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Pacini MF, Perdomini A, Bulfoni Balbi C, Dinatale B, Herrera FE, Perez AR, Marcipar I. The high identity of the Trypanosoma cruzi Group-I of trans-sialidases points them as promising vaccine immunogens. Proteins 2023; 91:1444-1460. [PMID: 37323089 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26537] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Trans-sialidase (TS) superfamily of proteins comprises eight subgroups, being the proteins of Group-I (TS-GI) promising immunogens in vaccine approaches against Trypanosoma cruzi. Strikingly, TS-GI antigenic variability among parasite lineages and their influence on vaccine development has not been previously analyzed. Here, a search in GenBank detects 49 TS-GI indexed sequences, whereas the main infecting human different parasite discrete typing units (DTU) are represented. In silico comparison among these sequences indicate that they share an identity above 92%. Moreover, the antigenic regions (T-cell and B-cell epitopes) are conserved in most sequences or present amino acid substitutions that scarcely may alter the antigenicity. Additionally, since the generic term TS is usually used to refer to different immunogens of this broad family, a further in silico analysis of the TS-GI-derived fragments tested in preclinical vaccines was done to determine the coverage and identity among them, showing that overall amino acid identity of vaccine immunogens is high, but the segment coverage varies widely. Accordingly, strong H-2K, H-2I, and B-cell epitopes are dissimilarly represented among vaccine TS-derived fragments depending on the extension of the TG-GI sequence used. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis detected a set of 150 T-cell strong epitopes among the DTU-indexed sequences that strongly bind human HLA-I supertypes. In all currently reported experimental vaccines based on TS-GI fragments, mapping these 150 epitopes showed that they are moderately represented. However, despite vaccine epitopes do not present all the substitutions observed in the DTUs, these regions of the proteins are equally recognized by the same HLAs. Interestingly, the predictions regarding global and South American population coverage estimated in these 150 epitopes are similar to the estimations in experimental vaccines when the complete sequence of TS-GI is used as an antigen. In silico prediction also shows that a number of these MHC-I restricted T-cell strong epitopes could be also cross-recognized by HLA-I supertypes and H-2Kb or H-2Kd backgrounds, indicating that these mice may be used to improve and facilitate the development of new TS-based vaccines and suggesting an immunogenic and protective potential in humans. Further molecular docking analyses were performed to strengthen these results. Taken together, different strategies that would cover more or eventually fully of these T-cell and also B-cell epitopes to reach a high level of coverage are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Florencia Pacini
- Laboratorio de Estudios en Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Adrián Perdomini
- Laboratorio de Tecnología Inmunológica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Camila Bulfoni Balbi
- Laboratorio de Estudios en Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Brenda Dinatale
- Laboratorio de Estudios en Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Fernando E Herrera
- Área de Modelado Molecular, Departamento de Física, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, (CONICET), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ana Rosa Perez
- Laboratorio de Estudios en Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación y Producción de Reactivos Biológicos (CIPReB), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Iván Marcipar
- Laboratorio de Tecnología Inmunológica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Dzul-Huchim VM, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Martinez-Vega PP, Rosado-Vallado ME, Arana-Argaez VE, Ortega-Lopez J, Gusovsky F, Dumonteil E, Cruz-Chan JV, Hotez P, Bottazzi ME, Villanueva-Lizama LE. Vaccine-linked chemotherapy with a low dose of benznidazole plus a bivalent recombinant protein vaccine prevents the development of cardiac fibrosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in chronically-infected BALB/c mice. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010258. [PMID: 36095001 PMCID: PMC9499242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010258] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and affects 6–7 million people worldwide. Approximately 30% of chronic patients develop chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) after decades. Benznidazole (BNZ), one of the first-line chemotherapy used for CD, induces toxicity and fails to halt the progression of CCC in chronic patients. The recombinant parasite-derived antigens, including Tc24, Tc24-C4, TSA-1, and TSA-1-C4 with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) agonist-adjuvants reduce cardiac parasite burdens, heart inflammation, and fibrosis, leading us to envision their use as immunotherapy together with BNZ. Given genetic immunization (DNA vaccines) encoding Tc24 and TSA-1 induce protective immunity in mice and dogs, we propose that immunization with the corresponding recombinant proteins offers an alternative and feasible strategy to develop these antigens as a bivalent human vaccine. We hypothesized that a low dose of BNZ in combination with a therapeutic vaccine (TSA-1-C4 and Tc24-C4 antigens formulated with a synthetic TLR-4 agonist-adjuvant, E6020-SE) given during early chronic infection, could prevent cardiac disease progression and provide antigen-specific T cell immunity. Methodology/ Principal findings We evaluated the therapeutic vaccine candidate plus BNZ (25 mg/kg/day/7 days) given on days 72 and 79 post-infection (p.i) (early chronic phase). Fibrosis, inflammation, and parasite burden were quantified in heart tissue at day 200 p.i. (late chronic phase). Further, spleen cells were collected to evaluate antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immune response, using flow cytometry. We found that vaccine-linked BNZ treated mice had lower cardiac fibrosis compared to the infected untreated control group. Moreover, cells from mice that received the immunotherapy had higher stimulation index of antigen-specific CD8+Perforin+ T cells as well as antigen-specific central memory T cells compared to the infected untreated control. Conclusions Our results suggest that the bivalent immunotherapy together with BNZ treatment given during early chronic infection protects BALB/c mice against cardiac fibrosis progression and activates a strong CD8+ T cell response by in vitro restimulation, evidencing the induction of a long-lasting T. cruzi-immunity. Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted through contact with infected feces of vectors bugs. CD can induce cardiac abnormalities including the development of fibrosis and eventually death. Benznidazole (BNZ) is the first-line drug approved against CD, however, its toxicity and lack of efficacy in the chronic phase have limited its use. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of reducing doses of BNZ given in combination with therapeutic vaccines during the acute phase of CD, which increases its tolerability and reduces adverse side effects. Considering that patients are often diagnosed until more advanced stages of the disease, its necessary to evaluate therapies given in the chronic phase of CD. In this study, we evaluated a vaccine formulated with the recombinant T. cruzi-antigens TSA-1-C4 and Tc24-C4 and the adjuvant E6020-SE in combination with a low dose of BNZ given during the chronic phase of T. cruzi-infection using a murine model. The authors found that the combination therapy protects mice against cardiac fibrosis progression, allows the activation of a CD8+ T cell response, and induces a prolonged memory response against T. cruzi. This study supports the development of the vaccine-linked chemotherapy approach to prevent T. cruzi chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Manuel Dzul-Huchim
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Pedro Pablo Martinez-Vega
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Miguel Enrique Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Victor Ermilo Arana-Argaez
- Laboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Jaime Ortega-Lopez
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fabian Gusovsky
- Eisai, Inc., Eisai Inc, Andover, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Peter Hotez
- Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - María Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Liliana Estefania Villanueva-Lizama
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- * E-mail:
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3
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Versteeg L, Adhikari R, Poveda C, Villar-Mondragon MJ, Jones KM, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Tijhaar E, Pollet J. Location and expression kinetics of Tc24 in different life stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009689. [PMID: 34478444 PMCID: PMC8415617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tc24-C4, a modified recombinant flagellar calcium-binding protein of Trypanosoma cruzi, is under development as a therapeutic subunit vaccine candidate to prevent or delay progression of chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy. When combined with Toll-like receptor agonists, Tc24-C4 immunization reduces parasitemia, parasites in cardiac tissue, and cardiac fibrosis and inflammation in animal models. To support further research on the vaccine candidate and its mechanism of action, murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Tc24-C4 were generated. Here, we report new findings made with mAb Tc24-C4/884 that detects Tc24-WT and Tc24-C4, as well as native Tc24 in T. cruzi on ELISA, western blots, and different imaging techniques. Surprisingly, detection of Tc24 by Tc24-C/884 in fixed T. cruzi trypomastigotes required permeabilization of the parasite, revealing that Tc24 is not exposed on the surface of T. cruzi, making a direct role of antibodies in the induced protection after Tc24-C4 immunization less likely. We further observed that after immunostaining T. cruzi-infected cells with mAb Tc24-C4/884, the expression of Tc24 decreases significantly when T. cruzi trypomastigotes enter host cells and transform into amastigotes. However, Tc24 is then upregulated in association with parasite flagellar growth linked to re-transformation into the trypomastigote form, prior to host cellular escape. These observations are discussed in the context of potential mechanisms of vaccine immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leroy Versteeg
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rakesh Adhikari
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Jose Villar-Mondragon
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Edwin Tijhaar
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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4
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Choudhuri S, Rios L, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Garg NJ. Oxidative stress implications for therapeutic vaccine development against Chagas disease. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1395-1406. [PMID: 34406892 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1969230] [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: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pathogenesis of Chagas disease (CD) caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) involves chronic oxidative and inflammatory stress. In this review, we discuss the research efforts in therapeutic vaccine development to date and the potential challenges imposed by oxidative stress in achieving an efficient therapeutic vaccine against CD. AREAS COVERED This review covers the immune and nonimmune mechanisms of reactive oxygen species production and immune response patterns during T. cruzi infection in CD. A discussion on immunotherapy development efforts, the efficacy of antigen-based immune therapies against T. cruzi, and the role of antioxidants as adjuvants is discussed to provide promising insights to developing future treatment strategies against CD. EXPERT OPINION Administration of therapeutic vaccines can be a good option to confront persistent parasitemia in CD by achieving a rapid, short-lived stimulation of type 1 cell-mediated immunity. At the same time, adjunct therapies could play a critical role in the preservation of mitochondrial metabolism and cardiac muscle contractility in CD. We propose combined therapy with antigen-based vaccine and small molecules to control the pathological oxidative insult would be effective in the conservation of cardiac structure and function in CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Choudhuri
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Lizette Rios
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados En Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Nisha Jain Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Tx, USA
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Cruz-Chan JV, Villanueva-Lizama LE, Versteeg L, Damania A, Villar MJ, González-López C, Keegan B, Pollet J, Gusovsky F, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Jones KM. Vaccine-linked chemotherapy induces IL-17 production and reduces cardiac pathology during acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3222. [PMID: 33547365 PMCID: PMC7865072 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82930-w] [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: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease resulting from Trypanosoma cruzi infection leads to a silent, long-lasting chronic neglected tropical disease affecting the poorest and underserved populations around the world. Antiparasitic treatment with benznidazole does not prevent disease progression or death in patients with established cardiac disease. Our consortium is developing a therapeutic vaccine based on the T. cruzi flagellar—derived antigen Tc24-C4 formulated with a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist adjuvant, to complement existing chemotherapy and improve treatment efficacy. Here we demonstrate that therapeutic treatment of acutely infected mice with a reduced dose of benznidazole concurrently with vaccine treatment – also known as “vaccine-linked chemotherapy”—induced a TH17 like immune response, with significantly increased production of antigen specific IL-17A, IL-23 and IL-22, and CD8 + T lymphocytes, as well as significantly increased T. cruzi specific IFNγ-producing CD4 + T lymphocytes. Significantly reduced cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, and parasite burdens and improved survival were achieved by vaccine-linked chemotherapy and individual treatments. Importantly, low dose treatments were comparably efficacious to high dose treatments, demonstrating potential dose sparing effects. We conclude that through induction of TH17 immune responses vaccine-linked chemotherapeutic strategies could bridge the tolerability and efficacy gaps of current drug treatment in Chagasic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio V Cruz-Chan
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Liliana E Villanueva-Lizama
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ashish Damania
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria José Villar
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cristina González-López
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Brian Keegan
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn M Jones
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. .,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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Arnal A, Villanueva‐Lizama L, Teh‐Poot C, Herrera C, Dumonteil E. Extent of polymorphism and selection pressure on the Trypanosoma cruzi vaccine candidate antigen Tc24. Evol Appl 2020; 13:2663-2672. [PMID: 33294015 PMCID: PMC7691455 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major public health problem in the Americas, and existing drugs have severe limitations. In this context, a vaccine would be an attractive alternative for disease control. One of the difficulties in developing an effective vaccine lies in the high genetic diversity of T. cruzi. In this study, we evaluated the level of sequence diversity of the leading vaccine candidate Tc24 in multiple parasite strains. METHODS AND RESULTS We quantified its level of polymorphism within and between T. cruzi discrete typing units (DTUs) and how this potential polymorphism is structured by different selective pressures. We observed a low level of polymorphism of Tc24 protein, weakly associated with parasite DTUs, but not with the geographic origin of the strains. In particular, Tc24 was under strong purifying selection pressure and predicted CD8+ T-cell epitopes were mostly conserved. Tc24 strong conservation may be associated with structural/functional constrains to preserve EF hand domains and their calcium-binding loops, and Tc24 is likely important for the parasite fitness. DISCUSSION Together, these results show that a vaccine based on Tc24 is likely to be effective against a wide diversity of parasite strains across the American continent, and further development of this vaccine candidate should be a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Arnal
- Laboratorio de ParasitologíaCentro de Investigaciones Regionales “DrHideyo Noguchi”Universidad Autónoma de YucatánMéridaMexico
- Departamento de Ecología de la BiodiversidadInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de MéxicoMéxico
| | - Liliana Villanueva‐Lizama
- Laboratorio de ParasitologíaCentro de Investigaciones Regionales “DrHideyo Noguchi”Universidad Autónoma de YucatánMéridaMexico
| | - Christian Teh‐Poot
- Laboratorio de ParasitologíaCentro de Investigaciones Regionales “DrHideyo Noguchi”Universidad Autónoma de YucatánMéridaMexico
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical MedicineSchool of Public Health and Tropical MedicineTulane UniversityNew OrleansLAUSA
- Vector‐Borne and Infectious Disease Research CenterTulane UniversityNew OrleansLAUSA
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical MedicineSchool of Public Health and Tropical MedicineTulane UniversityNew OrleansLAUSA
- Vector‐Borne and Infectious Disease Research CenterTulane UniversityNew OrleansLAUSA
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Villanueva-Lizama LE, Cruz-Chan JV, Versteeg L, Teh-Poot CF, Hoffman K, Kendricks A, Keegan B, Pollet J, Gusovsky F, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Jones KM. TLR4 agonist protects against Trypanosoma cruzi acute lethal infection by decreasing cardiac parasite burdens. Parasite Immunol 2020; 42:e12769. [PMID: 32592180 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
E6020 is a synthetic agonist of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of E6020-SE on Trypanosoma cruzi-specific immune responses and its ability to confer protection against acute lethal infection in mice. Forty female BALB/c were infected with 500 trypomastigotes of T cruzi H1 strain, divided into four groups (n = 10) and treated at 7- and 14-day post-infection (dpi) with different doses of E6020-SE or PBS (control). Survival was followed for 51 days, mice were euthanized and hearts were collected to evaluate parasite burden, inflammation and fibrosis. We found significantly higher survival and lower parasite burdens in mice injected with E6020-SE at all doses compared to the control group. However, E6020-SE treatment did not significantly reduce cardiac inflammation or fibrosis. On the other hand, E6020-SE modulated Th1 and Th2 cytokines, decreasing IFN-γ and IL-4 in a dose-dependent manner after stimulation with parasite antigens. We conclude that E6020-SE alone increased survival by decreasing cardiac parasite burdens in BALB/c mice acutely infected with T cruzi but failed to prevent cardiac damage. Our results suggest that for optimal protection, a vaccine antigen is necessary to balance and orient a protective immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana E Villanueva-Lizama
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Julio V Cruz-Chan
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christian F Teh-Poot
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Kristyn Hoffman
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - April Kendricks
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Brian Keegan
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Peter J Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.,James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.,Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn M Jones
- Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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8
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DNA Vaccine Treatment in Dogs Experimentally Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. J Immunol Res 2020; 2020:9794575. [PMID: 32455143 PMCID: PMC7222601 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9794575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a chronic and potentially lethal disorder caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and an effective treatment has not been developed for chronic Chagas disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a therapeutic DNA vaccine containing T. cruzi genes in dogs with experimentally induced Chagas disease through clinical, pathological, and immunological analyses. Infection of Beagle dogs with the H8 T. cruzi strain was performed intraperitoneally with 3500 metacyclic trypomastigotes/kg body weight. Two weeks after infection, plasmid DNA immunotherapy was administered thrice at 15-day intervals. The clinical (physical and cabinet studies), immunological (antibody and cytokine profiles and lymphoproliferation), and macro- and microscopic pathological findings were described. A significant increase in IgG and cell proliferation was recorded after immunotherapy, and the highest stimulation index (3.02) was observed in dogs treated with the pBCSSP4 plasmid. The second treatment with both plasmids induced an increase in IL-1, and the third treatment with the pBCSSP4 plasmid induced an increase in IL-6. The pBCSP plasmid had a good Th1 response regulated by high levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, whereas the combination of the two plasmids did not have a synergistic effect. Electrocardiographic studies registered lower abnormalities and the lowest number of individuals with abnormalities in each group treated with the therapeutic vaccine. Echocardiograms showed that the pBCSSP4 plasmid immunotherapy preserved cardiac structure and function to a greater extent and prevented cardiomegaly. The two plasmids alone controlled the infection moderately by a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrates in heart tissue. The immunotherapy was able to reduce the magnitude of cardiac lesions and modulate the cellular immune response; the pBCSP treatment showed a clear Th1 response; and pBCSSP4 induced a balanced Th1/Th2 immune response that prevented severe cardiac involvement. The pBCSSP4 plasmid had a better effect on most of the parameters evaluated in this study; therefore, this plasmid can be considered an optional treatment against Chagas disease in naturally infected dogs.
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9
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Rios L, Campos EE, Menon R, Zago MP, Garg NJ. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of maternal-fetal transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi and a case for vaccine development against congenital Chagas disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165591. [PMID: 31678160 PMCID: PMC6954953 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.165591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Trypanos o ma cruzi (T. cruzi or Tc) is the causative agent of Chagas disease (CD). It is common for patients to suffer from non-specific symptoms or be clinically asymptomatic with acute and chronic conditions acquired through various routes of transmission. The expecting women and their fetuses are vulnerable to congenital transmission of Tc. Pregnant women face formidable health challenges because the frontline antiparasitic drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are contraindicated during pregnancy. However, it is worthwhile to highlight that newborns can be cured if they are diagnosed and given treatment in a timely manner. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of maternal-fetal transmission of Tc and provide a justification for the investment in the development of vaccines against congenital CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette Rios
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - E Emanuel Campos
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina.
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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10
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Rios LE, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Pacheco AO, Zago MP, Garg NJ. Immunity and vaccine development efforts against Trypanosoma cruzi. Acta Trop 2019; 200:105168. [PMID: 31513763 PMCID: PMC7409534 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is the causative agent for Chagas disease (CD). There is a critical lack of methods for prevention of infection or treatment of acute infection and chronic disease. Studies in experimental models have suggested that the protective immunity against T. cruzi infection requires the elicitation of Th1 cytokines, lytic antibodies and the concerted activities of macrophages, T helper cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In this review, we summarize the research efforts in vaccine development to date and the challenges faced in achieving an efficient prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine against human CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette E Rios
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, México
| | - Antonio Ortega Pacheco
- Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Salta, Argentina
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
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11
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de la Cruz JJ, Villanueva-Lizama L, Dzul-Huchim V, Ramírez-Sierra MJ, Martinez-Vega P, Rosado-Vallado M, Ortega-Lopez J, Flores-Pucheta CI, Gillespie P, Zhan B, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Dumonteil E. Production of recombinant TSA-1 and evaluation of its potential for the immuno-therapeutic control of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2018; 15:210-219. [PMID: 30192702 PMCID: PMC6363145 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1520581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A therapeutic vaccine for human Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi) is under development based on the success of vaccinating mice with DNA constructs expressing the antigens Tc24 and Tc-TSA-1. However, because DNA and nucleic acid vaccines produce less than optimal responses in humans, our strategy relies on administering a recombinant protein-based vaccine, together with adjuvants that promote Th1-type immunity. Here we describe a process for the purification and refolding of recombinant TSA-1 expressed in Escherichia coli. The overall yield (20–25%) and endotoxin level of the purified recombinant TSA-1 (rTSA-1) is suitable for pilot scale production of the antigen for use in phase 1 clinical trials. Mice infected with T. cruzi were treated with rTSA-1, either alone or with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) agonist adjuvants including monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), glucopyranosyl lipid A (GLA, IDRI), and E6020 (EISEI, Inc). TSA-1 with the TLR-4 agonists was effective at reducing parasitemia relative to rTSA-1 alone, although it was difficult to discern a therapeutic effect compared to treatment with TLR-4 agonists alone. However, rTSA-1 with a 10 ug dose of MPLA optimized reductions in cardiac tissue inflammation, which were significantly reduced compared to MPLA alone. It also elicited the lowest parasite burden and the highest levels of TSA-1-specific IFN-gamma levels and IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratios. These results warrant the further evaluation of rTSA-1 in combination with rTc24 in order to maximize the therapeutic effect of vaccine-linked chemotherapy in both mice and non-human primates before advancing to clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jose de la Cruz
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - Liliana Villanueva-Lizama
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - Victor Dzul-Huchim
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - María-Jesus Ramírez-Sierra
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - Pedro Martinez-Vega
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- a Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi , Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán , Mérida , Yucatán , México
| | - Jaime Ortega-Lopez
- b Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería , CINVESTAV-IPN , Ciudad de México , México
| | | | - Portia Gillespie
- c Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Bin Zhan
- c Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- c Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- c Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- d Department of Tropical Medicine , Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University , New Orleans , LA , USA
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Vaccine-Linked Chemotherapy Improves Benznidazole Efficacy for Acute Chagas Disease. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00876-17. [PMID: 29311242 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00876-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease affects 6 to 7 million people worldwide, resulting in significant disease burdens and health care costs in countries of endemicity. Chemotherapeutic treatment is restricted to two parasiticidal drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox. Both drugs are highly effective during acute disease but are only minimally effective during chronic disease and fraught with significant adverse clinical effects. In experimental models, vaccines can be used to induce parasite-specific balanced TH1/TH2 immune responses that effectively reduce parasite burdens and associated inflammation while minimizing adverse effects. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of vaccine-linked chemotherapy for reducing the amount of benznidazole required to significantly reduce blood and tissue parasite burdens. In this study, we were able to achieve a 4-fold reduction in the amount of benznidazole required to significantly reduce blood and tissue parasite burdens by combining the low-dose benznidazole with a recombinant vaccine candidate, Tc24 C4, formulated with a synthetic Toll-like 4 receptor agonist, E6020, in a squalene oil-in-water emulsion. Additionally, vaccination induced a robust parasite-specific balanced TH1/TH2 immune response. We concluded that vaccine-linked chemotherapy is a feasible option for advancement to clinical use for improving the tolerability and efficacy of benznidazole.
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Villanueva-Lizama LE, Cruz-Chan JV, Aguilar-Cetina ADC, Herrera-Sanchez LF, Rodriguez-Perez JM, Rosado-Vallado ME, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Ortega-Lopez J, Jones K, Hotez P, Bottazzi ME, Dumonteil E. Trypanosoma cruzi vaccine candidate antigens Tc24 and TSA-1 recall memory immune response associated with HLA-A and -B supertypes in Chagasic chronic patients from Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006240. [PMID: 29377898 PMCID: PMC5805372 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi antigens TSA-1 and Tc24 have shown promise as vaccine candidates in animal studies. We evaluated here the recall immune response these antigens induce in Chagasic patients, as a first step to test their immunogenicity in humans. We evaluated the in vitro cellular immune response after stimulation with recombinant TSA-1 (rTSA-1) or recombinant Tc24 (rTc24) in mononuclear cells of asymptomatic Chagasic chronic patients (n = 20) compared to healthy volunteers (n = 19) from Yucatan, Mexico. Proliferation assays, intracellular cytokine staining, cytometric bead arrays, and memory T cell immunophenotyping were performed by flow cytometry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Chagasic patients showed significant proliferation after stimulation with rTc24 and presented a phenotype of T effector memory cells (CD45RA-CCR7-). These cells also produced IFN-γ and, to a lesser extent IL10, after stimulation with rTSA-1 and rTc24 proteins. Overall, both antigens recalled a broad immune response in some Chagasic patients, confirming that their immune system had been primed against these antigens during natural infection. Analysis of HLA-A and HLA-B allele diversity by PCR-sequencing indicated that HLA-A03 and HLA-B07 were the most frequent supertypes in this Mexican population. Also, there was a significant difference in the frequency of HLA-A01 and HLA-A02 supertypes between Chagasic patients and controls, while the other alleles were evenly distributed. Some aspects of the immune response, such as antigen-induced IFN-γ production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and CD8+ proliferation, showed significant association with specific HLA-A supertypes, depending on the antigen considered. In conclusion, our results confirm the ability of both TSA-1 and Tc24 recombinant proteins to recall an immune response induced by the native antigens during natural infection in at least some patients. Our data support the further development of these antigens as therapeutic vaccine against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana E. Villanueva-Lizama
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Julio V. Cruz-Chan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Amarú del C. Aguilar-Cetina
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Luis F. Herrera-Sanchez
- Unidad Cardiometabólica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Jose M. Rodriguez-Perez
- Departmento de biología molecular, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, México D.F, México
| | - Miguel E. Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Maria J. Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Jaime Ortega-Lopez
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F, México
| | - Kathryn Jones
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics and National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Research Center, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
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14
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Genetic Adjuvantation of a Cell-Based Therapeutic Vaccine for Amelioration of Chagasic Cardiomyopathy. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00127-17. [PMID: 28674032 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00127-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a leading cause of heart disease ("chagasic cardiomyopathy") in Latin America, disproportionately affecting people in resource-poor areas. The efficacy of currently approved pharmaceutical treatments is limited mainly to acute infection, and there are no effective treatments for the chronic phase of the disease. Preclinical models of Chagas disease have demonstrated that antigen-specific CD8+ gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-positive T-cell responses are essential for reducing parasite burdens, increasing survival, and decreasing cardiac pathology in both the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease. In the present study, we developed a genetically adjuvanted, dendritic cell-based immunotherapeutic for acute Chagas disease in an attempt to delay or prevent the cardiac complications that eventually result from chronic T. cruzi infection. Dendritic cells transduced with the adjuvant, an adenoviral vector encoding a dominant negative isoform of Src homology region 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) along with the T. cruzi Tc24 antigen and trans-sialidase antigen 1 (TSA1), induced significant numbers of antigen-specific CD8+ IFN-γ-positive cells following injection into BALB/c mice. A vaccine platform transduced with the adenoviral vector and loaded in tandem with the recombinant protein reduced parasite burdens by 76% to >99% in comparison to a variety of different controls and significantly reduced cardiac pathology in a BALB/c mouse model of live Chagas disease. Although no statistical differences in overall survival rates among cohorts were observed, the data suggest that immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of acute Chagas disease are feasible and that this approach may warrant further study.
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15
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Lazarte JMS, Kim YR, Lee JS, Im SP, Kim SW, Jung JW, Kim J, Lee JH, Jung TS. Immunostimulatory effect of DDX41 of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). FOOD AGR IMMUNOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09540105.2017.1318836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jassy Mary S. Lazarte
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Young Rim Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Jung Seok Lee
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Se Pyeong Im
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Si Won Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Jae Wook Jung
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Jaesung Kim
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Ho Lee
- Inland Aquaculture Research Center, NIFS, Changwon, Korea
| | - Tae Sung Jung
- Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South Korea
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16
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Seid CA, Jones KM, Pollet J, Keegan B, Hudspeth E, Hammond M, Wei J, McAtee CP, Versteeg L, Gutierrez A, Liu Z, Zhan B, Respress JL, Strych U, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ. Cysteine mutagenesis improves the production without abrogating antigenicity of a recombinant protein vaccine candidate for human chagas disease. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2016; 13:621-633. [PMID: 27737611 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2016.1242540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A therapeutic vaccine for human Chagas disease is under development by the Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership. The aim of the vaccine is to significantly reduce the parasite burden of Trypanosoma cruzi in humans, either as a standalone product or in combination with conventional chemotherapy. Vaccination of mice with Tc24 formulated with monophosphoryl-lipid A (MPLA) adjuvant results in a Th1 skewed immune response with elevated IgG2a and IFNγ levels and a statistically significant decrease in parasitemia following T. cruzi challenge. Tc24 was therefore selected for scale-up and further evaluation. During scale up and downstream process development, significant protein aggregation was observed due to intermolecular disulfide bond formation. To prevent protein aggregation, cysteine codons were replaced with serine codons which resulted in the production of a non-aggregated and soluble recombinant protein, Tc24-C4. No changes to the secondary structure of the modified molecule were detected by circular dichroism. Immunization of mice with wild-type Tc24 or Tc24-C4, formulated with E6020 (TLR4 agonist analog to MPLA) emulsified in a squalene-oil-in-water emulsion, resulted in IgG2a and antigen specific IFNγ production levels from splenocytes that were not significantly different, indicating that eliminating putative intermolecular disulfide bonds had no significant impact on the immunogenicity of the molecule. In addition, vaccination with either formulated wild type Tc24 or Tc24-C4 antigen also significantly increased survival and reduced cardiac parasite burden in mice. Investigations are now underway to examine the efficacy of Tc24-C4 formulated with other adjuvants to reduce parasite burden and increase survival in pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Seid
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Kathryn M Jones
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Brian Keegan
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Elissa Hudspeth
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Molly Hammond
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Junfei Wei
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - C Patrick McAtee
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Amanda Gutierrez
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Zhuyun Liu
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Bin Zhan
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Jonathan L Respress
- d Southwest Electronic Energy Medical Research Institute (SWEMRI) , Missouri City , TX , USA
| | - Ulrich Strych
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- a Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , Houston , TX , USA.,b Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology , National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA.,c James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy , Rice University , Houston , TX , USA
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17
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Morilla MJ, Romero EL. Nanomedicines against Chagas disease: an update on therapeutics, prophylaxis and diagnosis. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2015; 10:465-81. [PMID: 25707979 DOI: 10.2217/nnm.14.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. After a mostly clinically silent acute phase, the disease becomes a lifelong chronic condition that can lead to chronic heart failure and thromboembolic phenomena followed by sudden death. Antichagasic treatment is only effective in the acute phase but fails to eradicate the intracellular form of parasites and causes severe toxicity in adults. Although conventional oral benznidazol is not a safe and efficient drug to cure chronic adult patients, current preclinical data is insufficient to envisage if conventional antichagasic treatment could be realistically improved by a nanomedical approach. This review will discuss how nanomedicines could help to improve the performance of therapeutics, vaccines and diagnosis of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jose Morilla
- Programa de Nanomedicinas, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 352, Bernal B1876BXD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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18
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Martinez-Campos V, Martinez-Vega P, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Rosado-Vallado M, Seid CA, Hudspeth EM, Wei J, Liu Z, Kwityn C, Hammond M, Ortega-López J, Zhan B, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Dumonteil E. Expression, purification, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of a recombinant Tc24 antigen as a vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Vaccine 2015; 33:4505-12. [PMID: 26192358 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The Tc24 calcium binding protein from the flagellar pocket of Trypanosoma cruzi is under evaluation as a candidate vaccine antigen against Chagas disease. Previously, a DNA vaccine encoding Tc24 was shown to be an effective vaccine (both as a preventive and therapeutic intervention) in mice and dogs, as evidenced by reductions in T. cruzi parasitemia and cardiac amastigotes, as well as reduced cardiac inflammation and increased host survival. Here we developed a suitable platform for the large scale production of recombinant Tc24 (rTc24) and show that when rTc24 is combined with a monophosphoryl-lipid A (MPLA) adjuvant, the formulated vaccine induces a Th1-biased immune response in mice, comprised of elevated IgG2a antibody levels and interferon-gamma levels from splenocytes, compared to controls. These immune responses also resulted in statistically significant decreased T. cruzi parasitemia and cardiac amastigotes, as well as increased survival following T. cruzi challenge infections, compared to controls. Partial protective efficacy was shown regardless of whether the antigen was expressed in Escherichia coli or in yeast (Pichia pastoris). While mouse vaccinations will require further modifications in order to optimize protective efficacy, such studies provide a basis for further evaluations of vaccines comprised of rTc24, together with alternative adjuvants and additional recombinant antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Martinez-Campos
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Pedro Martinez-Vega
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Miguel Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Christopher A Seid
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Elissa M Hudspeth
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Junfei Wei
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhuyun Liu
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cliff Kwityn
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Molly Hammond
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jaime Ortega-López
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508 Col., San Pedro Zacatenco 07360, Mexico D.F., Mexico
| | - Bin Zhan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, 97000 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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Grunwald T, Ulbert S. Improvement of DNA vaccination by adjuvants and sophisticated delivery devices: vaccine-platforms for the battle against infectious diseases. Clin Exp Vaccine Res 2015; 4:1-10. [PMID: 25648133 PMCID: PMC4313101 DOI: 10.7774/cevr.2015.4.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Revised: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Advantages of DNA vaccination against infectious diseases over more classical immunization methods include the possibilities for rapid manufacture, fast adaptation to newly emerging pathogens and high stability at ambient temperatures. In addition, upon DNA immunization the antigen is produced by the cells of the vaccinated individual, which leads to activation of both cellular and humoral immune responses due to antigen presentation via MHC I and MHC II molecules. However, so far DNA vaccines have shown most efficient immunogenicity mainly in small rodent models, whereas in larger animals including humans there is still the need to improve effectiveness. This is mostly due to inefficient delivery of the DNA plasmid into cells and nuclei. Here, we discuss technologies used to overcome this problem, including physical means such as in vivo electroporation and co-administration of adjuvants. Several of these methods have already entered clinical testing in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Grunwald
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulbert
- Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Carrillo-Sánchez SC, García-Mendoza H, Aranda-Fraustro A, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Rosales-Encina JL, Vallejo M, Arce-Fonseca M. Effect of the plasmid-DNA vaccination on macroscopic and microscopic damage caused by the experimental chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the canine model. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:826570. [PMID: 24163822 PMCID: PMC3791577 DOI: 10.1155/2013/826570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The dog is considered the main domestic reservoir for Trypanosoma cruzi infection and a suitable experimental animal model to study the pathological changes during the course of Chagas disease (CD). Vaccine development is one of CD prevention methods to protect people at risk. Two plasmids containing genes encoding a trans-sialidase protein (TcSP) and an amastigote-specific glycoprotein (TcSSP4) were used as DNA vaccines in a canine model. Splenomegaly was not found in either of the recombinant plasmid-immunized groups; however, cardiomegaly was absent in animals immunized only with the plasmid containing the TcSSP4 gene. The inflammation of subendocardial and myocardial tissues was prevented only with the immunization with TcSSP4 gene. In conclusion, the vaccination with these genes has a partial protective effect on the enlargement of splenic and cardiac tissues during the chronic CD and on microscopic hearth damage, since both plasmids prevented splenomegaly but only one avoided cardiomegaly, and the lesions in heart tissue of dog immunized with plasmid containing the TcSSP4 gene covered only subepicardial tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Silvia C. Carrillo-Sánchez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Humberto García-Mendoza
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Alberto Aranda-Fraustro
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Martha A. Ballinas-Verdugo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Alejandre-Aguilar
- Department of Parasitology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del I.P.N., Prolongación de Carpio y Plan de Ayala, Col. Sto. Tomás, Miguel Hidalgo, 11340 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - José Luis Rosales-Encina
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional No. 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, 07360 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Maite Vallejo
- Department of Sociomedical Research, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
| | - Minerva Arce-Fonseca
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, DF, Mexico
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21
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Carabarin-Lima A, González-Vázquez MC, Rodríguez-Morales O, Baylón-Pacheco L, Rosales-Encina JL, Reyes-López PA, Arce-Fonseca M. Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in Mexico: an update. Acta Trop 2013; 127:126-35. [PMID: 23643518 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated organism that is transmitted mainly to humans through the infected feces of triatomine kissing bugs (vector transmission in endemic areas) or by transfusion of infected blood, donations of infected organ, or transmission from an infected mother to her child at birth. Chagas disease was first described in 1909 by the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, and due to the parasite's distribution throughout North, Central and South America, the disease is commonly known as American trypanosomiasis. However, this disease is now present in non-endemic countries such as Canada, the United States of America, and several countries in Europe (principally Spain). Moreover, Chagas disease was recently designated by the World Health Organization as one of the main neglected tropical diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the research efforts recently described in studies conducted in Mexico on Chagas disease. In this country, there are no existing vector control programs. In addition, there is no consensus on the diagnostic methods for acute and chronic Chagas disease in maternity wards and blood banks, and trypanocidal therapy is not administered to chronic patients. The actual prevalence of the disease is unknown because no official reporting of cases is performed. Therefore, the number of people infected by different routes of transmission (vector, congenital, blood transfusion, organ transplantation, or oral) is unknown. We believe that by promoting education about Chagas disease in schools starting at the basic elementary level and including reinforcement at higher education levels will ensure that the Mexican population would be aware of this health problem and that the control measures adopted will have more acceptance and success. We hope that this review sensitizes the relevant authorities and that the appropriate measures to reduce the risk of infection by T. cruzi are undertaken to provide the Mexican people a better quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Carabarin-Lima
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
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22
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Reyes PA, Arce-Fonseca M. Trypanosoma cruzi connatal transmission in dogs with Chagas disease: experimental case report. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 11:1365-70. [PMID: 21973028 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi connatal transmission was studied in male and female mongrel dogs. Both dogs were experimentally infected, after which on the 20(th) day, lymphoadenomegaly and fever were found. Four months postinfection, they mated. At this time, Chagas disease was confirmed by two different diagnostic tests. The electrocardiogram and echocardiogram taken at the eight postinoculation month showed data consistent with ischemia, local conduction abnormalities and hypertrophy, as well as a diminished ejection fraction and left ventricular dilation, respectively. Four puppies were born and after weaning had weakness, progressive weight loss, and chronic diarrhea. Necropsy of all four showed digestive alterations and cardiac dilation. Serology in the offspring was positive for Chagas disease. The histopathological study demonstrated a cardiac chronic inflammatory process, although no parasites were found. Clinical data and serological determinations are consistent with death from advanced Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
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23
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Quijano-Hernández IA, Castro-Barcena A, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Bolio-González ME, Ortega-López J, Dumonteil E. Preventive and therapeutic DNA vaccination partially protect dogs against an infectious challenge with Trypanosoma cruzi. Vaccine 2013; 31:2246-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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24
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Pérez-Leyva MM, Ballinas-Verdugo MA, Carrillo-Sánchez SC, Rosales-Encina JL, Alejandre-Aguilar R, Reyes PA, Arce-Fonseca M. Plasmid DNA immunization with Trypanosoma cruzi genes induces cardiac and clinical protection against Chagas disease in the canine model. Vet Res 2012; 43:79. [PMID: 23148870 PMCID: PMC3505182 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-43-79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The only existing preventive measure against American trypanosomosis, or Chagas disease, is the control of the transmitting insect, which has only been effective in a few South American regions. Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent this disease. Here, we present the clinical and cardiac levels of protection induced by expression to Trypanosoma cruzi genes encoding the TcSP and TcSSP4 proteins in the canine model. Physical examination, diagnostic chagasic serology, and serial electrocardiograms were performed before and after immunization, as well as after experimental infection. We found that immunization with recombinant plasmids prevented hyperthermia in the acute phase of experimental infection and produced lymphadenomegaly as an immunological response against the parasite and additionally prevented heart rate elevation (tachycardia) in the acute and/or chronic stages of infection. Immunization with T. cruzi genes encoding the TcSP and TcSSP4 antigens diminished the quality and quantity of the electrocardiographic abnormalities, thereby avoiding progression to more severe developments such as right bundle branch block or ventricular premature complexes in a greater number of dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez", Juan Badiano No, 1, Col, Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14080, Mexico.
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25
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Dumonteil E, Bottazzi ME, Zhan B, Heffernan MJ, Jones K, Valenzuela JG, Kamhawi S, Ortega J, de Leon Rosales SP, Lee BY, Bacon KM, Fleischer B, Slingsby BT, Cravioto MB, Tapia-Conyer R, Hotez PJ. Accelerating the development of a therapeutic vaccine for human Chagas disease: rationale and prospects. Expert Rev Vaccines 2012; 11:1043-55. [PMID: 23151163 PMCID: PMC3819810 DOI: 10.1586/erv.12.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a leading cause of heart disease affecting approximately 10 million people in Latin America and elsewhere worldwide. The two major drugs available for the treatment of Chagas disease have limited efficacy in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected adults with indeterminate (patients who have seroconverted but do not yet show signs or symptoms) and determinate (patients who have both seroconverted and have clinical disease) status; they require prolonged treatment courses and are poorly tolerated and expensive. As an alternative to chemotherapy, an injectable therapeutic Chagas disease vaccine is under development to prevent or delay Chagasic cardiomyopathy in patients with indeterminate or determinate status. The bivalent vaccine will be comprised of two recombinant T. cruzi antigens, Tc24 and TSA-1, formulated on alum together with the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist, E6020. Proof-of-concept for the efficacy of these antigens was obtained in preclinical testing at the Autonomous University of Yucatan. Here the authors discuss the potential for a therapeutic Chagas vaccine as well as the progress made towards such a vaccine, and the authors articulate a roadmap for the development of the vaccine as planned by the nonprofit Sabin Vaccine Institute Product Development Partnership and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development in collaboration with an international consortium of academic and industrial partners in Mexico, Germany, Japan, and the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Centro De Investigaciones Regional, “Dr. Hideo Noguchi” Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), Merida, Mexico
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bin Zhan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine), National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael J Heffernan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine), National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn Jones
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jaime Ortega
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados - Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Bruce Y Lee
- Public Health Computational and Operations Research (PHICOR), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | - Kristina M Bacon
- Public Health Computational and Operations Research (PHICOR), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter J Hotez
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics (Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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26
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Quijano-Hernández IA, Castro-Barcena A, Aparicio-Burgos E, Barbosa-Mireles MA, Cruz-Chan JV, Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Bolio-González ME, Dumonteil E. Evaluation of clinical and immunopathological features of different infective doses of Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs during the acute phase. ScientificWorldJournal 2012; 2012:635169. [PMID: 22547991 PMCID: PMC3323355 DOI: 10.1100/2012/635169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2011] [Accepted: 11/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi is a major risk in Latin America, and dogs are believed to be good models for evaluating Chagas disease. Here, we evaluated the clinical and immunopathological alterations developed by mongrel dogs experimentally infected with different infective doses (2,000, 20,000, and 200,000 metacyclic trypomastigotes of Sylvio X10/4 strain kg−1 via intraperitoneal). Clinical and electrocardiographic parameters, as well as antibody production and pathologic lesions were evaluated. All three doses of this strain of T. cruzi induced a similar pattern of infection characterized by cardiac arrhythmias and severe and diffuse myocarditis. Specific anti-T. cruzi IgG indicated seroconversion by day 14 after infection, and IgG levels increased during the period of evaluation. Mortality was observed only in dogs infected with the medium or high parasite doses, but not in the group infected with a low dose of 2,000 parasites kg−1. Infection with a low dose of parasites provides an excellent nonlethal model to evaluate the immunopathology of the acute disease in dogs infected with the Sylvio X10/4 strain of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel A Quijano-Hernández
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Cerrillo Piedras Blancas s/n, 50200 Toluca, Mexico.
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27
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Rodrigues MM, Oliveira AC, Bellio M. The Immune Response to Trypanosoma cruzi: Role of Toll-Like Receptors and Perspectives for Vaccine Development. J Parasitol Res 2012; 2012:507874. [PMID: 22496959 PMCID: PMC3306967 DOI: 10.1155/2012/507874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/31/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past ten years, studies have shown the recognition of Trypanosoma cruzi-associated molecular patterns by members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family and demonstrated the crucial participation of different TLRs during the experimental infection with this parasite. In the present review, we will focus on the role of TLR-activated pathways in the modulation of both innate and acquired immune responses to T. cruzi infection, as well as discuss the state of the art of vaccine research and development against the causative agent of Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio M. Rodrigues
- Centro de Terapia Celular e Molecular (CTCMol), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), 04044-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Oliveira
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Bellio
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), CCS, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 Bloco D, sala 35, Cidade Universitária, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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28
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Vázquez-Chagoyán JC, Gupta S, Garg NJ. Vaccine development against Trypanosoma cruzi and Chagas disease. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2011; 75:121-46. [PMID: 21820554 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385863-4.00006-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The pathology of Chagas disease presents a complicated and diverse picture in humans. The major complications and destructive evolutionary outcomes of chronic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in humans include ventricular fibrillation, thromboembolism and congestive heart failure. Studies in animal models and human patients have revealed the pathogenic mechanisms during disease progression, pathology of disease and features of protective immunity. Accordingly, several antigens, antigen-delivery vehicles and adjuvants have been tested to elicit immune protection to T. cruzi in experimental animals. This review summarizes the research efforts in vaccine development against Chagas disease during the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Vázquez-Chagoyán
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
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29
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Quijano-Hernandez I, Dumonteil E. Advances and challenges towards a vaccine against Chagas disease. HUMAN VACCINES 2011; 7:1184-91. [PMID: 22048121 DOI: 10.4161/hv.7.11.17016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is major public health problem, affecting nearly 10 million people, characterized by cardiac alterations leading to congestive heart failure and death of 20-40% of the patients infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite responsible for the disease. A vaccine would be key to improve disease control and we review here the recent advances and challenges of a T. cruzi vaccine. There is a growing consensus that a protective immune response requires the activation of a Th1 immune profile, with the stimulation of CD8 (+) T cells. Several vacines types, including recombinant proteins, DNA and viral vectors, as well as heterologous prime-boost combinations, have been found immunogenic and protective in mouse models, providing proof-of-concept data on the feasibility of a preventive or therapeutic vaccine to control a T. cruzi infection. However, several challenges such as better end-points, safety issues and trial design need to be addressed for further vaccine development to proceed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Quijano-Hernandez
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales 'Dr. Hideyo Noguchi', Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
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30
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Dumonteil E. Vaccine development against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania species in the post-genomic era. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2010; 9:1075-82. [PMID: 19805015 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2009.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2008] [Revised: 02/17/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi and the genus Leishmania are protozoan parasites causing diseases of major public health importance, and the recent completion of the sequencing of their genomes has opened new opportunities to further our understanding of the mechanisms required for protection and the development of vaccines. For example, trans-sialidases, one of the largest protein families from T. cruzi, contain dominant CD8+ T cell epitopes, and their use as preventive or therapeutic vaccines in different animal models has provided encouraging results. A much wider range of antigens and vaccine formulations have been tested against Leishmania, and new correlates for protection are being defined, such as the induction of multifunctional Th1 effector cells capable of producing a complex set of cytokines. Also, while a large number of these vaccine candidates have been rather successful in mouse models, their usefulness in more relevant animal models is still poor, in spite of significant immunogenicity. Novel proteomics and genomics approaches are being used for antigen discovery and the identification of new vaccine candidates, some of which have shown promise for the control of infection. These studies cast little doubt that T. cruzi and Leishmania genomes represent major resources for understanding key aspects of the mechanisms of immune protection against these parasites, and the increasing use of these tools will greatly impact vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
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Cruz-Chan JV, Bolio-González M, Colín-Flores R, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Quijano-Hernandez I, Dumonteil E. Immunopathology of natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs. Vet Parasitol 2009; 162:151-5. [PMID: 19324497 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2008] [Revised: 01/30/2009] [Accepted: 02/13/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and dogs are an important reservoir of the parasite as well as a good model for the study of the pathogenesis of the disease. We aimed here at characterizing the immunopathology of naturally infected dogs in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Following an initial screening for T. cruzi seropositive stray dogs, we examined 9 seropositive and 10 seronegative animals. High lymphocytes and low monocytes counts were observed in peripheral blood from seropositives dogs. Three of nine seropositive dogs presented electrocardiographic alterations including right bundle branch block, sinusal block and QRS complex alterations and some right ventricle enlargement was noted. Histopathologic analysis of cardiac walls revealed significant inflammation with a clear tropism for the right ventricle, although most walls were affected. Seropositive dogs presented low IgG1 and high IgG2 levels. Higher IgG1 levels were associated with increased cardiac index and myocarditis, suggesting that a Th2 immune response leads to susceptibility and increased disease severity. These observations shed some light on the mechanisms of pathogenesis of Chagas disease in dogs, and provide a good framework for the evaluation of novel drugs and vaccines in this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatan, 97000 Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico
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