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Schaub GA. Interaction of Trypanosoma cruzi, Triatomines and the Microbiota of the Vectors-A Review. Microorganisms 2024; 12:855. [PMID: 38792688 PMCID: PMC11123833 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050855] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the interactions between Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, its vectors, triatomines, and the diverse intestinal microbiota of triatomines, which includes mutualistic symbionts, and highlights open questions. T. cruzi strains show great biological heterogeneity in their development and their interactions. Triatomines differ from other important vectors of diseases in their ontogeny and the enzymes used to digest blood. Many different bacteria colonize the intestinal tract of triatomines, but only Actinomycetales have been identified as mutualistic symbionts. Effects of the vector on T. cruzi are indicated by differences in the ability of T. cruzi to establish in the triatomines and in colonization peculiarities, i.e., proliferation mainly in the posterior midgut and rectum and preferential transformation into infectious metacyclic trypomastigotes in the rectum. In addition, certain forms of T. cruzi develop after feeding and during starvation of triatomines. Negative effects of T. cruzi on the triatomine vectors appear to be particularly evident when the triatomines are stressed and depend on the T. cruzi strain. Effects on the intestinal immunity of the triatomines are induced by ingested blood-stage trypomastigotes of T. cruzi and affect the populations of many non-symbiotic intestinal bacteria, but not all and not the mutualistic symbionts. After the knockdown of antimicrobial peptides, the number of non-symbiotic bacteria increases and the number of T. cruzi decreases. Presumably, in long-term infections, intestinal immunity is suppressed, which supports the growth of specific bacteria, depending on the strain of T. cruzi. These interactions may provide an approach to disrupt T. cruzi transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter A Schaub
- Zoology/Parasitology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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2
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Omondi ZN, Caner A, Arserim SK. Trypanosomes and Gut Microbiota Interactions in Triatomine bugs and Tsetse Flies: A vectorial perspective. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38651684 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Triatomines (kissing bugs) and tsetse flies (genus: Glossina) are natural vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei, respectively. T. cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, endemic in Latin America, while T. brucei causes African sleeping sickness disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Both triatomines and tsetse flies are host to a diverse community of gut microbiota that co-exist with the parasites in the gut. Evidence has shown that the gut microbiota of both vectors plays a key role in parasite development and transmission. However, knowledge on the mechanism involved in parasite-microbiota interaction remains limited and scanty. Here, we attempt to analyse Trypanosoma spp. and gut microbiota interactions in tsetse flies and triatomines, with a focus on understanding the possible mechanisms involved by reviewing published articles on the subject. We report that interactions between Trypanosoma spp. and gut microbiota can be both direct and indirect. In direct interactions, the gut microbiota directly affects the parasite via the formation of biofilms and the production of anti-parasitic molecules, while on the other hand, Trypanosoma spp. produces antimicrobial proteins to regulate gut microbiota of the vector. In indirect interactions, the parasite and gut bacteria affect each other through host vector-activated processes such as immunity and metabolism. Although we are beginning to understand how gut microbiota interacts with the Trypanosoma parasites, there is still a need for further studies on functional role of gut microbiota in parasite development to maximize the use of symbiotic bacteria in vector and parasite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeph Nelson Omondi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Caner
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Basic Oncology, Institute of Health Sciences, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Suha Kenan Arserim
- Vocational School of Health Sciences, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
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3
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Loshouarn H, Guarneri AA. The interplay between temperature, Trypanosoma cruzi parasite load, and nutrition: Their effects on the development and life-cycle of the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011937. [PMID: 38306403 PMCID: PMC10866482 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi transmitted by blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae, is a major neglected tropical disease affecting 6 to 7 million of people worldwide. Rhodnius prolixus, one of the most important vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America, is known to be highly sensitive to environmental factors, including temperature. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different temperatures on R. prolixus development and life-cycle, its relationship with T. cruzi, and to gather information about the nutritional habits and energy consumption of R. prolixus. We exposed uninfected and infected R. prolixus to four different temperatures ranging from 24°C to 30°C, and monitored their survival, developmental rate, body and blood meal masses, urine production, and the temporal dynamics of parasite concentration in the excreted urine of the triatomines over the course of their development. Our results demonstrate that temperature significantly impacts R. prolixus development, life-cycle and their relationship with T. cruzi, as R. prolixus exposed to higher temperatures had a shorter developmental time and a higher mortality rate compared to those exposed to lower temperatures, as well as a lower ability to retain weight between blood meals. Infection also decreased the capacity of the triatomines to retain weight gained by blood-feeding to the next developmental stage, and this effect was proportional to parasite concentration in excreted urine. We also showed that T. cruzi multiplication varied depending on temperature, with the lowest temperature having the lowest parasite load. Our findings provide important insights into the potential impact of climate change on the epidemiology of Chagas disease, and can contribute to efforts to model the future distribution of this disease. Our study also raises new questions, highlighting the need for further research in order to understand the complex interactions between temperature, vector biology, and parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Loshouarn
- Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Resisting an invasion: A review of the triatomine vector (Kissing bug) defense strategies against a Trypanosoma sp infection. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106745. [PMID: 36375520 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106745] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Triatomines are an important group of insects in the Americas. They serve as transmission vectors for Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent responsible for the deadly Chagas disease in humans. The digenetic parasite has a complex life cycle, alternating between mammalian and insect hosts, facing different environments. In the insect vector, the metacyclic trypomastigote (non-replicative) and epimastigote (replicative) stages face a set of insect-mediated environmental changes, such as intestinal pH, body temperature, nutrient availability, and vector immune response. These insects have the ability to differentiate between self and non-self-particles using their innate immune system. This immune system comprises physical barriers, cellular responses (phagocytosis, nodules and encapsulation), humoral factors, including effector mechanisms (antimicrobial peptides and prophenoloxidase cascade) and the intestinal microbiota. Here, we consolidate and synthesize the available literature to describe the defense mechanisms deployed by the triatomine vector against the parasite, as documented in recent years, the possible mechanisms developed by the parasite to protect against the insect's specific microenvironment and innate immune responses, and future perspectives on the Triatomine-Trypanosome interaction.
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Characterization of New Defensin Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Expression in Bed Bugs in Response to Bacterial Ingestion and Injection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911505. [PMID: 36232802 PMCID: PMC9570333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Common bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, can carry, but do not transmit, pathogens to the vertebrate hosts on which they feed. Some components of the innate immune system of bed bugs, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), eliminate the pathogens. Here, we determined the molecular characteristics, structural properties, and phylogenetic relatedness of two new defensins (CL-defensin1 (XP_024085718.1), CL-defensin2 (XP_014240919.1)), and two new defensin isoforms (CL-defensin3a (XP_014240918.1), CL-defensin3b (XP_024083729.1)). The complete amino acid sequences of CL-defensin1, CL-defensin2, CL-defensin3a, and CL-defensin3b are strongly conserved, with only minor differences in their signal and pro-peptide regions. We used a combination of comparative transcriptomics and real-time quantitative PCR to evaluate the expression of these defensins in the midguts and the rest of the body of insects that had been injected with bacteria or had ingested blood containing the Gram-positive (Gr+) bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the Gram-negative (Gr–) bacterium Escherichia coli. We demonstrate, for the first time, sex-specific and immunization mode-specific upregulation of bed bug defensins in response to injection or ingestion of Gr+ or Gr– bacteria. Understanding the components, such as these defensins, of the bed bugs’ innate immune systems in response to pathogens may help unravel why bed bugs do not transmit pathogens to vertebrates.
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Finamore-Araujo P, Silva da Fonseca GL, Vieira CS, de Castro DP, Moreira OC. RNA as a feasible marker of Trypanosoma cruzi viability during the parasite interaction with the triatomine vector Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Triatominae). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010535. [PMID: 35797352 PMCID: PMC9307183 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A recurring question concerning Trypanosoma cruzi DNA detection/quantification is related to the fact that DNA amplification, by itself, does not differentiate between viable or dead parasites. On the other hand, RNA can be considered a potential molecular marker of pathogens viability. Herein, we developed a quantitative real-time PCR with reverse Transcription (RT-qPCR) to quantify viable T. cruzi in artificially infected Rhodnius prolixus whilst evaluating differences between DNA and mRNA quantification along the insect midgut during 5, 9, 15 and 29 days after feeding. The RT-qPCR presented an improved performance with linearities ranging from 107 to 102 parasites equivalents and 3 to 0.0032 intestine unit equivalents, and efficiencies of 100.3% and 102.8% for both T. cruzi and triatomine targets, respectively. Comparing both RT-qPCR and qPCR, we confirmed that RNA is faster degraded, no longer being detected at day 1 after parasite lysis, while DNA detection was stable, with no decrease in parasite load over the days, even after parasite lysis. We also observed statistical differences between the quantification of the parasite load by DNA and by RNA on day 15 after feeding of experimentally infected R. prolixus. When assessing different portions of the digestive tract, by RT-qPCR, we could detect a statistically significant reduction in the parasite amount in the anterior midgut. Oppositely, there was a statistically significant increase of the parasite load in the hindgut. In conclusion, for this study parasite’s viability in R. prolixus digestive tract were assessed targeting T. cruzi mRNA. In addition, differences between DNA and RNA detection observed herein, raise the possibility that RNA is a potential molecular viability marker, which could contribute to understanding the dynamics of the parasite infection in invertebrate hosts. In this study, we developed and standardized a Real-Time PCR with Reverse Transcription (RT-qPCR) to determine T. cruzi viability in R. prolixus samples. Moreover, we aimed to assess differences between the amplification signals of DNA and mRNA on a T. cruzi colonization kinetics in experimentally infected R. prolixus. Thus, it was possible to analyze the potential of parasite’s RNA as a molecular viability marker in parasite-vector interaction. This novel RT-qPCR methodology has potential application in viability assessment and raises the possibility for further monitoring of the parasite load in infected insects or studies related to vectorial capacity. Furthermore, the analysis of parasite viability by RT qPCR could be an especially effective tool for Chagas disease diagnostic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Finamore-Araujo
- Real Time PCR Platform RPT09A, Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Lucio Silva da Fonseca
- Real Time PCR Platform RPT09A, Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cecília Stahl Vieira
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Physiology of Insects, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Science and Biotechnology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Daniele Pereira de Castro
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Physiology of Insects, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacilio Cruz Moreira
- Real Time PCR Platform RPT09A, Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Ouali R, Vieira LR, Salmon D, Bousbata S. Rhodnius prolixus Hemolymph Immuno-Physiology: Deciphering the Systemic Immune Response Triggered by Trypanosoma cruzi Establishment in the Vector Using Quantitative Proteomics. Cells 2022; 11:1449. [PMID: 35563760 PMCID: PMC9104911 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the development of Trypanosoma cruzi within the triatomine vector at the molecular level should provide novel targets for interrupting parasitic life cycle and affect vectorial competence. The aim of the current study is to provide new insights into triatomines immunology through the characterization of the hemolymph proteome of Rhodnius prolixus, a major Chagas disease vector, in order to gain an overview of its immune physiology. Surprisingly, proteomics investigation of the immunomodulation of T. cruzi-infected blood reveals that the parasite triggers an early systemic response in the hemolymph. The analysis of the expression profiles of hemolymph proteins from 6 h to 24 h allowed the identification of a broad range of immune proteins expressed already in the early hours post-blood-feeding regardless of the presence of the parasite, ready to mount a rapid response exemplified by the significant phenol oxidase activation. Nevertheless, we have also observed a remarkable induction of the immune response triggered by an rpPGRP-LC and the overexpression of defensins 6 h post-T. cruzi infection. Moreover, we have identified novel proteins with immune properties such as the putative c1q-like protein and the immunoglobulin I-set domain-containing protein, which have never been described in triatomines and could play a role in T. cruzi recognition. Twelve proteins with unknown function are modulated by the presence of T. cruzi in the hemolymph. Determining the function of these parasite-induced proteins represents an exciting challenge for increasing our knowledge about the diversity of the immune response from the universal one studied in holometabolous insects. This will provide us with clear answers for misunderstood mechanisms in host-parasite interaction, leading to the development of new generation strategies to control vector populations and pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radouane Ouali
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Larissa Rezende Vieira
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (L.R.V.); (D.S.)
| | - Didier Salmon
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências e da Saúde, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (L.R.V.); (D.S.)
| | - Sabrina Bousbata
- Proteomic Plateform, Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
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Ratcliffe NA, Furtado Pacheco JP, Dyson P, Castro HC, Gonzalez MS, Azambuja P, Mello CB. Overview of paratransgenesis as a strategy to control pathogen transmission by insect vectors. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:112. [PMID: 35361286 PMCID: PMC8969276 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05132-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents an overview of paratransgenesis as a strategy to control pathogen transmission by insect vectors. It first briefly summarises some of the disease-causing pathogens vectored by insects and emphasises the need for innovative control methods to counter the threat of resistance by both the vector insect to pesticides and the pathogens to therapeutic drugs. Subsequently, the state of art of paratransgenesis is described, which is a particularly ingenious method currently under development in many important vector insects that could provide an additional powerful tool for use in integrated pest control programmes. The requirements and recent advances of the paratransgenesis technique are detailed and an overview is given of the microorganisms selected for genetic modification, the effector molecules to be expressed and the environmental spread of the transgenic bacteria into wild insect populations. The results of experimental models of paratransgenesis developed with triatomines, mosquitoes, sandflies and tsetse flies are analysed. Finally, the regulatory and safety rules to be satisfied for the successful environmental release of the genetically engineered organisms produced in paratransgenesis are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman A Ratcliffe
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil. .,Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK.
| | - João P Furtado Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Paul Dyson
- Institute of Life Science, Medical School, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK
| | - Helena Carla Castro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Marcelo S Gonzalez
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Cicero B Mello
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Instituto de Biologia (EGB), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
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9
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Eberhard FE, Klimpel S, Guarneri AA, Tobias NJ. Exposure to Trypanosoma parasites induces changes in the microbiome of the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:45. [PMID: 35272716 PMCID: PMC8908696 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01240-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and its nonpathogenic relative, Trypanosoma rangeli, are transmitted by haematophagous triatomines and undergo a crucial ontogenetic phase in the insect's intestine. In the process, the parasites interfere with the host immune system as well as the microbiome present in the digestive tract potentially establishing an environment advantageous for development. However, the coherent interactions between host, pathogen and microbiota have not yet been elucidated in detail. We applied a metagenome shotgun sequencing approach to study the alterations in the microbiota of Rhodnius prolixus, a major vector of Chagas disease, after exposure to T. cruzi and T. rangeli focusing also on the functional capacities present in the intestinal microbiome of the insect. RESULTS The intestinal microbiota of R. prolixus was dominated by the bacterial orders Enterobacterales, Corynebacteriales, Lactobacillales, Clostridiales and Chlamydiales, whereas the latter conceivably originated from the blood used for pathogen exposure. The anterior and posterior midgut samples of the exposed insects showed a reduced overall number of organisms compared to the control group. However, we also found enriched bacterial groups after exposure to T. cruzi as well as T rangeli. While the relative abundance of Enterobacterales and Corynebacteriales decreased considerably, the Lactobacillales, mainly composed of the genus Enterococcus, developed as the most abundant taxonomic group. This applies in particular to vectors challenged with T. rangeli and at early timepoints after exposure to vectors challenged with T. cruzi. Furthermore, we were able to reconstruct four metagenome-assembled genomes from the intestinal samples and elucidate their unique metabolic functionalities within the triatomine microbiome, including the genome of a recently described insect symbiont, Candidatus Symbiopectobacterium, and the secondary metabolites producing bacteria Kocuria spp. CONCLUSIONS Our results facilitate a deeper understanding of the processes that take place in the intestinal tract of triatomine vectors during colonisation by trypanosomal parasites and highlight the influential aspects of pathogen-microbiota interactions. In particular, the mostly unexplored metabolic capacities of the insect vector's microbiome are clearer, underlining its role in the transmission of Chagas disease. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny E. Eberhard
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Biologicum Campus Riedberg, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60439 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima,1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009 Brazil
| | - Nicholas J. Tobias
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Carvalho-Costa TM, Tiveron RDR, Mendes MT, Barbosa CG, Nevoa JC, Roza GA, Silva MV, Figueiredo HCP, Rodrigues V, Soares SDC, Oliveira CJF. Salivary and Intestinal Transcriptomes Reveal Differential Gene Expression in Starving, Fed and Trypanosoma cruzi-Infected Rhodnius neglectus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:773357. [PMID: 34988032 PMCID: PMC8722679 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.773357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius neglectus is a potential vector of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc), the causative agent of Chagas disease. The salivary glands (SGs) and intestine (INT) are actively required during blood feeding. The saliva from SGs is injected into the vertebrate host, modulating immune responses and favoring feeding for INT digestion. Tc infection significantly alters the physiology of these tissues; however, studies that assess this are still scarce. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the global transcriptional expression of genes in SGs and INT during fasting (FA), fed (FE), and fed in the presence of Tc (FE + Tc) conditions. In FA, the expression of transcripts related to homeostasis maintenance proteins during periods of stress was predominant. Therefore, the transcript levels of Tret1-like and Hsp70Ba proteins were increased. Blood appeared to be responsible for alterations found in the FE group, as most of the expressed transcripts, such as proteases and cathepsin D, were related to digestion. In FE + Tc group, there was a decreased expression of blood processing genes for insect metabolism (e.g., Antigen-5 precursor, Pr13a, and Obp), detoxification (Sult1) in INT and acid phosphatases in SG. We also found decreased transcriptional expression of lipocalins and nitrophorins in SG and two new proteins, pacifastin and diptericin, in INT. Several transcripts of unknown proteins with investigative potential were found in both tissues. Our results also show that the presence of Tc can change the expression in both tissues for a long or short period of time. While SG homeostasis seems to be re-established on day 9, changes in INT are still evident. The findings of this study may be used for future research on parasite-vector interactions and contribute to the understanding of food physiology and post-meal/infection in triatomines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamires Marielem Carvalho-Costa
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Rafael Destro Rosa Tiveron
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Maria Tays Mendes
- Biomedical Research Center, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Cecília Gomes Barbosa
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Jessica Coraiola Nevoa
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Augusto Roza
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Marcos Vinícius Silva
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | | | - Virmondes Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Siomar de Castro Soares
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Carlo José Freire Oliveira
- Laboratory of Immunology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
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Carmona-Peña S, Contreras-Garduño J, Castro D, Manjarrez J, Vázquez-Chagoyán J. The innate immune response of triatomines against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli with an unresolved question: Do triatomines have immune memory? Acta Trop 2021; 224:106108. [PMID: 34450058 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The present work aimed to review the immune response from different triatomines against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli and propose the study of immune memory in such insects. Trypanosoma use triatomines as vectors to reach and infect mammals. A key question to be answered about vector-parasite interaction is why the immune defense and resistance of the insect against the parasites vary. Up to date data shows that the defense of triatomines against parasites includes cellular (phagocytosis, nodulation and encapsulation) and humoral (antimicrobial peptides, phenoloxidase and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species) responses. The immune response varies depending on the triatomine species, the trypanosome strain and species, and the insect intestinal microbiota. Despite significant advances to understand parasite-insect interaction, it is still unknown if triatomines have immune memory against parasites and if this memory may derive from tolerance to parasites attack. Therefore, a closer study of such interaction could contribute and establish new proposals to control the parasite at the vector level to reduce parasite transmission to mammals, including men. For instance, if immune memory exists in the triatomines, it would be interesting to induce weak infections in insects to find out if subsequent infections are less intense and if the insects succeed in eliminating the parasites.
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How Dopamine Influences Survival and Cellular Immune Response of Rhipicephalus microplus Inoculated with Metarhizium anisopliae. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7110950. [PMID: 34829237 PMCID: PMC8622812 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is a biogenic monoamine reported to modulate insect hemocytes. Although the immune functions of DA are known in insects, there is a lack of knowledge of DA’s role in the immune system of ticks. The use of Metarhizium anisopliae has been considered for tick control, driving studies on the immune response of these arthropods challenged with fungi. The present study evaluated the effect of DA on the cellular immune response and survival of Rhipicephalus microplus inoculated with M. anisopliae blastospores. Exogenous DA increased both ticks’ survival 72 h after M. anisopliae inoculation and the number of circulating hemocytes compared to the control group, 24 h after the treatment. The phagocytic index of tick hemocytes challenged with M. anisopliae did not change upon injection of exogenous DA. Phenoloxidase activity in the hemolymph of ticks injected with DA and the fungus or exclusively with DA was higher than in untreated ticks or ticks inoculated with the fungus alone, 72 h after treatment. DA was detected in the hemocytes of fungus-treated and untreated ticks. Unveiling the cellular immune response in ticks challenged with entomopathogenic fungi is important to improve strategies for the biological control of these ectoparasites.
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13
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Batista KKS, Vieira CS, Figueiredo MB, Costa-Latgé SG, Azambuja P, Genta FA, Castro DP. Influence of Serratia marcescens and Rhodococcus rhodnii on the Humoral Immunity of Rhodnius prolixus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222010901. [PMID: 34681561 PMCID: PMC8536199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222010901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a human infectious disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and can be transmitted by triatomine vectors, such as Rhodnius prolixus. One limiting factor for T. cruzi development is the composition of the bacterial gut microbiota in the triatomine. Herein, we analyzed the humoral immune responses of R. prolixus nymphs treated with antibiotics and subsequently recolonized with either Serratia marcescens or Rhodococcus rhodnii. The treatment with antibiotics reduced the bacterial load in the digestive tract, and the recolonization with each bacterium was successfully detected seven days after treatment. The antibiotic-treated insects, recolonized with S. marcescens, presented reduced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph, and lower nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and higher defensin C gene (DefC) gene expression in the fat body. These insects also presented a higher expression of DefC, lower prolixicin (Prol), and lower NOS levels in the anterior midgut. However, the antibiotic-treated insects recolonized with R. rhodnii had increased antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and lower activity against S. aureus, higher phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph, and lower NOS expression in the fat body. In the anterior midgut, these insects presented higher NOS, defensin A (DefA) and DefC expression, and lower Prol expression. The R. prolixus immune modulation by these two bacteria was observed not only in the midgut, but also systemically in the fat body, and may be crucial for the development and transmission of the parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate K. S. Batista
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | - Cecília S. Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | | | - Samara G. Costa-Latgé
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi 24210-201, Brazil;
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Fernando A. Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Daniele P. Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (K.K.S.B.); (C.S.V.); (S.G.C.-L.); (F.A.G.)
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-599, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-21-3865-8184
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14
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Jiménez-Cortés JG, García-Contreras R, Bucio-Torres MI, Cabrera-Bravo M, López-Jácome LE, Franco-Cendejas R, Vences-Blanco MO, Salazar-Schettino PM. Bacteria cultured from the gut of Meccus pallidipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), a triatomine species endemic to Mexico. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:478-483. [PMID: 33340140 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The study of intestinal microbiota in vector insects like triatomines is paramount in parasitology because many parasitic species inhabit the vector's gut. Although knowledge on the gut microbiota in various vectors of the parasitic flagellate Trypanosoma cruzi has grown, research efforts have focused on South American triatomines. This study reports the isolation of bacterial microbiota in the anterior and posterior gut of Meccus pallidipennis (a triatomine species endemic to Mexico) by culture, as well as its identification by phenotypic and biochemical tests and its quantification by counting colony-forming units. The study was performed on fifth-instar nymph and adult specimens of M. pallidipennis, either laboratory-bred or collected in the field and either infected or not with T. cruzi. Overall, 17 bacterial species were identified, with the genera Bacillus and Staphylococcus being the most prevalent regardless of the origin of the insects. No differences were observed in the number of bacterial species in the gut of laboratory-bred and field-collected insects, neither with respect to life stage or infection status. In general, the Shannon-Weaver diversity index was higher in non-infected insects than in infected ones. Further studies using non-culture methods are required to determine whether bacterial species diversity is modified by laboratory breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Jiménez-Cortés
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - R García-Contreras
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - M I Bucio-Torres
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - M Cabrera-Bravo
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - L E López-Jácome
- Laboratorio de Infectología, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención a Quemados (CENIAQ), Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - R Franco-Cendejas
- Laboratorio de Infectología, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención a Quemados (CENIAQ), Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - M O Vences-Blanco
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - P M Salazar-Schettino
- Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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15
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Padilla-Valdez JM, Antonio-Campos A, Arias-Del-Angel JA, Rivas N, Alejandre-Aguilar R. Susceptibility dynamics between five Trypanosoma cruzi strains and three triatomine (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) species. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2021; 46:82-95. [PMID: 35229585 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-46.1.82] [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: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
American trypanosomiasis is a zoonosis caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted mainly by blood-sucking insects belonging to the subfamily Triatominae. The importance of this parasite lies in its wide geographical distribution, high morbidity, and the fact that there has not yet been an effective treatment or vaccine. Previous studies have detailed the interactions between different triatomine species and T. cruzi strains. However, the factors necessary to establish infection in triatomines have not yet been fully elucidated. Furthermore, it is postulated that the coexistence between the parasite and triatomines could modulate the susceptibility to infection in these insects. Accordingly, in this study, we evaluated the susceptibility to T. cruzi infection in the species Triatoma (Meccus) pallidipennis, Triatoma barberi, and Triatoma lecticularia, which were infected with Ninoa, H8, INC-5, Sontecomapan, and Hueypoxtla strains. The criteria used to establish susceptibility were the amount of blood ingested by the insects, percentage of infected triatomines, concentration of parasites in feces, and percentage of metacyclic trypomastigotes in feces. These parameters were analyzed by fresh examination and differential count with Giemsa-stained smears. Our main findings suggest the following order of susceptibility concerning infection with T. cruzi: T. lecticularia > T. barberi > T. (Meccus) pallidipennis. Furthermore, the study concludes that an increased susceptibility to infection of triatomines that share the same geographic region with different strains of T. cruzi is not always a fact.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Miguel Padilla-Valdez
- Laboratory of Medical Entomology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico
| | - Alberto Antonio-Campos
- Laboratory of Medical Entomology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico
| | - Jorge A Arias-Del-Angel
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apocada NL, Mexico
| | - Nancy Rivas
- Laboratory of Medical Entomology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Alejandre-Aguilar
- Laboratory of Medical Entomology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico,
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16
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Schaub GA. An Update on the Knowledge of Parasite-Vector Interactions of Chagas Disease. Res Rep Trop Med 2021; 12:63-76. [PMID: 34093053 PMCID: PMC8169816 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s274681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This review focusses on the interactions between the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, and its triatomine vector. The flagellate mainly colonizes the intestinal tract of the insect. The effect of triatomines on trypanosomes is indicated by susceptibility and refractoriness phenomena that vary according to the combination of the strains. Other effects are apparent in the different regions of the gut. In the stomach, the majority of ingested blood trypomastigotes are killed while the remaining transform to round stages. In the small intestine, these develop into epimastigotes, the main replicative stage. In the rectum, the population density is the highest and is where the infectious stage develops, the metacyclic trypomastigote. In all regions of the gut, starvation and feeding of the triatomine affect T. cruzi. In the small intestine and rectum, starvation reduces the population density and more spheromastigotes develop. In the rectum, feeding after short-term starvation induces metacyclogenesis and after long-term starvation the development of specific cells, containing several nuclei, kinetoplasts and flagella. When considering the effects of T. cruzi on triatomines, the flagellate seems to be of low pathogenicity. However, during stressful periods, which are normal in natural populations, effects occur often on the behaviour, eg, in readiness to approach the host, the period of time before defecation, dispersal and aggregation. In nymphs, the duration of the different instars and the mortality rates increase, but this seems to be induced by repeated infections or blood quality by the feeding on infected hosts. Starvation resistance is often reduced by infection. Longevity and reproduction of adults is reduced, but only after infection with some strains of T. cruzi. Only components of the surface coat of blood trypomastigotes induce an immune reaction. However, this seems to act against gut bacteria and favours the development of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter A Schaub
- Zoology/Parasitology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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17
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Eberhard FE, Klimpel S, Guarneri AA, Tobias NJ. Metabolites as predictive biomarkers for Trypanosoma cruzi exposure in triatomine bugs. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3051-3057. [PMID: 34136103 PMCID: PMC8178018 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis), colonizes the intestinal tract of triatomines. Triatomine bugs act as vectors in the life cycle of the parasite and transmit infective parasite stages to animals and humans. Contact of the vector with T. cruzi alters its intestinal microbial composition, which may also affect the associated metabolic patterns of the insect. Earlier studies suggest that the complexity of the triatomine fecal metabolome may play a role in vector competence for different T. cruzi strains. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry and supervised machine learning, we aimed to detect differences in the intestinal metabolome of the triatomine Rhodnius prolixus and predict whether the insect had been exposed to T. cruzi or not based solely upon their metabolic profile. We were able to predict the exposure status of R. prolixus to T. cruzi with accuracies of 93.6%, 94.2% and 91.8% using logistic regression, a random forest classifier and a gradient boosting machine model, respectively. We extracted the most important features in producing the models and identified the major metabolites which assist in positive classification. This work highlights the complex interactions between triatomine vector and parasite including effects on the metabolic signature of the insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny E. Eberhard
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A. Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima,1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J. Tobias
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Corresponding author at: LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
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18
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Gabrieli P, Caccia S, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Arnoldi I, Barbieri G, Comandatore F, Epis S. Mosquito Trilogy: Microbiota, Immunity and Pathogens, and Their Implications for the Control of Disease Transmission. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:630438. [PMID: 33889137 PMCID: PMC8056039 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.630438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In mosquitoes, the interaction between the gut microbiota, the immune system, and the pathogens that these insects transmit to humans and animals is regarded as a key component toward the development of control strategies, aimed at reducing the burden of severe diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. Indeed, different microorganisms from the mosquito microbiota have been investigated for their ability to affect important traits of the biology of the host insect, related with its survival, development and reproduction. Furthermore, some microorganisms have been shown to modulate the immune response of mosquito females, significantly shaping their vector competence. Here, we will review current knowledge in this field, focusing on i) the complex interaction between the intestinal microbiota and mosquito females defenses, both in the gut and at humoral level; ii) how knowledge on these issues contributes to the development of novel and targeted strategies for the control of mosquito-borne diseases such as the use of paratransgenesis or taking advantage of the relationship between Wolbachia and mosquito hosts. We conclude by providing a brief overview of available knowledge on microbiota-immune system interplay in major insect vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Caccia
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.,Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Ilaria Varotto-Boccazzi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Arnoldi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Barbieri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Comandatore
- "L. Sacco" Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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19
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Talyuli OAC, Bottino-Rojas V, Polycarpo CR, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Non-immune Traits Triggered by Blood Intake Impact Vectorial Competence. Front Physiol 2021; 12:638033. [PMID: 33737885 PMCID: PMC7960658 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.638033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding arthropods are considered an enormous public health threat. They are vectors of a plethora of infectious agents that cause potentially fatal diseases like Malaria, Dengue fever, Leishmaniasis, and Lyme disease. These vectors shine due to their own physiological idiosyncrasies, but one biological aspect brings them all together: the requirement of blood intake for development and reproduction. It is through blood-feeding that they acquire pathogens and during blood digestion that they summon a collection of multisystemic events critical for vector competence. The literature is focused on how classical immune pathways (Toll, IMD, and JAK/Stat) are elicited throughout the course of vector infection. Still, they are not the sole determinants of host permissiveness. The dramatic changes that are the hallmark of the insect physiology after a blood meal intake are the landscape where a successful infection takes place. Dominant processes that occur in response to a blood meal are not canonical immunological traits yet are critical in establishing vector competence. These include hormonal circuitries and reproductive physiology, midgut permeability barriers, midgut homeostasis, energy metabolism, and proteolytic activity. On the other hand, the parasites themselves have a role in the outcome of these blood triggered physiological events, consistently using them in their favor. Here, to enlighten the knowledge on vector-pathogen interaction beyond the immune pathways, we will explore different aspects of the vector physiology, discussing how they give support to these long-dated host-parasite relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carla R Polycarpo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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20
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Waniek PJ, Araújo CAC, Jansen AM, Costa J. First genotyping of Trypanosoma cruzi from naturally infected Triatoma juazeirensis, Triatoma melanica and Triatoma sherlocki from Bahia State, Brazil. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:134-140. [PMID: 32648329 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many previous studies have shown a great phylogenetic and biological variability of Trypanosoma cruzi using different molecular and biochemical methods. Populations of T. cruzi were initially clustered into two main lineages called TcI and TcII by the size of the mini-exon PCR product. In the present study, 33 isolates derived from three triatomine taxa, which belong to the Triatoma brasiliensis species complex (Triatoma juazeirensis, Triatoma melanica and Triatoma sherlocki); collected in three distinct areas of Bahia state were characterized by PCR. The isolates were identified by the size of the mini-exon gene, 18S rRNA and 24Sα rRNA amplicons. T. cruzi isolates obtained in sylvatic and intradomiciliar ecotopes, derived from T. juazeirensis and T. melanica, were identified as TcI while the parasites originated from T. sherlocki were characterized as TcI and TcII genotypes, respectively. Those species are present in sylvatic ecotopes but are able to infest intradomiciliar areas. Therefore, it would be important to maintain studies in those localities of Bahia and further investigate the possibilities of Chagas disease transmission. Human disease may occur by any T. cruzi genotype and not only by TcII as it is the case in Amazonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J Waniek
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - C A C Araújo
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade Entomológica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - A M Jansen
- Laboratório de Biologia de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J Costa
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade Entomológica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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21
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Rolandelli A, Nascimento AEC, Silva LS, Rivera-Pomar R, Guarneri AA. Modulation of IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT Immune Pathways Genes in the Fat Body of Rhodnius prolixus During Trypanosoma rangeli Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:598526. [PMID: 33537241 PMCID: PMC7848085 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.598526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma rangeli is the second most common American trypanosome that infects man. It is vectored by triatomines from the genus Rhodnius, in which it invades the hemolymph and infects the salivary glands, avoiding the bug immune responses. In insects, these responses are initiated by well conserved pathways, mainly the IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT. We hypothesize that long-term infection with T. rangeli in the gut or hemolymph of Rhodnius prolixus triggers different systemic immune responses, which influence the number of parasites that survive inside the vector. Thus, we investigated groups of insects with infections in the gut and/or hemolymph, and evaluated the parasite load and the expression in the fat body of transcription factors (Rp-Relish, Rp-Dorsal, and Rp-STAT) and inhibitors (Rp-Cactus and Rp-Caspar) of the IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT pathways. We detected lower parasite counts in the gut of insects without hemolymph infection, compared to hemolymph-infected groups. Besides, we measured higher parasite numbers in the gut of bugs that were first inoculated with T. rangeli and then fed on infected mice, compared with control insects, indicating that hemolymph infection increases parasite numbers in the gut. Interestingly, we observed that genes from the three immune pathways where differentially modulated, depending on the region parasites were present, as we found (1) Rp-Relish downregulated in gut-and/or-hemolymph-infected insects, compared with controls; (2) Rp-Cactus upregulated in gut-infected insect, compared with controls and gut-and-hemolymph-infected groups; and (3) Rp-STAT downregulated in all groups of hemolymph-infected insects. Finally, we uncovered negative correlations between parasite loads in the gut and Rp-Relish and Rp-Cactus expression, and between parasite counts in the hemolymph and Rp-Relish levels, suggesting an association between parasite numbers and the IMD and Toll pathways. Overall, our findings reveal new players in R. prolixus-T. rangeli interactions that could be key for the capacity of the bug to transmit the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Rolandelli
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio), Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIT-NOBA), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNNOBA)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Adeisa E C Nascimento
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Leticia S Silva
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rolando Rivera-Pomar
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (CeBio), Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIT-NOBA), Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (UNNOBA)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Pergamino, Argentina
| | - Alessandra A Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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22
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Araújo CAC, Pacheco JPF, Waniek PJ, Geraldo RB, Sibajev A, Dos Santos AL, Evangelho VGO, Dyson PJ, Azambuja P, Ratcliffe NA, Castro HC, Mello CB. A rhamnose-binding lectin from Rhodnius prolixus and the impact of its silencing on gut bacterial microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 114:103823. [PMID: 32800901 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Lectins are ubiquitous proteins involved in the immune defenses of different organisms and mainly responsible for non-self-recognition and agglutination reactions. This work describes molecular and biological characterization of a rhamnose-binding lectin (RBL) from Rhodnius prolixus, which possesses a 21 amino acid signal peptide and a mature protein of 34.6 kDa. The in-silico analysis of the primary and secondary structures of RpLec revealed a lectin domain fully conserved among previous insects studied. The three-dimensional homology model of RpLec was similar to other RBL-lectins. Docking predictions with the monosaccharides showed rhamnose and galactose-binding sites comparable to Latrophilin-1 and N-Acetylgalactosamine-binding in a different site. The effects of RpLec gene silencing on levels of infecting Trypanosoma cruzi Dm 28c and intestinal bacterial populations in the R. prolixus midgut were studied by injecting RpLec dsRNA into the R. prolixus hemocoel. Whereas T. cruzi numbers remained unchanged compared with the controls, numbers of bacteria increased significantly. The silencing also induced the up regulation of the R. prolixus defC (defensin) expression gene. These results with RpLec reveal the potential importance of this little studied molecule in the insect vector immune response and homeostasis of the gut bacterial microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A C Araújo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - J P F Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - P J Waniek
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - R B Geraldo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - A Sibajev
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Av. Cap. Enê Garcez 2413, Boa Vista, RR, CEP 69400-000, Brazil
| | - A L Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - V G O Evangelho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil
| | - P J Dyson
- Institute of Life Science, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - P Azambuja
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil; Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 21045-900, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - N A Ratcliffe
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil; Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA28PP, UK
| | - H C Castro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil.
| | - C B Mello
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus Do Gragoatá, Bloco M, São Domingos, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 24201-201, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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23
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Duarte-Silva E, Morais LH, Clarke G, Savino W, Peixoto C. Targeting the Gut Microbiota in Chagas Disease: What Do We Know so Far? Front Microbiol 2020; 11:585857. [PMID: 33362735 PMCID: PMC7758234 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.585857] [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: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a tropical and still neglected disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi that affects >8 million of people worldwide. Although limited, emerging data suggest that gut microbiota dysfunction may be a new mechanism underlying CD pathogenesis. T. cruzi infection leads to changes in the gut microbiota composition of vector insects, mice, and humans. Alterations in insect and mice microbiota due to T. cruzi have been associated with a decreased immune response against the parasite, influencing the establishment and progression of infection. Further, changes in the gut microbiota are linked with inflammatory and neuropsychiatric disorders, comorbid conditions in CD. Therefore, this review article critically analyses the current data on CD and the gut microbiota of insects, mice, and humans and discusses its importance for CD pathogenesis. An enhanced understanding of host microbiota will be critical for the development of alternative therapeutic approaches to target CD, such as gut microbiota-directed interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Duarte-Silva
- Laboratory of Ultrastructure, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PE), Recife, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biosciences and Biotechnology for Health (PPGBBS), Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Recife, Brazil
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Recife, Brazil
| | - Livia H. Morais
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Gerard Clarke
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Wilson Savino
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Christina Peixoto
- Laboratory of Ultrastructure, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PE), Recife, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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24
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Gumiel M, de Mattos DP, Vieira CS, Moraes CS, Moreira CJDC, Gonzalez MS, Teixeira-Ferreira A, Waghabi M, Azambuja P, Carels N. Proteome of the Triatomine Digestive Tract: From Catalytic to Immune Pathways; Focusing on Annexin Expression. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:589435. [PMID: 33363206 PMCID: PMC7755933 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.589435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus, Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma infestans, and Dipetalogaster maxima are all triatomines and potential vectors of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi responsible for human Chagas' disease. Considering that the T. cruzi's cycle occurs inside the triatomine digestive tract (TDT), the analysis of the TDT protein profile is an essential step to understand TDT physiology during T. cruzi infection. To characterize the protein profile of TDT of D. maxima, P. megistus, R. prolixus, and T. infestans, a shotgun liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach was applied in this report. Most proteins were found to be closely related to metabolic pathways such as gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, citrate cycle, fatty acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, but also to the immune system. We annotated this new proteome contribution gathering it with those previously published in accordance with Gene Ontology and KEGG. Enzymes were classified in terms of class, acceptor, and function, while the proteins from the immune system were annotated by reference to the pathways of humoral response, cell cycle regulation, Toll, IMD, JNK, Jak-STAT, and MAPK, as available from the Insect Innate Immunity Database (IIID). These pathways were further subclassified in recognition, signaling, response, coagulation, melanization and none. Finally, phylogenetic affinities and gene expression of annexins were investigated for understanding their role in the protection and homeostasis of intestinal epithelial cells against the inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Gumiel
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Research Department, Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo (UNIFRANZ), La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Debora Passos de Mattos
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Cecília Stahl Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caroline Silva Moraes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Salabert Gonzalez
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana Waghabi
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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25
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Arias-Giraldo LM, Muñoz M, Hernández C, Herrera G, Velásquez-Ortiz N, Cantillo-Barraza O, Urbano P, Ramírez JD. Species-dependent variation of the gut bacterial communities across Trypanosoma cruzi insect vectors. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240916. [PMID: 33180772 PMCID: PMC7660481 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) are the insect vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The gut bacterial communities affect the development of T. cruzi inside the vector, making the characterization of its composition important in the understanding of infection development. We collected 54 triatomine bugs corresponding to four genera in different departments of Colombia. DNA extraction and PCR were performed to evaluate T. cruzi presence and to determine the discrete typing unit (DTU) of the parasite. PCR products of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene were pooled and sequenced. Resulting reads were denoised and QIIME 2 was used for the identification of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Diversity (alpha and beta diversity) and richness analyses, Circos plots, and principal component analysis (PCA) were also performed. The overall T. cruzi infection frequency was 75.9%, with TcI being the predominant DTU. Approximately 500,000 sequences were analyzed and 27 bacterial phyla were identified. The most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria (33.9%), Actinobacteria (32.4%), Firmicutes (19.6%), and Bacteroidetes (7.6%), which together accounted for over 90% of the gut communities identified in this study. Genera were identified for these main bacterial phyla, revealing the presence of important bacteria such as Rhodococcus, Serratia, and Wolbachia. The composition of bacterial phyla in the gut of the insects was significantly different between triatomine species, whereas no significant difference was seen between the state of T. cruzi infection. We suggest further investigation with the evaluation of additional variables and a larger sample size. To our knowledge, this study is the first characterization of the gut bacterial structure of the main triatomine genera in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa M Arias-Giraldo
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Hernández
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Giovanny Herrera
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Natalia Velásquez-Ortiz
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Omar Cantillo-Barraza
- Grupo de Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Plutarco Urbano
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biológicas de la Orinoquia, Fundación Universidad del Trópico Americano (Unitropico), Yopal, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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26
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Tobias NJ, Eberhard FE, Guarneri AA. Enzymatic biosynthesis of B-complex vitamins is supplied by diverse microbiota in the Rhodnius prolixus anterior midgut following Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:3395-3401. [PMID: 33294135 PMCID: PMC7691439 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, colonizes the gut of triatomine insects, including Rhodnius prolixus. It is believed that this colonization upsets the microbiota that are normally present, presumably switching the environment to one more favorable for parasite survival. It was previously thought that one particular bacterium, Rhodococcus rhodnii, was essential for insect survival due to its ability to produce vital B-complex vitamins. However, these bacteria are not always identified in great abundance in studies on R. prolixus microbiota. Here we sequenced the microbiota of the insect anterior midgut using shotgun metagenomic sequencing in order to obtain a high-resolution snapshot of the microbes inside at two different time points and under two conditions; in the presence or absence of parasite and immediately following infection, or three days post-infection. We identify a total of 217 metagenomic bins, and recovered one metagenome-assembled genome, which we placed in the genus Dickeya. We show that, despite Rhodococcus being present, it is not the only microbe capable of synthesizing B-complex vitamins, with the genes required for biosynthesis present in a number of different microbes. This work helps to gain a new insight into the microbial ecology of R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Tobias
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity in Genomics (TBG), Frankfurt, Germany.,Molekulare Biotechnologie, Fachbereich Biowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fanny E Eberhard
- Integrative Parasitologie und Zoophysiologie, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alessandra A Guarneri
- Vector Behaviour and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, Belo Horizonte, MG CEP 30190-009, Brazil
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27
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Hu Y, Xie H, Gao M, Huang P, Zhou H, Ma Y, Zhou M, Liang J, Yang J, Lv Z. Dynamic of Composition and Diversity of Gut Microbiota in Triatoma rubrofasciata in Different Developmental Stages and Environmental Conditions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:587708. [PMID: 33224899 PMCID: PMC7667259 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.587708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatoma rubrofasciata (T. rubrofasciata), one kind of triatomine insects, is the vector of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), which lead to American trypanosomiasis. Although the gut microbiome may play an essential role in the development and susceptibility of triatomine, there is limited research on the gut microbiota of T. rubrofasciata. To elucidate the effect of the vector's developmental stages and environmental conditions on the gut microbiome, we employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to profile the gut bacterial community diversity and composition of T. rubrofasciata. Significant shifts were observed in the overall gut microbe diversity and composition across the development of T. rubrofasciata and specific bacteria were detected in different stages. Serratia and Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia were dominant in the 1st nymphal stage, while the abundance of Staphylococcus was low in the 1st nymphal stage. Oceanicaulis were undetectable in the adult stage and Odoribacter peaked in the 2nd nymphal stage. Moreover, Staphylococcus was correlated negatively with Serratia. Likewise, the total gut microbiota diversity and composition of T. rubrofasciata differentiated significantly by environmental conditions. The ingestion of a bloodmeal increased alpha diversity of gut bacterial communities, and Staphylococcus was more abundant in laboratory-reared bugs whereas Enterococcus enriched in wild-caught bugs. Furthermore, Pantoea was negatively correlated with Staphylococcus, and positively related to Bacillus only. The phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) algorithm showed obvious metagenomic functional differences by environmental conditions, and Chagas disease relevant pathway was enriched in wild-caught T. rubrofasciata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanguo Xie
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China
| | - Minzhao Gao
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongli Zhou
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yubin Ma
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minyu Zhou
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinying Liang
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhiyue Lv
- Joint Program of Pathobiology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Translational Medicine of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Brown JJ, Rodríguez-Ruano SM, Poosakkannu A, Batani G, Schmidt JO, Roachell W, Zima J, Hypša V, Nováková E. Ontogeny, species identity, and environment dominate microbiome dynamics in wild populations of kissing bugs (Triatominae). MICROBIOME 2020; 8:146. [PMID: 33040738 PMCID: PMC7549230 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00921-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kissing bugs (Triatominae) are blood-feeding insects best known as the vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease. Considering the high epidemiological relevance of these vectors, their biology and bacterial symbiosis remains surprisingly understudied. While previous investigations revealed generally low individual complexity but high among-individual variability of the triatomine microbiomes, any consistent microbiome determinants have not yet been identified across multiple Triatominae species. METHODS To obtain a more comprehensive view of triatomine microbiomes, we investigated the host-microbiome relationship of five Triatoma species sampled from white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula) nests in multiple locations across the USA. We applied optimised 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding with a novel 18S rRNA gene blocking primer to a set of 170 T. cruzi-negative individuals across all six instars. RESULTS Triatomine gut microbiome composition is strongly influenced by three principal factors: ontogeny, species identity, and the environment. The microbiomes are characterised by significant loss in bacterial diversity throughout ontogenetic development. First instars possess the highest bacterial diversity while adult microbiomes are routinely dominated by a single taxon. Primarily, the bacterial genus Dietzia dominates late-stage nymphs and adults of T. rubida, T. protracta, and T. lecticularia but is not present in the phylogenetically more distant T. gerstaeckeri and T. sanguisuga. Species-specific microbiome composition, particularly pronounced in early instars, is further modulated by locality-specific effects. In addition, pathogenic bacteria of the genus Bartonella, acquired from the vertebrate hosts, are an abundant component of Triatoma microbiomes. CONCLUSION Our study is the first to demonstrate deterministic patterns in microbiome composition among all life stages and multiple Triatoma species. We hypothesise that triatomine microbiome assemblages are produced by species- and life stage-dependent uptake of environmental bacteria and multiple indirect transmission strategies that promote bacterial transfer between individuals. Altogether, our study highlights the complexity of Triatominae symbiosis with bacteria and warrant further investigation to understand microbiome function in these important vectors. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel J. Brown
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Anbu Poosakkannu
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Giampiero Batani
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Walter Roachell
- US Army Public Health Command-Central, JBSA Fort Sam, Houston, TX USA
| | - Jan Zima
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Hypša
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Nováková
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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Batista KKDS, Vieira CS, Florentino EB, Caruso KFB, Teixeira PTP, Moraes CDS, Genta FA, de Azambuja P, de Castro DP. Nitric oxide effects on Rhodnius prolixus's immune responses, gut microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi development. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 126:104100. [PMID: 32822690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The immune system of Rhodnius prolixus comprehends the synthesis of different effectors that modulate the intestinal microbiota population and the life cycle of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi inside the vector midgut. One of these immune responses is the production of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) derived by the action of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Therefore, we investigated the effects of L-arginine, the substrate for nitric oxide (NO) production and Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NOS, added in the insect blood meal. We analyzed the impact of these treatments on the immune responses and development of intestinal bacteria and parasites on R. prolixus nymphs. The L-arginine treatment in R. prolixus nymphs induced a higher NOS gene expression in the fat body and increased NO production, but reduced catalase and antimicrobial activities in the midgut. As expected, L-NAME treatment reduced NOS gene expression in the fat body. In addition, L-NAME treatment diminished catalase activity in the hemolymph and posterior midgut reduced phenoloxidase activity in the anterior midgut and increased the antimicrobial activity in the hemolymph. Both treatments caused a reduction in the cultivatable intestinal microbiota, especially in insects treated with L-NAME. However, T. cruzi development in the insect's digestive tract was suppressed after L-arginine treatment and the opposite was observed with L-NAME, which resulted in higher parasite counts. Therefore, we conclude that induction and inhibition of NOS and NO production are associated with other R. prolixus humoral immune responses, such as catalase, phenoloxidase, and antibacterial activities in different insect organs. These alterations reflect on intestinal microbiota and T. cruzi development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cecília Stahl Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Karina Francine Bravo Caruso
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Caroline da Silva Moraes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernando Ariel Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patrícia de Azambuja
- Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniele Pereira de Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Salcedo-Porras N, Umaña-Diaz C, de Oliveira Barbosa Bitencourt R, Lowenberger C. The Role of Bacterial Symbionts in Triatomines: An Evolutionary Perspective. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1438. [PMID: 32961808 PMCID: PMC7565714 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects have established mutualistic symbiotic interactions with microorganisms that are beneficial to both host and symbiont. Many insects have exploited these symbioses to diversify and expand their ecological ranges. In the Hemiptera (i.e., aphids, cicadas, and true bugs), symbioses have established and evolved with obligatory essential microorganisms (primary symbionts) and with facultative beneficial symbionts (secondary symbionts). Primary symbionts are usually intracellular microorganisms found in insects with specialized diets such as obligate hematophagy or phytophagy. Most Heteroptera (true bugs), however, have gastrointestinal (GI) tract extracellular symbionts with functions analogous to primary endosymbionts. The triatomines, are vectors of the human parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. A description of their small GI tract microbiota richness was based on a few culturable microorganisms first described almost a century ago. A growing literature describes more complex interactions between triatomines and bacteria with properties characteristic of both primary and secondary symbionts. In this review, we provide an evolutionary perspective of beneficial symbioses in the Hemiptera, illustrating the context that may drive the evolution of symbioses in triatomines. We highlight the diversity of the triatomine microbiota, bacterial taxa with potential to be beneficial symbionts, the unique characteristics of triatomine-bacteria symbioses, and the interactions among trypanosomes, microbiota, and triatomines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Salcedo-Porras
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
| | - Claudia Umaña-Diaz
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
| | - Ricardo de Oliveira Barbosa Bitencourt
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, 23890-000 Seropédica, Brasil
| | - Carl Lowenberger
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
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Schoijet AC, Sternlieb T, Alonso GD. Signal Transduction Pathways as Therapeutic Target for Chagas Disease. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:6572-6589. [PMID: 31218950 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190620093029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are a group of flagellated unicellular eukaryotes, causing serious human diseases including Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi), sleeping sickness (Trypanosoma brucei spp.) and Leishmaniasis (Leishmania spp.). The second messenger cAMP is involved in numerous and fundamental processes in these parasites including differentiation between stages, proliferation, osmoregulation, oxidative stress and quorum sensing. Interestingly, its signaling pathway is quite different from that of mammals, including structurally different adenylyl cyclases, the shortage of orthologous effector proteins and the absence of G-protein-coupled-receptors, among others. These characteristics make the proteins involved in these transduction pathways good candidates for therapeutic targets. However, the identification of new unknown druggable targets involves extensive research time and is economically very expensive, making difficult the transition from basic research to the clinical phase. Trypanosomatid PDEs have characteristic binding pockets that allow for a differential inhibition from their human orthologs. Modification in the approved drugs for human to convert them into trypanocidal treatments could lead to more effective therapies, shorter lab time and lower costs. In view of the fact that kinetoplastid PDEs are highly conserved with their mammalian counterparts, and since there are already numerous drugs on the market against human PDEs, the drug repositioning approach is highly promising. The development of new technologies, higher government and industrial involvement and more scientists committed to basic investigation, are the key to ultimately find an effective treatment and cure for the neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Cecilia Schoijet
- Laboratorio de Senalizacion y Mecanismos Adaptativos en Tripanosomatidos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingenieria Genetica y Biologia Molecular "Dr. Hector N. Torres"; Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (C1428ADN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tamara Sternlieb
- Laboratorio de Senalizacion y Mecanismos Adaptativos en Tripanosomatidos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingenieria Genetica y Biologia Molecular "Dr. Hector N. Torres"; Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (C1428ADN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Daniel Alonso
- Laboratorio de Senalizacion y Mecanismos Adaptativos en Tripanosomatidos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingenieria Genetica y Biologia Molecular "Dr. Hector N. Torres"; Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (C1428ADN), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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32
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Mesías AC, Garg NJ, Zago MP. Redox Balance Keepers and Possible Cell Functions Managed by Redox Homeostasis in Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:435. [PMID: 31921709 PMCID: PMC6932984 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxicity of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species appears to be merely the tip of the iceberg in the world of redox homeostasis. Now, oxidative stress can be seen as a two-sided process; at high concentrations, it causes damage to biomolecules, and thus, trypanosomes have evolved a strong antioxidant defense system to cope with these stressors. At low concentrations, oxidants are essential for cell signaling, and in fact, the oxidants/antioxidants balance may be able to trigger different cell fates. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the current knowledge of the oxidant environment experienced by T. cruzi along the different phases of its life cycle, and the molecular tools exploited by this pathogen to deal with oxidative stress, for better or worse. Further, we discuss the possible redox-regulated processes that could be governed by this oxidative context. Most of the current research has addressed the importance of the trypanosomes' antioxidant network based on its detox activity of harmful species; however, new efforts are necessary to highlight other functions of this network and the mechanisms underlying the fine regulation of the defense machinery, as this represents a master key to hinder crucial pathogen functions. Understanding the relevance of this balance keeper program in parasite biology will give us new perspectives to delineate improved treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Mesías
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - M Paola Zago
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
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Paranaiba LF, Guarneri AA, Torrecilhas AC, Melo MN, Soares RP. Extracellular vesicles isolated from Trypanosoma cruzi affect early parasite migration in the gut of Rhodnius prolixus but not in Triatoma infestans. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2019; 114:e190217. [PMID: 31851215 PMCID: PMC6908325 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760190217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi has the ability to spontaneously secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs). In this paper, T. cruzi EVs derived from epimastigote forms were evaluated during interaction with triatomine bugs Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans. T. cruzi EVs were purified and artificially offered to the insects prior to infection with epimastigote forms. No effect of EVs was detected in the parasite counts in the guts of both vectors after 49-50 days. On the other hand, pre-feeding with EVs delayed parasite migration to rectum only in the gut in R. prolixus after 21-22 days. Those data suggest a possible role of T. cruzi EVs during the earlier events of infection in the invertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa F Paranaiba
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Parasitologia, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Ana C Torrecilhas
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Diadema, SP, Brasil
| | - Maria N Melo
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Parasitologia, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo P Soares
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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Kieran TJ, Arnold KMH, Thomas JC, Varian CP, Saldaña A, Calzada JE, Glenn TC, Gottdenker NL. Regional biogeography of microbiota composition in the Chagas disease vector Rhodnius pallescens. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:504. [PMID: 31665056 PMCID: PMC6821009 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3761-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triatomine bugs are vectors of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. Rhodnius pallescens is a major vector of Chagas disease in Panama. Understanding the microbial ecology of disease vectors is important in the development of vector management strategies that target vector survival and fitness. In this study we examined the whole-body microbial composition of R. pallescens from three locations in Panama. Methods We collected 89 R. pallescens specimens using Noireau traps in Attalea butyracea palms. We then extracted total DNA from whole-bodies of specimens and amplified bacterial microbiota using 16S rRNA metabarcoding PCR. The 16S libraries were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq and analyzed using QIIME2 software. Results We found Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes to be the most abundant bacterial phyla across all samples. Geographical location showed the largest difference in microbial composition with northern Veraguas Province having the most diversity and Panama Oeste Province localities being most similar to each other. Wolbachia was detected in high abundance (48–72%) at Panama Oeste area localities with a complete absence of detection in Veraguas Province. No significant differences in microbial composition were detected between triatomine age class, primary blood meal source, or T. cruzi infection status. Conclusions We found biogeographical regions differ in microbial composition among R. pallescens populations in Panama. While overall the microbiota has bacterial taxa consistent with previous studies in triatomine microbial ecology, locality differences are an important observation for future studies. Geographical heterogeneity in microbiomes of vectors is an important consideration for future developments that leverage microbiomes for disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy J Kieran
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Kaylee M H Arnold
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jesse C Thomas
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Christina P Varian
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Azael Saldaña
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama
| | - Jose E Calzada
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama
| | - Travis C Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Nicole L Gottdenker
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. .,Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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Teotônio IMSN, Dias N, Hagström-Bex L, Nitz N, Francisco AF, Hecht M. Intestinal microbiota - A modulator of the Trypanosoma cruzi-vector-host triad. Microb Pathog 2019; 137:103711. [PMID: 31491548 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease affects millions of people, and it is a major cause of death in Latin America. Prevention and development of an effective treatment for this infection can be favored by a more thorough understanding of T. cruzi interaction with the microbiome of vectors and hosts. Next-generation sequencing technology vastly broadened the knowledge about intestinal bacteria composition, showing that microbiota within each host (triatomines and mammals) is composed by high diversity of species, although few dominant phyla. This fact may represent an ecological balance that was acquired during the evolutionary process of the microbiome-host complex, and that serves to perpetuate this system. In this context, commensal microbiota is also essential to protect hosts, conferring them resistance to pathogens colonization. However, in some situations, the microbiota is not able to prevent infection but only modulate it. Here we will review the role of the microbiota on the parasite-vector-host triad with a focus on the kinetoplastida of medical importance Trypanosoma cruzi. Novel strategies to control Chagas disease based on intestinal microbiome will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nayra Dias
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Luciana Hagström-Bex
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Nadjar Nitz
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mariana Hecht
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil.
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Salcedo-Porras N, Lowenberger C. The innate immune system of kissing bugs, vectors of chagas disease. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 98:119-128. [PMID: 31014953 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Kissing bugs have long served as models to study many aspects of insect physiology. They also serve as vectors for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease in humans. The overall success of insects is due, in part, to their ability to recognize parasites and pathogens as non-self and to eliminate them using their innate immune system. This immune system comprises physical barriers, cellular responses (phagocytosis, nodulation and encapsulation), and humoral factors (antimicrobial peptides and the prophenoloxidase cascade). Trypanosoma cruzi survives solely in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the vector; if it migrates to the hemocoel it is eliminated. Kissing bugs may not mount a vigorous immune response in the GI tract to avoid eliminating obligate symbiotic microbes on which they rely for survival. Here we describe the current knowledge of innate immunity in kissing bugs and new opportunities using genomic and transcriptomic approaches to study the complex triatomine-trypanosome-microbiome interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Salcedo-Porras
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, V5A 1S6, BC, Canada.
| | - Carl Lowenberger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, V5A 1S6, BC, Canada.
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Cámara MDLM, Balouz V, Centeno Cameán C, Cori CR, Kashiwagi GA, Gil SA, Macchiaverna NP, Cardinal MV, Guaimas F, Lobo MM, de Lederkremer RM, Gallo-Rodriguez C, Buscaglia CA. Trypanosoma cruzi surface mucins are involved in the attachment to the Triatoma infestans rectal ampoule. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007418. [PMID: 31107901 PMCID: PMC6544316 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is a protozoan parasite transmitted to humans by blood-sucking triatomine vectors. However, and despite its utmost biological and epidemiological relevance, T. cruzi development inside the digestive tract of the insect remains a poorly understood process. Methods/Principle findings Here we showed that Gp35/50 kDa mucins, the major surface glycoproteins from T. cruzi insect-dwelling forms, are involved in parasite attachment to the internal cuticle of the triatomine rectal ampoule, a critical step leading to its differentiation into mammal-infective forms. Experimental evidence supporting this conclusion could be summarized as follows: i) native and recombinant Gp35/50 kDa mucins directly interacted with hindgut tissues from Triatoma infestans, as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence assays; ii) transgenic epimastigotes over-expressing Gp35/50 kDa mucins on their surface coat exhibited improved attachment rates (~2–3 fold) to such tissues as compared to appropriate transgenic controls and/or wild-type counterparts; and iii) certain chemically synthesized compounds derived from Gp35/50 kDa mucins were able to specifically interfere with epimastigote attachment to the inner lining of T. infestans rectal ampoules in ex vivo binding assays, most likely by competing with or directly blocking insect receptor(s). A solvent-exposed peptide (smugS peptide) from the Gp35/50 kDa mucins protein scaffolds and a branched, Galf-containing trisaccharide (Galfβ1–4[Galpβ1–6]GlcNAcα) from their O-linked glycans were identified as main adhesion determinants for these molecules. Interestingly, exogenous addition of a synthetic Galfβ1–4[Galpβ1–6]GlcNAcα derivative or of oligosaccharides containing this structure impaired the attachment of Dm28c but not of CL Brener epimastigotes to triatomine hindgut tissues; which correlates with the presence of Galf residues on the Gp35/50 kDa mucins’ O-glycans on the former but not the latter parasite clone. Conclusion/Significance These results provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying T. cruzi-triatomine interplay, and indicate that inter-strain variations in the O-glycosylation of Gp35/50 kDa mucins may lead to differences in parasite differentiation and hence, in parasite transmissibility to the mammalian host. Most importantly, our findings point to Gp35/50 kDa mucins and/or the Galf biosynthetic pathway, which is absent in mammals and insects, as appealing targets for the development of T. cruzi transmission-blocking strategies. Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a life-long and debilitating neglected illness of major significance to Latin America public health, for which no vaccine or adequate drugs are yet available. In this scenario, identification of novel drug targets and/or strategies aimed at controlling parasite transmission are urgently needed. By using ex vivo binding assays together with different biochemical and genetic approaches, we herein show that Gp35/50 kDa mucins, the major T. cruzi epimastigote surface glycoproteins, specifically adhere to the internal cuticle of the rectal ampoule of the triatomine vector, a critical step leading to their differentiation into mammal-infective metacyclic forms. Ex vivo binding assays in the presence of chemically synthesized analogs allowed the identification of a solvent-exposed peptide and a branched, galactofuranose (Galf)-containing trisaccharide (Galfβ1–4[Galpβ1–6]GlcNAcα) as major Gp35/50 kDa mucins adhesion determinants. Overall, these results provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the complex T. cruzi-triatomine interplay. In addition, and since the presence of Galf-based glycotopes on the O-glycans of Gp35/50 kDa mucins is restricted to certain parasite strains/clones, they also indicate that the Galfβ1–4[Galpβ1–6]GlcNAcα motif may contribute to the well-established phenotypic variability among T. cruzi isolates. Most importantly, and taking into account that Galf residues are not found in mammals, we propose Gp35/50 kDa mucins and/or Galf biosynthesis as appealing and novel targets for the development of T. cruzi transmission-blocking strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María de los Milagros Cámara
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Virginia Balouz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Camila Centeno Cameán
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carmen R. Cori
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR), C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo A. Kashiwagi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR), C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago A. Gil
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR), C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Paula Macchiaverna
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires e Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), UBA-CONICET, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta Victoria Cardinal
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires e Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), UBA-CONICET, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Francisco Guaimas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maite Mabel Lobo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rosa M. de Lederkremer
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR), C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carola Gallo-Rodriguez
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- CONICET-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono (CIHIDECAR), C1428EGA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos A. Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECh), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) and Consejo Nacional de investigaciones científicas y técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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González-Rete B, Salazar-Schettino PM, Bucio-Torres MI, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Cabrera-Bravo M. Activity of the prophenoloxidase system and survival of triatomines infected with different Trypanosoma cruzi strains under different temperatures: understanding Chagas disease in the face of climate change. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:219. [PMID: 31068226 PMCID: PMC6507061 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3477-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about how human disease vectors will modify their life history patterns and survival capacity as a result of climate change. One case is that of Chagas disease, which has triatomine bugs and Trypanosoma cruzi as vectors and parasite, respectively. This work aimed to determine: (i) the activity of the prophenoloxidase system (prophenoloxidase and phenoloxidase activity, two indicators of immune ability) in three intestine regions (anterior midgut, posterior midgutand rectum) of the triatomine bug Meccus pallidipennis under three temperature conditions (20 °C, 30 °C and 34 °C) against two T. cruzi strains [ITRI/MX/14/CHIL (Chilpancingo) and ITRI/MX/12/MOR (Morelos)], and (ii) whether vector survival varies under these three temperatures after infection by these T. cruzi strains. RESULTS Our results indicate that prophenoloxidase activity was lower at higher temperatures, that the level of prophenoloxidase activity elicited by each strain was different (higher in Chilpancingo than in Morelos strains), and that prophenoloxidase activity was more intense in the anterior midgut than in the posterior midgut or rectum. Survival rates were lower in insects maintained at higher temperatures and infected by Chilpancingo strains. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that climate change could lead to lower prophenoloxidase activity and survival rates in triatomines when infected with different T. cruzi strains, which could reduce the vector capacity of M. pallidipennis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paz María Salazar-Schettino
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Martha I Bucio-Torres
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apdo. P. 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Margarita Cabrera-Bravo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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Waltmann A, Willcox AC, Balasubramanian S, Borrini Mayori K, Mendoza Guerrero S, Salazar Sanchez RS, Roach J, Condori Pino C, Gilman RH, Bern C, Juliano JJ, Levy MZ, Meshnick SR, Bowman NM. Hindgut microbiota in laboratory-reared and wild Triatoma infestans. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007383. [PMID: 31059501 PMCID: PMC6522061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatomine vectors transmit Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease in humans. Transmission to humans typically occurs when contaminated triatomine feces come in contact with the bite site or mucosal membranes. In the Southern Cone of South America, where the highest burden of disease exists, Triatoma infestans is the principal vector for T. cruzi. Recent studies of other vector-borne illnesses have shown that arthropod microbiota influences the ability of infectious agents to colonize the insect vector and transmit to the human host. This has garnered attention as a potential control strategy against T. cruzi, as vector control is the main tool of Chagas disease prevention. Here we characterized the microbiota in T. infestans feces of both wild-caught and laboratory-reared insects and examined the relationship between microbial composition and T. cruzi infection using highly sensitive high-throughput sequencing technology to sequence the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene on the MiSeq Illumina platform. We collected 59 wild (9 with T. cruzi infection) and 10 lab-reared T. infestans (4 with T. cruzi infection) from the endemic area of Arequipa, Perú. Wild T. infestans had greater hindgut bacterial diversity than laboratory-reared bugs. Microbiota of lab insects comprised a subset of those identified in their wild counterparts, with 96 of the total 124 genera also observed in laboratory-reared insects. Among wild insects, variation in bacterial composition was observed, but time and location of collection and development stage did not explain this variation. T. cruzi infection in lab insects did not affect α- or β-diversity; however, we did find that the β-diversity of wild insects differed if they were infected with T. cruzi and identified 10 specific taxa that had significantly different relative abundances in infected vs. uninfected wild T. infestans (Bosea, Mesorhizobium, Dietzia, and Cupriavidus were underrepresented in infected bugs; Sporosarcina, an unclassified genus of Porphyromonadaceae, Nestenrenkonia, Alkalibacterium, Peptoniphilus, Marinilactibacillus were overrepresented in infected bugs). Our findings suggest that T. cruzi infection is associated with the microbiota of T. infestans and that inferring the microbiota of wild T. infestans may not be possible through sampling of T. infestans reared in the insectary. Chagas disease in humans is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and it is endemic to the Americas. Poor populations are most at risk. The parasite infects an estimated six million people of 21 endemic countries in the Americas, with 30,000 new infections yearly. The main mode of transmission is vector-borne by triatomine bugs, which tend to live in close association with humans. The main Chagas disease vector in the Southern Cone of South America, where the highest burden of disease exists, is Triatoma infestans. As blood-sucking insects, triatomines become infected when they bite a T. cruzi-positive human and once infected they transmit the parasites in their feces. Controlling the vector populations is the main strategy of Chagas disease transmission reduction efforts. Microbiota-mediated methods to control this vector-borne disease are now being explored to determine whether microbes typically found in the vectors’ gut have a detrimental effect on T. cruzi and how they may be used to modify the vector and curb the ability for T. cruzi to be transmitted to humans. To advance this new field, we first must gain better knowledge of the gut microbiota of triatomines. Our study is the first to use sensitive high-throughput methods to study the gut microbes of T. infestans, using both laboratory-reared and wild insects. We have found that the microbial composition of T. infestans in the laboratory does not reflect the complete collection of gut microbes of wild T. infestans and inferring the gut microbiota profile of wild insects through studying lab insects alone may not be possible. We also found evidence that in wild insects T. cruzi affects the composition of the gut microbiota and identified some bacterial taxa which may be important in modulating the T.infestans-T.cruzi relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Waltmann
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Alexandra C. Willcox
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Sujata Balasubramanian
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Katty Borrini Mayori
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, Unidad de Una Salud, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Sandra Mendoza Guerrero
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Renzo S. Salazar Sanchez
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, Unidad de Una Salud, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Jeffrey Roach
- Microbiome Core Facility, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Carlos Condori Pino
- Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory, Unidad de Una Salud, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Arequipa, Perú
| | - Robert H. Gilman
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Caryn Bern
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan J. Juliano
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Michael Z. Levy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Steven R. Meshnick
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Natalie M. Bowman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Salcedo-Porras N, Guarneri A, Oliveira PL, Lowenberger C. Rhodnius prolixus: Identification of missing components of the IMD immune signaling pathway and functional characterization of its role in eliminating bacteria. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214794. [PMID: 30943246 PMCID: PMC6447187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system in insects is regulated by specific signalling pathways. Most immune related pathways were identified and characterized in holometabolous insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, and it was assumed they would be highly conserved in all insects. The hemimetabolous insect, Rhodnius prolixus, has served as a model to study basic insect physiology, but also is a major vector of the human parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, that causes 10,000 deaths annually. The publication of the R. prolixus genome revealed that one of the main immune pathways, the Immune-deficiency pathway (IMD), was incomplete and probably non-functional, an observation shared with other hemimetabolous insects including the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and the bedbug (Cimex lectularius). It was proposed that the IMD pathway is inactive in R. prolixus as an adaptation to prevent eliminating beneficial symbiont gut bacteria. We used bioinformatic analyses based on reciprocal BLAST and HMM-profile searches to find orthologs for most of the "missing" elements of the IMD pathway and provide data that these are regulated in response to infection with Gram-negative bacteria. We used RNAi strategies to demonstrate the role of the IMD pathway in regulating the expression of specific antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the fat body of R. prolixus. The data indicate that the IMD pathway is present and active in R. prolixus, which opens up new avenues of research on R. prolixus-T. cruzi interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Salcedo-Porras
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alessandra Guarneri
- Instituto René Rachou, Avenida Augusto de Lima, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Pedro L. Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carl Lowenberger
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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da Mota FF, Castro DP, Vieira CS, Gumiel M, de Albuquerque JP, Carels N, Azambuja P. In vitro Trypanocidal Activity, Genomic Analysis of Isolates, and in vivo Transcription of Type VI Secretion System of Serratia marcescens Belonging to the Microbiota of Rhodnius prolixus Digestive Tract. Front Microbiol 2019; 9:3205. [PMID: 30733713 PMCID: PMC6353840 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serratia marcescens is a bacterium with the ability to colonize several niches, including some eukaryotic hosts. S. marcescens have been recently found in the gut of hematophagous insects that act as parasite vectors, such as Anopheles, Rhodnius, and Triatoma. While some S. marcescens strains have been reported as symbiotic or pathogenic to other insects, the role of S. marcescens populations from the gut microbiota of Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas’ disease, remains unknown. Bacterial colonies from R. prolixus gut were isolated on BHI agar. After BOX-PCR fingerprinting, the genomic sequences of two isolates RPA1 and RPH1 were compared to others S. marcescens from the NCBI database in other to estimate their evolutionary divergence. The in vitro trypanolytic activity of these two bacterial isolates against Trypanosoma cruzi (DM28c clone and Y strain) was assessed by microscopy. In addition, the gene expression of type VI secretion system (T6SS) was detected in vivo by RT-PCR. Comparative genomics of RPA1 and RPH1 revealed, besides plasmid presence and genomic islands, genes related to motility, attachment, and quorum sensing in both genomes while genes for urea hydrolysis and type II secretion system (T2SS) were found only in the RPA1 genome. The in vitro trypanolytic activity of both S. marcescens strains was stronger in their stationary phases of growth than in their exponential ones, with 65–70 and 85–90% of epimastigotes (Dm28c clone and Y strain, respectively) being lysed after incubation with RPA1 or RPH1 in stationary phase. Although T6SS transcripts were detected in guts up to 40 days after feeding (DAF), R. prolixus morbidity or mortality did not appear to be affected. In this report, we made available two trypanolytic S. marcescens strains from R. prolixus gut to the scientific community together with their genomic sequences. Here, we describe their genomic features with the purpose of bringing new insights into the S. marcescens adaptations for colonization of the specific niche of triatomine guts. This study provides the basis for a better understanding of the role of S. marcescens in the microbiota of R. prolixus gut as a potential antagonist of T. cruzi in this complex system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Faria da Mota
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniele Pereira Castro
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cecilia Stahl Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcia Gumiel
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julia Peixoto de Albuquerque
- Laboratório de Enteropatógenos, Microbiologia Veterinária e de Alimentos, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense (MIP/UFF), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, National Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Neglected Diseases (INCT-IDN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (CDTS/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Azambuja
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lu Y, Johnston PR, Dennis SR, Monaghan MT, John U, Spaak P, Wolinska J. Daphnia galeata responds to the exposure to an ichthyosporean gut parasite by down-regulation of immunity and lipid metabolism. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:932. [PMID: 30547741 PMCID: PMC6295042 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5312-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulatory circuits of infection in the emerging experimental model system, water flea Daphnia and their microparasites, remain largely unknown. Here we provide the first molecular insights into the response of Daphnia galeata to its highly virulent and common parasite Caullerya mesnili, an ichthyosporean that infects the gut epithelium. We generated a transcriptomic dataset using RNAseq from parasite-exposed (vs. control) Daphnia, at two time points (4 and 48 h) after parasite exposure. RESULTS We found a down-regulation of metabolism and immunity-related genes, at 48 h (but not 4 h) after parasite exposure. These genes are involved in lipid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis, as well as microbe recognition (e.g. c-type lectins) and pathogen attack (e.g. gut chitin). CONCLUSIONS General metabolic suppression implies host energy shift from reproduction to survival, which is in agreement with the known drastic reduction in Daphnia fecundity after Caullerya infection. The down-regulation of gut chitin indicates a possible interaction between the peritrophic matrix and the evading host immune system. Our study provides the first description of host transcriptional responses in this very promising host-parasite experimental system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Lu
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany. .,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Paul R Johnston
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany.,Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stuart R Dennis
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Michael T Monaghan
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe John
- Alfred Wegener Institut Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Piet Spaak
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Justyna Wolinska
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany.,Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Lipoproteins from vertebrate host blood plasma are involved in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote agglutination and participate in interaction with the vector insect, Rhodnius prolixus. Exp Parasitol 2018; 195:24-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Orantes LC, Monroy C, Dorn PL, Stevens L, Rizzo DM, Morrissey L, Hanley JP, Rodas AG, Richards B, Wallin KF, Helms Cahan S. Uncovering vector, parasite, blood meal and microbiome patterns from mixed-DNA specimens of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006730. [PMID: 30335763 PMCID: PMC6193617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, considered a neglected disease by the World Health Organization, is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and transmitted by >140 triatomine species across the Americas. In Central America, the main vector is Triatoma dimidiata, an opportunistic blood meal feeder inhabiting both domestic and sylvatic ecotopes. Given the diversity of interacting biological agents involved in the epidemiology of Chagas disease, having simultaneous information on the dynamics of the parasite, vector, the gut microbiome of the vector, and the blood meal source would facilitate identifying key biotic factors associated with the risk of T. cruzi transmission. In this study, we developed a RADseq-based analysis pipeline to study mixed-species DNA extracted from T. dimidiata abdomens. To evaluate the efficacy of the method across spatial scales, we used a nested spatial sampling design that spanned from individual villages within Guatemala to major biogeographic regions of Central America. Information from each biotic source was distinguished with bioinformatics tools and used to evaluate the prevalence of T. cruzi infection and predominant Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) in the region, the population genetic structure of T. dimidiata, gut microbial diversity, and the blood meal history. An average of 3.25 million reads per specimen were obtained, with approximately 1% assigned to the parasite, 20% to the vector, 11% to bacteria, and 4% to putative blood meals. Using a total of 6,405 T. cruzi SNPs, we detected nine infected vectors harboring two distinct DTUs: TcI and a second unidentified strain, possibly TcIV. Vector specimens were sufficiently variable for population genomic analyses, with a total of 25,710 T. dimidiata SNPs across all samples that were sufficient to detect geographic genetic structure at both local and regional scales. We observed a diverse microbiotic community, with significantly higher bacterial species richness in infected T. dimidiata abdomens than those that were not infected. Unifrac analysis suggests a common assemblage of bacteria associated with infection, which co-occurs with the typical gut microbial community derived from the local environment. We identified vertebrate blood meals from five T. dimidiata abdomens, including chicken, dog, duck and human; however, additional detection methods would be necessary to confidently identify blood meal sources from most specimens. Overall, our study shows this method is effective for simultaneously generating genetic data on vectors and their associated parasites, along with ecological information on feeding patterns and microbial interactions that may be followed up with complementary approaches such as PCR-based parasite detection, 18S eukaryotic and 16S bacterial barcoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia C. Orantes
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Patricia L. Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Donna M. Rizzo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Leslie Morrissey
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - John P. Hanley
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Antonieta Guadalupe Rodas
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Bethany Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kimberly F. Wallin
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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Lima MS, Laport MS, Lorosa ES, Jurberg J, Dos Santos KRN, da Silva Neto MAC, Rachid CTCDC, Atella GC. Bacterial community composition in the salivary glands of triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006739. [PMID: 30212460 PMCID: PMC6136693 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted through triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). In the last year, many studies of triatomine gut microbiota have outlined its potential role in modulating vector competence. However, little is known about the microbiota present in the salivary glands of triatomines. Bacterial composition of salivary glands in selected triatomine species was investigated, as well as environmental influences on the acquisition of bacterial communities. Methodology/Principal findings The diversity of the bacterial communities of 30 pairs of salivary glands of triatomines was studied by sequencing of the V1- V3 variable region of the 16S rRNA using the MiSeq platform (Illumina), and bacteria isolated from skin of three vertebrate hosts were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis (targeting the V3–V5 region). In a comparative analysis of microbiota in the salivary glands of triatomine species, operational taxonomic units belonging to Arsenophonous appeared as dominant in Triatoma spp (74% of the total 16S coverage), while these units belonging to unclassified Enterobacteriaceae were dominant in the Rhodnius spp (57% of the total 16S coverage). Some intraspecific changes in the composition of the triatomine microbiota were observed, suggesting that some bacteria may have been acquired from the environment. Conclusions and significance Our study revealed the presence of a low-diversity microbiota associated to the salivary glands of the evaluated triatomines. The predominant bacteria genera are associated with triatomine genera and the bacteria can be acquired in the environment in which the insects reside. Further studies are necessary to determine the influence of bacterial communities on vector competence. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted through triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). It is estimated that over 10 000 people die every year from clinical manifestations of Chagas disease, and more than 25 million people risk acquiring the disease per year. Vector control remains the most effective method to prevent infection. In previous studies, the microbiota affected vector competence, thereby highlighting its potential for vector control. In this study, we demonstrate the presence of cultivable and non-cultivable bacteria in the salivary glands of different species of triatomines. The predominant bacterial genera appear to be specific to certain triatomines, e.g., the operational taxonomic units belonging to Arsenophonus bacterial genus is associated with the Triatoma spp, while these units belonging to unclassified Enterobacteriaceae bacterial family are associated with the Rhodnius spp. The operational taxonomic units found in low relative abundance also varied between species of triatomines and their occurrence could be influenced by the environment in which insects reside as well as inter-bacterial modulation by species-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Souza Lima
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular-INCT-EM, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Marinella Silva Laport
- Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Rogério Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Elias Seixas Lorosa
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional e Internacional de Triatomíneos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - José Jurberg
- Laboratório de Referência Nacional e Internacional de Triatomíneos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Mário Alberto Cardoso da Silva Neto
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular-INCT-EM, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Georgia Correa Atella
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular-INCT-EM, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
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St. Clair CR, Fuller CA. Atrazine Exposure Influences Immunity in the Blue Dasher Dragonfly, Pachydiplax longipennis (Odonata: Libellulidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2018; 18:5127096. [PMID: 30312460 PMCID: PMC6181197 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iey095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural runoff containing herbicide is known to have adverse effects on freshwater organisms. Aquatic insects are particularly susceptible, and herbicide runoff has the potential to affect immunity in this group. Here we examined the effect of ecologically relevant levels of atrazine, an herbicide commonly used in the United States, on immune function in larvae of the blue dasher dragonfly (Odonata: Libelluludae, Pachydiplax longipennis Burmeister 1839) during a long-term exposure at ecologically relevant concentrations. Larvae were exposed to concentrations of 0, 1, 5, and 10 ppb atrazine for 3 or 6 wk. Hemocyte counts, hemolymph phenyloxidase (PO) activity, cuticular PO, and gut PO were measured at the end of each trial period as indicators of immune system strength. Atrazine concentration had a significant effect on hemocyte counts after controlling for larval size. There was a significant interaction between time and concentration for hemolymph PO, cuticular PO, and a marginal interaction for gut PO. The effect of atrazine on the measured immune parameters was often nonmonotonic, with larger effects observed at intermediate concentrations. Therefore, atrazine affects both hemocyte numbers and PO activity over time in P. longipennis, and the changed immune function demonstrated in this study is likely to modify susceptibility to pathogens, alter wound healing, and may decrease available energy for growth and metamorphosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coy R St. Clair
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Biology Building, Murray, KY
| | - Claire A Fuller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Biology Building, Murray, KY
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Vieira CS, Moreira OC, Batista KKS, Ratcliffe NA, Castro DP, Azambuja P. The NF-κB Inhibitor, IMD-0354, Affects Immune Gene Expression, Bacterial Microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Rhodnius prolixus Midgut. Front Physiol 2018; 9:1189. [PMID: 30233391 PMCID: PMC6128222 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhodnius prolixus is an insect vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease in Latin America. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factors (TF) are conserved components of the innate immune system in several multicellular organisms including insects. The drug IMD-0354 [N-(3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-5-chloro-2-hydroxy-benzamide] is a selective inhibitor of IκB kinases. It blocks IκBα phosphorylation thus preventing nuclear translocation of the NF-κb TF. In humans, NF-κB is involved in several biological processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation and immunity. In insects, the activation of the immune system upon microbial challenge can be controlled by signaling pathways such as the immune deficiency (IMD) and Toll, to combat infection. These activated pathways signal to downstream NF-κB TF to stimulate specific immune genes, triggering the synthesis of several molecules such as the antimicrobial peptides. In Drosophila melanogaster, the activation and regulation of NF-κB TF have been elucidated, while in triatomines these mechanisms are not fully understood Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of oral administration of the drug IMD-0354 on the R. prolixus immune response to challenge with bacteria and T. cruzi, as well as the impact on the gut bacterial microbiota. R. prolixus were fed with rabbit blood containing IMD-0354 and Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or T. cruzi. The effects of IMD-0354 on insect mortality and antimicrobial activity in insect midgut samples, as well as the relative expression of R. prolixus immune genes were recorded. The bacterial microbiota was analyzed, and viable parasites were counted in insect midgut samples. The IMD-0354 treatment modulated antibacterial activity and the gene expression patterns of defensin A, defensin B, defensin C, and prolixicin, and the genes involved in the IMD and Toll pathways. Additionally, there was an increase of bacterial microbiota in treated insects. Insects treated with IMD-0354 and concomitantly infected with bacteria or T. cruzi through the blood meal had increased mortality, while the T. cruzi population in R. prolixus midgut was reduced. The inhibitory effect of IMD-0354 indicates the importance of NF-κB TF in the innate immune responses involved in the control of bacteria and parasite infections in the R. prolixus midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia S Vieira
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacílio C Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kate K S Batista
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Norman A Ratcliffe
- Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil.,College of Science, Swansea University, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Daniele P Castro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Entomologia Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Oliveira JL, Cury JC, Gurgel-Gonçalves R, Bahia AC, Monteiro FA. Field-collected Triatoma sordida from central Brazil display high microbiota diversity that varies with regard to developmental stage and intestinal segmentation. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006709. [PMID: 30138419 PMCID: PMC6138416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/METHODOLOGY Triatomine bugs are the vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease. Vector control has for decades relied upon insecticide spraying, but insecticide resistance has recently emerged in several triatomine populations. One alternative strategy to reduce T. cruzi transmission is paratransgenesis, whereby symbiotic bacteria are genetically engineered to produce T. cruzi-killing proteins in the vector's gut. This approach requires in-depth knowledge of the vectors' natural gut microbiota. Here, we use metagenomics (16S rRNA 454 pyrosequencing) to describe the gut microbiota of field-caught Triatoma sordida-likely the most common peridomestic triatomine in Brazil. For large nymphs (4th and 5th stage) and adults, we also studied separately the three main digestive-tract segments-anterior midgut, posterior midgut, and hindgut. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Bacteria of four phyla (12 genera) were present in both nymphs (all five stages) and adults, thus defining T. sordida's 'bacterial core': Actinobacteria (Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Dietzia, Gordonia, Nitriliruptor, Nocardia, Nocardiopsis, Rhodococcus, and Williamsia), Proteobacteria (Pseudomonas and Sphingobium), and Firmicutes (Staphylococcus). We found some clear differences in bacterial composition and relative abundance among development stages; overall, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria increased, but Actinobacteria decreased, through development. Finally, the bacterial microbiotas of the bugs' anterior midgut, posterior midgut, and hindgut were sharply distinct. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results identify the 'bacterial core set' of T. sordida and reveal important gut microbiota differences among development stages-particularly between 1st-3rd stage nymphs and adults. Further, we show that, within any given development stage, the vectors' gut cannot be regarded as a single homogeneous environment. Cultivable, non-pathogenic 'core' bacterial species may now be tested as candidates for paratransgenic control of T. cruzi transmission by T. sordida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana L. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos e Parasitos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliano C. Cury
- Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Campus de Sete Lagoas, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Gurgel-Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Médica e Biologia de Vetores, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Ana C. Bahia
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos e Parasitos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando A. Monteiro
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Sistemática Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Favila-Ruiz G, Jiménez-Cortés JG, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Salazar-Schettino PM, Gutiérrez-Cabrera AE, Pérez-Torres A, De Fuentes-Vicente JA, Vences-Blanco MO, Bucio-Torres MI, Flores-Villegas AL, Cabrera-Bravo M. Effects of Trypanosoma cruzi on the phenoloxidase and prophenoloxidase activity in the vector Meccus pallidipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:434. [PMID: 30053904 PMCID: PMC6062883 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3016-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triatomine insects are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease. The insect-parasite interaction has been studied in relation to the transmission and prevalence of this disease. For most triatomines, however, several crucial aspects of the insect immune response are still unknown. For example, only for Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans has the activity of phenoloxidase (PO) and its zymogen prophenoloxidase (proPO) been reported in relation to the hemolymph and anterior midgut (AM). The aim of this study was to gain insight into the immune response to T. cruzi infection of an important triatomine in Mexico, Meccus pallidipennis. Methods Parasites were quantified in the rectal contents of infected M. pallidipennis groups. We examined some key factors in disease transmission, including the systemic (hemolymph) and local (gut) immune response. Results Parasites were present in the rectal contents at 4 days post-infection (pi) and reached their maximum density on day 7 pi. At 7 and 9 days pi mainly metacyclic trypomastigotes occurred. Compared to the control, the infected insects exhibited diminished PO activity in the hemolymph on days 9, 16 and 20 pi, and in the AM only on day 9. Additionally, infected insects displayed lower proPO activity in the hemolymph on day 1, but greater activity in the AM on day 28. Conclusions The parasite strain originating from M. pallidipennis rapidly colonized the rectum of nymphs of this triatomine and developed high numbers of metacyclic trypomastigotes. Neither the changes of concentrations of PO and proPO in the hemolymph nor in the AM correlated with the changes in the population of T. cruzi. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3016-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Favila-Ruiz
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - J Guillermo Jiménez-Cortés
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Apdo. P. 70-275, Circuito Exterior, 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Paz María Salazar-Schettino
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ana E Gutiérrez-Cabrera
- CONACYT-Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Avenida Universidad 655, Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada Los Pinos y Caminera, CP 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Armando Pérez-Torres
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Tisular; Facultad de Medicina, UNAM, 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | | | - Mauro O Vences-Blanco
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Apdo. P. 70-275, Circuito Exterior, 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Martha I Bucio-Torres
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - A Laura Flores-Villegas
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
| | - Margarita Cabrera-Bravo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
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de Fuentes-Vicente JA, Gutiérrez-Cabrera AE, Flores-Villegas AL, Lowenberger C, Benelli G, Salazar-Schettino PM, Córdoba-Aguilar A. What makes an effective Chagas disease vector? Factors underlying Trypanosoma cruzi-triatomine interactions. Acta Trop 2018; 183:23-31. [PMID: 29625091 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which infect blood-feeding triatomine bugs to finally reach mammal hosts. Chagas disease is endemic in Latin America, and is ranked among the 13 neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Currently, an estimate of 7 million people is infected by T. cruzi, leading to about 22 000 deaths per year throughout the Americas. As occurs with other vectors, a major question towards control programs is what makes a susceptible bug. In this review, we focus on findings linked to insect gut structure and microbiota, immunity, genetics, blood sources, abiotic factors (with special reference to ambient temperature and altitude) to understand the interactions occurring between T. cruzi and triatomine bugs, under a co-evolutionary scenario. These factors lead to varying fitness benefits and costs for bugs, explaining why infection in the insect takes place and how it varies in time and space. Our analysis highlights that major factors are gut components and microbiota, blood sources and temperature. Although their close interaction has never been clarified, knowledge reviewed here may help to boost the success of triatomine control programs, reducing the use of insecticides.
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