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Al Khoury C, Thoumi S, Tokajian S, Sinno A, Nemer G, El Beyrouthy M, Rahy K. ABC transporter inhibition by beauvericin partially overcomes drug resistance in Leishmania tropica. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0136823. [PMID: 38572959 PMCID: PMC11064568 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01368-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease infecting the world's poorest populations. Miltefosine (ML) remains the primary oral drug against the cutaneous form of leishmaniasis. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are key players in the xenobiotic efflux, and their inhibition could enhance the therapeutic index. In this study, the ability of beauvericin (BEA) to overcome ABC transporter-mediated resistance of Leishmania tropica to ML was assessed. In addition, the transcription profile of genes involved in resistance acquisition to ML was inspected. Finally, we explored the efflux mechanism of the drug and inhibitor. The efficacy of ML against all developmental stages of L. tropica in the presence or absence of BEA was evaluated using an absolute quantification assay. The expression of resistance genes was evaluated, comparing susceptible and resistant strains. Finally, the mechanisms governing the interaction between the ABC transporter and its ligands were elucidated using molecular docking and dynamic simulation. Relative quantification showed that the expression of the ABCG sub-family is mostly modulated by ML. In this study, we used BEA to impede resistance of Leishmania tropica. The IC50 values, following BEA treatment, were significantly reduced from 30.83, 48.17, and 16.83 µM using ML to 8.14, 11.1, and 7.18 µM when using a combinatorial treatment (ML + BEA) against promastigotes, axenic amastigotes, and intracellular amastigotes, respectively. We also demonstrated a favorable BEA-binding enthalpy to L. tropica ABC transporter compared to ML. Our study revealed that BEA partially reverses the resistance development of L. tropica to ML by blocking the alternate ATP hydrolysis cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Al Khoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sergio Thoumi
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sima Tokajian
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Aia Sinno
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Georges Nemer
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mark El Beyrouthy
- Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
| | - Kelven Rahy
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
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2
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The enemy within: lipid asymmetry in intracellular parasite-host interactions. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:67-79. [PMID: 36820809 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic pathogens with an intracellular parasitic lifestyle are shielded from extracellular threats during replication and growth. In addition to many nutrients, parasites scavenge host cell lipids to establish complex membrane structures inside their host cells. To counteract the disturbance of the host cell plasma membrane they have evolved strategies to regulate phospholipid asymmetry. In this review, the function and importance of lipid asymmetry in the interactions of intracellular protozoan parasites with the target and immune cells of the host are highlighted. The malaria parasite Plasmodium infects red blood cells and extensively refurbishes these terminally differentiated cells. Cholesterol depletion and an altered intracellular calcium ion homeostasis can lead to disruption in erythrocyte membrane asymmetry and increased exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS). Binding to the PS receptor on monocytes and macrophages results in phagocytosis and destruction of infected erythrocytes. Leishmania parasites display apoptotic mimicry by actively enhancing PS exposure on their surface to trigger increased infection of macrophages. In extracellular Toxoplasma gondii a P4-type ATPase/CDC50 co-chaperone pair functions as a flippase important for exocytosis of specialised secretory organelles. Identification and functional analysis of parasite lipid-translocating proteins, i.e. flippases, floppases, and scramblases, will be central for the recognition of the molecular mechanisms of parasite/host interactions. Ultimately, a better understanding of parasitic diseases, host immunity, and immune escape by parasites require more research on the dynamics of phospholipid bilayers of parasites and the infected host cell.
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Guhe V, Ingale P, Tambekar A, Singh S. Systems biology of autophagy in leishmanial infection and its diverse role in precision medicine. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1113249. [PMID: 37152895 PMCID: PMC10160387 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1113249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a contentious issue in leishmaniasis and is emerging as a promising therapeutic regimen. Published research on the impact of autophagic regulation on Leishmania survival is inconclusive, despite numerous pieces of evidence that Leishmania spp. triggers autophagy in a variety of cell types. The mechanistic approach is poorly understood in the Leishmania parasite as autophagy is significant in both Leishmania and the host. Herein, this review discusses the autophagy proteins that are being investigated as potential therapeutic targets, the connection between autophagy and lipid metabolism, and microRNAs that regulate autophagy and lipid metabolism. It also highlights the use of systems biology to develop novel autophagy-dependent therapeutics for leishmaniasis by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), mathematical modeling, network analysis, and other computational methods. Additionally, we have shown many databases for autophagy and metabolism in Leishmania parasites that suggest potential therapeutic targets for intricate signaling in the autophagy system. In a nutshell, the detailed understanding of the dynamics of autophagy in conjunction with lipids and miRNAs unfolds larger dimensions for future research.
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Boy RL, Hong A, Aoki JI, Floeter-Winter LM, Laranjeira-Silva MF. Reporter gene systems: a powerful tool for Leishmania studies. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2022; 3:100165. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2022.100165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
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Tano FT, Barbosa GR, de Rezende E, Souza ROO, Muxel SM, Silber AM, Palmisano G, Stolf BS. Proteome and morphological analysis show unexpected differences between promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis PH8 and LV79 strains. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271492. [PMID: 35998173 PMCID: PMC9398010 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniases are diseases caused by Leishmania protozoans that affect around 12 million people. Leishmania promastigotes are transmitted to vertebrates by female phlebotomine flies during their blood meal. Parasites attach to phagocytic cells, are phagocytosed and differentiate into amastigotes. We previously showed that PH8 and LV79 strains of Leishmania amazonensis have different virulence in mice and that their amastigotes differ in their proteomes. In this work, we compare promastigotes' infectivity in macrophages, their proteomes and morphologies. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Phagocytosis assays showed that promastigotes adhesion to and phagocytosis by macrophages is higher in PH8 than LV79. To identify proteins that differ between the two strains and that may eventually contribute for these differences we used a label-free proteomic approach to compare promastigote´s membrane-enriched fractions. Proteomic analysis enabled precise discrimination of PH8 and LV79 protein profiles and the identification of several differentially abundant proteins. The proteins more abundant in LV79 promastigotes participate mainly in translation and amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, while the more abundant in PH8 are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cytoskeleton composition and vesicle/membrane trafficking. Interestingly, although the virulence factor GP63 was more abundant in the less virulent LV79 strain, zymography suggests a higher protease activity in PH8. Enolase, which may be related to virulence, was more abundant in PH8 promastigotes. Unexpectedly, flow cytometry and morphometric analysis indicate higher abundance of metacyclics in LV79. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Proteome comparison of PH8 and LV79 promastigotes generated a list of differential proteins, some of which may be further prospected to affect the infectivity of promastigotes. Although proteomic profile of PH8 includes more proteins characteristic of metacyclics, flow cytometry and morphometric analysis indicate a higher abundance of metacyclics in LV79 cultures. These results shed light to the gaps in our knowledge of metacyclogenesis in L. amazonensis, and to proteins that should be studied in the context of infection by this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabia Tomie Tano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rolim Barbosa
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eloiza de Rezende
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Sandra Marcia Muxel
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ariel Mariano Silber
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Simonsen Stolf
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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6
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Cabello-Donayre M, Orrego LM, Herráez E, Vargas P, Martínez-García M, Campos-Salinas J, Pérez-Victoria I, Vicente B, Marín JJG, Pérez-Victoria JM. Leishmania heme uptake involves LmFLVCRb, a novel porphyrin transporter essential for the parasite. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:1827-1845. [PMID: 31372684 PMCID: PMC11104922 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03258-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis comprises a group of neglected diseases caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania spp. As is the case for other trypanosomatid parasites, Leishmania is auxotrophic for heme and must scavenge this essential compound from its human host. In mammals, the SLC transporter FLVCR2 mediates heme import across the plasma membrane. Herein we identify and characterize Leishmania major FLVCRb (LmFLVCRb), the first member of the FLVCR family studied in a non-metazoan organism. This protein localizes to the plasma membrane of the parasite and is able to bind heme. LmFLVCRb levels in Leishmania, which are modulated by overexpression thereof or the abrogation of an LmFLVCRb allele, correlate with the ability of the parasite to take up porphyrins. Moreover, injection of LmFLVCRb cRNA to Xenopus laevis oocytes provides these cells with the ability to take up heme. This process is temperature dependent, requires monovalent ions and is inhibited at basic pH, characteristics shared by the uptake of heme by Leishmania parasites. Interestingly, LmFLVCRb is essential as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout parasites were only obtained in the presence of an episomal copy of the gene. In addition, deletion of just one of the alleles of the LmFLVCRb gene markedly impairs parasite replication as intracellular amastigotes as well as its virulence in an in vivo model of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Collectively, these results show that Leishmania parasites can rescue heme through plasma membrane transporter LFLVCRb, which could constitute a novel target for therapeutic intervention against Leishmania and probably other trypanosomatid parasites in which FLVCR genes are also present.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cabello-Donayre
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Lina M Orrego
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Elisa Herráez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEFARM), IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paola Vargas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-García
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jenny Campos-Salinas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ignacio Pérez-Victoria
- Fundación MEDINA, Centro de Excelencia en Investigación de Medicamentos Innovadores en Andalucía, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Belén Vicente
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEFARM), IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - José J G Marín
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEFARM), IBSAL, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Center for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Pérez-Victoria
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, (IPBLN-CSIC), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
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7
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Wanderley JLM, DaMatta RA, Barcinski MA. Apoptotic mimicry as a strategy for the establishment of parasitic infections: parasite- and host-derived phosphatidylserine as key molecule. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:10. [PMID: 31941500 PMCID: PMC6964003 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0482-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of parasitic infection is dependent on the development of efficient strategies to evade the host defense mechanisms. Phosphatidylserine (PS) molecules are pivotal for apoptotic cell recognition and clearance by professional phagocytes. Moreover, PS receptors are able to trigger anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive responses by phagocytes, either by coupled enzymes or through the induction of regulatory cytokine secretion. These PS-dependent events are exploited by parasites in a mechanism called apoptotic mimicry. Generally, apoptotic mimicry refers to the effects of PS recognition for the initiation and maintenance of pathogenic infections. However, in this context, PS molecules can be recognized on the surface of the infectious agent or in the surface of apoptotic host debris, leading to the respective denomination of classical and non-classical apoptotic mimicry. In this review, we discuss the role of PS in the pathogenesis of several human infections caused by protozoan parasites. Video Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luiz Mendes Wanderley
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Campus UFRJ Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Renato Augusto DaMatta
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Norte-Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcello André Barcinski
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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8
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Crepaldi F, de Toledo JS, do Carmo AO, Ferreira Marques Machado L, de Brito DDV, Serufo AV, Almeida APM, de Oliveira LG, Ricotta TQN, Moreira DDS, Murta SMF, Diniz AB, Menezes GB, López-Gonzálvez Á, Barbas C, Fernandes AP. Mapping Alterations Induced by Long-Term Axenic Cultivation of Leishmania amazonensis Promastigotes With a Multiplatform Metabolomic Fingerprint Approach. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:403. [PMID: 31867285 PMCID: PMC6904349 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases are widespread neglected diseases with an incidence of 1.6 million new cases and 40 thousand deaths per year. Leishmania parasites may show distinct, species-specific patterns of virulence that lead to different clinical manifestations. It is well known that successive in vitro passages (SIVP) lead to the attenuation of virulence, but neither the metabolism nor the pathways involved in these processes are well understood. Herein, promastigotes of a virulent L. amazonensis strain recently isolated from mice was compared to SIVP derived and attenuated promastigotes, submitted to 10, 40, and 60 axenic passages and named R10, R40, and R60, respectively. In vitro assays and in vivo tests were performed to characterize and confirmed the attenuation profiles. A metabolomic fingerprint comparison of R0, R10, and R60 was performed by means of capillary electrophoresis, liquid and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. To validate the metabolomic data, qPCR for selected loci, flow cytometry to measure aPS exposure, sensitivity to antimony tartrate and ROS production assays were conducted. The 65 identified metabolites were clustered in biochemical categories and mapped in eight metabolic pathways: ABC transporters; fatty acid biosynthesis; glycine, serine and threonine metabolism; β-alanine metabolism; glutathione metabolism; oxidative phosphorylation; glycerophospholipid metabolism and lysine degradation. The obtained metabolomic data correlated with previous proteomic findings of the SVIP parasites and the gene expression of 13 selected targets. Late SIVP cultures were more sensitive to SbIII produced more ROS and exposed less phosphatidylserine in their surface. The correspondent pathways were connected to build a biochemical map of the most significant alterations involved with the process of attenuation of L. amazonensis. Overall, the reported data pointed out to a very dynamic and continuous metabolic reprogramming process, accompanied by changes in energetic, lipid and redox metabolisms, membrane remodeling and reshaping of parasite-host cells interactions, causing impacts in chemotaxis, host inflammatory responses and infectivity at the early stages of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederico Crepaldi
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis, Unidad Metabolómica, Interacciones y Bioanálisis (UMIB), Universidad CEU San Pablo, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Juliano Simões de Toledo
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis, Unidad Metabolómica, Interacciones y Bioanálisis (UMIB), Universidad CEU San Pablo, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Anderson Oliveira do Carmo
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Markers, General Biology Department, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Daniela Diniz Viana de Brito
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Angela Vieira Serufo
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Martins Almeida
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Leandro Gonzaga de Oliveira
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Tiago Queiroga Nery Ricotta
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ariane Barros Diniz
- Morphology Department, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Batista Menezes
- Morphology Department, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ángeles López-Gonzálvez
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis, Unidad Metabolómica, Interacciones y Bioanálisis (UMIB), Universidad CEU San Pablo, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centro de Metabolómica y Bioanálisis, Unidad Metabolómica, Interacciones y Bioanálisis (UMIB), Universidad CEU San Pablo, Boadilla del Monte, Spain
| | - Ana Paula Fernandes
- Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Orrego LM, Cabello-Donayre M, Vargas P, Martínez-García M, Sánchez C, Pineda-Molina E, Jiménez M, Molina R, Pérez-Victoria JM. Heme synthesis through the life cycle of the heme auxotrophic parasite Leishmania major. FASEB J 2019; 33:13367-13385. [PMID: 31553893 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901274rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Heme is an essential molecule synthetized through a broadly conserved 8-step route that has been lost in trypanosomatid parasites. Interestingly, Leishmania reacquired by horizontal gene transfer from γ-proteobacteria the genes coding for the last 3 enzymes of the pathway. Here we show that intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania major can scavenge heme precursors from the host cell to fulfill their heme requirements, demonstrating the functionality of this partial pathway. To dissect its role throughout the L. major life cycle, the significance of L. major ferrochelatase (LmFeCH), the terminal enzyme of the route, was evaluated. LmFeCH expression in a heterologous system demonstrated its activity. Knockout promastigotes lacking lmfech were not able to use the ferrochelatase substrate protoporphyrin IX as a source of heme. In vivo infection of Phlebotomus perniciosus with knockout promastigotes shows that LmFeCH is not required for their development in the sandfly. In contrast, the replication of intracellular amastigotes was hampered in vitro by the deletion of lmfech. However, LmFeCH-/- parasites produced disease in a cutaneous leishmaniasis murine model in a similar way as control parasites. Therefore, although L. major can synthesize de novo heme from macrophage precursors, this activity is dispensable being an unsuited target for leishmaniasis treatment.-Orrego, L. M., Cabello-Donayre, M., Vargas, P., Martínez-García, M., Sánchez, C., Pineda-Molina, E., Jiménez, M., Molina, R., Pérez-Victoria, J. M. Heme synthesis through the life cycle of the heme auxotrophic parasite Leishmania major.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina M Orrego
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María Cabello-Donayre
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Paola Vargas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-García
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Clara Sánchez
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Estela Pineda-Molina
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Maribel Jiménez
- Unidad de Entomología Médica, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Molina
- Unidad de Entomología Médica, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Pérez-Victoria
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS) Granada, Granada, Spain
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10
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Christensen SM, Belew AT, El-Sayed NM, Tafuri WL, Silveira FT, Mosser DM. Host and parasite responses in human diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. amazonensis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007152. [PMID: 30845223 PMCID: PMC6405045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is a rare form of leishmaniasis where parasites grow uncontrolled in diffuse lesions across the skin. Meta-transcriptomic analysis of biopsies from DCL patients infected with Leishmania amazonensis demonstrated an infiltration of atypical B cells producing a surprising preponderance of the IgG4 isotype. DCL lesions contained minimal CD8+ T cell transcripts and no evidence of persistent TH2 responses. Whereas localized disease exhibited activated (so-called M1) macrophage presence, transcripts in DCL suggested a regulatory macrophage (R-Mϕ) phenotype with higher levels of ABCB5, DCSTAMP, SPP1, SLAMF9, PPARG, MMPs, and TM4SF19. The high levels of parasite transcripts in DCL and the remarkable uniformity among patients afforded a unique opportunity to study parasite gene expression in this disease. Patterns of parasite gene expression in DCL more closely resembled in vitro parasite growth in resting macrophages, in the absence of T cells. In contrast, parasite gene expression in LCL revealed 336 parasite genes that were differently upregulated, relative to DCL and in vitro macrophage growth, and these transcripts may represent transcripts that are produced by the parasite in response to host immune pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M. Christensen
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and the Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
| | - Ashton T. Belew
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and the Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
| | - Najib M. El-Sayed
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and the Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
| | - Wagner L. Tafuri
- Departamento de Patologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Geras, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernando T. Silveira
- Evandro Chagas Institute, Tropical Medicine Nucleus, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA Brazil
| | - David M. Mosser
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and the Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD United States of America
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Deppe JP, Rabbat R, Hörtensteiner S, Keller B, Martinoia E, Lopéz-Marqués RL. The wheat ABC transporter Lr34 modifies the lipid environment at the plasma membrane. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:18667-18679. [PMID: 30327425 PMCID: PMC6290163 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.002532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Phospholipids (PLs) are emerging as important factors that initiate signal transduction cascades at the plasma membrane. Their distribution within biological membranes is tightly regulated, e.g. by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which preferably translocate PLs from the cytoplasmic to the exoplasmic membrane leaflet and are therefore called PL-floppases. Here, we demonstrate that a plant ABC transporter, Lr34 from wheat (Triticum aestivum), is involved in plasma membrane remodeling characterized by an intracellular accumulation of phosphatidic acid and enhanced outward translocation of phosphatidylserine. In addition, the content of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane was reduced in the presence of the ABC transporter. When heterologously expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lr34 promoted oil body formation in a mutant defective in PL-transfer in the secretory pathway. Our results suggest that PL redistribution by Lr34 potentially affects the membrane-bound proteome and contributes to the previously reported stimuli-independent activation of biotic and abiotic stress responses and neutral lipid accumulation in transgenic Lr34-expressing barley plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes P Deppe
- From the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich (UZH), Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Ritta Rabbat
- From the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich (UZH), Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Stefan Hörtensteiner
- From the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich (UZH), Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Beat Keller
- From the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich (UZH), Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Enrico Martinoia
- From the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich (UZH), Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland and
| | - Rosa L Lopéz-Marqués
- the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Parasitic diseases that pose a threat to human life include leishmaniasis - caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania species. Existing drugs have limitations due to deleterious side effects like teratogenicity, high cost and drug resistance. This calls for the need to have an insight into therapeutic aspects of disease. Areas covered: We have identified different drug targets via. molecular, imuunological, metabolic as well as by system biology approaches. We bring these promising drug targets into light so that they can be explored to their maximum. In an effort to bridge the gaps between existing knowledge and prospects of drug discovery, we have compiled interesting studies on drug targets, thereby paving the way for establishment of better therapeutic aspects. Expert opinion: Advancements in technology shed light on many unexplored pathways. Further probing of well established pathways led to the discovery of new drug targets. This review is a comprehensive report on current and emerging drug targets, with emphasis on several metabolic targets, organellar biochemistry, salvage pathways, epigenetics, kinome and more. Identification of new targets can contribute significantly towards strengthening the pipeline for disease elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
| | - Bhawana Singh
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
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13
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Leishmania LABCG2 transporter is involved in ATP-dependent transport of thiols. Biochem J 2018; 475:87-97. [PMID: 29162656 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The Leishmania LABCG2 transporter has a key role in the redox metabolism of these protozoan parasites. Recently, the involvement of LABCG2 in virulence, autophagy and oxidative stress has been described. Null mutant parasites for LABCG2 present an increase in the intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH) and trypanothione [T(SH)2]. On the other hand, parasites overexpressing LABCG2 transporter export non-protein thiols to the extracellular medium. To explore if LABCG2 may mediate an active transport of non-protein thiols, the effect of these molecules on ATPase activity of LABCG2 as well as the ability of LABCG2 to transport them was determined using a baculovirus-Sf9 insect cell system. Our results indicate that all thiols tested [GSH, T(SH)2] as well as their oxidized forms GSSG and TS2 (trypanothione disulfide) stimulate LABCG2-ATPase basal activity. We have measured the transport of [3H]-GSH in inside-out Sf9 cell membrane vesicles expressing LABCG2-GFP (green fluorescence protein), finding that LABCG2 was able to mediate a rapid and concentration-dependent uptake of [3H]-GSH in the presence of ATP. Finally, we have analyzed the ability of different thiol species to compete for this uptake, T(SH)2 and TS2 being the best competitors. The IC50 value for [3H]-GSH uptake in the presence of increasing concentrations of T(SH)2 was less than 100 μM, highlighting the affinity of this thiol for LABCG2. These results provide the first direct evidence that LABCG2 is an ABC transporter of reduced and oxidized non-protein thiols in Leishmania, suggesting that this transporter can play a role in the redox metabolism and related processes in this protozoan parasite.
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ABCI3 Is a New Mitochondrial ABC Transporter from Leishmania major Involved in Susceptibility to Antimonials and Infectivity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.01115-17. [PMID: 28971869 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01115-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We have identified and characterized ABCI3 as a new mitochondrial ABC transporter from Leishmania major Localization studies using confocal microscopy, a surface biotinylation assay, and trypsin digestion after digitonin permeabilization suggested that ABCI3 presents a dual localization in both mitochondria and the plasma membrane. From studies using parasites with a single knockout of ABCI3 (ABCI3+/-), we provide evidence that ABCI3 is directly involved in susceptibility to the trivalent form of antimony (SbIII) and metal ions. Attempts to obtain parasites with a double knockout of ABCI3 were unsuccessful, suggesting that ABCI3 could be an essential gene in L. majorABCI3+/- promastigotes were 5-fold more resistant to SbIII than the wild type, while ABCI3+/- amastigotes were approximately 2-fold more resistant to pentavalent antimony (SbV). This resistance phenotype was associated with decreased SbIII accumulation due to decreased SbIII uptake. ABCI3+/- parasites presented higher ATP levels and generated less mitochondrial superoxide after SbIII incubation. Finally, we observed that ABCI3+/- parasites showed a slightly higher infection capacity than wild-type and add-back ABCI3+/-::3×FABCI3 parasites; however, after 72 h the number of ABCI3+/- intracellular parasites per macrophage increased significantly. Our results show that ABCI3 is responsible for SbIII transport inside mitochondria, where it contributes to enhancement of the general toxic effects caused by SbIII To our knowledge, ABCI3 is the first ABC transporter which is involved in susceptibility toward antimony, conferring SbIII resistance to parasites when it is partially deleted.
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15
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Manzano JI, Perea A, León-Guerrero D, Campos-Salinas J, Piacenza L, Castanys S, Gamarro F. Leishmania LABCG1 and LABCG2 transporters are involved in virulence and oxidative stress: functional linkage with autophagy. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:267. [PMID: 28558770 PMCID: PMC5450059 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2198-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The G subfamily of ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters of Leishmania include 6 genes (ABCG1-G6), some with relevant biological functions associated with drug resistance and phospholipid transport. Several studies have shown that Leishmania LABCG2 transporter plays a role in the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), in virulence and in resistance to antimonials. However, the involvement of this transporter in other key biological processes has not been studied. Methods To better understand the biological function of LABCG2 and its nearly identical tandem-repeated transporter LABCG1, we have generated Leishmania major null mutant parasites for both genes (ΔLABCG1-2). NBD-PS uptake, infectivity, metacyclogenesis, autophagy and thiols were measured. Results Leishmania major ΔLABCG1-2 parasites present a reduction in NBD-PS uptake, infectivity and virulence. In addition, we have shown that ΔLABCG1-2 parasites in stationary phase growth underwent less metacyclogenesis and presented differences in the plasma membrane’s lipophosphoglycan composition. Considering that autophagy is an important process in terms of parasite virulence and cell differentiation, we have shown an autophagy defect in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites, detected by monitoring expression of the autophagosome marker RFP-ATG8. This defect correlates with increased levels of reactive oxygen species and higher non-protein thiol content in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites. HPLC analysis revealed that trypanothione and glutathione were the main molecules accumulated in these ΔLABCG1-2 parasites. The decrease in non-protein thiol levels due to preincubation with buthionine sulphoximide (a γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase inhibitor) restored the autophagy process in ΔLABCG1-2 parasites, indicating a relationship between autophagy and thiol content. Conclusions LABCG1-2 transporters from Leishmania could be considered as phosphatidylserine and non-protein thiol transporters. They probably accomplish transportation in conjunction with other molecules that are involved in oxidative stress, autophagy, metacyclogenesis and infectivity processes. The overall conclusion is that LABCG1-2 transporters could play a key role in Leishmania cell survival and infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ignacio Manzano
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Perea
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - David León-Guerrero
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Jenny Campos-Salinas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Lucia Piacenza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Santiago Castanys
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Gamarro
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", IPBLN-CSIC, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016, Granada, Spain.
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The LABCG2 Transporter from the Protozoan Parasite Leishmania Is Involved in Antimony Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:3489-96. [PMID: 27021316 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02813-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment for leishmaniasis, which is caused by Leishmania protozoan parasites, currently relies on a reduced arsenal of drugs. However, the significant increase in the incidence of drug therapeutic failure and the growing resistance to first-line drugs like antimonials in some areas of Northern India and Nepal limit the control of this parasitic disease. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of resistance in Leishmania is now a matter of urgency to optimize drugs used and to identify novel drug targets to block or reverse resistant mechanisms. Some members of the family of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in Leishmania have been associated with drug resistance. In this study, we have focused our interest to characterize LABCG2's involvement in drug resistance in Leishmania. Leishmania major parasites overexpressing the ABC protein transporter LABCG2 were generated in order to assess how LABCG2 is involved in drug resistance. Assays of susceptibility to different leishmanicidal agents were carried out. Analysis of the drug resistance profile revealed that Leishmania parasites overexpressing LABCG2 were resistant to antimony, as they demonstrated a reduced accumulation of Sb(III) due to an increase in drug efflux. Additionally, LABCG2 was able to transport thiols in the presence of Sb(III) Biotinylation assays using parasites expressing LABCG2 fused with an N-terminal green fluorescent protein tag revealed that LABCG2 is partially localized in the plasma membrane; this supports data from previous studies which suggested that LABCG2 is localized in intracellular vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis. In conclusion, Leishmania LABCG2 probably confers antimony resistance by sequestering metal-thiol conjugates within vesicles and through further exocytosis by means of the parasite's flagellar pocket.
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Birge RB, Boeltz S, Kumar S, Carlson J, Wanderley J, Calianese D, Barcinski M, Brekken RA, Huang X, Hutchins JT, Freimark B, Empig C, Mercer J, Schroit AJ, Schett G, Herrmann M. Phosphatidylserine is a global immunosuppressive signal in efferocytosis, infectious disease, and cancer. Cell Death Differ 2016; 23:962-78. [PMID: 26915293 PMCID: PMC4987730 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2016.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 459] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved and tightly regulated cell death modality. It serves important roles in physiology by sculpting complex tissues during embryogenesis and by removing effete cells that have reached advanced age or whose genomes have been irreparably damaged. Apoptosis culminates in the rapid and decisive removal of cell corpses by efferocytosis, a term used to distinguish the engulfment of apoptotic cells from other phagocytic processes. Over the past decades, the molecular and cell biological events associated with efferocytosis have been rigorously studied, and many eat-me signals and receptors have been identified. The externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) is arguably the most emblematic eat-me signal that is in turn bound by a large number of serum proteins and opsonins that facilitate efferocytosis. Under physiological conditions, externalized PS functions as a dominant and evolutionarily conserved immunosuppressive signal that promotes tolerance and prevents local and systemic immune activation. Pathologically, the innate immunosuppressive effect of externalized PS has been hijacked by numerous viruses, microorganisms, and parasites to facilitate infection, and in many cases, establish infection latency. PS is also profoundly dysregulated in the tumor microenvironment and antagonizes the development of tumor immunity. In this review, we discuss the biology of PS with respect to its role as a global immunosuppressive signal and how PS is exploited to drive diverse pathological processes such as infection and cancer. Finally, we outline the rationale that agents targeting PS could have significant value in cancer and infectious disease therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- R B Birge
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Cancer Center, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 205 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - S Boeltz
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Cancer Center, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 205 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - J Carlson
- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, 14282 Franklin Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780, USA
| | - J Wanderley
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - D Calianese
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Cancer Center, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, 205 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - M Barcinski
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - R A Brekken
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
| | - X Huang
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
| | - J T Hutchins
- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, 14282 Franklin Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780, USA
| | - B Freimark
- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, 14282 Franklin Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780, USA
| | - C Empig
- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, 14282 Franklin Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780, USA
| | - J Mercer
- Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - A J Schroit
- Simmons Cancer Center and the Department of Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - G Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - M Herrmann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Martínez-García M, Campos-Salinas J, Cabello-Donayre M, Pineda-Molina E, Gálvez FJ, Orrego LM, Sánchez-Cañete MP, Malagarie-Cazenave S, Koeller DM, Pérez-Victoria JM. LmABCB3, an atypical mitochondrial ABC transporter essential for Leishmania major virulence, acts in heme and cytosolic iron/sulfur clusters biogenesis. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:7. [PMID: 26728034 PMCID: PMC4700571 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1284-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mitochondria play essential biological functions including the synthesis and trafficking of porphyrins and iron/sulfur clusters (ISC), processes that in mammals involve the mitochondrial ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters ABCB6 and ABCB7, respectively. The mitochondrion of pathogenic protozoan parasites such as Leishmania is a promising goal for new therapeutic approaches. Leishmania infects human macrophages producing the neglected tropical disease known as leishmaniasis. Like most trypanosomatid parasites, Leishmania is auxotrophous for heme and must acquire porphyrins from the host. Methods LmABCB3, a new Leishmania major protein with significant sequence similarity to human ABCB6/ABCB7, was identified and characterized using bioinformatic tools. Fluorescent microscopy was used to determine its cellular localization, and its level of expression was modulated by molecular genetic techniques. Intracellular in vitro assays were used to demonstrate its role in amastigotes replication, and an in vivo mouse model was used to analyze its role in virulence. Functional characterization of LmABCB3 was carried out in Leishmania promastigotes and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Structural analysis of LmABCB3 was performed using molecular modeling software. Results LmABCB3 is an atypical ABC half-transporter that has a unique N-terminal extension not found in any other known ABC protein. This extension is required to target LmABCB3 to the mitochondrion and includes a potential metal-binding domain. We have shown that LmABCB3 interacts with porphyrins and is required for the mitochondrial synthesis of heme from a host precursor. We also present data supporting a role for LmABCB3 in the biogenesis of cytosolic ISC, essential cofactors for cell viability in all three kingdoms of life. LmABCB3 fully complemented the severe growth defect shown in yeast lacking ATM1, an orthologue of human ABCB7 involved in exporting from the mitochondria a gluthatione-containing compound required for the generation of cytosolic ISC. Indeed, docking analyzes performed with a LmABCB3 structural model using trypanothione, the main thiol in this parasite, as a ligand showed how both, LmABCB3 and yeast ATM1, contain a similar thiol-binding pocket. Additionally, we show solid evidence suggesting that LmABCB3 is an essential gene as dominant negative inhibition of LmABCB3 is lethal for the parasite. Moreover, the abrogation of only one allele of the gene did not impede promastigote growth in axenic culture but prevented the replication of intracellular amastigotes and the virulence of the parasites in a mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Conclusions Altogether our results present the previously undescribed LmABCB3 as an unusual mitochondrial ABC transporter essential for Leishmania survival through its role in the generation of heme and cytosolic ISC. Hence, LmABCB3 could represent a novel target to combat leishmaniasis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1284-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Martínez-García
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Jenny Campos-Salinas
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - María Cabello-Donayre
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Estela Pineda-Molina
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco J Gálvez
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Lina M Orrego
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - María P Sánchez-Cañete
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | | | - David M Koeller
- Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
| | - José M Pérez-Victoria
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.
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Zingales B, Araujo RGA, Moreno M, Franco J, Aguiar PHN, Nunes SL, Silva MN, Ienne S, Machado CR, Brandão A. A novel ABCG-like transporter of Trypanosoma cruzi is involved in natural resistance to benznidazole. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:433-44. [PMID: 25946152 PMCID: PMC4489481 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760140407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Benznidazole (BZ) is one of the two drugs used for Chagas disease treatment. Nevertheless therapeutic failures of BZ have been reported, which were mostly attributed to variable drug susceptibility among Trypanosoma cruzi strains. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are involved in a variety of translocation processes and some members have been implicated in drug resistance. Here we report the characterisation of the first T. cruzi ABCG transporter gene, named TcABCG1, which is over-expressed in parasite strains naturally resistant to BZ. Comparison of TcABCG1 gene sequence of two TcI BZ-resistant strains with CL Brener BZ-susceptible strain showed several single nucleotide polymorphisms, which determined 11 amino acid changes. CL Brener transfected with TcI transporter genes showed 40-47% increased resistance to BZ, whereas no statistical significant increment in drug resistance was observed when CL Brener was transfected with the homologous gene. Only in the parasites transfected with TcI genes there was 2-2.6-fold increased abundance of TcABCG1 transporter protein. The analysis in wild type strains also suggests that the level of TcABCG1 transporter is related to BZ natural resistance. The characteristics of untranslated regions of TcABCG1 genes of BZ-susceptible and resistant strains were investigated by computational tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Zingales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Margoth Moreno
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Jaques Franco
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Pedro Henrique Nascimento Aguiar
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Solange Lessa Nunes
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Nunes Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Susan Ienne
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Carlos Renato Machado
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Adeilton Brandão
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Coelho AC, Trinconi CT, Costa CHN, Uliana SRB. In vitro and in vivo miltefosine susceptibility of a Leishmania amazonensis isolate from a patient with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2999. [PMID: 25033218 PMCID: PMC4102453 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Miltefosine was the first oral compound approved for visceral leishmaniasis chemotherapy, and its efficacy against Leishmania donovani has been well documented. Leishmania amazonensis is the second most prevalent species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis and the main etiological agent of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. Driven by the necessity of finding alternative therapeutic strategies for a chronic diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis patient, we evaluated the susceptibility to miltefosine of the Leishmania amazonensis line isolated from this patient, who had not been previously treated with miltefosine. In vitro tests against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes showed that this parasite isolate was less susceptible to miltefosine than L. amazonensis type strains. Due to this difference in susceptibility, we evaluated whether genes previously associated with miltefosine resistance were involved. No mutations were found in the miltefosine transporter gene or in the Ros3 or pyridoxal kinase genes. These analyses were conducted in parallel with the characterization of L. amazonensis mutant lines selected for miltefosine resistance using a conventional protocol to select resistance in vitro, i.e., exposure of promastigotes to increasing drug concentrations. In these mutant lines, a single nucleotide mutation G852E was found in the miltefosine transporter gene. In vivo studies were also performed to evaluate the correlation between in vitro susceptibility and in vivo efficacy. Miltefosine was effective in the treatment of BALB/c mice infected with the L. amazonensis type strain and with the diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis isolate. On the other hand, animals infected with the resistant line bearing the mutated miltefosine transporter gene were completely refractory to miltefosine chemotherapy. These data highlight the difficulties in establishing correlations between in vitro susceptibility determinations and response to chemotherapy in vivo. This study contributed to establish that the miltefosine transporter is essential for drug activity in L. amazonensis and a potential molecular marker of miltefosine unresponsiveness in leishmaniasis patients. Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The disease is extremely difficult to treat and frequently relapses once the treatment is interrupted. Although not yet approved in Brazil, miltefosine is an attractive alternative for leishmaniasis treatment due to its oral administration and low incidence of side effects. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of miltefosine against a L. amazonensis line that was isolated from a chronic diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis patient to ascertain whether miltefosine could be considered as a therapeutic option in this case. Parasites isolated from this patient were less susceptible to miltefosine than a reference strain in vitro. The mechanisms underlying this decreased susceptibility were studied in this natural parasite isolate in parallel with mutant strains selected in vitro for miltefosine resistance. A mutation in the gene encoding the miltefosine transporter was identified in the mutants selected in vitro but not in the line isolated from the patient. Notwithstanding the decreased susceptibility in vitro, when used to treat infected mice, miltefosine was equally effective against the isolate from the patient and the type strain, but completely ineffective against the resistant line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano C. Coelho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Cristiana T. Trinconi
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos H. N. Costa
- Departamento de Medicina Comunitária, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Silvia R. B. Uliana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Structure and mechanism of ATP-dependent phospholipid transporters. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2014; 1850:461-75. [PMID: 24746984 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2014.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2014] [Revised: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and P4-ATPases are two large and seemingly unrelated families of primary active pumps involved in moving phospholipids from one leaflet of a biological membrane to the other. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review aims to identify common mechanistic features in the way phospholipid flipping is carried out by two evolutionarily unrelated families of transporters. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Both protein families hydrolyze ATP, although they employ different mechanisms to use it, and have a comparable size with twelve transmembrane segments in the functional unit. Further, despite differences in overall architecture, both appear to operate by an alternating access mechanism and during transport they might allow access of phospholipids to the internal part of the transmembrane domain. The latter feature is obvious for ABC transporters, but phospholipids and other hydrophobic molecules have also been found embedded in P-type ATPase crystal structures. Taken together, in two diverse groups of pumps, nature appears to have evolved quite similar ways of flipping phospholipids. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our understanding of the structural basis for phospholipid flipping is still limited but it seems plausible that a general mechanism for phospholipid flipping exists in nature. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Structural biochemistry and biophysics of membrane proteins.
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Dean P, Major P, Nakjang S, Hirt RP, Embley TM. Transport proteins of parasitic protists and their role in nutrient salvage. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:153. [PMID: 24808897 PMCID: PMC4010794 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The loss of key biosynthetic pathways is a common feature of important parasitic protists, making them heavily dependent on scavenging nutrients from their hosts. This is often mediated by specialized transporter proteins that ensure the nutritional requirements of the parasite are met. Over the past decade, the completion of several parasite genome projects has facilitated the identification of parasite transporter proteins. This has been complemented by functional characterization of individual transporters along with investigations into their importance for parasite survival. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on transporters from parasitic protists and highlight commonalities and differences in the transporter repertoires of different parasitic species, with particular focus on characterized transporters that act at the host-pathogen interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dean
- *Correspondence: Paul Dean and T. Martin Embley, The Medical School, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Catherine Cookson Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK e-mail: ;
| | | | | | | | - T. Martin Embley
- *Correspondence: Paul Dean and T. Martin Embley, The Medical School, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Catherine Cookson Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK e-mail: ;
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