, South Korea
| | - Duk Hee Han
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk 28160, South Korea
| | - Jaehui Park
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk 28160, South Korea
| | - Sheik Pran Babu Sardar Pasha
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sanha Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, South Korea
| | - Sangil Kwon
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, South Korea
| | - Anbukkarasi Muniyandi
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Bomina Park
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Noa Odell
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Spelman College, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA
| | - Sydney Waller
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Il Yeong Park
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk 28160, South Korea
| | - Soo Jae Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk 28160, South Korea.
| | - Seung-Yong Seo
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, South Korea.
| | - Timothy W Corson
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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Network-Based Approaches Reveal Potential Therapeutic Targets for Host-Directed Antileishmanial Therapy Driving Drug Repurposing. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0101821. [PMID: 34668739 PMCID: PMC8528132 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01018-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites are the causal agent of leishmaniasis, an endemic disease in more than 90 countries worldwide. Over the years, traditional approaches focused on the parasite when developing treatments against leishmaniasis. Despite numerous attempts, there is not yet a universal treatment, and those available have allowed for the appearance of resistance. Here, we propose and follow a host-directed approach that aims to overcome the current lack of treatment. Our approach identifies potential therapeutic targets in the host cell and proposes known drug interactions aiming to improve the immune response and to block the host machinery necessary for the survival of the parasite. We started analyzing transcription factor regulatory networks of macrophages infected with Leishmania major. Next, based on the regulatory dynamics of the infection and available gene expression profiles, we selected potential therapeutic target proteins. The function of these proteins was then analyzed following a multilayered network scheme in which we combined information on metabolic pathways with known drugs that have a direct connection with the activity carried out by these proteins. Using our approach, we were able to identify five host protein-coding gene products that are potential therapeutic targets for treating leishmaniasis. Moreover, from the 11 drugs known to interact with the function performed by these proteins, 3 have already been tested against this parasite, verifying in this way our novel methodology. More importantly, the remaining eight drugs previously employed to treat other diseases, remain as promising yet-untested antileishmanial therapies. IMPORTANCE This work opens a new path to fight parasites by targeting host molecular functions by repurposing available and approved drugs. We created a novel approach to identify key proteins involved in any biological process by combining gene regulatory networks and expression profiles. Once proteins have been selected, our approach employs a multilayered network methodology that relates proteins to functions to drugs that alter these functions. By applying our novel approach to macrophages during the Leishmania infection process, we both validated our work and found eight drugs already approved for use in humans that to the best of our knowledge were never employed to treat leishmaniasis, rendering our work as a new tool in the box available to the scientific community fighting parasites.
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Rangel GW, Llinás M. Re-Envisioning Anti-Apicomplexan Parasite Drug Discovery Approaches. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:691121. [PMID: 34178727 PMCID: PMC8226314 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.691121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa impact humans in nearly all parts of the world, causing diseases including to toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, babesiosis, and malaria. Apicomplexan parasites have complex life cycles comprised of one or more stages characterized by rapid replication and biomass amplification, which enables accelerated evolutionary adaptation to environmental changes, including to drug pressure. The emergence of drug resistant pathogens is a major looming and/or active threat for current frontline chemotherapies, especially for widely used antimalarial drugs. In fact, resistant parasites have been reported against all modern antimalarial drugs within 15 years of clinical introduction, including the current frontline artemisinin-based combination therapies. Chemotherapeutics are a major tool in the public health arsenal for combatting the onset and spread of apicomplexan diseases. All currently approved antimalarial drugs have been discovered either through chemical modification of natural products or through large-scale screening of chemical libraries for parasite death phenotypes, and so far, none have been developed through a gene-to-drug pipeline. However, the limited duration of efficacy of these drugs in the field underscores the need for new and innovative approaches to discover drugs that can counter rapid resistance evolution. This review details both historical and current antimalarial drug discovery approaches. We also highlight new strategies that may be employed to discover resistance-resistant drug targets and chemotherapies in order to circumvent the rapid evolution of resistance in apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel W. Rangel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Manuel Llinás
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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8
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Tennessen JA, Duraisingh MT. Three Signatures of Adaptive Polymorphism Exemplified by Malaria-Associated Genes. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1356-1371. [PMID: 33185667 PMCID: PMC8042748 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria has been one of the strongest selective pressures on our species. Many of the best-characterized cases of adaptive evolution in humans are in genes tied to malaria resistance. However, the complex evolutionary patterns at these genes are poorly captured by standard scans for nonneutral evolution. Here, we present three new statistical tests for selection based on population genetic patterns that are observed more than once among key malaria resistance loci. We assess these tests using forward-time evolutionary simulations and apply them to global whole-genome sequencing data from humans, and thus we show that they are effective at distinguishing selection from neutrality. Each test captures a distinct evolutionary pattern, here called Divergent Haplotypes, Repeated Shifts, and Arrested Sweeps, associated with a particular period of human prehistory. We clarify the selective signatures at known malaria-relevant genes and identify additional genes showing similar adaptive evolutionary patterns. Among our top outliers, we see a particular enrichment for genes involved in erythropoiesis and for genes previously associated with malaria resistance, consistent with a major role for malaria in shaping these patterns of genetic diversity. Polymorphisms at these genes are likely to impact resistance to malaria infection and contribute to ongoing host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics.
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Mohan M, Bhattacharya D. Host-directed Therapy: A New Arsenal to Come. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2021; 24:59-70. [PMID: 32723230 DOI: 10.2174/1386207323999200728115857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of drug-resistant strains among the variety of pathogens worsens the situation in today's scenario. In such a situation, a very heavy demand for developing the new antibiotics has arisen, but unfortunately, very limited success has been achieved in this arena till now. Infectious diseases usually make their impression in the form of severe pathology. Intracellular pathogens use the host's cell machinery for their survival. They alter the gene expression of several host's pathways and endorse to shut down the cell's innate defense pathway like apoptosis and autophagy. Intracellular pathogens are co-evolved with hosts and have a striking ability to manipulate the host's factors. They also mimic the host molecules and secrete them to prevent the host's proper immune response against them for their survival. Intracellular pathogens in chronic diseases create excessive inflammation. This excessive inflammation manifests in pathology. Host directed therapy could be alternative medicine in this situation; it targets the host factors, and abrogates the replication and persistence of pathogens inside the cell. It also provokes the anti-microbial immune response against the pathogen and reduces the exacerbation by enhancing the healing process to the site of pathology. HDT targets the host's factor involved in a certain pathway that ultimately targets the pathogen life cycle and helps in eradication of the pathogen. In such a scenario, HDT could also play a significant role in the treatment of drugsensitive as well with drug resistance strains because it targets the host's factors, which favors the pathogen survival inside the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mradul Mohan
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Debapriya Bhattacharya
- Center for Biotechnology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SOA Deemed University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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Schnider CB, Yang H, Starrs L, Ehmann A, Rahimi F, Di Pierro E, Graziadei G, Matthews K, De Koning-Ward T, Bauer DC, Foote SJ, Burgio G, McMorran BJ. Host Porphobilinogen Deaminase Deficiency Confers Malaria Resistance in Plasmodium chabaudi but Not in Plasmodium berghei or Plasmodium falciparum During Intraerythrocytic Growth. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:464. [PMID: 33014890 PMCID: PMC7495142 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An important component in host resistance to malaria infection are inherited mutations that give rise to abnormalities and deficiencies in erythrocyte proteins and enzymes. Understanding how such mutations confer protection against the disease may be useful for developing new treatment strategies. A mouse ENU-induced mutagenesis screen for novel malaria resistance-conferring mutations identified a novel non-sense mutation in the gene encoding porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) in mice, denoted here as PbgdMRI58155. Heterozygote PbgdMRI58155 mice exhibited ~50% reduction in cellular PBGD activity in both mature erythrocytes and reticulocytes, although enzyme activity was ~10 times higher in reticulocytes than erythrocytes. When challenged with blood-stage P. chabaudi, which preferentially infects erythrocytes, heterozygote mice showed a modest but significant resistance to infection, including reduced parasite growth. A series of assays conducted to investigate the mechanism of resistance indicated that mutant erythrocyte invasion by P. chabaudi was normal, but that following intraerythrocytic establishment a significantly greater proportions of parasites died and therefore, affected their ability to propagate. The Plasmodium resistance phenotype was not recapitulated in Pbgd-deficient mice infected with P. berghei, which prefers reticulocytes, or when P. falciparum was cultured in erythrocytes from patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), which had modest (20-50%) reduced levels of PBGD. Furthermore, the growth of Pbgd-null P. falciparum and Pbgd-null P. berghei parasites, which grew at the same rate as their wild-type counterparts in normal cells, were not affected by the PBGD-deficient background of the AIP erythrocytes or Pbgd-deficient mice. Our results confirm the dispensability of parasite PBGD for P. berghei infection and intraerythrocytic growth of P. falciparum, but for the first time identify a requirement for host erythrocyte PBGD by P. chabaudi during in vivo blood stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cilly Bernardette Schnider
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hao Yang
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Lora Starrs
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Anna Ehmann
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Farid Rahimi
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Elena Di Pierro
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Internal Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Rare Diseases Center, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Graziadei
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Internal Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties, Rare Diseases Center, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Simon J. Foote
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Brendan J. McMorran
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Manipulation of autophagy for host-directed tuberculosis therapy. Afr J Thorac Crit Care Med 2019; 25. [PMID: 34286250 PMCID: PMC8278992 DOI: 10.7196/ajtccm.2019.v25i2.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) is one of the world’s most successful human pathogens, infecting ~2 billion people worldwide. Although
there are effective drugs against M. tb., the disease remains out of control owing to prolonged and toxic treatment. Shorter regimens are
urgently required to control TB. Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) also threatens to derail TB control. These unfulfilled needs could be addressed
by the identification and development of host-directed therapeutic agents for TB. Manipulation of the innate immune response, including
autophagy, may lead to the identification of cellular pathways that could be exploited to develop host-directed therapeutic interventions.
Host-directed therapies (HDTs) aim to augment immune mechanisms against M. tb infection and/or reduce excess inflammation, thus
preventing end-organ tissue damage, preserving lung function and/or enhancing the effectiveness of TB drug therapy in eliminating
infection. HDTs may also have additional advantages for patients with TB/HIV co-infection, as HDTs may reduce the risk of interaction
with antiretroviral drugs and the risk of developing immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) and death. In this review, we
discuss the role of autophagy as a potential pathway that could be exploited as a host-directed TB therapeutic agent.
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Erythrocytes lacking the Langereis blood group protein ABCB6 are resistant to the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Commun Biol 2018; 1:45. [PMID: 30271928 PMCID: PMC6123700 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0046-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCB6 was recently discovered to encode the Langereis (Lan) blood group antigen. Lan null individuals are asymptomatic, and the function of ABCB6 in mature erythrocytes is not understood. Here, we assessed ABCB6 as a host factor for Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites during erythrocyte invasion. We show that Lan null erythrocytes are highly resistant to invasion by P. falciparum, in a strain-transcendent manner. Although both Lan null and Jr(a-) erythrocytes harbor excess porphyrin, only Lan null erythrocytes exhibit a P. falciparum invasion defect. Further, the zoonotic parasite P. knowlesi invades Lan null and control cells with similar efficiency, suggesting that ABCB6 may mediate P. falciparum invasion through species-specific molecular interactions. Using tandem mass tag-based proteomics, we find that the only consistent difference in membrane proteins between Lan null and control cells is absence of ABCB6. Our results demonstrate that a newly identified naturally occurring blood group variant is associated with resistance to Plasmodium falciparum. Elizabeth Egan and colleagues demonstrate that host ATP binding cassette transporter ABCB6, which encodes the Langereis blood group antigen, promotes erythrocyte invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This study suggests that asymptomatic Langereis null individuals may be better protected from malaria.
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Huang HM, McMorran BJ, Foote SJ, Burgio G. Host genetics in malaria: lessons from mouse studies. Mamm Genome 2018; 29:507-522. [PMID: 29594458 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-018-9744-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Malaria remains a deadly parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium, claiming almost half a million lives every year. While parasite genetics and biology are often the major targets in many studies, it is becoming more evident that host genetics plays a crucial role in the outcome of the infection. Similarly, Plasmodium infections in mice also rely heavily on the genetic background of the mice, and often correlate with observations in human studies, due to their high genetic homology with humans. As such, murine models of malaria are a useful tool for understanding host responses during Plasmodium infections, as well as dissecting host-parasite interactions through various genetic manipulation techniques. Reverse genetic approach such as quantitative trait loci studies and random mutagenesis screens have been employed to discover novel host genes that affect malaria susceptibility in mouse models, while other targeted studies utilize mouse models to validate observation from human studies. Herein, we review the findings from the past and present studies on murine models of hepatic and erythrocytic stages of malaria and speculate on how the current mouse models benefit from the recent development in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Ming Huang
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Brendan J McMorran
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Simon J Foote
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, 131 Garran Road, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Goldberg
- Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DEG); (PAS)
| | - Paul A. Sigala
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DEG); (PAS)
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Blasco B, Leroy D, Fidock DA. Antimalarial drug resistance: linking Plasmodium falciparum parasite biology to the clinic. Nat Med 2017; 23:917-928. [PMID: 28777791 DOI: 10.1038/nm.4381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 325] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The global adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in the early 2000s heralded a new era in effectively treating drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. However, several Southeast Asian countries have now reported the emergence of parasites that have decreased susceptibility to artemisinin (ART) derivatives and ACT partner drugs, resulting in increasing rates of treatment failures. Here we review recent advances in understanding how antimalarials act and how resistance develops, and discuss new strategies for effectively combatting resistance, optimizing treatment and advancing the global campaign to eliminate malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Didier Leroy
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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16
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Kadara H, Nemer G, Safi R, Rebeiz N, Daou L, Delbani D, Btadini W, Abbas O, Tofaili M, Bitar F, Kibbi AG, Shimomura Y, Kurban M. Erythropoietic protoporphyria a clinical and molecular study from Lebanon: Ferrochelatase a potential tumor suppressor gene in colon cancer. Clin Genet 2017; 92:495-502. [PMID: 28075030 DOI: 10.1111/cge.12968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare cutaneous and systemic disease caused by mutations in the ferrochelatase gene (FECH). The molecular underpinnings of EPP in Middle Eastern populations and relative to other ethnic groups secondary to increased consanguinity are unknown. To understand the molecular pathogenesis of Middle Eastern EPP, we surveyed clinicopathological and molecular features in 6 large consanguineous families from Lebanon and Syria presenting with cutaneous and systemic features consistent with EPP. We observed 30% increased liver disease and 20% elevated end-stage liver complications in our EPP cohort compared to EPP patients previously reported elsewhere. In addition, Middle Eastern EPP patients in our cohort exhibited uniquely an increased incidence of colon cancer. Sequence analysis revealed 2 novel non-synonymous FECH mutations in the studied families designated p.M294T and p.I230M. In addition, FECH activity was significantly decreased (6%) in fibroblasts obtained from sun-exposed sites in a patient with p.M294T mutation, whereas in sharp contrast, protected sites from the same patient exhibited 54% activity for the gene. We also found that sun-exposed fibroblasts, relative to sun-protected and control fibroblasts, exhibited suppressed growth and atypical morphology in vitro, and that these effects were alleviated when the cells were co-cultured with sun-protected fibroblasts. Our findings on the increased incidence of colon cancer in EPP patients prompted us to survey FECH expression patterns in cancer. Using publicly available microarray datasets we found that FECH mRNA was largely significantly decreased in colon adenocarcinomas relative to normal colon tissues. Our findings suggest that families with autosomal recessive EPP should be screened more extensively for systemic involvement including liver diseases and colon cancer, and point to a previously unknown yet plausible tumor suppressor role for FECH in colon malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Kadara
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - G Nemer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - R Safi
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - N Rebeiz
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - L Daou
- Department of Pathology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - D Delbani
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - W Btadini
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - O Abbas
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - M Tofaili
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - F Bitar
- Department of Pediatrics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - A G Kibbi
- Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Y Shimomura
- Division of Dermatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - M Kurban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, New York
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17
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A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006396. [PMID: 28617870 PMCID: PMC5472305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis. Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm. Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC) gene, the final enzyme in the pathway, confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete liver stage development in vitro nor infect naïve mice, confirming liver stage arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for completing mosquito development.
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18
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Insights on Heme Synthesis in the Malaria Parasite. Trends Parasitol 2017; 33:583-586. [PMID: 28495484 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The malaria parasite has a functional heme-biosynthetic pathway, although it can access host hemoglobin-heme. The heme pathway is dispensable for blood stages, but essential in the mosquito stages which do not acquire hemoglobin-heme. We propose that the blood stage parasites maintain a dynamic heme pool through multiple back-up mechanisms.
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19
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Smith CM, Jerkovic A, Truong TT, Foote SJ, McCarthy JS, McMorran BJ. Griseofulvin impairs intraerythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum through ferrochelatase inhibition but lacks activity in an experimental human infection study. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41975. [PMID: 28176804 PMCID: PMC5296727 DOI: 10.1038/srep41975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Griseofulvin, an orally active antifungal drug used to treat dermatophyte infections, has a secondary effect of inducing cytochrome P450-mediated production of N-methyl protoporphyrin IX (N-MPP). N-MPP is a potent competitive inhibitor of the heme biosynthetic-enzyme ferrochelatase, and inhibits the growth of cultured erythrocyte stage Plasmodium falciparum. Novel drugs against Plasmodium are needed to achieve malaria elimination. Thus, we investigated whether griseofulvin shows anti-plasmodial activity. We observed that the intraerythrocytic growth of P. falciparum is inhibited in red blood cells pretreated with griseofulvin in vitro. Treatment with 100 μM griseofulvin was sufficient to prevent parasite growth and induce the production of N-MPP. Inclusion of the ferrochelatase substrate PPIX blocked the inhibitory activity of griseofulvin, suggesting that griseofulvin exerts its activity through the N-MPP-dependent inhibition of ferrochelatase. In an ex-vivo study, red blood cells from griseofulvin-treated subjects were refractory to the growth of cultured P. falciparum. However, in a clinical trial griseofulvin failed to show either therapeutic or prophylactic effect in subjects infected with blood stage P. falciparum. Although the development of griseofulvin as an antimalarial is not warranted, it represents a novel inhibitor of P. falciparum growth and acts via the N-MPP-dependent inhibition of ferrochelatase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare M Smith
- School of Medicine and The Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ante Jerkovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thy Thuc Truong
- Joint Mass Spectrometry Facility, Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Simon J Foote
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - James S McCarthy
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brendan J McMorran
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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20
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McFadden GI, Yeh E. The apicoplast: now you see it, now you don't. Int J Parasitol 2016; 47:137-144. [PMID: 27773518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Parasites such as Plasmodium and Toxoplasma possess a vestigial plastid homologous to the chloroplasts of algae and plants. The plastid (known as the apicoplast; for apicomplexan plastid) is non-photosynthetic and very much reduced, but has clear endosymbiotic ancestry including a circular genome that encodes RNAs and proteins and a suite of bacterial biosynthetic pathways. Here we review the initial discovery of the apicoplast, and recount the major new insights into apicoplast origin, biogenesis and function. We conclude by examining how the apicoplast can be removed from malaria parasites in vitro, ultimately completing its reduction by chemical supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ellen Yeh
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford Medical School, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, Stanford Medical School, Stanford, CA, USA
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21
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Distinct Prominent Roles for Enzymes of Plasmodium berghei Heme Biosynthesis in Sporozoite and Liver Stage Maturation. Infect Immun 2016; 84:3252-3262. [PMID: 27600503 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00148-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malarial parasites have evolved complex regulation of heme supply and disposal to adjust to heme-rich and -deprived host environments. In addition to its own pathway for heme biosynthesis, Plasmodium likely harbors mechanisms for heme scavenging from host erythrocytes. Elaborate compartmentalization of de novo heme synthesis into three subcellular locations, including the vestigial plastid organelle, indicates critical roles in life cycle progression. In this study, we systematically profile the essentiality of heme biosynthesis by targeted gene deletion of enzymes in early steps of this pathway. We show that disruption of endogenous heme biosynthesis leads to a first detectable defect in oocyst maturation and sporogony in the Anopheles vector, whereas blood stage propagation, colonization of mosquito midguts, or initiation of oocyst development occurs indistinguishably from that of wild-type parasites. Although sporozoites are produced by parasites lacking an intact pathway for heme biosynthesis, they are absent from mosquito salivary glands, indicative of a vital role for heme biosynthesis only in sporozoite maturation. Rescue of the first defect in sporogony permitted analysis of potential roles in liver stages. We show that liver stage parasites benefit from but do not strictly depend upon their own aminolevulinic acid synthase and that they can scavenge aminolevulinic acid from the host environment. Together, our experimental genetics analysis of Plasmodium enzymes for heme biosynthesis exemplifies remarkable shifts between the use of endogenous and host resources during life cycle progression.
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22
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Zumla A, Rao M, Wallis RS, Kaufmann SHE, Rustomjee R, Mwaba P, Vilaplana C, Yeboah-Manu D, Chakaya J, Ippolito G, Azhar E, Hoelscher M, Maeurer M. Host-directed therapies for infectious diseases: current status, recent progress, and future prospects. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2016; 16:e47-63. [PMID: 27036359 PMCID: PMC7164794 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(16)00078-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 01/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Despite extensive global efforts in the fight against killer infectious diseases, they still cause one in four deaths worldwide and are important causes of long-term functional disability arising from tissue damage. The continuing epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, and influenza, and the emergence of novel zoonotic pathogens represent major clinical management challenges worldwide. Newer approaches to improving treatment outcomes are needed to reduce the high morbidity and mortality caused by infectious diseases. Recent insights into pathogen–host interactions, pathogenesis, inflammatory pathways, and the host's innate and acquired immune responses are leading to identification and development of a wide range of host-directed therapies with different mechanisms of action. Host-directed therapeutic strategies are now becoming viable adjuncts to standard antimicrobial treatment. Host-directed therapies include commonly used drugs for non-communicable diseases with good safety profiles, immunomodulatory agents, biologics (eg monoclonal antibodies), nutritional products, and cellular therapy using the patient's own immune or bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. We discuss clinically relevant examples of progress in identifying host-directed therapies as adjunct treatment options for bacterial, viral, and parasitic infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alimuddin Zumla
- Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London (UCL), London, UK; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Martin Rao
- Division of Therapeutic Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Peter Mwaba
- University of Zambia-UCL Medical School (UNZA-UCLMS) Research and Training Project, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia; Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Cris Vilaplana
- Unitat de Tuberculosi Experimental Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias, Can Ruti Campus, Edifici Laboratoris de Recerca, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dorothy Yeboah-Manu
- Bacteriology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Giuseppe Ippolito
- National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy
| | - Esam Azhar
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Centre, and Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael Hoelscher
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical Centre of the University of Munich, Munich, Germany; DZIF German Centre for Infection Research, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Maeurer
- Division of Therapeutic Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
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23
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Posayapisit N, Songsungthong W, Koonyosying P, Falade MO, Uthaipibull C, Yuthavong Y, Shaw PJ, Kamchonwongpaisan S. Cytochrome c and c1 heme lyases are essential in Plasmodium berghei. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2016; 210:32-36. [PMID: 27520480 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites possess a de novo heme synthetic pathway. Interestingly, this pathway is dispensable during the blood stages of development in mammalian hosts. The assembly of the two most important hemeproteins, cytochromes c and c1, is mediated by cytochrome heme lyase enzymes. Plasmodium spp. possess two cytochrome heme lyases encoded by separate genes. Given the redundancy of heme synthesis, we sought to determine if heme lyase function also exhibits redundancy. To answer this question, we performed gene knockout experiments. We found that the PBANKA_143950 and PBANKA_0602600 Plasmodium berghei genes encoding cytochrome c (Pbcchl) and cytochrome c1 (Pbcc1hl) heme lyases, respectively, can only be disrupted when a complementary gene is present. In contrast, four genes in the de novo heme synthesis pathway can be disrupted without complementation. This work provides evidence that Pbcchl and Pbcc1hl are both essential and thus may be antimalarial targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navaporn Posayapisit
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Warangkhana Songsungthong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Pongpisid Koonyosying
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Mofolusho O Falade
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Chairat Uthaipibull
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Yongyuth Yuthavong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Philip J Shaw
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
| | - Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
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24
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Abstract
A 53-year-old Texas rancher developed a blistering skin rash that was sensitive to exposure to sunlight. He was referred to hematology with a presumptive diagnosis of porphyria. His peripheral blood counts were within normal limits, and a bone marrow examination revealed erythroid dyspoiesis and ringed sideroblasts. Serum, plasma, and erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels were elevated, the findings of which are consistent with a diagnosis of erythropoietic protoporphyria. This paper discusses the diagnosis and etiology of the porphyrias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Lindsey
- Department of Pathology, University of South Carolina, Charleston (Lindsey); and the Departments of Hematology/Oncology (Burch) and Pathology (Krause), Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Micah Burch
- Department of Pathology, University of South Carolina, Charleston (Lindsey); and the Departments of Hematology/Oncology (Burch) and Pathology (Krause), Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - John R Krause
- Department of Pathology, University of South Carolina, Charleston (Lindsey); and the Departments of Hematology/Oncology (Burch) and Pathology (Krause), Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, Dallas, Texas
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25
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Moradin N, Torre S, Gauthier S, Tam M, Hawari J, Vandercruyssen K, De Spiegeleer B, Fortin A, Stevenson MM, Gros P. Cysteamine broadly improves the anti-plasmodial activity of artemisinins against murine blood stage and cerebral malaria. Malar J 2016; 15:260. [PMID: 27150250 PMCID: PMC4858922 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1317-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The potential emergence and spread of resistance to artemisinins in the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite constitutes a major global health threat. Hence, improving the efficacy of artemisinins and of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) represents a major short-term goal in the global fight against malaria. Mice defective in the enzyme pantetheinase (Vnn3) show increased susceptibility to blood-stage malaria (increased parasitaemia, reduced survival), and supplementation of Vnn3 mutants with the reaction product of pantetheinase, cysteamine, corrects in part the malaria-susceptibility phenotype of the mutants. Cysteamine (Cys) is a small, naturally occurring amino-thiol that has very low toxicity in vivo and is approved for clinical use in the life-long treatment of the kidney disorder nephropathic cystinosis. METHODS The ability of Cys to improve the anti-plasmodial activity of different clinically used artemisinins was tested. The effect of different CYS/ART combinations on malarial phenotypes (parasite blood-stage replication, overall and survival from lethal infection) was assessed in a series of in vivo experiments using Plasmodium strains that induce either blood-stage (Plasmodium chabaudi AS) or cerebral disease (Plasmodium berghei ANKA). This was also evaluated in an ex vivo experimental protocol that directly assesses the effect of such drug combinations on the viability of Plasmodium parasites, as measured by the ability of tested parasites to induce a productive infection in vivo in otherwise naïve animals. RESULTS Cys is found to potentiate the anti-plasmodial activity of artesunate, artemether, and arteether, towards the blood-stage malaria parasite P. chabaudi AS. Ex vivo experiments, indicate that potentiation of the anti-plasmodial activity of artemisinins by Cys is direct and does not require the presence of host factors. In addition, potentiation occurs at sub-optimal concentrations of artemisinins and Cys that on their own have little or no effect on parasite growth. Cys also dramatically enhances the efficacy and protective effect of artemisinins against cerebral malaria induced by infection with the P. berghei ANKA parasite. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that inclusion of Cys in current formulations of ACT, or its use as adjunct therapy could improve the anti-plasmodial activity of artemisinin, decrease mortality in cerebral malaria patients, and prevent or delay the development and spread of artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Moradin
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, room 366, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Sabrina Torre
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Susan Gauthier
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, room 366, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Mifong Tam
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jalal Hawari
- Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | | | | | - Anny Fortin
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, room 366, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Mary M Stevenson
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Philippe Gros
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, room 366, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada.
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26
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Lelliott PM, McMorran BJ, Foote SJ, Burgio G. The influence of host genetics on erythrocytes and malaria infection: is there therapeutic potential? Malar J 2015. [PMID: 26215182 PMCID: PMC4517643 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0809-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As parasites, Plasmodium species depend upon their host for survival. During the blood stage of their life-cycle parasites invade and reside within erythrocytes, commandeering host proteins and resources towards their own ends, and dramatically transforming the host cell. Parasites aptly avoid immune detection by minimizing the exposure of parasite proteins and removing themselves from circulation through cytoadherence. Erythrocytic disorders brought on by host genetic mutations can interfere with one or more of these processes, thereby providing a measure of protection against malaria to the host. This review summarizes recent findings regarding the mechanistic aspects of this protection, as mediated through the parasites interaction with abnormal erythrocytes. These novel findings include the reliance of the parasite on the host enzyme ferrochelatase, and the discovery of basigin and CD55 as obligate erythrocyte receptors for parasite invasion. The elucidation of these naturally occurring malaria resistance mechanisms is increasing the understanding of the host-parasite interaction, and as discussed below, is providing new insights into the development of therapies to prevent this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Lelliott
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
| | - Brendan J McMorran
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
| | - Simon J Foote
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
| | - Gaetan Burgio
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
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