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Fraser M, Curtis B, Phillips P, Yates PA, Lam KS, Netzel O, van Dooren GG, Ingmundson A, Matuschewski K, McLeod MD, Maier AG. Harnessing cholesterol uptake of malaria parasites for therapeutic applications. EMBO Mol Med 2024:10.1038/s44321-024-00087-1. [PMID: 38862600 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00087-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Parasites, such as the malaria parasite P. falciparum, are critically dependent on host nutrients. Interference with nutrient uptake can lead to parasite death and, therefore, serve as a successful treatment strategy. P. falciparum parasites cannot synthesise cholesterol, and instead source this lipid from the host. Here, we tested whether cholesterol uptake pathways could be 'hijacked' for optimal drug delivery to the intracellular parasite. We found that fluorescent cholesterol analogues were delivered from the extracellular environment to the intracellular parasite. We investigated the uptake and inhibitory effects of conjugate compounds, where proven antimalarial drugs (primaquine and artesunate) were attached to steroids that mimic the structure of cholesterol. These conjugated antimalarial drugs improved the inhibitory effects against multiple parasite lifecycle stages, multiple parasite species, and drug-resistant parasites, whilst also lowering the toxicity to human host cells. Steroids with introduced peroxides also displayed antimalarial activity. These results provide a proof-of-concept that cholesterol mimics can be developed as a drug delivery system against apicomplexan parasites with the potential to improve drug efficacy, increase therapeutic index, and defeat drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merryn Fraser
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Blake Curtis
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
- Metabolism of Microbial Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, 13353, Germany
| | - Patrick Phillips
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Patrick A Yates
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Kwong Sum Lam
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Otto Netzel
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, 10115, Germany
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Alyssa Ingmundson
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, 10115, Germany
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, 10115, Germany
| | - Malcolm D McLeod
- Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
| | - Alexander G Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia.
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2
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Schwarzer E, Skorokhod O. Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins of Malaria Parasites during the Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6145. [PMID: 38892332 PMCID: PMC11173270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116145] [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: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating protein functions, influencing various fundamental processes in eukaryotes. These include, but are not limited to, cell signaling, protein trafficking, the epigenetic control of gene expression, and control of the cell cycle, as well as cell proliferation, differentiation, and interactions between cells. In this review, we discuss protein PTMs that play a key role in the malaria parasite biology and its pathogenesis. Phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, lipidation and lipoxidation, glycosylation, ubiquitination and sumoylation, nitrosylation and glutathionylation, all of which occur in malarial parasites, are reviewed. We provide information regarding the biological significance of these modifications along all phases of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium spp. Importantly, not only the parasite, but also the host and vector protein PTMs are often crucial for parasite growth and development. In addition to metabolic regulations, protein PTMs can result in epitopes that are able to elicit both innate and adaptive immune responses of the host or vector. We discuss some existing and prospective results from antimalarial drug discovery trials that target various PTM-related processes in the parasite or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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3
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Dembele L, Dara A, Maiga M, Maiga FO, Cissoko D, Djimde AA. Imidazolopiperazine (IPZ)-Induced Differential Transcriptomic Responses on Plasmodium falciparum Wild-Type and IPZ-Resistant Mutant Parasites. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2124. [PMID: 38136946 PMCID: PMC10743112 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122124] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Imidazolopiperazine (IPZ), KAF156, a close analogue of GNF179, is a promising antimalarial candidate. IPZ is effective against Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax clinical malaria in human with transmission blocking property in animal models and effective against liver stage parasites. Despite these excellent drug efficacy properties, in vitro parasites have shown resistance to IPZ. However, the mechanism of action and resistance of IPZ remained not fully understood. Here, we used transcriptomic analysis to elucidate mode of action of IPZs. We report, in wild-type parasites GNF179 treatment down regulated lipase enzymes, two metabolic pathways: the hydrolysis of Phosphoinositol 4,5-bipohosphate (PIP2) that produce diacyglycerol (DAG) and the cytosolic calcium Ca2+ homeostasis which are known to be essential for P. falciparum survival and proliferation, as well for membrane permeability and protein trafficking. Furthermore, in wild-type parasites, GNF179 repressed expression of Acyl CoA Synthetase, export lipase 1 and esterase enzymes. Thus, in wild-type parasites only, GNF179 treatment affected enzymes leading lipid metabolism, transport, and synthesis. Lastly, our data revealed that IPZs did not perturb known IPZ resistance genes markers pfcarl, pfact, and pfugt regulations, which are all instead possibly involved in the drug resistance that disturb membrane transport targeted by IPZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Dembele
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
- African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE), Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, 10 Biopolis Road, #05-01 Chromos, Singapore 138670, Singapore
| | - Antoine Dara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
| | - Mohamed Maiga
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
- African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE), Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali
| | - Fatoumata O. Maiga
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
- African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE), Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali
| | - Djeneba Cissoko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
- African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE), Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye A. Djimde
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), DEAP Point G, Bamako P.O. Box 1805, Mali; (A.D.); (M.M.); (F.O.M.); (D.C.); (A.A.D.)
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Shunmugam S, Quansah N, Flammersfeld A, Islam MM, Sassmannshausen J, Bennink S, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Pradel G, Botté CY. The patatin-like phospholipase PfPNPLA2 is involved in the mitochondrial degradation of phosphatidylglycerol during Plasmodium falciparum blood stage development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:997245. [PMID: 38089812 PMCID: PMC10711835 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.997245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is an Apicomplexa responsible for human malaria, a major disease causing more than ½ million deaths every year, against which there is no fully efficient vaccine. The current rapid emergence of drug resistances emphasizes the need to identify novel drug targets. Increasing evidences show that lipid synthesis and trafficking are essential for parasite survival and pathogenesis, and that these pathways represent potential points of attack. Large amounts of phospholipids are needed for the generation of membrane compartments for newly divided parasites in the host cell. Parasite membrane homeostasis is achieved by an essential combination of parasite de novo lipid synthesis/recycling and massive host lipid scavenging. Latest data suggest that the mobilization and channeling of lipid resources is key for asexual parasite survival within the host red blood cell, but the molecular actors allowing lipid acquisition are poorly characterized. Enzymes remodeling lipids such as phospholipases are likely involved in these mechanisms. P. falciparum possesses an unusually large set of phospholipases, whose functions are largely unknown. Here we focused on the putative patatin-like phospholipase PfPNPLA2, for which we generated an glmS-inducible knockdown line and investigated its role during blood stages malaria. Disruption of the mitochondrial PfPNPLA2 in the asexual blood stages affected mitochondrial morphology and further induced a significant defect in parasite replication and survival, in particular under low host lipid availability. Lipidomic analyses revealed that PfPNPLA2 specifically degrades the parasite membrane lipid phosphatidylglycerol to generate lysobisphosphatidic acid. PfPNPLA2 knockdown further resulted in an increased host lipid scavenging accumulating in the form of storage lipids and free fatty acids. These results suggest that PfPNPLA2 is involved in the recycling of parasite phosphatidylglycerol to sustain optimal intraerythrocytic development when the host resources are scarce. This work strengthens our understanding of the complex lipid homeostasis pathways to acquire lipids and allow asexual parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Shunmugam
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Nyamekye Quansah
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Ansgar Flammersfeld
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Md Muzahidul Islam
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Juliane Sassmannshausen
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sandra Bennink
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yoshiki Yamaryo-Botté
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Gabriele Pradel
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cyrille Y. Botté
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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5
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Cruz-Bustos T, Dolezal M, Feix AS, Ruttkowski B, Hummel K, Razzazi-Fazeli E, Joachim A. Unravelling the sexual developmental biology of Cystoisospora suis, a model for comparative coccidian parasite studies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1271731. [PMID: 37953800 PMCID: PMC10635411 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1271731] [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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The apicomplexan parasite Cystoisospora suis has global significance as an enteropathogen of suckling piglets. Its intricate life cycle entails a transition from an asexual phase to sexual development, ultimately leading to the formation of transmissible oocysts. Methods To advance our understanding of the parasite's cellular development, we complemented previous transcriptome studies by delving into the proteome profiles at five distinct time points of in vitro cultivation through LC/MS-MS analysis. Results A total of 1,324 proteins were identified in the in vitro developmental stages of C. suis, and 1,082 proteins were identified as significantly differentially expressed. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD045050. We performed BLAST, GO enrichment, and KEGG pathway analyses on the up- and downregulated proteins to elucidate correlated events in the C. suis life cycle. Our analyses revealed intriguing metabolic patterns in macromolecule metabolism, DNA- and RNA-related processes, proteins associated with sexual stages, and those involved in cell invasion, reflecting the adaptation of sexual stages to a nutrient-poor and potentially stressful extracellular environment, with a focus on enzymes involved in metabolism and energy production. Discussion These findings have important implications for understanding the developmental biology of C. suis as well as other, related coccidian parasites, such as Eimeria spp. and Toxoplasma gondii. They also support the role of C. suis as a new model for the comparative biology of coccidian tissue cyst stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Cruz-Bustos
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marlies Dolezal
- Platform for Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Sophia Feix
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bärbel Ruttkowski
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Hummel
- VetCore Facility (Proteomics), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ebrahim Razzazi-Fazeli
- VetCore Facility (Proteomics), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anja Joachim
- Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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6
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Burda PC, Ramaprasad A, Bielfeld S, Pietsch E, Woitalla A, Söhnchen C, Singh MN, Strauss J, Sait A, Collinson LM, Schwudke D, Blackman MJ, Gilberger TW. Global analysis of putative phospholipases in Plasmodium falciparum reveals an essential role of the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite maturation. mBio 2023; 14:e0141323. [PMID: 37489900 PMCID: PMC10470789 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01413-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For its replication within red blood cells, the malaria parasite depends on a highly active and regulated lipid metabolism. Enzymes involved in lipid metabolic processes such as phospholipases are, therefore, potential drug targets. Here, using reverse genetics approaches, we show that only 1 out of the 19 putative phospholipases expressed in asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum is essential for proliferation in vitro, pointing toward a high level of redundancy among members of this enzyme family. Using conditional mislocalization and gene disruption techniques, we show that this essential phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC, PF3D7_1013500) has a previously unrecognized essential role during intracellular parasite maturation, long before its previously perceived role in parasite egress and invasion. Subsequent lipidomic analysis suggests that PI-PLC mediates cleavage of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) in schizont-stage parasites, underlining its critical role in regulating phosphoinositide levels in the parasite. IMPORTANCE The clinical symptoms of malaria arise due to repeated rounds of replication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells (RBCs). Central to this is an intense period of membrane biogenesis. Generation of membranes not only requires de novo synthesis and acquisition but also the degradation of phospholipids, a function that is performed by phospholipases. In this study, we investigate the essentiality of the 19 putative phospholipase enzymes that the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum expresses during its replication within RBCs. We not only show that a high level of functional redundancy exists among these enzymes but, at the same time, also identify an essential role for the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite development and cleavage of the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina Bielfeld
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Woitalla
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Christoph Söhnchen
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mehar Nihal Singh
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aaron Sait
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy M. Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominik Schwudke
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Thematic Translational Unit Tuberculosis, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Michael J. Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Davies H, Bergmann B, Walloch P, Nerlich C, Hansen C, Wittlin S, Spielmann T, Treeck M, Beitz E. The Plasmodium Lactate/H + Transporter PfFNT Is Essential and Druggable In Vivo. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0035623. [PMID: 37428074 PMCID: PMC10433847 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00356-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites in the blood stage express a single transmembrane transport protein for the release of the glycolytic end product l-lactate/H+ from the cell. This transporter is a member of the strictly microbial formate-nitrite transporter (FNT) family and a novel putative drug target. Small, drug-like FNT inhibitors potently block lactate transport and kill Plasmodium falciparum parasites in culture. The protein structure of Plasmodium falciparum FNT (PfFNT) in complex with the inhibitor has been resolved and confirms its previously predicted binding site and its mode of action as a substrate analog. Here, we investigated the mutational plasticity and essentiality of the PfFNT target on a genetic level, and established its in vivo druggability using mouse malaria models. We found that, besides a previously identified PfFNT G107S resistance mutation, selection of parasites at 3 × IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) gave rise to two new point mutations affecting inhibitor binding: G21E and V196L. Conditional knockout and mutation of the PfFNT gene showed essentiality in the blood stage, whereas no phenotypic defects in sexual development were observed. PfFNT inhibitors mainly targeted the trophozoite stage and exhibited high potency in P. berghei- and P. falciparum-infected mice. Their in vivo activity profiles were comparable to that of artesunate, demonstrating strong potential for the further development of PfFNT inhibitors as novel antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heledd Davies
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bärbel Bergmann
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Walloch
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Cornelius Nerlich
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Hansen
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sergio Wittlin
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Eric Beitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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8
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Birczyńska-Zych M, Czepiel J, Łabanowska M, Kucharska M, Kurdziel M, Biesiada G, Garlicki A, Wesełucha-Birczyńska A. Course of Plasmodium infection studied using 2D-COS on human erythrocytes. Malar J 2023; 22:188. [PMID: 37340440 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04611-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The threat of malaria is still present in the world. Recognizing the type of parasite is important in determining a treatment plan. The golden routine involves microscopic diagnostics of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears, however, alternative methods are also constantly being sought, in order to gain an additional insight into the course of the disease. Spectroscopic methods, e.g., Raman spectroscopy, are becoming increasingly popular, due to the non-destructive nature of these techniques. METHODS The study included patients hospitalized for malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax, in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, as well as healthy volunteers. The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of using Raman spectroscopy and 2D correlation (2D-COS) spectroscopy in understanding the structural changes in erythrocytes depending on the type of attacking parasite. EPR spectroscopy and two-trace two-dimensional (2T2D) correlation was also used to examine the specificity of paramagnetic centres found in the infected human blood. RESULTS Two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy facilitates the identification of the hidden relationship, allowing for the discrimination of Raman spectra obtained during the course of disease in human red blood cells, infected by P. falciparum or P. vivax. Synchronous cross-peaks indicate the processes taking place inside the erythrocyte during the export of the parasite protein towards the cell membrane. In contrast, moieties that generate asynchronous 2D cross-peaks are characteristic of the respective ligand-receptor domains. These changes observed during the course of the infection, have different dynamics for P. falciparum and P. vivax, as indicated by the asynchronous correlation cross-peaks. Two-trace two-dimensional (2T2D) spectroscopy, applied to EPR spectra of blood at the beginning of the infection, showed differences between P. falciparum and P. vivax. CONCLUSIONS A unique feature of 2D-COS is the ability to discriminate the collected Raman and EPR spectra. The changes observed during the course of a malaria infection have different dynamics for P. falciparum and P. vivax, indicated by the reverse sequence of events. For each type of parasite, a specific recycling process for iron was observed in the infected blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malwina Birczyńska-Zych
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jacek Czepiel
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Łabanowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Martyna Kucharska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kurdziel
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Grażyna Biesiada
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
| | - Aleksander Garlicki
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Kraków, Poland
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9
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Vliegenthart-Jongbloed KJ, Koelewijn R, Tielens AGM, Sauerwein RW, van Hellemond JJ, van Genderen PJJ. The decrease in plasma cholesterol during Plasmodium falciparum infections is not caused by cholesterol utilization by the parasites but by an infection-induced acute-phase response. J Infect 2023; 86:617-619. [PMID: 36868319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Klaske J Vliegenthart-Jongbloed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases & The Institute for Tropical Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rob Koelewijn
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases & The Institute for Tropical Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Aloysius G M Tielens
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases & The Institute for Tropical Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap J van Hellemond
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases & The Institute for Tropical Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Perry J J van Genderen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases & The Institute for Tropical Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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10
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Bopp S, Pasaje CFA, Summers RL, Magistrado-Coxen P, Schindler KA, Corpas-Lopez V, Yeo T, Mok S, Dey S, Smick S, Nasamu AS, Demas AR, Milne R, Wiedemar N, Corey V, Gomez-Lorenzo MDG, Franco V, Early AM, Lukens AK, Milner D, Furtado J, Gamo FJ, Winzeler EA, Volkman SK, Duffey M, Laleu B, Fidock DA, Wyllie S, Niles JC, Wirth DF. Potent acyl-CoA synthetase 10 inhibitors kill Plasmodium falciparum by disrupting triglyceride formation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1455. [PMID: 36927839 PMCID: PMC10020447 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36921-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying how small molecules act to kill malaria parasites can lead to new "chemically validated" targets. By pressuring Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood stage parasites with three novel structurally-unrelated antimalarial compounds (MMV665924, MMV019719 and MMV897615), and performing whole-genome sequence analysis on resistant parasite lines, we identify multiple mutations in the P. falciparum acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) genes PfACS10 (PF3D7_0525100, M300I, A268D/V, F427L) and PfACS11 (PF3D7_1238800, F387V, D648Y, and E668K). Allelic replacement and thermal proteome profiling validates PfACS10 as a target of these compounds. We demonstrate that this protein is essential for parasite growth by conditional knockdown and observe increased compound susceptibility upon reduced expression. Inhibition of PfACS10 leads to a reduction in triacylglycerols and a buildup of its lipid precursors, providing key insights into its function. Analysis of the PfACS11 gene and its mutations point to a role in mediating resistance via decreased protein stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Bopp
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Robert L Summers
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Pamela Magistrado-Coxen
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kyra A Schindler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoriano Corpas-Lopez
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Tomas Yeo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sachel Mok
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sumanta Dey
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sebastian Smick
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Armiyaw S Nasamu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Allison R Demas
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Milne
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Natalie Wiedemar
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Victoria Corey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maria De Gracia Gomez-Lorenzo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Research and Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Franco
- Tres Cantos Medicines Research and Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angela M Early
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amanda K Lukens
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Danny Milner
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeremy Furtado
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francisco-Javier Gamo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Research and Development Campus, Diseases of the Developing World, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah K Volkman
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Jacquin C Niles
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dyann F Wirth
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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11
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The enemy within: lipid asymmetry in intracellular parasite-host interactions. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:67-79. [PMID: 36820809 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic pathogens with an intracellular parasitic lifestyle are shielded from extracellular threats during replication and growth. In addition to many nutrients, parasites scavenge host cell lipids to establish complex membrane structures inside their host cells. To counteract the disturbance of the host cell plasma membrane they have evolved strategies to regulate phospholipid asymmetry. In this review, the function and importance of lipid asymmetry in the interactions of intracellular protozoan parasites with the target and immune cells of the host are highlighted. The malaria parasite Plasmodium infects red blood cells and extensively refurbishes these terminally differentiated cells. Cholesterol depletion and an altered intracellular calcium ion homeostasis can lead to disruption in erythrocyte membrane asymmetry and increased exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS). Binding to the PS receptor on monocytes and macrophages results in phagocytosis and destruction of infected erythrocytes. Leishmania parasites display apoptotic mimicry by actively enhancing PS exposure on their surface to trigger increased infection of macrophages. In extracellular Toxoplasma gondii a P4-type ATPase/CDC50 co-chaperone pair functions as a flippase important for exocytosis of specialised secretory organelles. Identification and functional analysis of parasite lipid-translocating proteins, i.e. flippases, floppases, and scramblases, will be central for the recognition of the molecular mechanisms of parasite/host interactions. Ultimately, a better understanding of parasitic diseases, host immunity, and immune escape by parasites require more research on the dynamics of phospholipid bilayers of parasites and the infected host cell.
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12
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Beri D, Singh M, Rodriguez M, Goyal N, Rasquinha G, Liu Y, An X, Yazdanbakhsh K, Lobo CA. Global Metabolomic Profiling of Host Red Blood Cells Infected with Babesia divergens Reveals Novel Antiparasitic Target Pathways. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0468822. [PMID: 36786651 PMCID: PMC10100774 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04688-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia divergens is an apicomplexan parasite that infects human red blood cells (RBCs), initiating cycles of invasion, replication, and egress, resulting in extensive metabolic modification of the host cells. Babesia is an auxotroph for most of the nutrients required to sustain these cycles. There are currently limited studies on the biochemical pathways that support these critical processes, necessitating the high-resolution global metabolomics approach described here to uncover the metabolic interactions between parasite and host RBC. Our results reveal an extensive parasite-mediated modulation of RBC metabolite levels of all classes, including lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleotides, with numerous metabolic species varying in proportion to the level of infection. Many of these molecules are scavenged from the host RBCs. This is in accord with the needs of a rapidly proliferating parasite with limited biosynthetic capabilities. Probing these pathways in depth, we used growth inhibition assays to quantitate parasite susceptibility to drugs targeting these pathways and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy to obtain high-resolution images of drug-treated parasites to correlate changes in morphology with specific metabolic blocks in order to validate the data generated by the untargeted metabolomics platform. Thus, interruption of cholesterol scavenging from the host cell led to premature parasite egress, while chemical targeting of the hydrolysis of acyl glycerides led to the buildup of malformed parasites that could not successfully egress. This is the first report detailing the global metabolomic profile of the B. divergens-infected RBC. Besides deciphering diverse aspects of the host-parasite relationship, our results can be exploited by others to uncover further drug targets in the host-parasite biochemical network. IMPORTANCE Human babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan parasites of the Babesia genus and is associated with transfusion-transmitted illness and relapsing disease in immunosuppressed populations. Through its continuous cycles of invasion, proliferation, and egress, B. divergens radically changes the metabolic environment of the host red blood cell, allowing us opportunities to study potential chemical vulnerabilities that can be targeted by drugs. This is the first global metabolomic profiling of Babesia-infected human red blood cells, and our analysis revealed perturbation in all biomolecular classes at levels proportional to the level of infection. In particular, lipids and energy flux pathways in the host cell were altered by infection. We validated the changes in key metabolic pathways by performing inhibition assays accompanied by high-resolution microscopy. Overall, this global metabolomics analysis of Babesia-infected red blood cells has helped to uncover novel aspects of parasite biology and identified potential biochemical pathways that can be targeted for chemotherapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Beri
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Manpreet Singh
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marilis Rodriguez
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Naman Goyal
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Yunfeng Liu
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiuli An
- Department of Membrane Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karina Yazdanbakhsh
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cheryl A. Lobo
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Sah RK, Anand S, Dar W, Jain R, Kumari G, Madan E, Saini M, Gupta A, Joshi N, Hada RS, Gupta N, Pati S, Singh S. Host-Erythrocytic Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Regulates Plasmodium Histone Deacetylase Activity and Exhibits Epigenetic Control over Cell Death and Differentiation. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0276622. [PMID: 36744922 PMCID: PMC10100792 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02766-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of resistance to practically all antimalarial drugs poses a challenge to the current malaria elimination and eradication efforts. Given that the epigenome of Plasmodium falciparum governs several crucial parasite functions, pharmaceutical interventions with transmission-blocking potential that target epigenetic molecular markers and regulatory mechanisms are likely to encounter drug resistance. In the malaria parasite, histone deacetylases (HDACs) are essential epigenetic modulators that regulate cellular transcriptional rearrangements, notably the molecular mechanisms underlying parasite proliferation and differentiation. We establish "lipid sequestration" as a mechanism by which sphingolipids, specifically Sphingosine-1-Phosphate (S1P) (a metabolic product of Sphingosine Kinase 1 [SphK-1]), regulate epigenetic reprogramming in the parasite by interacting with, and modulating, the histone-deacetylation activity of PfHDAC-1, thereby regulating Plasmodium pathogenesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that altering host S1P levels with PF-543, a potent and selective Sphk-1 inhibitor, dysregulates PfHDAC-1 activity, resulting in a significant increase in the global histone acetylation signals and, consequently, transcriptional modulation of genes associated with gametocytogenesis, virulence, and proliferation. Our findings point to a hitherto unrecognized functional role for host S1P-mediated sphingolipid signaling in modulating PfHDAC-1's enzymatic activity and, as a result, the parasite's dynamic genome-wide transcriptional patterns. The epigenetic regulation of parasite proliferation and sexual differentiation offers a novel approach for developing host-targeted therapeutics to combat malaria resistance to conventional regimens. IMPORTANCE Sphingolipid is an 18-carbon amino-alcohol-containing lipid with a sphingosine backbone, which when phosphorylated by sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK-1), generates sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), an essential lipid signaling molecule. Dysregulation of S1P function has been observed in a variety of pathologies, including severe malaria. The malaria parasite Plasmodium acquires a host S1P pool for its growth and survival. Here, we describe the molecular attuning of histone deacetylase-1 (PfHDAC-1), a crucial epigenetic modulator that contributes to the establishment of epigenetic chromatin states and parasite survival, in response to S1P binding. Our findings highlight the host lipid-mediated epigenetic regulation of malaria parasite key genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar Sah
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Sakshi Anand
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Waseem Dar
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Ravi Jain
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Geeta Kumari
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Evanka Madan
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Monika Saini
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Aashima Gupta
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Nishant Joshi
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Rahul Singh Hada
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Nutan Gupta
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Soumya Pati
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
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14
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Nwonuma CO, Balogun EA, Gyebi GA. Evaluation of Antimalarial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Annona muricata L.: An in vivo and an in silico Approach. J Evid Based Integr Med 2023; 28:2515690X231165104. [PMID: 37019435 PMCID: PMC10084581 DOI: 10.1177/2515690x231165104] [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: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In Nigeria, Annona muricata L. has been used to treat a variety of ailments. The mechanism of the antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Annona muricata (EEAML) was investigated using both an in vivo and an in silico approach. The experimental mice were divided into five groups: A-F. The mice in groups B-F were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei NK-65 and treated accordingly. Groups A and B are the negative and positive controls (infected and untreated), respectively. Group C received 10 mg/kg chloroquine (standard drug), whereas groups D-F received 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of the extract orally respectively. The mice were euthanized eight days after infection, and their liver and blood were collected and used in biochemical tests. Molecular docking was performed using the extract's HPLC compounds and Plasmodium falciparum proteins. In the suppressive, prophylactic, and curative tests, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in parasitemia levels in groups treated with the extract compared to the positive control and standard drug. When compared to the positive control, there was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in liver MDA, total cholesterol, and total triglyceride levels. The binding energies of luteolin and apigenin-pfprotein complexes were significantly (p < 0.05) higher compared to their respective references. The anti-plasmodial activity of the extract may result from its hypolipidemic effect, which deprives the parasite of essential lipid molecules needed for parasite growth, as well as from the inhibitory effects of apigenin and luteolin on specific proteins required for the Plasmodium metabolic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Obiora Nwonuma
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Pure and Applied Science, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | | | - Gideon Ampoma Gyebi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bingham University, Karu, Nigeria
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15
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Omorou R, Bin Sa'id I, Delves M, Severini C, Kouakou YI, Bienvenu AL, Picot S. Protocols for Plasmodium gametocyte production in vitro: an integrative review and analysis. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:451. [PMID: 36471426 PMCID: PMC9720971 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05566-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The production of Plasmodium gametocytes in vitro is a real challenge. Many protocols have been described, but few have resulted in the production of viable and infectious gametocytes in sufficient quantities to conduct research on-but not limited to-transmission-blocking drug and vaccine development. The aim of this review was to identify and discuss gametocyte production protocols that have been developed over the last two decades. METHODS We analyzed the original gametocyte production protocols published from 2000 onwards based on a literature search and a thorough review. A systematic review was performed of relevant articles identified in the PubMed, Web of Sciences and ScienceDirect databases. RESULTS A total 23 studies on the production of Plasmodium gametocytes were identified, 19 involving in vitro Plasmodium falciparum, one involving Plasmodium knowlesi and three involving ex vivo Plasmodium vivax. Of the in vitro studies, 90% used environmental stressors to trigger gametocytogenesis. Mature gametocytemia of up to 4% was reported. CONCLUSIONS Several biological parameters contribute to an optimal production in vitro of viable and infectious mature gametocytes. The knowledge gained from this systematic review on the molecular mechanisms involved in gametocytogenesis enables reproducible gametocyte protocols with transgenic parasite lines to be set up. This review highlights the need for additional gametocyte production protocols for Plasmodium species other than P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roukayatou Omorou
- Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, University of Lyon, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Ibrahim Bin Sa'id
- Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, University of Lyon, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.,Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Kediri, 64127, Kota Kediri, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
| | - Michael Delves
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1A 7HT, UK
| | - Carlo Severini
- Dipartimento Di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Yobouet Ines Kouakou
- Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, University of Lyon, 69100, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Anne-Lise Bienvenu
- Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, University of Lyon, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.,Service Pharmacie, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Stephane Picot
- Malaria Research Unit, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-University Lyon1, University of Lyon, 69100, Villeurbanne, France.,Institut de Parasitologie Et Mycologie Médicale, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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16
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PfSRPK1 Regulates Asexual Blood Stage Schizogony and Is Essential for Male Gamete Formation. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0214122. [PMID: 36094218 PMCID: PMC9602455 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02141-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine/arginine-rich protein kinases (SRPKs) are cell cycle-regulated serine/threonine protein kinases and are important regulators of splicing factors. In this study, we functionally characterize SRPK1 of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. P. falciparum SRPK1 (PfSRPK1) was expressed in asexual blood-stage and sexual-stage gametocytes. Pfsrpk1- parasites formed asexual schizonts that generated far fewer merozoites than wild-type parasites, causing reduced replication rates. Pfsrpk1- parasites also showed a severe defect in the differentiation of male gametes, causing a complete block in parasite transmission to mosquitoes. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of wild-type PfNF54 and Pfsrpk1- stage V gametocytes suggested a role for PfSRPK1 in regulating transcript splicing and transcript abundance of genes coding for (i) microtubule/cilium morphogenesis-related proteins, (ii) proteins involved in cyclic nucleotide metabolic processes, (iii) proteins involved in signaling such as PfMAP2, (iv) lipid metabolism enzymes, (v) proteins of osmophilic bodies, and (vi) crystalloid components. Our study reveals an essential role for PfSRPK1 in parasite cell morphogenesis and suggests this kinase as a target to prevent malaria transmission from humans to mosquitoes. IMPORTANCE Plasmodium sexual stages represent a critical bottleneck in the parasite life cycle. Gametocytes taken up in an infectious blood meal by female anopheline mosquito get activated to form gametes and fuse to form short-lived zygotes, which transform into ookinetes to infect mosquitoes. In the present study, we demonstrate that PfSRPK1 is important for merozoite formation and critical for male gametogenesis and is involved in transcript homeostasis for numerous parasite genes. Targeting PfSRPK1 and its downstream pathways may reduce parasite replication and help achieve effective malaria transmission-blocking strategies.
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17
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Maier AG, van Ooij C. The role of cholesterol in invasion and growth of malaria parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:984049. [PMID: 36189362 PMCID: PMC9522969 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.984049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites are unicellular eukaryotic pathogens that develop through a complex lifecycle involving two hosts, an anopheline mosquito and a vertebrate host. Throughout this lifecycle, the parasite encounters widely differing conditions and survives in distinct ways, from an intracellular lifestyle in the vertebrate host to exclusively extracellular stages in the mosquito. Although the parasite relies on cholesterol for its growth, the parasite has an ambiguous relationship with cholesterol: cholesterol is required for invasion of host cells by the parasite, including hepatocytes and erythrocytes, and for the development of the parasites in those cells. However, the parasite is unable to produce cholesterol itself and appears to remove cholesterol actively from its own plasma membrane, thereby setting up a cholesterol gradient inside the infected host erythrocyte. Overall a picture emerges in which the parasite relies on host cholesterol and carefully controls its transport. Here, we describe the role of cholesterol at the different lifecycle stages of the parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
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18
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Himbert S, Rheinstädter MC. Structural and mechanical properties of the red blood cell’s cytoplasmic membrane seen through the lens of biophysics. Front Physiol 2022; 13:953257. [PMID: 36171967 PMCID: PMC9510598 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.953257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most abundant cell type in the human body and critical suppliers of oxygen. The cells are characterized by a simple structure with no internal organelles. Their two-layered outer shell is composed of a cytoplasmic membrane (RBCcm) tethered to a spectrin cytoskeleton allowing the cell to be both flexible yet resistant against shear stress. These mechanical properties are intrinsically linked to the molecular composition and organization of their shell. The cytoplasmic membrane is expected to dominate the elastic behavior on small, nanometer length scales, which are most relevant for cellular processes that take place between the fibrils of the cytoskeleton. Several pathologies have been linked to structural and compositional changes within the RBCcm and the cell’s mechanical properties. We review current findings in terms of RBC lipidomics, lipid organization and elastic properties with a focus on biophysical techniques, such as X-ray and neutron scattering, and Molecular Dynamics simulations, and their biological relevance. In our current understanding, the RBCcm’s structure is patchy, with nanometer sized liquid ordered and disordered lipid, and peptide domains. At the same time, it is surprisingly soft, with bending rigidities κ of 2–4 kBT. This is in strong contrast to the current belief that a high concentration of cholesterol results in stiff membranes. This extreme softness is likely the result of an interaction between polyunsaturated lipids and cholesterol, which may also occur in other biological membranes. There is strong evidence in the literature that there is no length scale dependence of κ of whole RBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Himbert
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Sebastian Himbert, ; Maikel C. Rheinstädter,
| | - Maikel C. Rheinstädter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Sebastian Himbert, ; Maikel C. Rheinstädter,
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19
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Wang F, Song J, Yan Y, Zhou Q, Li X, Wang P, Yang Z, Zhang Q, Zhang H. Integrated Network Pharmacology Analysis and Serum Metabolomics to Reveal the Anti-malaria Mechanism of Artesunate. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:31482-31494. [PMID: 36092633 PMCID: PMC9453802 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artesunate is a widely used drug in clinical treatment of malaria. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of artesunate on malaria using an integrated strategy of network pharmacology and serum metabolomics. The mice models of malaria were established using 2 × 107 red blood cells infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA injection. Giemsa and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to evaluate the efficacy of artesunate on malaria. Next, network pharmacology analysis was applied to identify target genes. Then, a metabolomics strategy has been developed to find the possible significant serum metabolites and metabolic pathways induced by artesunate. Additionally, two parts of the results were integrated to confirm each other. Giemsa and HE staining results showed that artesunate significantly inhibited the proliferation of Plasmodium and reduced liver and spleen inflammation. Based on metabolomics, 18 differential endogenous metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers related to the artesunate for treating malaria. These metabolites were mainly involved in the relevant pathways of biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis; and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. The results of the network pharmacology analysis showed 125 potential target genes related to the treatment of malaria with artesunate. The functional enrichment was mainly associated with lipid and atherosclerosis; pathways of prostate cancer and proteoglycans in cancer; and PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, NF-κB, Th17 cell, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways. These findings were partly consistent with the findings of the metabolism. Our results further suggested that artesunate could correct the inflammatory response caused by malaria through Th17 cell and NF-κB pathways. Meanwhile, our work revealed that cholesterol needed by Plasmodium berghei came directly from serum. Cholesterol and palmitic acid may be essential in the growth and reproduction of Plasmodium berghei. In summary, artesunate may have an effect on anti-malarial properties through multiple targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiran Wang
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Jian Song
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
| | - Yingying Yan
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
| | - Qian Zhou
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Ping Wang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Zongtong Yang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Qiuhong Zhang
- Jinan
Center for Food and Drug Control, Jinan 250102, P. R. China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
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20
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Hayakawa ESH, Wayama M, Tokumasu F, Ohno N, Matsumoto M, Usukura J. Budding pouches and associated bubbles: 3D visualization of exo-membrane structures in plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:962495. [PMID: 36072224 PMCID: PMC9441640 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.962495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes have unique morphology, metabolism, and protein expression profiles in their asexual stages of development. In addition to the striking changes in their appearance, a wide variety of “exo-membrane structures” are newly formed in the gametocyte stage. Little is known about their function, localization, or three-dimensional structural information, and only some structural data, typically two-dimensional, have been reported using conventional electron microscopy or fluorescence microscopy. For better visualization of intracellular organelle and exo-membrane structures, we previously established an unroofing technique to directly observe Maurer’s clefts (MCs) in asexual parasitized erythrocytes by removing the top part of the cell’s membrane followed by transmission electron microscopy. We found that MCs have numerous tethers connecting themselves to the host erythrocyte membrane skeletons. In this study, we investigated the intracellular structures of gametocytes using unroofing-TEM, Serial Block Face scanning electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy to unveil the exo-membrane structures in gametocytes. Our data showed “balloon/pouch”-like objects budding from the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) in gametocytes, and some balloons included multiple layers of other balloons. Furthermore, numerous bubbles appeared on the inner surface of the erythrocyte membrane or PVM; these were similar to MC-like membranes but were smaller than asexual MCs. Our study demonstrated P. falciparum reforms exo-membranes in erythrocytes to meet stage-specific biological activities during their sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eri Saki H. Hayakawa
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- *Correspondence: Eri Saki H. Hayakawa, ; Fuyuki Tokumasu,
| | - Marina Wayama
- Nanostructure Characterization Group, Solution Development Department, Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Tokumasu
- Department of Cellular Architecture Studies, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- *Correspondence: Eri Saki H. Hayakawa, ; Fuyuki Tokumasu,
| | - Nobuhiko Ohno
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
- Division of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Mami Matsumoto
- Section of Electron Microscopy, Supportive Center for Brain Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Jiro Usukura
- Institute of Material and Systems for Sustainability, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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21
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Activity-Based Protein Profiling of Human and Plasmodium Serine Hydrolases and Interrogation of Potential Antimalarial Targets. iScience 2022; 25:104996. [PMID: 36105595 PMCID: PMC9464883 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a global health issue requiring the identification of novel therapeutic targets to combat drug resistance. Metabolic serine hydrolases are druggable enzymes playing essential roles in lipid metabolism. However, very few have been investigated in malaria-causing parasites. Here, we used fluorophosphonate broad-spectrum activity-based probes and quantitative chemical proteomics to annotate and profile the activity of more than half of predicted serine hydrolases in P. falciparum across the erythrocytic cycle. Using conditional genetics, we demonstrate that the activities of four serine hydrolases, previously annotated as essential (or important) in genetic screens, are actually dispensable for parasite replication. Of importance, we also identified eight human serine hydrolases that are specifically activated at different developmental stages. Chemical inhibition of two of them blocks parasite replication. This strongly suggests that parasites co-opt the activity of host enzymes and that this opens a new drug development strategy against which the parasites are less likely to develop resistance. P. falciparum has 48 predicted metabolic SHs. Many react with the ABP, FP-N3 The activity of 25 PfSHs and 8 HsSHs was profiled throughout the asexual life cycle Catalytic mutants of 4 PfSHs (formerly held essential) had no parasite growth effect Selective inhibitors for 2 HsSHs (APEH and LPLA2) affected parasite growth
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22
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van der Watt ME, Reader J, Birkholtz LM. Adapt or Die: Targeting Unique Transmission-Stage Biology for Malaria Elimination. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:901971. [PMID: 35755845 PMCID: PMC9218253 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.901971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites have a complex life cycle that includes development in the human host as well as the Anopheles vector. Successful transmission of the parasite between its host and vector therefore requires the parasite to balance its investments in asexual replication and sexual reproduction, varying the frequency of sexual commitment to persist within the human host and generate future opportunities for transmission. The transmission window is extended further by the ability of stage V gametocytes to circulate in peripheral blood for weeks, whereas immature stage I to IV gametocytes sequester in the bone marrow and spleen until final maturation. Due to the low gametocyte numbers in blood circulation and with the ease of targeting such life cycle bottlenecks, transmission represents an efficient target for therapeutic intervention. The biological process of Plasmodium transmission is a multistage, multifaceted process and the past decade has seen a much deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulators involved. Clearly, specific and divergent processes are used during transmission compared to asexual proliferation, which both poses challenges but also opportunities for discovery of transmission-blocking antimalarials. This review therefore presents an update of our molecular understanding of gametocyte and gamete biology as well as the status of transmission-blocking activities of current antimalarials and lead development compounds. By defining the biological components associated with transmission, considerations for the development of new transmission-blocking drugs to target such untapped but unique biology is suggested as an important, main driver for transmission-blocking drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariëtte E van der Watt
- Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Janette Reader
- Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lyn-Marié Birkholtz
- Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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23
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PfARID Regulates P. falciparum Malaria Parasite Male Gametogenesis and Female Fertility and Is Critical for Parasite Transmission to the Mosquito Vector. mBio 2022; 13:e0057822. [PMID: 35638735 PMCID: PMC9239086 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00578-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction of Plasmodium falciparum parasites is critical to the spread of malaria in the human population. The factors that regulate gene expression underlying formation of fertilization-competent gametes, however, remain unknown. Here, we report that P. falciparum expresses a protein with an AT-rich interaction domain (ARID) which, in other organisms, is part of chromatin remodeling complexes. P. falciparum ARID (PfARID) localized to the parasite nucleus and is critical for the formation of male gametes and fertility of female gametes. PfARID gene deletion (Pfarid–) gametocytes showed downregulation of gene expression important for gametogenesis, antigenic variation, and cell signaling and for parasite development in the mosquito. Our study identifies PfARID as a critical nuclear protein involved in regulating the gene expression landscape of mature gametocytes. This establishes fertility and also prepares the parasite for postfertilization events that are essential for infection of the mosquito vector.
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Anwar O, Islam M, Thakur V, Kaur I, Mohmmed A. Defining ER-mitochondria contact dynamics in Plasmodium falciparum by targeting component of phospholipid synthesis pathway, Phosphatidylserine synthase (PfPSS). Mitochondrion 2022; 65:124-138. [PMID: 35623558 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The malaria parasite completes the asexual cycle inside the host erythrocyte, which requires extensive membrane biogenesis for its development and multiplication. Metabolic pathways for the synthesis of membrane phospholipids (PL), including phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS), are crucial for parasite survival. Here, we have studied the P. falciparum enzyme responsible for PS synthesis, Phosphatidylserine synthase (PfPSS), GFP targeting approach confirmed it to be localized in the parasite ER as well as in ER-protrusions. Detailed high resolution microscopy, using these transgenic parasites expressing PfPSS-GFP, redefined the dynamics of ER during the intraerythrocytic life cycle and its association with the mitochondria. We report for the first time presence of ER-mitochondria contact (ERMC) in Plasmodium; ERMC is formed by PfPSS containing ER-protrusions, which associate with the mitochondria surface throughout the parasite growth cycle. Further, ERMC is found to be stable and refractory to ER and mitochondrial stresses, suggesting that it is formed through strong tethering complexes. PfPSS was found to interact with other major key enzyme involved in PL synthesis, choline/Etn-phosphotransferase (CEPT), which suggest that ER is the major site for PL biosynthesis. Overall, this study defines the morphological organisation of ERMC which mediates PL synthesis/transport in the Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omair Anwar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India
| | - Muzahidul Islam
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India
| | - Vandana Thakur
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India
| | - Inderjeet Kaur
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India
| | - Asif Mohmmed
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India.
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25
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Chambrion C, Depond M, Angella L, Mouri O, Kendjo E, Fricot-Monsinjon A, Roussel C, Biligui S, Tantaoui I, Taieb A, Argy N, Houzé S, Piarroux R, Siriez JY, Jaureguiberry S, Larréché S, Théllier M, Cenac N, Buffet P, Ndour PA. Altered Subpopulations of Red Blood Cells and Post-treatment Anemia in Malaria. Front Physiol 2022; 13:875189. [PMID: 35480048 PMCID: PMC9037233 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.875189] [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: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In acute malaria, the bulk of erythrocyte loss occurs after therapy, with a nadir of hemoglobin generally observed 3–7 days after treatment. The fine mechanisms leading to this early post-treatment anemia are still elusive. We explored pathological changes in RBC subpopulations by quantifying biochemical and mechanical alterations during severe malaria treated with artemisinin derivatives, a drug family that induce “pitting” in the spleen. In this study, the hemoglobin concentration dropped by 1.93 G/dl during therapy. During the same period, iRBC accounting for 6.12% of all RBC before therapy (BT) were replaced by pitted-RBC, accounting for 5.33% of RBC after therapy (AT). RBC loss was thus of 15.9%, of which only a minor part was due to the loss of iRBC or pitted-RBC. When comparing RBC BT and AT to normal controls, lipidomics revealed an increase in the cholesterol/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio (0.17 versus 0.24, p < 0.001) and cholesterol/phosphatidylinositol ratio (0.36 versus 0.67, p = 0.001). Using ektacytometry, we observed a reduced deformability of circulating RBC, similar BT and AT, compared to health control donors. The mean Elongation Index at 1.69Pa was 0.24 BT and 0.23 AT vs. 0.28 in controls (p < 0.0001). At 30Pa EI was 0.56 BT and 0.56 AT vs. 0.60 in controls (p < 0.001). The retention rate (rr) of RBC subpopulations in spleen-mimetic microsphere layers was higher for iRBC (rr = 20% p = 0.0033) and pitted-RBC (rr = 19%, p = 0.0031) than for healthy RBC (0.12%). Somewhat surprisingly, the post-treatment anemia in malaria results from the elimination of RBC that were never infected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Chambrion
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Mallorie Depond
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Lucia Angella
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Oussama Mouri
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Eric Kendjo
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - Camille Roussel
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Hôpital Universitaire Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Sylvestre Biligui
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Ilhame Tantaoui
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Aida Taieb
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Argy
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Houzé
- Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France
| | - Renaud Piarroux
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtriére, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Siriez
- Service d'accueil des Urgences Pédiatriques, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
| | | | - Sébastien Larréché
- Département de Biologie Médicale, Hôpital d’Instruction Des Armées Bégin, Saint-Mandé, France
| | - Marc Théllier
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de Référence du Paludisme, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtriére, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Cenac
- IRSD, INSERM, INRA, INPENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Pierre Buffet
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Papa Alioune Ndour
- Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Université de Paris, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Papa Alioune Ndour,
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26
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Megabiaw F, Eshetu T, Kassahun Z, Aemero M. Liver Enzymes and Lipid Profile of Malaria Patients Before and After Antimalarial Drug Treatment at Dembia Primary Hospital and Teda Health Center, Northwest, Ethiopia. Res Rep Trop Med 2022; 13:11-23. [PMID: 35370434 PMCID: PMC8974243 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s351268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Fentahun Megabiaw
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tegegne Eshetu
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Zeleke Kassahun
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences Comprehensive & Specialized Hospital, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Mulugeta Aemero
- Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- Correspondence: Mulugeta Aemero, Email ;
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27
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Ridgway MC, Cihalova D, Brown SHJ, Tran P, Mitchell TW, Maier AG. Analysis of sex-specific lipid metabolism of P. falciparum points to importance of sphingomyelin for gametocytogenesis. J Cell Sci 2021; 135:273669. [PMID: 34881783 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Male and female Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes are the parasite lifecycle stage responsible for transmission of malaria from the human host to mosquito vector. Not only are gametocytes able to survive in radically different host environments, but they are also precursors for male and female gametes that reproduce sexually soon after ingestion by the mosquito. Here we investigate the sex-specific lipid metabolism of gametocytes within their host red blood cell. Comparison of the male and female lipidome identifies cholesteryl esters and dihydrosphingomyelin enrichment in female gametocytes. Chemical inhibition of each of these lipid types in mature gametocytes suggests dihydrosphingomyelin synthesis but not cholesteryl ester synthesis is important for gametocyte viability. Genetic disruption of each of the two sphingomyelin synthase gene points towards sphingomyelin synthesis contributing to gametocytogenesis. This study shows that gametocytes are distinct from asexual stages, and that the lipid composition is also vastly different between male and female gametocytes, reflecting the different cellular roles these stages play. Together our results highlight the sex-specific nature of gametocyte lipid metabolism that has the potential to be targeted to block malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie C Ridgway
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Daniela Cihalova
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Simon H J Brown
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Phuong Tran
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Todd W Mitchell
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute and School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Alexander G Maier
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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28
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Liffner B, Absalon S. Expansion Microscopy Reveals Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Parasites Undergo Anaphase with A Chromatin Bridge in the Absence of Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Complex Binding Protein. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2306. [PMID: 34835432 PMCID: PMC8620465 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum undergoes closed mitosis, which occurs within an intact nuclear envelope, and differs significantly from its human host. Mitosis is underpinned by the dynamics of microtubules and the nuclear envelope. To date, our ability to study P. falciparum mitosis by microscopy has been hindered by the small size of the P. falciparum nuclei. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) has recently been developed for P. falciparum, allowing the visualization of mitosis at the individual nucleus level. Using U-ExM, three intranuclear microtubule structures are observed: hemispindles, mitotic spindles, and interpolar spindles. A previous study demonstrated that the mini-chromosome maintenance complex binding-protein (MCMBP) depletion caused abnormal nuclear morphology and microtubule defects. To investigate the role of microtubules following MCMBP depletion and study the nuclear envelope in these parasites, we developed the first nuclear stain enabled by U-ExM in P. falciparum. MCMBP-deficient parasites show aberrant hemispindles and mitotic spindles. Moreover, anaphase chromatin bridges and individual nuclei containing multiple microtubule structures were observed following MCMBP knockdown. Collectively, this study refines our understanding of MCMBP-deficient parasites and highlights the utility of U-ExM coupled with a nuclear envelope stain for studying mitosis in P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
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29
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Adegoke JA, De Paoli A, Afara IO, Kochan K, Creek DJ, Heraud P, Wood BR. Ultraviolet/Visible and Near-Infrared Dual Spectroscopic Method for Detection and Quantification of Low-Level Malaria Parasitemia in Whole Blood. Anal Chem 2021; 93:13302-13310. [PMID: 34558904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The scourge of malaria infection continues to strike hardest against pregnant women and children in Africa and South East Asia. For global elimination, testing methods that are ultrasensitive to low-level ring-staged parasitemia are urgently required. In this study, we used a novel approach for diagnosis of malaria infection by combining both electronic ultraviolet-visible (UV/vis) spectroscopy and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to detect and quantify low-level (1-0.000001%) ring-staged malaria-infected whole blood under physiological conditions uisng Multiclass classification using logistic regression, which showed that the best results were achieved using the extended wavelength range, providing an accuracy of 100% for most parasitemia classes. Likewise, partial least-squares regression (PLS-R) analysis showed a higher quantification sensitivity (R2 = 0.898) for the extended spectral region compared to UV/vis and NIR (R2 = 0.806 and 0.556, respectively). For quantifying different-stage blood parasites, the extended wavelength range was able to detect and quantify all thePlasmodium falciparum accurately compared to testing each spectral component separately. These results demonstrate the potential of a combined UV/vis-NIR spectroscopy to accurately diagnose malaria-infected patients without the need for elaborate sample preparation associated with the existing mid-IR approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Adegoke
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Amanda De Paoli
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Isaac O Afara
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta, Kuopio 70210, Finland.,School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4062, Australia
| | - Kamila Kochan
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Darren J Creek
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Philip Heraud
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Department of Microbiology and the Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Bayden R Wood
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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30
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Ressurreição M, van Ooij C. Lipid transport proteins in malaria, from Plasmodium parasites to their hosts. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2021; 1866:159047. [PMID: 34461309 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2021.159047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic unicellular pathogens from the genus Plasmodium are the etiological agents of malaria, a disease that persists over a wide range of vertebrate species, including humans. During its dynamic lifecycle, survival in the different hosts depends on the parasite's ability to establish a suitable environmental milieu. To achieve this, specific host processes are exploited to support optimal growth, including extensive modifications to the infected host cell. These modifications include the formation of novel membranous structures, which are induced by the parasite. Consequently, to maintain a finely tuned and dynamic lipid environment, the organisation and distribution of lipids to different cell sites likely requires specialised lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). Indeed, several parasite and host-derived LTPs have been identified and shown to be essential at specific stages. Here we describe the roles of LTPs in parasite development and adaptation to its host including how the latest studies are profiting from the improved genetic, lipidomic and imaging toolkits available to study Plasmodium parasites. Lastly, a list of predicted Plasmodium LTPs is provided to encourage research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Ressurreição
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
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31
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Murithi JM, Pascal C, Bath J, Boulenc X, Gnädig NF, Pasaje CFA, Rubiano K, Yeo T, Mok S, Klieber S, Desert P, Jiménez-Díaz MB, Marfurt J, Rouillier M, Cherkaoui-Rbati MH, Gobeau N, Wittlin S, Uhlemann AC, Price RN, Wirjanata G, Noviyanti R, Tumwebaze P, Cooper RA, Rosenthal PJ, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Joseph J, Singh S, Bashyam S, Augereau JM, Giraud E, Bozec T, Vermat T, Tuffal G, Guillon JM, Menegotto J, Sallé L, Louit G, Cabanis MJ, Nicolas MF, Doubovetzky M, Merino R, Bessila N, Angulo-Barturen I, Baud D, Bebrevska L, Escudié F, Niles JC, Blasco B, Campbell S, Courtemanche G, Fraisse L, Pellet A, Fidock DA, Leroy D. The antimalarial MMV688533 provides potential for single-dose cures with a high barrier to Plasmodium falciparum parasite resistance. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/603/eabg6013. [PMID: 34290058 PMCID: PMC8530196 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abg6013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to first-line antimalarials creates an imperative to identify and develop potent preclinical candidates with distinct modes of action. Here, we report the identification of MMV688533, an acylguanidine that was developed following a whole-cell screen with compounds known to hit high-value targets in human cells. MMV688533 displays fast parasite clearance in vitro and is not cross-resistant with known antimalarials. In a P. falciparum NSG mouse model, MMV688533 displays a long-lasting pharmacokinetic profile and excellent safety. Selection studies reveal a low propensity for resistance, with modest loss of potency mediated by point mutations in PfACG1 and PfEHD. These proteins are implicated in intracellular trafficking, lipid utilization, and endocytosis, suggesting interference with these pathways as a potential mode of action. This preclinical candidate may offer the potential for a single low-dose cure for malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M. Murithi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cécile Pascal
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Jade Bath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Nina F. Gnädig
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Kelly Rubiano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tomas Yeo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sachel Mok
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sylvie Klieber
- Sanofi R&D, Translational Medicine & Early Development, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Jutta Marfurt
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Sergio Wittlin
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Catrin Uhlemann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ric N. Price
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Grennady Wirjanata
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
| | | | | | - Roland A. Cooper
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | | | - Laura M. Sanz
- Global Health Pharma Research Unit, GSK, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Elie Giraud
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Tanguy Bozec
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Thierry Vermat
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Gilles Tuffal
- Sanofi R&D, Translational Medicine & Early Development, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Jérôme Menegotto
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Laurent Sallé
- Sanofi R&D, Translational Medicine & Early Development, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Marie-José Cabanis
- Sanofi R&D, Translational Medicine & Early Development, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Rita Merino
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Nadir Bessila
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Jacquin C. Niles
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Laurent Fraisse
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Alain Pellet
- Sanofi, Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Area, Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - David A. Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Corresponding author. (D.A.F.); (D.L.)
| | - Didier Leroy
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland.,Corresponding author. (D.A.F.); (D.L.)
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32
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Peros CS, Kriz R, Proudfoot GA. Account and Utilization of Blood Lipid Profiles: Lipid Levels Predicted Hemosporidian Infection in Migrating Northern Saw-Whet Owls of Eastern North America. J Parasitol 2021; 107:147-154. [PMID: 33662113 DOI: 10.1645/20-114] [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: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Noting lipidomic changes following the parasitism of migrating birds, the metabolic needs of which are primarily fueled by lipids, can deepen our understanding of host-parasite interactions. We identified lipids of migrating Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) using collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry, compared the lipidomic signatures of hemoparasite-infected and noninfected individuals, and performed cross-validation analyses to reveal associations between parasite infection and lipid levels. We found significantly lower levels of lipid classes phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and sphingomyelin (SM) in infected Northern saw-whet owls than in the noninfected individuals. Conversely, we found higher levels for certain lysoPS and lysoPE species, and variable lipid level changes for free fatty acid (FFA) species. Reporting lipidomic changes observed between hemosporidian-infected and noninfected Northern saw-whet owls can strengthen our understanding of the mechanisms governing parasite proliferation in this species. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that lipidomic signatures are better predictors of parasite infection than the log-adjusted mass/wing chord body index, a metric commonly used to assess the influence of hemosporidia infection on the health of birds. Establishing a lipidomic profile for Northern saw-whet owls that provides baseline lipid levels during fall migration may assist future studies assessing causes of reductions in breeding brought about from subtle differences in behaviors such as delayed migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Scott Peros
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604
| | - Reno Kriz
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604.,Department of Computer Science, University of Pennsylvania, 3330 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Glenn A Proudfoot
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604
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33
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Hernández-Castañeda MA, Lavergne M, Casanova P, Nydegger B, Merten C, Subramanian BY, Matthey P, Lannes N, Mantel PY, Walch M. A Profound Membrane Reorganization Defines Susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum Infected Red Blood Cells to Lysis by Granulysin and Perforin. Front Immunol 2021; 12:643746. [PMID: 34093532 PMCID: PMC8170093 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.643746] [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] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most serious health problems in developing countries. The causative agent of malaria, Plasmodium spp., have a complex life cycle involving multiple developmental stages as well as different morphological, biochemical and metabolic requirements. We recently found that γδ T cells control parasite growth using pore-forming proteins to deliver their cytotoxic proteases, the granzymes, into blood residing parasites. Here, we follow up on the molecular mechanisms of parasite growth inhibition by human pore-forming proteins. We confirm that Plasmodium falciparum infection efficiently depletes the red blood cells of cholesterol, which renders the parasite surrounding membranes susceptible to lysis by prokaryotic membrane disrupting proteins, such as lymphocytic granulysin or the human cathelicidin LL-37. Interestingly, not the cholesterol depletion but rather the simultaneous exposure of phosphatidylserine, a negatively charged phospholipid, triggers resistance of late stage parasitized red blood cells towards the eukaryotic pore forming protein perforin. Overall, by revealing the molecular events we establish here a pathogen-host interaction that involves host cell membrane remodeling that defines the susceptibility towards cytolytic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Andrea Hernández-Castañeda
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Marilyne Lavergne
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Pierina Casanova
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bryan Nydegger
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Carla Merten
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bibin Yesodha Subramanian
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Matthey
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Nils Lannes
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Yves Mantel
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Walch
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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34
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Haase S, Condron M, Miller D, Cherkaoui D, Jordan S, Gulbis JM, Baum J. Identification and characterisation of a phospholipid scramblase in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2021; 243:111374. [PMID: 33974939 PMCID: PMC8202325 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2021.111374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies highlight the emerging role of lipids as important messengers in malaria parasite biology. In an attempt to identify interacting proteins and regulators of these dynamic and versatile molecules, we hypothesised the involvement of phospholipid translocases and their substrates in the infection of the host erythrocyte by the malaria parasite Plasmodium spp. Here, using a data base searching approach of the Plasmodium Genomics Resources (www.plasmodb.org), we have identified a putative phospholipid (PL) scramblase in P. falciparum (PfPLSCR) that is conserved across the genus and in closely related unicellular algae. By reconstituting recombinant PfPLSCR into liposomes, we demonstrate metal ion dependent PL translocase activity and substrate preference, confirming PfPLSCR as a bona fide scramblase. We show that PfPLSCR is expressed during asexual and sexual parasite development, localising to different membranous compartments of the parasite throughout the intra-erythrocytic life cycle. Two different gene knockout approaches, however, suggest that PfPLSCR is not essential for erythrocyte invasion and asexual parasite development, pointing towards a possible role in other stages of the parasite life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Haase
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK.
| | - Melanie Condron
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Miller
- Division of Structural Biology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dounia Cherkaoui
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Sarah Jordan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline M Gulbis
- Division of Structural Biology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK.
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35
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Burda PC, Crosskey T, Lauk K, Zurborg A, Söhnchen C, Liffner B, Wilcke L, Pietsch E, Strauss J, Jeffries CM, Svergun DI, Wilson DW, Wilmanns M, Gilberger TW. Structure-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of a Lipocalin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107817. [PMID: 32579913 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins of the lipocalin family are known to bind small hydrophobic ligands and are involved in various physiological processes ranging from lipid transport to oxidative stress responses. The genome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a single protein PF3D7_0925900 with a lipocalin signature. Using crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering, we show that the protein has a tetrameric structure of typical lipocalin monomers; hence we name it P. falciparum lipocalin (PfLCN). We show that PfLCN is expressed in the intraerythrocytic stages of the parasite and localizes to the parasitophorous and food vacuoles. Conditional knockdown of PfLCN impairs parasite development, which can be rescued by treatment with the radical scavenger Trolox or by temporal inhibition of hemoglobin digestion. This suggests a key function of PfLCN in counteracting oxidative stress-induced cell damage during multiplication of parasites within erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas Crosskey
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Lauk
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aimo Zurborg
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Söhnchen
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cy M Jeffries
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dmitri I Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Matthias Wilmanns
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
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36
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Creative interior design by Plasmodium falciparum: Lipid metabolism and the parasite's secret chamber. Parasitol Int 2021; 83:102369. [PMID: 33905815 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites conceal themselves within host erythrocytes and establish a necessary logistics system through the three-membrane layered structures of these cells. To establish this system, lipid metabolism is needed for the de novo synthesis of lipids and the recycling of extracellular lipids and erythrocyte lipid components. Cholesterol supply depends on its uptake from the extracellular environment and erythrocyte cytoplasm, but phospholipids can be synthesized on their own. This differential production of lipid species creates unique modifications in the lipid profile of parasitized erythrocytes, which in turn may influence the biophysical and/or mechanical properties of organelles and vesicles and communication among them. Variations in local membrane properties possibly influence the transportation of various molecules such as parasite-derived proteins, because efficiencies in secretion, vesicle fusion and budding are partly determined by the lipid profiles. Comprehensive understanding of the parasite's lipid metabolism and the biophysics of lipid membranes provides fundamental knowledge about these pathogenic organisms and could lead to new anti-malarials.
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37
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Adegoke JA, Kochan K, Heraud P, Wood BR. A Near-Infrared "Matchbox Size" Spectrometer to Detect and Quantify Malaria Parasitemia. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5451-5458. [PMID: 33759513 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c05103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
New point-of-care diagnostic approaches for malaria that are sensitive to low parasitemia, easy to use in a field setting, and affordable are urgently required to meet the World Health Organization's objective of reducing malaria cases and related life losses by 90% globally on or before 2030. In this study, an inexpensive "matchbox size" near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer was used for the first time to detect and quantify malaria infection in vitro from isolated dried red blood cells using a fingerpick volume of blood. This the first study to apply a miniaturized NIR device to diagnose a parasitic infection and identify marker bands indicative of malaria infection in the NIR region. An NIR device has many advantages including wavelength accuracy and repeatability, speed, resolution, and a greatly improved signal-to-noise ratio compared to existing spectroscopic options. Using multivariate data analysis, we discriminated control red blood cells from infected cells and established the limit of detection of the technique. Principal component analysis displayed a good separation between the infected and uninfected RBCs, while partial least-squares regression analysis yielded a robust parasitemia prediction with root-mean-square error of prediction values of 0.446 and 0.001% for the higher and lower parasitemia models, respectively. The R2 values of the higher and lower parasitemia models were 0.947 and 0.931, respectively. Finally, an estimated parasitemia detection limit of 0.00001% and a qunatification limit of 0.001% was achieved; to ascertain the true efficacy of the technique for point-of-care screening, clinical studies using large patient numbers are required, which is the subject of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Adegoke
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Kamila Kochan
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Philip Heraud
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Department of Microbiology and the Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Bayden R Wood
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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38
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Chawla J, Oberstaller J, Adams JH. Targeting Gametocytes of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum in a Functional Genomics Era: Next Steps. Pathogens 2021; 10:346. [PMID: 33809464 PMCID: PMC7999360 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito transmission of the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is mediated by mature sexual forms (gametocytes). Circulating in the vertebrate host, relatively few intraerythrocytic gametocytes are picked up during a bloodmeal to continue sexual development in the mosquito vector. Human-to-vector transmission thus represents an infection bottleneck in the parasite's life cycle for therapeutic interventions to prevent malaria. Even though recent progress has been made in the identification of genetic factors linked to gametocytogenesis, a plethora of genes essential for sexual-stage development are yet to be unraveled. In this review, we revisit P. falciparum transmission biology by discussing targetable features of gametocytes and provide a perspective on a forward-genetic approach for identification of novel transmission-blocking candidates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotsna Chawla
- Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, MDC 7, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Jenna Oberstaller
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Suite 404, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - John H. Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research and USF Genomics Program, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd, Suite 404, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
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39
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Fraser M, Jing W, Bröer S, Kurth F, Sander LE, Matuschewski K, Maier AG. Breakdown in membrane asymmetry regulation leads to monocyte recognition of P. falciparum-infected red blood cells. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009259. [PMID: 33600495 PMCID: PMC7891792 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on lipids to survive; this makes its lipid metabolism an attractive drug target. The lipid phosphatidylserine (PS) is usually confined to the inner leaflet of the red blood cell membrane (RBC) bilayer; however, some studies suggest that infection with the intracellular parasite results in the presence of this lipid in the RBC membrane outer leaflet, where it could act as a recognition signal to phagocytes. Here, we used fluorescent lipid analogues and probes to investigate the enzymatic reactions responsible for maintaining asymmetry between membrane leaflets, and found that in parasitised RBCs the maintenance of membrane asymmetry was partly disrupted, and PS was increased in the outer leaflet. We examined the underlying causes for the differences between uninfected and infected RBCs using fluorescent dyes and probes, and found that calcium levels increased in the infected RBC cytoplasm, whereas membrane cholesterol was depleted from the erythrocyte plasma membrane. We explored the resulting effect of PS exposure on enhanced phagocytosis by monocytes, and show that infected RBCs must expend energy to limit phagocyte recognition, and provide experimental evidence that PS exposure contributes to phagocytic recognition of P. falciparum-infected RBCs. Together, these findings underscore the pivotal role for PS exposure on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes for in vivo interactions with the host immune system, and provide a rationale for targeted antimalarial drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merryn Fraser
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Weidong Jing
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Florian Kurth
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Leif-Erik Sander
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander G. Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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40
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Noell K, Pitula JS. A Dual Omics Approach to Evaluate Transcriptional and Metabolic Responses During Lipid Deprivation in an Oyster Parasite, Perkinsus marinus. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2021; 25:93-101. [PMID: 33571063 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2020.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Perkinsus marinus, a protozoan and the causative agent of perkinsosis (dermo disease) is a prevalent parasite found within the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). In this study, we explore metabolic processes of P. marinus cells under lipid-depleted medium conditions to elucidate the interchanging flux of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Although P. marinus can synthesize their own lipids from available nutrients, they display a slower growth in medium not supplemented with lipids as opposed to medium with lipids. Under these conditions, using transcriptomics, we surprisingly observed evidence of stimulated lipid degradation through increased transcription of two core β-oxidation pathway enzymes. Simultaneously, phospholipid biosynthetic pathways were downregulated. Metabolomic analysis supported the transcriptomic results. Most fatty acids were decreased in lipid-deplete medium as opposed to lipid-replete medium, and available glucose was fermented to lactate. A significant increase in the cholesterol derivative zymosterol further supported a downregulation of membrane synthesis under the experimental conditions. A robust tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was apparent by enhanced citrate synthase transcription, and a simultaneous reduction in branched chain amino acids. It is concluded that although P. marinus has the capacity for synthesizing its own lipids, it can respond to lipid deprivation in medium by oxidizing readily available stores, and likely transitioning into a resting stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Noell
- Department of Natural Science, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph S Pitula
- Department of Natural Science, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA
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Erythrocyte sphingosine kinase regulates intraerythrocytic development of Plasmodium falciparum. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1257. [PMID: 33441957 PMCID: PMC7806667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80658-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The sphingolipid pool is key regulator of vital cellular functions in Plasmodium falciparum a causative agent for deadly malaria. Erythrocytes, the host for asexual stage of Plasmodium, are major reservoir for Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Erythrocyte possesses Sphingosine kinase (SphK) that catalyzed its biosynthesis from sphingosine (Sph). Since, Plasmodium lacks SphK homologous protein it can be envisaged that it co-opts sphingolipids from both intraerythrocytic as well as extracellular pools for its growth and development. Herein, by sphingosine-NBD probing, we report that infected erythrocytes imports Sph from extracellular pool, which is converted to S1P and thereby taken by P. falciparum. Next, by targeting of the SphK through specific inhibitor N,N-Dimethylsphingosine DMS, we show a reduction in erythrocyte endogenous S1P pool and SphK-phosphorylation that led to inhibition in growth and development of ring stage P. falciparum. Owing to the role of S1P in erythrocyte glycolysis we analyzed uptake of NBD-Glucose and production of lactate in DMS treated and untreated plasmodium. DMS treatment led to decreased glycolysis in Plasmodium. Interestingly the host free Plasmodium did not show any effect on glycolysis with DMS treatment indicating its host-mediated effect. Further to understand the in-vivo anti-plasmodial effects of exogenous and endogenous erythrocyte S1P level, Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (S1PL) inhibitor (THI), S1P and SphK-1 inhibitor (DMS), were used in Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) mice model. DMS treatment led to reduction of endogenous S1P conferred significant decrease in parasite load, whereas the plasma level S1P modulated by (THI) and exogenous S1P have no effect on growth of Plasmodium. This suggested erythrocyte endogenous S1P pool is important for Plasmodium growth whereas the plasma level S1P has no effect. Altogether, this study provides insight on cellular processes regulated by S1P in P. falciparum and highlights the novel mechanistically distinct molecular target i.e. SphK-1.
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Brochet M, Balestra AC, Brusini L. cGMP homeostasis in malaria parasites-The key to perceiving and integrating environmental changes during transmission to the mosquito. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:829-838. [PMID: 33112460 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria-causing parasites are transmitted from humans to mosquitoes when developmentally arrested gametocytes are taken up by a female Anopheles during a blood meal. The changes in environment from human to mosquito activate gametogenesis, including a drop in temperature, a rise in pH, and a mosquito-derived molecule, xanthurenic acid. Signaling receptors have not been identified in malaria parasites but mounting evidence indicates that cGMP homeostasis is key to sensing extracellular cues in gametocytes. Low levels of cGMP maintained by phosphodiesterases prevent precocious activation of gametocytes in the human blood. Upon ingestion, initiation of gametogenesis depends on the activation of a hybrid guanylyl cyclase/P4-ATPase. Elevated cGMP levels lead to the rapid mobilization of intracellular calcium that relies upon the activation of both cGMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphoinositide phospholipase C. Once calcium is released, a cascade of phosphorylation events mediated by calcium-dependent protein kinases and phosphatases regulates the cellular processes required for gamete formation. cGMP signaling also triggers timely egress from the host cell at other life cycle stages of malaria parasites and in Toxoplasma gondii, a related apicomplexan parasite. This suggests that cGMP signaling is a versatile platform transducing external cues into calcium signals at important decision points in the life cycle of apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Brochet
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aurélia C Balestra
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lorenzo Brusini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Novel Method for the Separation of Male and Female Gametocytes of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum That Enables Biological and Drug Discovery. mSphere 2020; 5:5/4/e00671-20. [PMID: 32817458 PMCID: PMC7426174 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00671-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The protozoan Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of human malaria. The development of sexual forms (so-called gametocytes) is crucial for disease transmission. However, knowledge of these forms is severely hampered by the paucity of sex-specific markers and the inability to extract single sex gametocytes in high purity. Moreover, the identification of compounds that specifically affect one sex is difficult due to the female bias of the gametocytes. We have developed a system that allows for the separation of male and female gametocytes from the same population. Applying our system, we show that male and female parasites mature at different rates, which might have implications for transmission. We also identified new sex-specific genes that can be used as sex markers or to unravel sex-specific functions. Our system will not only aid in the discovery of much needed gametocidal compounds, but it also represents a valuable tool for exploring malaria transmission biology. We developed a flow-cytometry-based method to separate and collect cocultured male and female Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes responsible for malaria transmission. The purity of the collected cells was estimated at >97% using flow cytometry, and sorted cells were observed by Giemsa-stained thin-smear and live-cell fluorescence microscopy. The expression of validated sex-specific markers corroborated the sorting strategy. Collected male and female gametocytes were used to confirm three novel sex-specific markers by quantitative real-time PCR that were more enriched in sorted male and female gametocyte populations than existing sex-specific markers. We also applied the method as a proof-of-principle drug screen that allows the identification of drugs that kill gametocytes in a sex-specific manner. Since the developed method allowed for the separation of male and female parasites from the same culture, we observed for the first time a difference in development time between the sexes: females developed faster than males. Hence, the ability to separate male and female gametocytes opens the door to a new field of sex-specific P. falciparum gametocyte biology to further our understanding of malaria transmission. IMPORTANCE The protozoan Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of human malaria. The development of sexual forms (so-called gametocytes) is crucial for disease transmission. However, knowledge of these forms is severely hampered by the paucity of sex-specific markers and the inability to extract single sex gametocytes in high purity. Moreover, the identification of compounds that specifically affect one sex is difficult due to the female bias of the gametocytes. We have developed a system that allows for the separation of male and female gametocytes from the same population. Applying our system, we show that male and female parasites mature at different rates, which might have implications for transmission. We also identified new sex-specific genes that can be used as sex markers or to unravel sex-specific functions. Our system will not only aid in the discovery of much needed gametocidal compounds, but it also represents a valuable tool for exploring malaria transmission biology.
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Di Gregorio E, Ferrauto G, Schwarzer E, Gianolio E, Valente E, Ulliers D, Aime S, Skorokhod O. Relaxometric studies of erythrocyte suspensions infected by Plasmodium falciparum: a tool for staging infection and testing anti-malarial drugs. Magn Reson Med 2020; 84:3366-3378. [PMID: 32602953 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Malaria is a global health problem with the most malignant form caused by Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum). Parasite maturation in red blood cells (RBCs) is accompanied by changes including the formation of paramagnetic hemozoin (HZ) nanocrystals, and increased metabolism and variation in membrane lipid composition. Herein, MR relaxometry (MRR) was applied to investigate water exchange across RBCs' membrane and HZ formation in parasitized RBCs. METHODS Transverse water protons relaxation rate constants (R2 = 1/T2 ) were measured for assessing HZ formation in P. falciparum-parasitized human RBCs. Moreover, water exchange lifetimes across the RBC membrane (τi ) were assessed by measuring longitudinal relaxation rate constants (R1 = 1/T1 ) at 21.5 MHz in the presence of a gadolinium complex dissolved in the suspension medium. RESULTS τi increased after invasion of parasites (ring stage, mean τi / τ i 0 = 1.234 ± 0.022) and decreased during maturation to late trophozoite (mean τi / τ i 0 = 0.960 ± 0.075) and schizont stages (mean τi / τ i 0 = 1.019 ± 0.065). The HZ accumulation in advanced stages was revealed by T2 -shortening. The curves reporting R2 (1/T2 ) vs. magnetic field showed different slopes for non-parasitized RBCs (npRBCs) and parasitized RBCs (pRBCs), namely 0.003 ± 0.001 for npRBCs, 0.009 ± 0.002, 0.028 ± 0.004 and 0.055 ± 0.002 for pRBCs at ring-, early trophozoite-, and late trophozoite stage, respectively. Antimalarial molecules dihydroartemisinin and chloroquine elicited measurable changes in parasitized RBCs, namely dihydroartemisinin modified τi , whereas the interference of chloroquine with HZ formation was detectable by a significant T2 increase. CONCLUSIONS MRR can be considered a useful tool for reporting on P. falciparum blood stages and for screening potential antimalarial molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enza Di Gregorio
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ferrauto
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Eliana Gianolio
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Valente
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Silvio Aime
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
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Alsultan M, Morriss J, Contaifer D, Kumar NG, Wijesinghe DS. Host Lipid Response in Tropical Diseases. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40506-020-00222-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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46
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Tewari SG, Swift RP, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A. Metabolic alterations in the erythrocyte during blood-stage development of the malaria parasite. Malar J 2020; 19:94. [PMID: 32103749 PMCID: PMC7045481 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03174-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human blood cells (erythrocytes) serve as hosts for the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during its 48-h intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Established in vitro protocols allow for the study of host–parasite interactions during this phase and, in particular, high-resolution metabolomics can provide a window into host–parasite interactions that support parasite development. Methods Uninfected and parasite-infected erythrocyte cultures were maintained at 2% haematocrit for the duration of the IDC, while parasitaemia was maintained at 7% in the infected cultures. The parasite-infected cultures were synchronized to obtain stage-dependent information of parasite development during the IDC. Samples were collected in quadruplicate at six time points from the uninfected and parasite-infected cultures and global metabolomics was used to analyse cell fractions of these cultures. Results In uninfected and parasite-infected cultures during the IDC, 501 intracellular metabolites, including 223 lipid metabolites, were successfully quantified. Of these, 19 distinct metabolites were present only in the parasite-infected culture, 10 of which increased to twofold in abundance during the IDC. This work quantified approximately five times the metabolites measured in previous studies of similar research scope, which allowed for more detailed analyses. Enrichment in lipid metabolism pathways exhibited a time-dependent association with different classes of lipids during the IDC. Specifically, enrichment occurred in sphingolipids at the earlier stages, and subsequently in lysophospholipid and phospholipid metabolites at the intermediate and end stages of the IDC, respectively. In addition, there was an accumulation of 18-, 20-, and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids, which produce eicosanoids and promote gametocytogenesis in infected erythrocyte cultures. Conclusions The current study revealed a number of heretofore unidentified metabolic components of the host–parasite system, which the parasite may exploit in a time-dependent manner to grow over the course of its development in the blood stage. Notably, the analyses identified components, such as precursors of immunomodulatory molecules, stage-dependent lipid dynamics, and metabolites, unique to parasite-infected cultures. These conclusions are reinforced by the metabolic alterations that were characterized during the IDC, which were in close agreement with those known from previous studies of blood-stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivendra G Tewari
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA. .,The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Russell P Swift
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jaques Reifman
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anders Wallqvist
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA.
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47
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Real-time cholesterol sorting in Plasmodium falciparum-erythrocytes as revealed by 3D label-free imaging. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2794. [PMID: 32066816 PMCID: PMC7026401 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59552-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol, a necessary component of animal cell membranes, is also needed by the lethal human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Because P. falciparum lacks a cholesterol synthesis pathway and malaria patients have low blood cholesterol, we speculated that it scavenges cholesterol from them in some way. We used time-lapse holotomographic microscopy to observe cholesterol transport in live P. falciparum parasites and structurally investigate erythrocyte membranes, both during and after P. falciparum invasion of human erythrocytes. After P. falciparum initially acquired free cholesterol or inner erythrocytic membrane-derived cholesterol, we observed budding lipid membranes elongating into the cytosol and/or membrane segments migrating there and eventually fusing with the parasite membranes, presumably at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). Finally, the cholesterol-containing segments were seen to surround the parasite nucleus. Our imaging data suggest that a novel membrane transport system operates in the cytosol of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes as a cholesterol import system, likely between the PVM and the erythrocyte membrane, and that this transportation process occurs during the live erythrocyte stages of P. falciparum.
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48
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Flammersfeld A, Panyot A, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Aurass P, Przyborski JM, Flieger A, Botté C, Pradel G. A patatin-like phospholipase functions during gametocyte induction in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell Microbiol 2019; 22:e13146. [PMID: 31734953 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Patatin-like phospholipases (PNPLAs) are highly conserved enzymes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with major roles in lipid homeostasis. The genome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum encodes four putative PNPLAs with predicted functions during phospholipid degradation. We here investigated the role of one of the plasmodial PNPLAs, a putative PLA2 termed PNPLA1, during blood stage replication and gametocyte development. PNPLA1 is present in the asexual and sexual blood stages and here localizes to the cytoplasm. PNPLA1-deficiency due to gene disruption or conditional gene-knockdown had no effect on intraerythrocytic growth, gametocyte development and gametogenesis. However, parasites lacking PNPLA1 were impaired in gametocyte induction, while PNPLA1 overexpression promotes gametocyte formation. The loss of PNPLA1 further leads to transcriptional down-regulation of genes related to gametocytogenesis, including the gene encoding the sexual commitment regulator AP2-G. Additionally, lipidomics of PNPLA1-deficient asexual blood stage parasites revealed overall increased levels of major phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine (PC), which is a substrate of PLA2 . PC synthesis is known to be pivotal for erythrocytic replication, while the reduced availability of PC precursors drives the parasite into gametocytogenesis; we thus hypothesize that the higher PC levels due to PNPLA1-deficiency prevent the blood stage parasites from entering the sexual pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansgar Flammersfeld
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Atscharah Panyot
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yoshiki Yamaryo-Botté
- ApicoLipid Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, La Tronche, France
| | - Philipp Aurass
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jude M Przyborski
- Division of Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Legionella, Robert Koch-Institute, Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Antje Flieger
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cyrille Botté
- ApicoLipid Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, La Tronche, France
| | - Gabriele Pradel
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Tanaka TQ, Tokuoka SM, Nakatani D, Hamano F, Kawazu SI, Wellems TE, Kita K, Shimizu T, Tokumasu F. Polyunsaturated fatty acids promote Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis. Biol Open 2019; 8:bio.042259. [PMID: 31221627 PMCID: PMC6679406 DOI: 10.1242/bio.042259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular triggers of sexual differentiation into gametocytes by blood stage Plasmodium falciparum, the most malignant human malaria parasites, are subject of much investigation for potential transmission-blocking strategies. The parasites are readily grown in vitro with culture media supplemented by the addition of human serum (10%) or by a commercially available substitute (0.5% AlbuMAX). We found better gametocytemia with serum than AlbuMAX, suggesting suboptimal concentrations of some components in the commercial product; consistent with this hypothesis, substantial concentration differences of multiple fatty acids were detected between serum- and AlbuMAX-supplemented media. Mass spectroscopy analysis distinguished the lipid profiles of gametocyte- and asexual stage-parasite membranes. Delivery of various combinations of unsaturated fatty-acid-containing phospholipids to AlbuMAX-supported gametocyte cultures improved gametocyte production to the levels achieved with human-serum-supplemented media. Maturing gametocytes readily incorporated externally supplied d5-labeled glycerol with fatty acids into unsaturated phospholipids. Phospholipids identified in this work thus may be taken up from extracellular sources or generated internally for important steps of gametocyte development. Further study of polyunsaturated fatty-acid metabolism and phospholipid profiles will improve understanding of gametocyte development and malaria parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Q Tanaka
- International Medical Zoology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.,Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8132, USA.,Research Unit of Advanced Preventive Medicine, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Suzumi M Tokuoka
- Department of Lipidomics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 103-0033, Japan
| | - Daichi Nakatani
- Research Unit of Advanced Preventive Medicine, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Fumie Hamano
- Lipid Signaling Project, Research Institute National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Kawazu
- Research Unit of Advanced Preventive Medicine, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Thomas E Wellems
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8132, USA
| | - Kiyoshi Kita
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Takao Shimizu
- Department of Lipidomics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 103-0033, Japan.,Lipid Signaling Project, Research Institute National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Tokumasu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8132, USA .,Department of Lipidomics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 103-0033, Japan
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An Analytical Survey of Trace Heavy Elements in Insecticides. Int J Anal Chem 2019; 2019:8150793. [PMID: 31275392 PMCID: PMC6560315 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8150793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There are many types of insecticides traded in the local and international markets, which vary depending on the type of target insect (e.g., whether crawling or flying). This paper aimed to assess the concentration of trace elements present in the various pesticide formulations (solid, liquid, and gaseous). This study was conducted in two groups: the first group was comprised of zinc, copper, iron, chromium, phosphorus, selenium, and cobalt; the second group included four heavy toxic elements (arsenic, thallium, lead, and mercury). These elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma/optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).
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