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Papini G, Petrella G, Cicero DO, Boglione C, Rakaj A. Identification and quantification of polystyrene microplastics in marine sediments facing a river mouth through NMR spectroscopy. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115784. [PMID: 38016207 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Accurate identification and quantification of microplastic pollution in marine sediments are crucial for assessing their ecological impact. In this study, we explored the potential of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as an analytical tool for the analysis of microplastics in complex environmental matrices such as marine sediments. Two common plastic polymers, polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), were investigated. The marine sediments facing the Tiber River mouth (Italy) were collected according to a bathymetric gradient. Results demonstrated the successful detection and quantification of PS in all sediment samples (within a range of 12.3-64.6 μg/L), while no ABS significant signals were found. An increment trend with depth was observed in the PS signal, relatable to its physicochemical properties and the Tiber River plume hydrodynamic characteristics. The NMR's non-destructive nature and minimal sample preparation represent a promising avenue for standardizing protocols to assess the microplastic distribution and impact in marine sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Papini
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Dept. of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy; Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Dept. of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy.
| | - Greta Petrella
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy.
| | - Daniel Oscar Cicero
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy
| | - Clara Boglione
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Dept. of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy
| | - Arnold Rakaj
- Laboratory of Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture, Dept. of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy; National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Sciences, CoNISMa, Rome, Italy
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2
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Won JY, Louis JM, Roh ES, Cha SH, Han JH. Functional characterization of Clonorchis sinensis choline transporter. PARASITES, HOSTS AND DISEASES 2023; 61:428-438. [PMID: 38043538 PMCID: PMC10693965 DOI: 10.3347/phd.23082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Clonorchis sinensis is commonly found in East Asian countries. Clonorchiasis is prevalent in these countries and can lead to various clinical symptoms. In this study, we used overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system to isolate a cDNA encoding the choline transporter of C. sinensis (CsChT). We subsequently characterized recombinant CsChT. Expression of CsChT in X. laevis oocytes enabled efficient transport of radiolabeled choline, with no detectable uptake of arginine, α-ketoglutarate, p-aminohippurate, taurocholate, and estrone sulfate. Influx and efflux experiments showed that CsChT-mediated choline uptake was time- and sodium-dependent, with no exchange properties. Concentration-dependent analyses of revealed saturable kinetics consistent with the Michaelis-Menten equation, while nonlinear regression analyses revealed a Km value of 8.3 μM and a Vmax of 61.0 pmol/oocyte/h. These findings contribute to widen our understanding of CsChT transport properties and the cascade of choline metabolisms within C. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Yeon Won
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon 22212, Korea
| | - Johnsy Mary Louis
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Eui Sun Roh
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon 22212, Korea
| | - Seok Ho Cha
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon 22212, Korea
| | - Jin-Hee Han
- Department of Medical Environmental Biology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
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3
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Stockman BJ, Ventura CA, Deykina VS, Khayan Lontscharitsch N, Saljanin E, Gil A, Canestrari M, Mahmood M. Direct Measurement of Nucleoside Ribohydrolase Enzyme Activities in Trichomonas vaginalis Cells Using 19F and 13C-Edited 1H NMR Spectroscopy. Anal Chem 2023; 95:5300-5306. [PMID: 36917470 PMCID: PMC10825731 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Trichomoniasis is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection, affecting an estimated 275 million people worldwide. The causative agent is the parasitic protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Although the disease itself is typically mild, individuals with trichomonal infections have a higher susceptibility to more serious conditions. The emergence of parasite strains resistant to current therapies necessitates the need for novel treatment strategies. Since T. vaginalis is an obligate parasite that requires nucleoside salvage pathways, essential nucleoside ribohydrolase enzymes are promising new drug targets. Fragment screening and X-ray crystallography have enabled structure-guided design of inhibitors for two of these enyzmes. Linkage of enzymatic and antiprotozoal activity would be a transformative step toward designing novel, mechanism-based therapeutic agents. While a correlation with inhibition of purified enzyme would be mechanistically suggestive, a correlation with inhibition of in-cell enzyme activity would definitively establish this linkage. To demonstrate this linkage, we have translated our NMR-based activity assays that measure the activity of purified enzymes for use in T. vaginalis cells. The 19F NMR-based activity assay for the pyrimidine-specific enzyme translated directly to in-cell assays. However, the 1H NMR-based activity assay for the purine-specific enzyme required a switch from adenosine to guanosine substrate and the use of 13C-editing to resolve the substrate 1H signals from cell and growth media background signals. The in-cell NMR assays are robust and have been demonstrated to provide inhibition data on test compounds. The results described here represent the first direct measurement of enzyme activity in protozoan parasite cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Stockman
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | - Carlos A Ventura
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | - Valerie S Deykina
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | | | - Edina Saljanin
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | - Ari Gil
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | - Madison Canestrari
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
| | - Maham Mahmood
- Department of Chemistry, Adelphi University, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530, United States
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Chienwichai P, Nogrado K, Tipthara P, Tarning J, Limpanont Y, Chusongsang P, Chusongsang Y, Tanasarnprasert K, Adisakwattana P, Reamtong O. Untargeted serum metabolomic profiling for early detection of Schistosoma mekongi infection in mouse model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:910177. [PMID: 36061860 PMCID: PMC9433908 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.910177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mekong schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and in Cambodia. The standard method for diagnosis of schistosomiasis is detection of parasite eggs from patient samples. However, this method is not sufficient to detect asymptomatic patients, low egg numbers, or early infection. Therefore, diagnostic methods with higher sensitivity at the early stage of the disease are needed to fill this gap. The aim of this study was to identify potential biomarkers of early schistosomiasis using an untargeted metabolomics approach. Serum of uninfected and S. mekongi-infected mice was collected at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-infection. Samples were extracted for metabolites and analyzed with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer. Metabolites were annotated with the MS-DIAL platform and analyzed with Metaboanalyst bioinformatic tools. Multivariate analysis distinguished between metabolites from the different experimental conditions. Biomarker screening was performed using three methods: correlation coefficient analysis; feature important detection with a random forest algorithm; and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Three compounds were identified as potential biomarkers at the early stage of the disease: heptadecanoyl ethanolamide; picrotin; and theophylline. The levels of these three compounds changed significantly during early-stage infection, and therefore these molecules may be promising schistosomiasis markers. These findings may help to improve early diagnosis of schistosomiasis, thus reducing the burden on patients and limiting spread of the disease in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peerut Chienwichai
- Princess Srisavangavadhana College of Medicine, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kathyleen Nogrado
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phornpimon Tipthara
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yanin Limpanont
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phiraphol Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yupa Chusongsang
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanthi Tanasarnprasert
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Poom Adisakwattana
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Onrapak Reamtong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Onrapak Reamtong,
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Fustaino V, Gimmelli R, Guidi A, Lentini S, Saccoccia F, Petrella G, Cicero DO, Ruberti G. Comparative metabolic profiling by 1H-NMR spectroscopy analysis reveals the adaptation of S. mansoni from its host to in vitro culture conditions: a pilot study with ex vivo and GSH-supplemented medium-cultured parasites. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1191-1198. [PMID: 35024953 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07426-6] [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: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic flatworms (blood fluke) of the genus Schistosoma. Parasites acquire most nutrients for their development and sustainment within the definitive host either by ingestion into the gut or across the body surface. Over the years, the best conditions for long-term maintenance of parasites in vitro have been thoroughly established. In our hands, 1H-NMR spectroscopy represents a powerful tool to characterize the metabolic changes in S. mansoni in response to culturing condition perturbations. In order to compare the metabolic fingerprint of ex vivo and parasites cultured in vitro with or without the supplement of reduced glutathione, we conducted a pilot study applying the 1H-NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomics. We obtained new insight into specific metabolic pathways modulated under these different experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Fustaino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - Roberto Gimmelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - Alessandra Guidi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
| | - Sara Lentini
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvio Saccoccia
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy.
| | - Greta Petrella
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| | - Daniel Oscar Cicero
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovina Ruberti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy
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Metabolomics reveal alterations in arachidonic acid metabolism in Schistosoma mekongi after exposure to praziquantel. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009706. [PMID: 34473691 PMCID: PMC8412319 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mekong schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the blood-dwelling fluke Schistosoma mekongi. This disease contributes to human morbidity and mortality in the Mekong region, posing a public health threat to people in the area. Currently, praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for the treatment of Mekong schistosomiasis. However, the molecular mechanisms of PZQ action remain unclear, and Schistosoma PZQ resistance has been reported occasionally. Through this research, we aimed to use a metabolomic approach to identify the potentially altered metabolic pathways in S. mekongi associated with PZQ treatment. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Adult stage S. mekongi were treated with 0, 20, 40, or 100 μg/mL PZQ in vitro. After an hour of exposure to PZQ, schistosome metabolites were extracted and studied with mass spectrometry. The metabolomic data for the treatment groups were analyzed with the XCMS online platform and compared with data for the no treatment group. After low, medium (IC50), and high doses of PZQ, we found changes in 1,007 metabolites, of which phosphatidylserine and anandamide were the major differential metabolites by multivariate and pairwise analysis. In the pathway analysis, arachidonic acid metabolism was found to be altered following PZQ treatment, indicating that this pathway may be affected by the drug and potentially considered as a novel target for anti-schistosomiasis drug development. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest that arachidonic acid metabolism is a possible target in the parasiticidal effects of PZQ against S. mekongi. Identifying potential targets of the effective drug PZQ provides an interesting viewpoint for the discovery and development of new agents that could enhance the prevention and treatment of schistosomiasis.
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