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Du X, McManus DP, French JD, Collinson N, Sivakumaran H, MacGregor SR, Fogarty CE, Jones MK, You H. CRISPR interference for sequence-specific regulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor A in Schistosoma mansoni. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1105719. [PMID: 36713455 PMCID: PMC9880433 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1105719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Employing the flatworm parasite Schistosoma mansoni as a model, we report the first application of CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) in parasitic helminths for loss-of-function studies targeting the SmfgfrA gene which encodes the stem cell marker, fibroblast growth factor receptor A (FGFRA). SmFGFRA is essential for maintaining schistosome stem cells and critical in the schistosome-host interplay. The SmfgfrA gene was targeted in S. mansoni adult worms, eggs and schistosomula using a catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) fused to a transcriptional repressor KRAB. We showed that SmfgfrA repression resulted in considerable phenotypic differences in the modulated parasites compared with controls, including reduced levels of SmfgfrA transcription and decreased protein expression of SmFGFRA, a decline in EdU (thymidine analog 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, which specifically stains schistosome stem cells) signal, and an increase in cell apoptosis. Notably, reduced SmfgfrA transcription was evident in miracidia hatched from SmfgfrA-repressed eggs, and resulted in a significant change in miracidial behavior, indicative of a durable repression effect caused by CRISPRi. Intravenous injection of mice with SmfgfrA-repressed eggs resulted in granulomas that were markedly reduced in size and a decline in the level of serum IgE, emphasizing the importance of SmFGFRA in regulating the host immune response induced during schistosome infection. Our findings show the feasibility of applying CRISPRi for effective, targeted transcriptional repression in schistosomes, and provide the basis for employing CRISPRi to selectively perturb gene expression in parasitic helminths on a genome-wide scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Du
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Donald P. McManus
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Juliet D. French
- Genetics & Computational Biology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Natasha Collinson
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Haran Sivakumaran
- Genetics & Computational Biology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Skye R. MacGregor
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Conor E. Fogarty
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Malcolm K. Jones
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | - Hong You
- Infection and Inflammation Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia,*Correspondence: Hong You,
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Campolina SS, Araujo MSS, Rezende TMRL, Matoso L, Quites HFO, Teixeira-Carvalho A, Martins-Filho OA, Gazzinelli A, Correa-Oliveira R. Effective anthelmintic therapy of residents living in endemic area of high prevalence for Hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infections enhances the levels of allergy risk factor anti-Der p1 IgE. RESULTS IN IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 5:6-12. [PMID: 25905031 PMCID: PMC4404415 DOI: 10.1016/j.rinim.2013.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this work were investigated the relationship between Hookworm/Schistosoma mansoni infections and allergy related risk factors in two endemic areas with distinct prevalence of infections and co-infection. The intensity of infections, eosinophilia, allergy risk factors, infections status and anti-Der p1 IgE levels before and 2 years (population 1) and 3 years (population 2) after anthelmintic treatment, were evaluated. It was observed that the population with lower prevalence and intensity of infection (population 2) had lower eosinophils counts (>600/mm3) and higher animal contact than the population with higher parasites intensity (population 1). After anthelmintic treatment the intensity of S. mansoni single infection decreased, but no changes were observed in Hookworm and co-infected individuals. The anthelmintic treatment also enhanced anti-Der p1 IgE optical density in ELISA on the subgroups that became negative for helminth infection regardless of their previous infection condition in population 1. Facing that, we evaluated the anti-Der p1 IgE reactivity index, and the ratio (after/before treatment) was significantly higher in patients co-infected before treatment. On the other hand, no association between anti-Der p1 IgE reactivity index and the intensity of infections were observed. In conclusion, effective anthelmintic therapy of subjects from endemic areas with high prevalence of Hookworm and S. mansoni infections enhances anti-Der p1 IgE levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina S Campolina
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcio S S Araujo
- Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Diagnóstico e Monitoração, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tércia M R L Rezende
- Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Matoso
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Humberto F O Quites
- Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andréa Teixeira-Carvalho
- Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Diagnóstico e Monitoração, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Olindo A Martins-Filho
- Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Diagnóstico e Monitoração, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andrea Gazzinelli
- Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou FIOCRUZ-Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil ; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Xie H, Chen D, Luo X, Gao Z, Fang H, Huang J. Some characteristics of IL-5-producing T cells in mouse liver induced by Schistosoma japonicum infection. Parasitol Res 2013; 112:1945-51. [PMID: 23463138 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3350-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2013] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Schistosome infection could cause significant liver damage in animal; Th2 cells play an important role in the progress of this disease. In our study, C57BL/6 mice were infected by Schistosoma japonicum and lymphocytes were isolated from the liver to detect some characteristics of interleukin-5 (IL-5)-producing T cells by different methods. The results revealed that S. japonicum infection could induce a large amount of IL-5 in mouse liver T cells by the means of fluorescent bead immunoassay and RT-PCR. Although, mouse liver contained many T cell subsets, such as Th cells, Tc cells, NKT cells, and γδ T cells. Fluorescence activated cell sorting results indicated that Th cells were the main source of IL-5 in the T cell population after phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin stimulation. Moreover, the percentage of IL-5-producing Th cells continued to increase from 4 to 8 weeks after S. japonicum infection, which differed from the changes of IFN-γ(+) Th1 cells, IL-4(+) Th2 cells, and IL-17A(+) Th17 cells during S. japonicum infection. Additionally, cytokines co-expression results demonstrated that 36.2 % of IL-5(+) Th cells could express IL-4, and 10 % of it could produce IFN-γ or IL-17A. Collectively, these findings implied that IL-5-producing Th cells posses some properties which differ from other cytokines secreting Th cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Xie
- Department of Functional Experiment Centre, Guangzhou Medical University, 510182, Guangzhou, China.
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Ellis MK, Zhao ZZ, Chen HG, Montgomery GW, Li YS, McManus DP. Analysis of the 5q31 33 locus shows an association between single nucleotide polymorphism variants in the IL-5 gene and symptomatic infection with the human blood fluke, Schistosoma japonicum. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2008; 179:8366-71. [PMID: 18056382 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.12.8366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Genetic studies of human susceptibility to Schistosoma (blood fluke) infections have previously identified a genetic locus determining infection intensity with the African species, Schistosoma mansoni, in the 5q31-33 region of the human genome that is known to contain the Th2 immune response cluster, including the genes encoding the IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 cytokines. These cytokines are key players in inflammatory immune responses and have previously been implicated in human susceptibility to infection with the Asian species, S. japonicum. In a nested case control study, we genotyped 30 HapMap tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across these three genes in 159 individuals identified as putatively susceptible to reinfection with S. japonicum and in 133 putatively resistant individuals. A third group comprising 113 individuals demonstrating symptomatic infection was also included. The results provided no significant association at a global level between reinfection predisposition and any of the individual SNPs or haplotype blocks. However, two tagging SNPs in IL-5 demonstrated globally significant association with susceptibility to symptomatic infection. They were in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other and were found to belong to the same haplotype block that also provided a significant association after permutation testing. This haplotype was located in the 3'-untranslated region of IL-5, suggesting that variants in this region of IL-5 may modulate the immune response in these individuals with symptomatic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda K Ellis
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and University of Queensland, Australia.
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Souza PEA, Rocha MOC, Menezes CAS, Coelho JS, Chaves ACL, Gollob KJ, Dutra WO. Trypanosoma cruzi infection induces differential modulation of costimulatory molecules and cytokines by monocytes and T cells from patients with indeterminate and cardiac Chagas' disease. Infect Immun 2007; 75:1886-94. [PMID: 17283096 PMCID: PMC1865727 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01931-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between macrophages and lymphocytes through costimulatory molecules and cytokines are essential for mounting an efficient immune response and controlling its pathogenic potential. Here we demonstrate the immunomodulatory capacity of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease, through its ability to induce differential expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokines by monocytes and T cells. Costimulatory molecule and cytokine modulation was evaluated using cells from noninfected individuals and from patients with the asymptomatic indeterminate form and those with the severe cardiac clinical form of Chagas' disease. Our results show that while exposure of monocytes to live T. cruzi leads to an increase in the frequency of CD80(+) monocytes in all groups, it decreases both the frequency and intensity of CD86 expression by monocytes from patients with the cardiac form but not from those with the indeterminate form. Conversely, exposure of lymphocytes to monocytes infected with T. cruzi increased the surface expression of cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) by T cells from indeterminate but not from cardiac patients, compared to that from control patients. These data suggest that T. cruzi induces a potentially down-regulatory environment in indeterminate subjects, which is associated with higher CD80 and CTLA-4 expression. To test the functional importance of this modulation, we evaluated the expression of cytokines after in vitro infection. Although exposure of lymphocytes to parasite-infected monocytes induced high expression of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines by T cells in all groups, indeterminate patients displayed a higher ratio of monocytes expressing interleukin 10 than tumor necrosis factor alpha following infection than did controls. These data show the ability of T. cruzi to actively change the expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokines, suggesting molecular mechanisms for the differential clinical evolution of human Chagas' disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo E A Souza
- Department of Morphology, Institute for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
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Abstract
The hygiene hypothesis was developed in response to data suggesting that the increase in allergic diseases as well as asthma was secondary to a reduced exposure to infectious stimuli. Indeed, the epidemiologic changes, resulting in an increase in atopic disease, have been impressive and intriguing. Furthermore, although there clearly is a genetic component to atopic diseases, genetics cannot account for a marked increase in the incidence and prevalence of allergic manifestations within a few generations. Thus, environmental factors have been suggested as responsible for the changing prevalence. There are two--not mutually exclusive--possibilities, namely, that substances that promote atopy have been added to the environment or that factors that provided protection from allergic disease were lost from the environment. Both outdoor and indoor pollution, along with a long list of other environmental factors, have been proposed. It is of interest that in many developed countries, certain types of pollution have decreased, whereas the prevalence of atopic disease has increased. In this review, we have explored a detailed analysis of a large number of studies that have focused on this issue and suggest that, although the hygiene hypothesis has merit, the stimuli responsible for the new epidemiology remain enigmatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea T Borchers
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, TB 192, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Souza PEA, Rocha MOC, Rocha-Vieira E, Menezes CAS, Chaves ACL, Gollob KJ, Dutra WO. Monocytes from patients with indeterminate and cardiac forms of Chagas' disease display distinct phenotypic and functional characteristics associated with morbidity. Infect Immun 2004; 72:5283-91. [PMID: 15322024 PMCID: PMC517423 DOI: 10.1128/iai.72.9.5283-5291.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have demonstrated that monocyte-derived macrophages display critical activities in immunity to parasites. The ability of these cells to process and present antigens, produce cytokines, and provide costimulatory signals demonstrates their pivotal role in initiating immune responses. Although potential modulatory function has been attributed to monocytes from patients with Chagas' disease, a systematic phenotypic and functional analysis of these cells has not been performed. In this work, we analyzed the ex vivo expression of important surface molecules (CD11b and HLA-DR) and immunoregulatory cytokines (interleukin-10 [IL-10], IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha]) in CD14(+) and CD14(-) monocytes from Chagas' disease patients with polar clinical forms of the disease: indeterminate or severe cardiac. We also evaluated the influence of in vitro infection with T. cruzi in the expression of such molecules. We observed that monocytes from indeterminate-disease patients display lower levels of HLA-DR than those from noninfected individuals both ex vivo and after in vitro infection with T. cruzi. Although ex vivo expression of CD11b was similar among the groups, in vitro infection led to decreased expression of this molecule by monocytes from Chagas' disease patients but not from noninfected individuals. Analysis of the expression of immunoregulatory cytokines showed that while monocytes from indeterminate-disease patients are committed to IL-10 expression, a higher percentage of monocytes from cardiac-disease patients express TNF-alpha after exposure to live parasites. These results suggest that monocytes from indeterminate-disease patients display modulatory characteristics related to low HLA-DR and high IL-10 expression whereas monocytes from cardiac-disease, patients may be committed to induction of inflammatory responses related to high TNF-alpha expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo E A Souza
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Graduate Course in Pathology, Universidade Federal da Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Joseph S, Jones FM, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Kamau T, Kazibwe F, Kemijumbi J, Kabatereine NB, Booth M, Kariuki HC, Ouma JH, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW. Cytokine production in whole blood cultures from a fishing community in an area of high endemicity for Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda: the differential effect of parasite worm and egg antigens. Infect Immun 2004; 72:728-34. [PMID: 14742514 PMCID: PMC321598 DOI: 10.1128/iai.72.2.728-734.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human host is continuously exposed to the egg and the adult worm developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni during chronic infections with the parasite. To assess the cytokine responses induced by these different costimulating stages and how they are influenced by host age and infection intensity, whole blood samples from a cross-sectional cohort of 226 members of a Ugandan fishing community who had been resident in an area with high transmission of S. mansoni for the previous 10 years or from birth were stimulated with S. mansoni egg antigen (SEA) or worm antigen (SWA). SWA-specific gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production increased with age, and the levels of SWA- and SEA-specific interleukin 3 (IL-3) were weakly correlated with schistosome infection intensity. The production of most cytokines was little affected by age or infection intensity but was either SEA or SWA specific. One hundred thirty-two members of the cohort coproduced IL-5 and IL-13 specifically in response to SWA, whereas only 15 produced these cytokines, and at much lower levels, in response to SEA. IL-10, IL-4, and IFN-gamma were also produced in response to SWA, whereas the response to SEA consisted almost exclusively of IL-10. Our results suggest that, in contrast to what has been described for the murine model of S. mansoni and during acute human infections, chronic intense exposure to and infection with S. mansoni in this cohort resulted in very low levels of response to SEA in vitro in the presence of a vigorous and mixed Th1-Th2 response to SWA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Joseph
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom.
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