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Hendrickx S, Feijens PB, Escudié F, Chatelain E, Maes L, Caljon G. In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging Reveals Differences in Leishmania infantum Parasite Killing Kinetics by Antileishmanial Reference Drugs. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2101-2107. [PMID: 38733389 PMCID: PMC11423396 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The bioluminescent Leishmania infantum BALB/c mouse model was used to evaluate the parasiticidal drug action kinetics of the reference drugs miltefosine, paromomycin, sodium stibogluconate, and liposomal amphotericin B. Infected mice were treated for 5 days starting from 7 days post-infection, and parasite burdens were monitored over time via bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Using nonlinear regression analyses of the BLI signal, the parasite elimination half-life (t1/2) in the liver, bone marrow, and whole body was determined and compared for the different treatment regimens. Significant differences in parasiticidal kinetics were recorded. A single intravenous dose of 0.5 mg/kg liposomal amphotericin B was the fastest acting with a t1/2 of less than 1 day. Intraperitoneal injection of paromomycin at 320 mg/kg for 5 days proved to be the slowest with a t1/2 of about 5 days in the liver and 16 days in the bone marrow. To conclude, evaluation of the cidal kinetics of the different antileishmanial reference drugs revealed striking differences in their parasite elimination half-lives. This BLI approach also enables an in-depth pharmacodynamic comparison between novel drug leads and may constitute an essential tool for the design of potential drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hendrickx
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pim-Bart Feijens
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Fanny Escudié
- Drugs
for Neglected Diseases initiative, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs
for Neglected Diseases initiative, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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2
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Miltefosine and Nifuratel Combination: A Promising Therapy for the Treatment of Leishmania donovani Visceral Leishmaniasis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021635. [PMID: 36675150 PMCID: PMC9865052 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected vector-borne tropical disease caused by Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum that is endemic not only in East African countries, but also in Asia, regions of South America and the Mediterranean Basin. For the pharmacological control of this disease, there is a limited number of old and, in general, poorly adherent drugs, with a multitude of adverse effects and low oral bioavailability, which favor the emergence of resistant pathogens. Pentavalent antimonials are the first-line drugs, but due to their misuse, resistant Leishmania strains have emerged worldwide. Although these drugs have saved many lives, it is recommended to reduce their use as much as possible and replace them with novel and more friendly drugs. From a commercial collection of anti-infective drugs, we have recently identified nifuratel-a nitrofurantoin used against vaginal infections-as a promising repurposing drug against a mouse model of visceral leishmaniasis. In the present work, we have tested combinations of miltefosine-the only oral drug currently used against leishmaniasis-with nifuratel in different proportions, both in axenic amastigotes from bone marrow and in intracellular amastigotes from infected Balb/c mouse spleen macrophages, finding a potent synergy in both cases. In vivo evaluation of oral miltefosine/nifuratel combinations using a bioimaging platform has revealed the potential of these combinations for the treatment of this disease.
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Comparison of Bioluminescent Substrates in Natural Infection Models of Neglected Parasitic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416074. [PMID: 36555716 PMCID: PMC9781651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of in vivo bioluminescent imaging in infectious disease research has significantly increased over the past years. The detection of transgenic parasites expressing wildtype firefly luciferase is however hampered by a relatively low and heterogeneous tissue penetrating capacity of emitted light. Solutions are sought by using codon-optimized red-shifted luciferases that yield higher expression levels and produce relatively more red or near-infrared light, or by using modified bioluminescent substrates with enhanced cell permeability and improved luminogenic or pharmacokinetic properties. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of two modified bioluminescent substrates, CycLuc1 and AkaLumine-HCl, were compared with that of D-luciferin as a gold standard. Comparisons were made in experimental and insect-transmitted animal models of leishmaniasis (caused by intracellular Leishmania species) and African trypanosomiasis (caused by extracellular Trypanosoma species), using parasite strains expressing the red-shifted firefly luciferase PpyRE9. Although the luminogenic properties of AkaLumine-HCl and D-luciferin for in vitro parasite detection were comparable at equal substrate concentrations, AkaLumine-HCl proved to be unsuitable for in vivo infection follow-up due to high background signals in the liver. CycLuc1 presented a higher in vitro luminescence compared to the other substrates and proved to be highly efficacious in vivo, even at a 20-fold lower dose than D-luciferin. This efficacy was consistent across infections with the herein included intracellular and extracellular parasitic organisms. It can be concluded that CycLuc1 is an excellent and broadly applicable alternative for D-luciferin, requiring significantly lower doses for in vivo bioluminescent imaging in rodent models of leishmaniasis and African trypanosomiasis.
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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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Kent RS, Briggs EM, Colon BL, Alvarez C, Silva Pereira S, De Niz M. Paving the Way: Contributions of Big Data to Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid Research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900878. [PMID: 35734575 PMCID: PMC9207352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology. We debate the benefits and limitations of the current technologies, and propose future advancements that may be key to improving our use of these techniques. Finally, we consider the difficulties the field faces when trying to make the most of the abundance of data that has already been, and will continue to be, generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Emma M. Briggs
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice L. Colon
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Catalina Alvarez
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana De Niz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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6
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Roberts AJ, Ong HB, Clare S, Brandt C, Harcourt K, Franssen SU, Cotton JA, Müller-Sienerth N, Wright GJ. Systematic identification of genes encoding cell surface and secreted proteins that are essential for in vitro growth and infection in Leishmania donovani. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010364. [PMID: 35202447 PMCID: PMC8903277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania for which there are no approved human vaccines. Infections localise to different tissues in a species-specific manner with the visceral form of the disease caused by Leishmania donovani and L. infantum being the most deadly in humans. Although Leishmania spp. parasites are predominantly intracellular, the visceral disease can be prevented in dogs by vaccinating with a complex mixture of secreted products from cultures of L. infantum promastigotes. With the logic that extracellular parasite proteins make good subunit vaccine candidates because they are directly accessible to vaccine-elicited host antibodies, here we attempt to discover proteins that are essential for in vitro growth and host infection with the goal of identifying subunit vaccine candidates. Using an in silico analysis of the Leishmania donovani genome, we identified 92 genes encoding proteins that are predicted to be secreted or externally anchored to the parasite membrane by a single transmembrane region or a GPI anchor. By selecting a transgenic L. donovani parasite that expresses both luciferase and the Cas9 nuclease, we systematically attempted to target all 92 genes by CRISPR genome editing and identified four that were required for in vitro growth. For fifty-five genes, we infected cohorts of mice with each mutant parasite and by longitudinally quantifying parasitaemia with bioluminescent imaging, showed that nine genes had evidence of an attenuated infection although all ultimately established an infection. Finally, we expressed two genes as full-length soluble recombinant proteins and tested them as subunit vaccine candidates in a murine preclinical infection model. Both proteins elicited significant levels of protection against the uncontrolled development of a splenic infection warranting further investigation as subunit vaccine candidates against this deadly infectious tropical disease. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infectious disease that is responsible for many tens of thousands of human deaths per year, primarily in impoverished parts of the world. Although there are drugs to treat this parasite infection, resistance is emerging and there are no approved human vaccines. Extracellular parasite proteins can make good vaccine targets because they are directly accessible to host antibodies; however, not all parasite surface proteins can elicit protective immune responses. With the goal of identifying new vaccine targets, we selected over 90 genes that encode parasite cell surface and secreted proteins and used the latest CRISPR gene editing technology to individually target them. Using these mutant parasites, we identified four genes required for parasite growth in the laboratory. We expressed two of the proteins as subunit vaccines and a preclinical infection model was used to determine if they could elicit protective immune responses. We found that two of our candidates were able to confer significant levels of protection in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis. Our study will contribute to the search for a highly effective vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis to improve the lives of people living in some of the poorest regions on the planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Roberts
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Han B. Ong
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Clare
- Pathogen Support Team, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Cordelia Brandt
- Pathogen Support Team, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Harcourt
- Pathogen Support Team, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne U. Franssen
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - James A. Cotton
- Parasite Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Müller-Sienerth
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin J. Wright
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Sá M, Costa DM, Tavares J. Imaging Infection by Vector-Borne Protozoan Parasites Using Whole-Mouse Bioluminescence. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2524:353-367. [PMID: 35821487 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2453-1_29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Vector-borne protozoan parasites such as Plasmodium spp. Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma brucei are responsible for several serious diseases. Significant advances in parasitology have been made using rodent models combined with live imaging techniques, including whole-mouse bioluminescence imaging (BLI). This technique has been applied to investigate parasite dissemination, infectivity, and growth. It has also been used in drug and vaccine testing. This chapter focuses on the methods that utilize whole-mouse BLI to (i) evaluate the homing and infectivity of Plasmodium berghei sporozoites; (ii) conduct in vivo testing of promising chemical entities against Leishmania infantum infection; and (iii) study molecular mechanisms of host susceptibility to Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Sá
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - David Mendes Costa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Tavares
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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Benítez D, Medeiros A, Quiroga C, Comini MA. A Simple Bioluminescent Assay for the Screening of Cytotoxic Molecules Against the Intracellular Form of Leishmania infantum. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2524:127-147. [PMID: 35821468 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2453-1_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This chapter describes a viability assay for the intracellular (amastigote) and clinically relevant form of Leishmania infantum that is based on the detection of bioluminescence (BL) signal. The assay uses a reporter cell line of L. infantum that expresses constitutively a redshifted luciferase from Photinus pyralis and murine macrophages (cell line J774.A1) as host cells for infection. The host cell line was selected because it is a differentiated cell line, easy to manipulate in vitro, and advantageous for ethical reasons. This chapter introduces an assay designed for the screening of bioactive compounds/molecules employing a 96-well microplate and a 24 h treatment. The assay setup shows excellent balance between simplicity (cell culture manipulation/infection and timing) and quality parameters, as well as potential to detect drug-like molecules acting in a fast and cytotoxic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Benítez
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cristina Quiroga
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Mazire P, Agarwal V, Roy A. Road-map of pre-clinical treatment for Visceral Leishmaniasis. Drug Dev Res 2021; 83:317-327. [PMID: 34962315 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar, is the most lethal form of leishmaniasis, is still prevalent in many countries where it is endemic. It is a threat to human life caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. The severity of the disease is further increased as the treated individuals might have a chance of developing Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) in the long run. Moreover, several countries have reported high number of HIV-VL co-infected patients. Therefore, there is a dire need for the development of efficient diagnostic methods and drugs in order to combat the disease and to control the spread of disease. At present, the treatment for VL entirely relies on therapeutic drugs as no vaccine is available yet. Ever since 1900s a series of drugs have been invented and used for treatment of VL; but the need for one such cost-effective treatment that would completely cure the disease with minimal side-effects, low relapse rate with high efficacy and less toxicity remains yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, identifying novel compounds is very crucial to develop potent antileishmanial agents. Thus, this review enlists several instances of drug development, including the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of antileishmanial drugs, different experimental animal models used to investigate the disease progression and to analyze treatment dosage and pharmacological aspect of drugs. Furthermore, the existing gap in drug development and future measures to improve the process are also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mazire
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Vartika Agarwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Amit Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
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Evaluation of In vitro and In vivo Protective Efficacy of Bauhinia variegata Against Leishmania donovani in Murine Model. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:812-826. [PMID: 33528770 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00326-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Visceral leishmaniasis is one of the ignored parasitic infection affecting millions of people globally. Currently, available treatment options are unsatisfactory because of high cost and side effects of the leishmanicidal drugs. Therefore, herbal medicines provide a promising choice for the detection of efficient and novel leishmanicidal therapeutics which can rejuvenate the immune response of the host with less adverse effects. The objective of the present study was to determine the in vitro and in vivo effect of hydroethanolic extract of Bauhinia variegata (HEBV) against Leishmania donovani. METHODS The in vitro efficacy and cytotoxicity of HEBV was checked against L. donovani and THP1 human macrophages. Further HEBV (500 and 1000 mg/kg b.wt.) were given orally to inbred BALB/c mice infected with L. donovani for 2 weeks and euthanized on 14th post treatment day. Various parameters like parasite load, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses, T cells, Th1/Th2 cytokines, histological and biochemical tests were investigated. RESULTS HEBV showed marked antileishmanial activity with cell cycle arrest at sub-G0/G1 phase. HEBV was found to be more effective at higher dose in declining parasite concentration in the spleen as compared to the lower dose. Moreover, the extract augmented the DTH reaction and T cell responses in the infected mice. Oral administration of HEBV caused the enhancement of disease-suppressing Th1 cytokines and suppression of disease-progressing Th2 cytokines with no toxicities. CONCLUSION Thus, HEBV showed the antileishmanial efficacy through the generation of pro-inflammatory immunity of the host which further suggests the mechanistic exploration of it as a leishmanicidal therapeutic.
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Domínguez-Asenjo B, Gutiérrez-Corbo C, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Iborra S, Balaña-Fouce R, Reguera RM. Bioluminescent Imaging Identifies Thymus, As Overlooked Colonized Organ, in a Chronic Model of Leishmania donovani Mouse Visceral Leishmaniasis. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:871-883. [PMID: 33739807 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The search for new drugs against neglected parasitic diseases has experienced a major boost in recent years with the incorporation of bioimaging techniques. Visceral leishmaniasis, the second more neglected disease in the world, has effective treatments but with several disadvantages that make the search for new therapeutic solutions an urgent task. Animal models of visceral leishmaniasis that resemble the human disease have the disadvantage of using hamsters, which are an outbred breeding animal too large to obtain acceptable images with current bioimaging methodologies. Mouse models of visceral leishmaniasis seem, however, to be more suitable for early (acute) stages of the disease, but not for chronic ones. In our work, we describe a chronic Balb/c mouse model in which the infection primarily colonizes the spleen and well recreates the late stages of human disease. Thanks to the bioluminescent image, we have been able to identify experimentally, for the first time, a new primary lymphoid organ of colonization, the thymus, which appears infected from the beginning until the late phases of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Domínguez-Asenjo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Camino Gutiérrez-Corbo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Salvador Iborra
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine and 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of León, 24071 León, Spain
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12
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Soto M, Ramírez L, Solana JC, Cook ECL, Hernández-García E, Charro-Zanca S, Redondo-Urzainqui A, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R, Iborra S. Resistance to Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis in Mice Infected With Leishmania infantum Requires Batf3. Front Immunol 2020; 11:590934. [PMID: 33362772 PMCID: PMC7758202 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.590934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unveiling the protective immune response to visceral leishmaniasis is critical for a rational design of vaccines aimed at reducing the impact caused by this fatal, if left untreated, vector-borne disease. In this study we sought to determine the role of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (Batf3) in the evolution of infection with Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America. For that, Batf3-deficient mice in C57BL/6 background were infected with an L. infantum strain expressing the luciferase gene. Bioluminescent imaging, as well as in vitro parasite titration, demonstrated that Batf3-deficient mice were unable to control hepatic parasitosis as opposed to wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The impaired microbicide capacities of L. infantum-infected macrophages from Batf3-deficient mice mainly correlated with a reduction of parasite-specific IFN-γ production. Our results reinforce the implication of Batf3 in the generation of type 1 immunity against infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Soto
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Ramírez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Carlos Solana
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emma C L Cook
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Hernández-García
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Charro-Zanca
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Redondo-Urzainqui
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa M Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | | | - Salvador Iborra
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Mannose-Decorated Dendritic Polyglycerol Nanocarriers Drive Antiparasitic Drugs To Leishmania infantum-Infected Macrophages. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12100915. [PMID: 32987800 PMCID: PMC7598597 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are hosts for intracellular pathogens involved in numerous diseases including leishmaniasis. They express surface receptors that may be exploited for specific drug-targeting. Recently, we developed a PEGylated dendritic polyglycerol-based conjugate (PG–PEG) that colocalizes with intracellular parasite. We hereby study the effect of surface decoration with mannose units on the conjugates’ targeting ability toward leishmania intracellular parasites. Murine and human macrophages were exposed to fluorescently labeled mannosylated PG–PEG and uptake was quantified by flow cytometry analysis. Nanocarriers bearing five mannose units showed the highest uptake, which varied between 30 and 88% in the population in human and murine macrophages, respectively. The uptake was found to be dependent on phagocytosis and pinocytosis (80%), as well as clathrin-mediated endocytosis (79%). Confocal microscopy showed that mannosylated PG–PEGs target acidic compartments in macrophages. In addition, when both murine and human macrophages were infected and treated, colocalization between parasites and mannosylated nanoconjugates was observed. Leishmania-infected bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) showed avidity by mannosylated PG–PEG whereas non-infected macrophages rarely accumulated conjugates. Moreover, the antileishmanial activity of Amphotericin B was kept upon conjugation to mannosylated PG–PEG through a pH-labile linker. This study demonstrates that leishmania infected macrophages are selectively targeted by mannosylated PEGylated dendritic conjugates.
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Agostino VS, Trinconi CM, Galuppo MK, Price H, Uliana SRB. Evaluation of NanoLuc, RedLuc and Luc2 as bioluminescent reporters in a cutaneous leishmaniasis model. Acta Trop 2020; 206:105444. [PMID: 32173317 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
New drugs for the treatment of human leishmaniasis are urgently needed, considering the limitations of current available options. However, pre-clinical evaluation of drug candidates for leishmaniasis is challenging. The use of luciferase-expressing parasites for parasite load detection is a potentially powerful tool to accelerate the drug discovery process. We have previously described the use of Leishmania amazonensis mutants expressing firefly luciferase (Luc2) for drug testing. Here, we describe three new mutant L. amazonensis lines that express different variants of luciferases: NanoLuc, NanoLuc-PEST and RedLuc. These mutants were evaluated in drug screening protocols. NanoLuc-parasites, in spite of high bioluminescence intensity in vitro, were shown to be inadequate in discriminating between live and dead parasites. Bioluminescence detection from intracellular amastigotes expressing NanoLuc-PEST, RedLuc or Luc2 proved more reliable than microscopy to determine parasite killing. Increased sensitivity was observed in vivo with RedLuc-expressing parasites as compared to NanoLuc-expressing L. amazonensis. Our data indicates that NanoLuc is not suitable for in vivo parasite burden determination. Additionally, RedLuc and the conventional luciferase Luc2 demonstrated equivalent sensitivity in an in vivo model of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor S Agostino
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo CEP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Cristiana M Trinconi
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo CEP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Mariana K Galuppo
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo CEP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Helen Price
- Centre for Applied Entomology and Parasitology, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia R B Uliana
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo CEP 05508-000, Brazil.
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15
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Altamura F, Rajesh R, Catta-Preta CMC, Moretti NS, Cestari I. The current drug discovery landscape for trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis: Challenges and strategies to identify drug targets. Drug Dev Res 2020; 83:225-252. [PMID: 32249457 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are vector-borne neglected tropical diseases caused by infection with the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp., respectively. Once restricted to endemic areas, these diseases are now distributed worldwide due to human migration, climate change, and anthropogenic disturbance, causing significant health and economic burden globally. The current chemotherapy used to treat these diseases has limited efficacy, and drug resistance is spreading. Hence, new drugs are urgently needed. Phenotypic compound screenings have prevailed as the leading method to discover new drug candidates against these diseases. However, the publication of the complete genome sequences of multiple strains, advances in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and in vivo bioluminescence-based imaging have set the stage for advancing target-based drug discovery. This review analyses the limitations of the narrow pool of available drugs presently used for treating these diseases. It describes the current drug-based clinical trials highlighting the most promising leads. Furthermore, the review presents a focused discussion on the most important biological and pharmacological challenges that target-based drug discovery programs must overcome to advance drug candidates. Finally, it examines the advantages and limitations of modern research tools designed to identify and validate essential genes as drug targets, including genomic editing applications and in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Altamura
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rishi Rajesh
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Nilmar S Moretti
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Igor Cestari
- Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Álvarez-Bardón M, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Ordóñez C, Sepúlveda-Crespo D, Carballeira NM, Tekwani BL, Murugesan S, Martinez-Valladares M, García-Estrada C, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R. Screening Marine Natural Products for New Drug Leads against Trypanosomatids and Malaria. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E187. [PMID: 32244488 PMCID: PMC7230869 DOI: 10.3390/md18040187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) represent a serious threat to humans, especially for those living in poor or developing countries. Almost one-sixth of the world population is at risk of suffering from these diseases and many thousands die because of NTDs, to which we should add the sanitary, labor and social issues that hinder the economic development of these countries. Protozoan-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths every year. Visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease or sleeping sickness are among the most lethal NTDs. Despite not being considered an NTD by the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria must be added to this sinister group. Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The treatment of this disease has been losing effectiveness year after year. Many of the medicines currently in use are obsolete due to their gradual loss of efficacy, their intrinsic toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance or a lack of adherence to treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent and global need for new drugs. Despite this, the scant interest shown by most of the stakeholders involved in the pharmaceutical industry makes our present therapeutic arsenal scarce, and until recently, the search for new drugs has not been seriously addressed. The sources of new drugs for these and other pathologies include natural products, synthetic molecules or repurposing drugs. The most frequent sources of natural products are microorganisms, e.g., bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and plants, which are able to synthesize many drugs that are currently in use (e.g. antimicrobials, antitumor, immunosuppressants, etc.). The marine environment is another well-established source of bioactive natural products, with recent applications against parasites, bacteria and other pathogens which affect humans and animals. Drug discovery techniques have rapidly advanced since the beginning of the millennium. The combination of novel techniques that include the genetic modification of pathogens, bioimaging and robotics has given rise to the standardization of High-Performance Screening platforms in the discovery of drugs. These advancements have accelerated the discovery of new chemical entities with antiparasitic effects. This review presents critical updates regarding the use of High-Throughput Screening (HTS) in the discovery of drugs for NTDs transmitted by protozoa, including malaria, and its application in the discovery of new drugs of marine origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Álvarez-Bardón
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
| | - César Ordóñez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Daniel Sepúlveda-Crespo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Nestor M. Carballeira
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras 00925-2537, San Juan, Puerto Rico;
| | - Babu L. Tekwani
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Drug Discovery, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA;
| | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar, Pilani 333031, India;
| | - Maria Martinez-Valladares
- Department of Animal Health, Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, 24346 León, Spain;
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- INBIOTEC (Instituto de Biotecnología de León), Avda. Real 1-Parque Científico de León, 24006 León, Spain;
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of León, 24071 León, Spain; (M.Á.-B.); (Y.P.-P.); (C.O.); (D.S.-C.); (R.M.R.)
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17
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Solana JC, Ramírez L, Cook ECL, Hernández-García E, Sacristán S, Martín ME, Manuel González V, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R, Fresno M, Requena JM, Iborra S, Soto M. Subcutaneous Immunization of Leishmania HSP70-II Null Mutant Line Reduces the Severity of the Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis in BALB/c Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8010141. [PMID: 32210040 PMCID: PMC7157689 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infantum parasites cause a severe form of visceral leishmaniasis in human and viscerocutaneous leishmaniasis in dogs. Recently, we reported that immunization with an attenuated L. infantum cell line, lacking the hsp70-II gene, protects against the development of murine cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this work, we analyzed the vaccine potential of this cell line towards the long-term protection against murine visceral leishmaniasis. This model shows an organ-dependent evolution of the disease. The infection can resolve in the liver but chronically affect spleen and bone marrow. Twelve weeks after subcutaneous administration of attenuated L. infantum, Bagg Albino (BALB/c) mice were challenged with infective L. infantum parasites expressing the luciferase-encoding gene. Combining in vivo bioimaging techniques with limiting dilution experiments, we report that, in the initial phase of the disease, vaccinated animals presented lower parasite loads than unvaccinated animals. A reduction of the severity of liver damage was also detected. Protection was associated with the induction of rapid parasite-specific IFN-γ production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. However, the vaccine was unable to control the chronic phase of the disease, since we did not find differences in the parasite burdens nor in the immune response at that time point.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Carlos Solana
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Ramírez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emma C. L. Cook
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT. Complutense University School of Medicine and 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Hernández-García
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT. Complutense University School of Medicine and 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Sacristán
- Departamento de Bioquímica-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Elena Martín
- Departamento de Bioquímica-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor Manuel González
- Departamento de Bioquímica-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa María Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Manuel Fresno
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Requena
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Iborra
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT. Complutense University School of Medicine and 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (imas12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (S.I.); (M.S.); Tel.: +34-91-394-7220 (S.I.); +34-91-196-4647 (M.S.)
| | - Manuel Soto
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Nicolás Cabrera 1, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (S.I.); (M.S.); Tel.: +34-91-394-7220 (S.I.); +34-91-196-4647 (M.S.)
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18
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Ong HB, Clare S, Roberts AJ, Wilson ME, Wright GJ. Establishment, optimisation and quantitation of a bioluminescent murine infection model of visceral leishmaniasis for systematic vaccine screening. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4689. [PMID: 32170135 PMCID: PMC7070049 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61662-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is an infectious parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasites Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum. The drugs currently used to treat visceral leishmaniasis suffer from toxicity and the emergence of parasite resistance, and so a better solution would be the development of an effective subunit vaccine; however, no approved vaccine currently exists. The comparative testing of a large number of vaccine candidates requires a quantitative and reproducible experimental murine infection model, but the parameters that influence infection pathology have not been systematically determined. To address this, we have established an infection model using a transgenic luciferase-expressing L. donovani parasite and longitudinally quantified the infections using in vivo bioluminescent imaging within individual mice. We examined the effects of varying the infection route, the site of adjuvant formulation administration, and standardised the parasite preparation and dose. We observed that the increase in parasite load within the liver during the first few weeks of infection was directly proportional to the parasite number in the initial inoculum. Finally, we show that immunity can be induced in pre-exposed animals that have resolved an initial infection. This murine infection model provides a platform for systematic subunit vaccine testing against visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Boon Ong
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Clare
- Pathogen Laboratory Support, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Mary Edythe Wilson
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, and the Iowa City Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, USA
| | - Gavin James Wright
- Cell Surface Signalling Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
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19
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Sharma R, Silveira-Mattos PS, Ferreira VC, Rangel FA, Oliveira LB, Celes FS, Viana SM, Wilson ME, de Oliveira CI. Generation and Characterization of a Dual-Reporter Transgenic Leishmania braziliensis Line Expressing eGFP and Luciferase. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:468. [PMID: 32039047 PMCID: PMC6987073 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we generated a transgenic strain of Leishmania braziliensis, an etiological agent associated with a diversity of clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis ranging from localized cutaneous to mucocutaneous to disseminated disease. Transgenic parasites expressing reporter proteins are valuable tools for studies of parasite biology, host-pathogen interactions, and anti-parasitic drug development. To this end, we constructed an L. braziliensis line stably expressing the reporters eGFP and luciferase (eGFP-LUC L. braziliensis). The integration cassette co-expressing the two reporters was targeted to the ribosomal locus (SSU) of the parasite genome. Transgenic parasites were characterized for their infectivity and stability both in vitro and in vivo. Parasite maintenance in axenic long-term culture in the absence of selective drugs did not alter expression of the two reporters or infection of BALB/c mice, indicating stability of the integrated cassette. Infectivity of eGFP-LUC, L. braziliensis, both in vivo and in vitro was similar to that obtained with the parental wild type strain. The possibility of L. braziliensis tracking and quantification using fluorescence and luminescence broadens the scope of research involving this neglected species, despite its importance in terms of public health concerning the leishmaniasis burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Sharma
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary E Wilson
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, and the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Camila I de Oliveira
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, FIOCRUZ, Salvador, Brazil.,INCT-Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Mendes Costa D, Cecílio P, Santarém N, Cordeiro-da-Silva A, Tavares J. Murine infection with bioluminescent Leishmania infantum axenic amastigotes applied to drug discovery. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18989. [PMID: 31831809 PMCID: PMC6908656 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55474-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an important vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites. Current anti-Leishmania chemotherapy is unsatisfactory, justifying the continued search for alternative treatment options. Herein, we demonstrate that luciferase-expressing Leishmania infantum axenic amastigotes, unlike promastigotes, are highly infectious to BALB/c mice and thus generate a robust bioluminescent signal in target organs, such as the liver and the spleen, as early as two weeks after infection. Treatment with the reference drugs amphotericin B and miltefosine was effective at reducing parasite burdens. This model allows the assessment of treatment efficacy using whole-mouse bioluminescence imaging without the need to wait several weeks for spleen infections to be detectable by this non-invasive method. In conclusion, we propose the use of this model in an initial approach to evaluate the treatment efficacy of promising chemical entities without having to sacrifice large numbers of animals or to wait several days for a readout.
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