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Li Q, Feng M, Zhang H, Zhou H, Cheng X. Entamoeba moshkovskii as a potential model organism for Gal/GalNAc lectin intermediate subunit exhibition and functional identification. Drug Discov Ther 2024; 18:178-187. [PMID: 38777764 DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2024.01031] [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] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
In humans, Entamoeba histolytica is the main pathogen causing various amoebiases, while E. moshkovskii falls between being a pathogen and non-pathogen. The two species have similar behavior patterns but differ significantly in pathogenicity, with previous studies and clinical data indicating that E. moshkovskii has a low level of pathogenicity. Meaningfully, the biological characteristics of E. moshkovskii make it a potential model organism and a protein display platform for studying the functions of important Entamoeba proteins. Here, an Amoeba-pcDNA3.1 vector capable of overexpressing E. histolytica-sourced Igl-C protein was constructed and successfully transfected into E. moshkovskii. High levels of expression of the Igl-C, EGFP, and NeoR genes were identified in Igl-C-transfected trophozoites using qRT-PCR, and they were subsequently confirmed using immunoblotting. Transfection of Igl-C protein improved the adherence and phagocytosis of E. moshkovskii, demonstrating that E. histolytica Igl mediated amoebic adhesion. Moreover, as a manifestation of protein virulence, the ability of post-transfected trophozoites to induce inflammation in host macrophages was also enhanced. In conclusion, this study utilizing the characteristics of E. moshkovskii confirmed its potential to serve as a model organism. E. moshkovskii could replace E. histolytica as the target of gene editing, allowing more efficient study of amoebic pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshan Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Feng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongze Zhang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hang Zhou
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xunjia Cheng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Hutagalung SV, Rattaprasert P, Promptmas C, Moonsom S, Yongkiettrakul S, Thima K, Chavalitshewinkoon-Petmitr P. Development of nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay for molecular detection of Entamoeba moshkovskii and Entamoeba dispar in stool samples. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6635. [PMID: 38503871 PMCID: PMC10951296 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57332-3] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba moshkovskii, recently known as a possible pathogenic amoeba, and the non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar are morphologically indistinguishable by microscopy. Although PCR was used for differential diagnosis, gel electrophoresis is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and exposed to hazardous elements. In this study, nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay (NALFIA) was developed to detect E. moshkovskii and E. dispar by post-PCR amplicon analysis. E. moshkovskii primers were labeled with digoxigenin and biotin whereas primers of E. dispar were lebeled with FITC and digoxigenin. The gold nanoparticles were labeled with antibodies corresponding to particular labeling. Based on the established assay, NALFIA could detect as low as 975 fg of E. moshkovskii target DNA (982 parasites or 196 parasites/microliter), and 487.5 fg of E. dispar target DNA (444 parasites or 89 parasites/microliter) without cross-reactivity to other tested intestinal organisms. After testing 91 stool samples, NALFIA was able to detect seven E. moshkovskii (87.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity) and eight E. dispar samples (66.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity) compared to real-time PCR. Interestingly, it detected three mixed infections as real-time PCR. Therefore, it can be a rapid, safe, and effective method for the detection of the emerging pathogens E. moshkovskii and E. dispar in stool samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunna Vyatra Hutagalung
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Pongruj Rattaprasert
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Chamras Promptmas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Saengduen Moonsom
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Kanthinich Thima
- Department of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
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Zanditenas E, Trebicz-Geffen M, Kolli D, Domínguez-García L, Farhi E, Linde L, Romero D, Chapman M, Kolodkin-Gal I, Ankri S. Digestive exophagy of biofilms by intestinal amoeba and its impact on stress tolerance and cytotoxicity. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:77. [PMID: 37813896 PMCID: PMC10562373 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00444-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The human protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is responsible for amebiasis, a disease endemic to developing countries. E. histolytica trophozoites colonize the large intestine, primarily feeding on bacteria. However, in the gastrointestinal tract, bacterial cells form aggregates or structured communities called biofilms too large for phagocytosis. Remarkably, trophozoites are still able to invade and degrade established biofilms, utilizing a mechanism that mimics digestive exophagy. Digestive exophagy refers to the secretion of digestive enzymes that promote the digestion of objects too large for direct phagocytosis by phagocytes. E. histolytica cysteine proteinases (CPs) play a crucial role in the degradation process of Bacillus subtilis biofilm. These proteinases target TasA, a major component of the B. subtilis biofilm matrix, also contributing to the adhesion of the parasite to the biofilm. In addition, they are also involved in the degradation of biofilms formed by Gram-negative and Gram-positive enteric pathogens. Furthermore, biofilms also play an important role in protecting trophozoites against oxidative stress. This specific mechanism suggests that the amoeba has adapted to prey on biofilms, potentially serving as an untapped reservoir for novel therapeutic approaches to treat biofilms. Consistently, products derived from the amoeba have been shown to restore antibiotic sensitivity to biofilm cells. In addition, our findings reveal that probiotic biofilms can act as a protective shield for mammalian cells, hindering the progression of the parasite towards them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Zanditenas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Meirav Trebicz-Geffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Divya Kolli
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Laura Domínguez-García
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Universidad de Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Einan Farhi
- Technion Genomics Center, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Liat Linde
- Technion Genomics Center, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Diego Romero
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Universidad de Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Matthew Chapman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
- Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel.
| | - Serge Ankri
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
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Yang N, Matthew MA, Yao C. Roles of Cysteine Proteases in Biology and Pathogenesis of Parasites. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1397. [PMID: 37374899 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061397] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cysteine proteases, also known as thiol proteases, are a class of nucleophilic proteolytic enzymes containing cysteine residues in the enzymatic domain. These proteases generally play a pivotal role in many biological reactions, such as catabolic functions and protein processing, in all living organisms. They specifically take part in many important biological processes, especially in the absorption of nutrients, invasion, virulence, and immune evasion of parasitic organisms from unicellular protozoa to multicellular helminths. They can also be used as parasite diagnostic antigens and targets for gene modification and chemotherapy, as well as vaccine candidates, due to their species and even life-cycle stage specificity. This article highlights current knowledge on parasitic cysteine protease types, biological functions, and their applications in immunodiagnosis and chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawu Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Maurice A Matthew
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chaoqun Yao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis
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Rojas-Ortega DA, Rojas-Hernández S, Sánchez-Mendoza ME, Gómez-López M, Sánchez-Camacho JV, Rosales-Cruz E, Yépez MMC. Role of FcγRIII in the nasal cavity of BALB/c mice in the primary amebic meningoencephalitis protection model. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:1087-1105. [PMID: 36913025 PMCID: PMC10009362 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07810-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Different mechanisms of the host immune response against the primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in the mouse protection model have been described. It has been proposed that antibodies opsonize Naegleria fowleri trophozoites; subsequently, the polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) surround the trophozoites to avoid the infection. FcγRs activate signaling pathways of adapter proteins such as Syk and Hck on PMNs to promote different effector cell functions which are induced by the Fc portion of the antibody-antigen complexes. In this work, we analyzed the activation of PMNs, epithelial cells, and nasal passage cells via the expression of Syk and Hck genes. Our results showed an increment of the FcγRIII and IgG subclasses in the nasal cavity from immunized mice as well as Syk and Hck expression was increased, whereas in the in vitro assay, we observed that when the trophozoites of N. fowleri were opsonized with IgG anti-N. fowleri and interacted with PMN, the expression of Syk and Hck was also increased. We suggest that PMNs are activated via their FcγRIII, which leads to the elimination of the trophozoites in vitro, while in the nasal cavity, the adhesion and consequently infection are avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Alexander Rojas-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Saúl Rojas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - María Elena Sánchez-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Modesto Gómez-López
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Jennifer Viridiana Sánchez-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Molecular, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Salvador Diaz Mirón Esq. Plan de San Luis S/N, Miguel Hidalgo, Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
| | - Erika Rosales-Cruz
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Hematopatología, Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de Mexico, México
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Al-Hilfi AAU, Al-Malak MK, Al-Tomah MAU. Histopathological study of invasive and non-invasive Entamoeba spp. in experimental rats. BULLETIN OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE 2019; 43:166. [DOI: 10.1186/s42269-019-0209-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The genus Entamoeba has many species that are invasive or non-invasive (E. histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkovskii).The invasive E. histolytica is the main pathogenic amoeba in human. Amoebiasis involves several stages starting with the adherence of the parasite to the intestinal epithelium, followed by degradation, tissue invasion, and distribution to other organs.
Results
The current study investigates the pathological changes of Entamoeba spp. infection in both rectum and cecum of experimental rats. The results showed the histological changes at the 7th, 14th, and 28th day post-infection for the three species. E. histolytica and E. moshkovskii infection showed less pathological changes compared to E. histolytica. These changes include the attachment of the trophozoites to the mucosal layer, significant surface epithelial changes such as dissociation and degeneration in the mucosal layer, and ulceration of the apical surface. Inflammatory cells infiltrate the varied regions, extending into the deep mucosa causing mild architectural alterations. These are features of amoebiasis.
Conclusion
The pathological changes reported in E. dispar and E. moshkovskii were less severe than E. histolytica.
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