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Zarin S, Shariq M, Rastogi N, Ahuja Y, Manjunath P, Alam A, Hasnain SE, Ehtesham NZ. Rv2231c, a unique histidinol phosphate aminotransferase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, supports virulence by inhibiting host-directed defense. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:203. [PMID: 38698289 PMCID: PMC11065945 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05200-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen metabolism of M. tuberculosis is critical for its survival in infected host cells. M. tuberculosis has evolved sophisticated strategies to switch between de novo synthesis and uptake of various amino acids from host cells for metabolic demands. Pyridoxal phosphate-dependent histidinol phosphate aminotransferase-HspAT enzyme is critically required for histidine biosynthesis. HspAT is involved in metabolic synthesis of histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and novobiocin. We showed that M. tuberculosis Rv2231c is a conserved enzyme with HspAT activity. Rv2231c is a monomeric globular protein that contains α-helices and β-sheets. It is a secretory and cell wall-localized protein that regulates critical pathogenic attributes. Rv2231c enhances the survival and virulence of recombinant M. smegmatis in infected RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Rv2231c is recognized by the TLR4 innate immune receptor and modulates the host immune response by suppressing the secretion of the antibacterial pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF, IL-12, and IL-6. It also inhibits the expression of co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 along with antigen presenting molecule MHC-I on macrophage and suppresses reactive nitrogen species formation, thereby promoting M2 macrophage polarization. Recombinant M. smegmatis expressing Rv2231c inhibited apoptosis in macrophages, promoting efficient bacterial survival and proliferation, thereby increasing virulence. Our results indicate that Rv2231c is a moonlighting protein that regulates multiple functions of M. tuberculosis pathophysiology to increase its virulence. These mechanistic insights can be used to better understand the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis and to design strategies for tuberculosis mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeba Zarin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi, India
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Mohd Shariq
- Cell Signaling and Inflammation Biology Lab, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Nilisha Rastogi
- Cell Signaling and Inflammation Biology Lab, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Yashika Ahuja
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - P Manjunath
- Cell Signaling and Inflammation Biology Lab, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Anwar Alam
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201310, India
| | - Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India.
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, 110016, India.
| | - Nasreen Zafar Ehtesham
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Sciences and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India.
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Islam A, do Prado BR, Dittz D, Rodrigues BL, Silva SMD, do Monte-Neto RL, Shabeer M, Frézard F, Demicheli C. Susceptibility of Leishmania to novel pentavalent organometallics: Investigating impact on DNA and membrane integrity in antimony(III)-sensitive and -resistant strains. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22194. [PMID: 38704828 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The aim the present study was to investigate the impact of novel pentavalent organobismuth and organoantimony complexes on membrane integrity and their interaction with DNA, activity against Sb(III)-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania strains and toxicity in mammalian peritoneal macrophages. Ph3M(L)2 type complexes were synthesized, where M = Sb(V) or Bi(V) and L = deprotonated 3-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid or 2-acetylbenzoic acid. Both organobismuth(V) and organoantimony(V) complexes exhibited efficacy at micromolar concentrations against Leishmania amazonensis and L. infantum but only the later ones demonstrated biocompatibility. Ph3Sb(L1)2 and Ph3Bi(L1)2 demonstrated distinct susceptibility profiles compared to inorganic Sb(III)-resistant strains of MRPA-overexpressing L. amazonensis and AQP1-mutated L. guyanensis. These complexes were able to permeate the cell membrane and interact with the Leishmania DNA, suggesting that this effect may contribute to the parasite growth inhibition via apoptosis. Taken altogether, our data substantiate the notion of a distinct mechanism of uptake pathway and action in Leishmania for these organometallic complexes, distinguishing them from the conventional inorganic antimonial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Islam
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Postgraduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Department of Pathology, Government Lady Reading Hospital Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Bruno Rodrigues do Prado
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Dalton Dittz
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), Av. Universitária, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Lages Rodrigues
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Sydnei Magno da Silva
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av Amazonas, s/n, Umuarama, Brazil
| | | | - Muhammad Shabeer
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Frédéric Frézard
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Postgraduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Cynthia Demicheli
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Francesconi V, Rizzo M, Schenone S, Carbone A, Tonelli M. State-of-the-art Review on the Antiparasitic Activity of Benzimidazolebased Derivatives: Facing Malaria, Leishmaniasis, and Trypanosomiasis. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:1955-1982. [PMID: 37718524 PMCID: PMC11071657 DOI: 10.2174/0929867331666230915093928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Protozoan parasites represent a significant risk for public health worldwide, afflicting particularly people in more vulnerable categories and cause large morbidity and heavy economic impact. Traditional drugs are limited by their toxicity, low efficacy, route of administration, and cost, reflecting their low priority in global health management. Moreover, the drug resistance phenomenon threatens the positive therapy outcome. This scenario claims the need of addressing more adequate therapies. Among the diverse strategies implemented, the medicinal chemistry efforts have also focused their attention on the benzimidazole nucleus as a promising pharmacophore for the generation of new drug candidates. Hence, the present review provides a global insight into recent progress in benzimidazole-based derivatives drug discovery against important protozoan diseases, such as malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis. The more relevant chemical features and structure-activity relationship studies of these molecules are discussed for the purpose of paving the way towards the development of more viable drugs for the treatment of these parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Francesconi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Marco Rizzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Silvia Schenone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Anna Carbone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
| | - Michele Tonelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, Genoa, 16132, Italy
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Yuan D, Chen J, Zhao Z, Qin H. Metabolomics analysis of visceral leishmaniasis based on urine of golden hamsters. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:304. [PMID: 37649093 PMCID: PMC10469881 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases and is spread mainly in impoverished regions of the world. Although many studies have focused on the host's response to Leishmania invasion, relatively less is known about the complex processes at the metabolic level, especially the metabolic alterations in the infected hosts. METHODS In this study, we conducted metabolomics analysis on the urine of golden hamsters in the presence or absence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system tandem high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS). The metabolic characteristics of urine samples, along with the histopathological change and the parasite burden of liver and spleen tissues, were detected at 4 and 12 weeks post infection (WPI), respectively. RESULTS Amino acid metabolism was extensively affected at both stages of VL progression. Meanwhile, there were also distinct metabolic features at different stages. At 4 WPI, the significantly affected metabolic pathways involved alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), histidine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and tyrosine metabolism. At 12 WPI, the markedly enriched metabolic pathways were almost concentrated on amino acid metabolism, including tyrosine metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and tryptophan metabolism. The dysregulated metabolites and metabolic pathways at 12 WPI were obviously less than those at 4 WPI. In addition, seven metabolites that were dysregulated at both stages through partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) tests were screened to be of diagnostic potential. The combination of these metabolites as a potential biomarker panel showed satisfactory performance in distinguishing infection groups from control groups as well as among different stages of infection. CONCLUSION Our findings could provide valuable information for further understanding of the host response to Leishmania infection from the aspect of the urine metabolome. The proposed urine biomarker panel could help in the development of a novel approach for the diagnosis and prognosis of VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Yuan
- Department of Human Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiwei Zhao
- Department of Human Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hanxiao Qin
- Clinical Trial Center, Chengdu Second People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610021, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Khorram M, Masjedi H, Tabrizi F, Rezaei M, Tabarsi P, Marjani M, Pourabdoullah M, Sheikholeslami FM. The Accuracy of Diagnosis and Genotyping of Leishmania Species Based on Spliced Leader Mini-Exon Gene by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Sequencing Assays. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2023; 18:331-341. [PMID: 37886256 PMCID: PMC10597884 DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v18i3.13756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Background We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of genotyping of Leishmania species by the spliced leader mini-exon gene. Methods Suspected leishmaniasis patients, referred to Masieh Daneshvary Hospital, Tehran, Iran were included from May 2017 to September 2021. The Leishmania species were genotyped by PCRRFLP based on the SL mini-exon gene and the ITS1 region of SSU-rRNA gene and compared with the sequencing results. The expressed metabolites of metacyclic promastigotes were evaluated by Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). Results Out of 66 suspected cases, 36 (54.4%) were positive for Leishmania species based on the PCR assays. In 21 (31.8%) cases, promastigotes grew on culture tubes. Based on the RFLP of SL RNA profile, 13 (19.7%) L. tropica, 9 (13.6%) L. major, 3 (4.5%) L. infantum, and 8 (12.1%) C. fasciculata isolates, isolated from culture media, were identified; however, 3 (4.5%) cases were unidentifiable due to the low number of parasites. Seventeen metabolites were expressed by the metacyclic forms of L. major, L. tropica and C. fasciculata isolates. The top differential metabolites expressed more in C. fasciculata were FAD, p-Methoxybenzyl alcohol and S-b-G-5, 5-G-b-S (A = CH2) (P<0.005) whereas Veratryl glycerols and D-(+)-Mannose were significantly increased in L. major and Betulin, LTyrosine in L. tropica (P<0.01). Conclusion The invaluable techniques such as sequencing and 1H-NMR confirmed the results of genotyping of Leishmania species based on the SL mini-exon gene. SL mini exon gene can be used as a diagnostic tool to differentiate various Leishmania genotypes and detect contamination of culture media with C. fasciculata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahyar Khorram
- Department of New Sciences and Technologies, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Heidar Masjedi
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Tabrizi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mitra Rezaei
- Genomic Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Payam Tabarsi
- Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Marjani
- Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mihan Pourabdoullah
- Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh-Maryam Sheikholeslami
- Pediatric Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Biology, Dr. Khosroshahi’s Pathobiology Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
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Hassan AHE, Phan TN, Moon S, Lee CH, Kim YJ, Cho SB, El-Sayed SM, Choi Y, No JH, Lee YS. Design, synthesis, and repurposing of O 6-aminoalkyl-sulfuretin analogs towards discovery of potential lead compounds as antileishmanial agents. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 251:115256. [PMID: 36944273 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Up to date, there are still significantly unmet clinical needs for treatment of the fatal visceral leishmaniasis; a neglected tropical disease. Herein, a recently reported antileishmanial hit sulfuretin analog suffering from a low potency and a problematic aqueous solubility that hindered further development was used as a starting point. A mitigation rational via incorporation of O6-aminoalkyl moiety suggest structures analogous to literature-known compounds as cholinesterase inhibitors. Consequently, preparation and repurposing of a library of these compounds unveiled their potential activity against the parasite Leishmania donovani promastigotes. Further evaluation against intracellular form of the parasite and host cells suggested compounds 2a, 2c, and 2o derived from sulfuretin analogs bearing 2'-methoxy or 2',5'-dimethoxy substituents at ring-B as promising lead compounds with potential activity and acceptable safety window relative to the standard edelfosine. In silico simulation predicted plausible binding modes of these compounds to L. donovani fumarate reductase. Together this work presents compound 2o as a potential lead compound for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed H E Hassan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
| | - Trong-Nhat Phan
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Suyeon Moon
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Chae Hyeon Lee
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon Ju Kim
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bin Cho
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Selwan M El-Sayed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Yeonwoo Choi
- Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hwan No
- Host-Parasite Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Sup Lee
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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Sasidharan S, Saudagar P. An anti-leishmanial compound 4',7-dihydroxyflavone elicits ROS-mediated apoptosis-like death in Leishmania parasite. FEBS J 2023. [PMID: 36871140 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
The treatment for leishmaniasis is currently plagued by side effects such as toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance to the available repertoire of drugs, as well as the expense of these drugs. Considering such rising concerns, we report the anti-leishmanial activity and mechanism of a flavone compound 4',7-dihydroxyflavone (TI 4). Four flavanoids were initially screened for anti-leishmanial activity and cytotoxicity. The results showed that the compound TI 4 exhibited higher activity and selectivity index at the same time as maintaining low cytotoxicity. Preliminary microscopic studies and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis reported that the parasite underwent apoptosis on TI 4 treatment. Further in-depth studies revealed high reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and thiol levels in the parasites, suggesting ROS-mediated apoptosis in the parasites upon TI 4 treatment. Other apoptotic indicators such as intracellular Ca2+ and mitochondrial membrane potential also indicated the onset of apoptosis in the treated parasites. The mRNA expression levels signified that the redox metabolism genes were upregulated by two-fold along with the apoptotic genes. In summary, the use of TI 4 on Leishmania parasites induces ROS-mediated apoptosis; therefore, the compound has immense potential to be an anti-leishmanial drug. However, in vivo studies would be required to ascertain its safety and efficacy before we can exploit the compound against the growing leishmaniasis crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santanu Sasidharan
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India
| | - Prakash Saudagar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India
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Lesani M, Gosmanov C, Paun A, Lewis MD, McCall LI. Impact of Visceral Leishmaniasis on Local Organ Metabolism in Hamsters. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12090802. [PMID: 36144206 PMCID: PMC9506185 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12090802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is an intracellular parasite with different species pathogenic to humans and causing the disease leishmaniasis. Leishmania donovani causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) that manifests as hepatosplenomegaly, fever, pancytopenia and hypergammaglobulinemia. If left without treatment, VL can cause death, especially in immunocompromised people. Current treatments have often significant adverse effects, and resistance has been reported in some countries. Determining the metabolites perturbed during VL can lead us to find new treatments targeting disease pathogenesis. We therefore compared metabolic perturbation between L. donovani-infected and uninfected hamsters across organs (spleen, liver, and gut). Metabolites were extracted, analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and processed with MZmine and molecular networking to annotate metabolites. We found few metabolites commonly impacted by infection across all three sites, including glycerophospholipids, ceramides, acylcarnitines, peptides, purines and amino acids. In accordance with VL symptoms and parasite tropism, we found a greater overlap of perturbed metabolites between spleen and liver compared to spleen and gut, or liver and gut. Targeting pathways related to these metabolite families would be the next focus that can lead us to find more effective treatments for VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahbobeh Lesani
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Camil Gosmanov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Andrea Paun
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Correspondence:
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Taslimi Y, Masoudzadeh N, Bahrami F, Rafati S. Cutaneous leishmaniasis: multiomics approaches to unravel the role of immune cells checkpoints. Expert Rev Proteomics 2022; 19:213-225. [PMID: 36191333 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2022.2131545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most frequent form of leishmaniases, associated with skin inflammation and ulceration. Understanding the interaction of different phagocytic cells in the recognition and uptake of different Leishmania species is critical for controlling the infection. Phagocytic cells have a pivotal role as professional antigen-presenting cells that bridge the innate and adaptive immunity and shape the outcome of the disease. AREAS COVERED Here we reviewed new technologies with high-throughput data collection capabilities along with systems biology approaches which are recently being used to decode the paradox of CL immunology. EXPERT OPINION We emphasized on the crosstalk between DC and T-cells while focusing on the immune checkpoints interactions between the human immune system and the Leishmania species. Further, we discussed omics technologies including bulk RNA sequencing, reverse transcriptase-multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification (RT-MLPA), and proximity extension assay (PEA) in studies on human blood or tissue-driven samples from CL patients in which we have so far been involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Taslimi
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran Iran
| | - Nasrin Masoudzadeh
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran Iran
| | - Fariborz Bahrami
- Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sima Rafati
- Department of Immunotherapy and Leishmania Vaccine Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran Iran
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Qin H, Zhang J, Dong K, Chen D, Yuan D, Chen J. Metabolic characterization and biomarkers screening for visceral leishmaniasis in golden hamsters. Acta Trop 2022; 225:106222. [PMID: 34757045 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A better understanding of the changes in metabolic molecules during visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is essential to develop new strategies for diagnosis and treatment. Previous metabolomics studies on Leishmania have increased our knowledge of leishmaniasis and its causative pathogen. As these studies were mainly carried out in vitro, to go further, we conducted this global metabolomics analysis on the serum of golden hamsters. Serum samples were detected over a time course of 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks post infection. Our results revealed that under extensively disturbed metabolomes between the infection group and controls, glycerophospholipid (GPL) metabolism was most affected over the infection time, followed by α-linoleic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. Within GPLs, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were found to be significantly increased, while their enzyme-catalysed metabolites lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) showed no significant changes. Moreover, eight differential metabolites were selected. The ability of these metabolites to be used as a diagnostic biomarker panel was supported by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Our findings revealed that GPL metabolism might play an important role in the response of the host to Leishmania infection. The metabolism of PC and PE might be crucial in the in vivo progression of VL. The panel of eight potential biomarkers might contribute to the diagnosis of VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Qin
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhui Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Dong
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dali Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongmei Yuan
- Department of Human Anatomy, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Marcolino LMC, Pereira AHC, Pinto JG, Mamone LA, Strixino JF. CELLULAR AND METABOLIC CHANGES AFTER PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY IN LEISHMANIA PROMASTIGOTES. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther 2021; 35:102403. [PMID: 34161856 DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2021.102403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease, regarded by WHO as a public health problem that has presented a significant increase in the recent years. Conventional treatment is toxic and leads to serious side effects. Photodynamic therapy has been studied as a treatment to cutaneous leishmaniasis. This study aimed to evaluate the cell viability, morphological changes, type of cell death, production of reactive oxygen species, and changes in the mitochondrial membrane and DNA fragmentation in Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania major promastigotes. Confocal microscopy was used to quantify the fluorescence emitted by JC-1, Annexin V, and propidium iodide reagents. The trypan blue exclusion test was used to evaluate the viability of the cells, the mitochondrial activity was verified with MTT, and the morphological changes were analyzed for SEM and DNA damage using the comet assay. PDT using curcumin at 500, 125, and 31,25 μg/mL decreased the viability of the parasites and induced changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The production of reactive oxygen species was dose-dependent and was observed only in the groups submitted to PDT. DNA damage was also observed in the parasite cells. The morphology of the cells was affected mainly at the highest curcumin concentration, resulting in rounded cells with a shortened flagellum. When the type of cell death was analyzed, the prevalence of apoptosis was noted. The results support the use of curcumin as photosensitizer in PDT against Leishmania promastigotes in the treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Maria Cortez Marcolino
- Photobiology Applied to Health - Universidade do Vale do Paraíba. Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, São José dos Campos, S.P, Brazil.
| | - André Henrique Correia Pereira
- Photobiology Applied to Health - Universidade do Vale do Paraíba. Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, São José dos Campos, S.P, Brazil
| | - Juliana Guerra Pinto
- Photobiology Applied to Health - Universidade do Vale do Paraíba. Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, São José dos Campos, S.P, Brazil
| | - Leandro Ariel Mamone
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias (CIPYP), CONICET and Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Córdoba 2351 1er subsuelo, Ciudad de Buenos Aires CP1120AAF, Argentina
| | - Juliana Ferreira Strixino
- Photobiology Applied to Health - Universidade do Vale do Paraíba. Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, Urbanova, São José dos Campos, S.P, Brazil.
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De novo histidine biosynthesis protects Mycobacterium tuberculosis from host IFN-γ mediated histidine starvation. Commun Biol 2021; 4:410. [PMID: 33767335 PMCID: PMC7994828 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01926-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) have evolved with strategies to uptake amino acids from host cells to fulfil their metabolic requirements. However, Mtb also possesses de novo biosynthesis pathways for all the amino acids. This raises a pertinent question- how does Mtb meet its histidine requirements within an in vivo infection setting? Here, we present a mechanism in which the host, by up-regulating its histidine catabolizing enzymes through interferon gamma (IFN-γ) mediated signalling, exerts an immune response directed at starving the bacillus of intracellular free histidine. However, the wild-type Mtb evades this host immune response by biosynthesizing histidine de novo, whereas a histidine auxotroph fails to multiply. Notably, in an IFN-γ-/- mouse model, the auxotroph exhibits a similar extent of virulence as that of the wild-type. The results augment the current understanding of host-Mtb interactions and highlight the essentiality of Mtb histidine biosynthesis for its pathogenesis.
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Tabrizi F, Seyyed Tabaei SJ, Ali Ahmadi N, Arefi Oskouie A. A Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Based Metabolomic Study to Identify Metabolite Differences between Iranian Isolates of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 46:43-51. [PMID: 33487791 PMCID: PMC7812499 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2019.82120.0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania species (L. spp) is one of the most important parasitic diseases in humans. To gain information on the metabolite variations and biochemical pathways between L. spp, we used the comparative metabolome of metacyclic promastigotes in the Iranian isolates of L. major and L. tropica by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). Methods L. tropica and L. major were collected from three areas of Iran, namely Gonbad, Mashhad, and Bam, between 2017 and 2018, and were cultured. The metacyclic promastigote of each species was separated, and cell metabolites were extracted. 1H-NMR spectroscopy was applied, and the data were processed using ProMatab in MATLAB (version 7.8.0.347). Multivariate statistical analyses, including the principal component analysis and the orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis, were performed to identify the discriminative metabolites between the two L. spp. Metabolites with variable influences in projection values of more than one and a P value of less than 0.05 were marked as significant differences. Results A set of metabolites were detected, and 24 significantly differentially expressed metabolites were found between the metacyclic forms of L. major and L. tropica isolates. The top differential metabolites were methionine, aspartate, betaine, and acetylcarnitine, which were increased more in L. tropica than L. major (P<0.005), whereas asparagine, 3-hydroxybutyrate, L-proline, and kynurenine were increased significantly in L. major (P<0.01). The significantly altered metabolites were involved in eight metabolic pathways. Conclusion Metabolomics, as an invaluable technique, yielded significant metabolites, and their biochemical pathways related to the metacyclic promastigotes of L. major and L. tropica. The findings offer greater insights into parasite biology and how pathogens adapt to their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Tabrizi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Javad Seyyed Tabaei
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nayeb Ali Ahmadi
- Proteomics Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Afsaneh Arefi Oskouie
- Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Pinho N, Wiśniewski JR, Dias-Lopes G, Saboia-Vahia L, Bombaça ACS, Mesquita-Rodrigues C, Menna-Barreto R, Cupolillo E, de Jesus JB, Padrón G, Cuervo P. In-depth quantitative proteomics uncovers specie-specific metabolic programs in Leishmania (Viannia) species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008509. [PMID: 32804927 PMCID: PMC7451982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania species are responsible for a broad spectrum of diseases, denominated Leishmaniasis, affecting over 12 million people worldwide. During the last decade, there have been impressive efforts for sequencing the genome of most of the pathogenic Leishmania spp. as well as hundreds of strains, but large-scale proteomics analyses did not follow these achievements and the Leishmania proteome remained mostly uncharacterized. Here, we report a comprehensive comparative study of the proteomes of strains representing L. braziliensis, L. panamensis and L. guyanensis species. Proteins extracted by SDS-mediated lysis were processed following the multi-enzyme digestion-filter aided sample preparation (FASP) procedure and analysed by high accuracy mass spectrometry. "Total Protein Approach" and "Proteomic Ruler" were applied for absolute quantification of proteins. Principal component analysis demonstrated very high reproducibility among biological replicates and a very clear differentiation of the three species. Our dataset comprises near 7000 proteins, representing the most complete Leishmania proteome yet known, and provides a comprehensive quantitative picture of the proteomes of the three species in terms of protein concentration and copy numbers. Analysis of the abundance of proteins from the major energy metabolic processes allow us to highlight remarkably differences among the species and suggest that these parasites depend on distinct energy substrates to obtain ATP. Whereas L. braziliensis relies the more on glycolysis, L. panamensis and L. guyanensis seem to depend mainly on mitochondrial respiration. These results were confirmed by biochemical assays showing opposite profiles for glucose uptake and O2 consumption in these species. In addition, we provide quantitative data about different membrane proteins, transporters, and lipids, all of which contribute for significant species-specific differences and provide rich substrate for explore new molecules for diagnosing purposes. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017696.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Pinho
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jacek R. Wiśniewski
- Biochemical Proteomics Group, Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Geovane Dias-Lopes
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Saboia-Vahia
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Rubem Menna-Barreto
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jose Batista de Jesus
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina–Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Dom Bosco, São João del Rei, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Padrón
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia Cuervo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Genomic and Metabolomic Polymorphism among Experimentally Selected Paromomycin-Resistant Leishmania donovani Strains. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 64:AAC.00904-19. [PMID: 31658971 PMCID: PMC7187574 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00904-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism(s) underpinning drug resistance could lead to novel treatments to reverse the increased tolerance of a pathogen. In this study, paromomycin (PMM) resistance (PMMr) was induced in three Nepalese clinical strains of Leishmania donovani with different inherent susceptibilities to antimony (Sb) drugs by stepwise exposure of promastigotes to PMM. Understanding the mechanism(s) underpinning drug resistance could lead to novel treatments to reverse the increased tolerance of a pathogen. In this study, paromomycin (PMM) resistance (PMMr) was induced in three Nepalese clinical strains of Leishmania donovani with different inherent susceptibilities to antimony (Sb) drugs by stepwise exposure of promastigotes to PMM. Exposure to PMM resulted in the production of mixed populations of parasites, even though a single cloned population was used at the start of selection. PMM 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for PMMr parasites varied between 104 and 481 μM at the promastigote stage and 32 and 195 μM at the intracellular amastigote stage. PMM resistance was associated with increased resistance to nitric oxide at the amastigote stage but not the promastigote stage (P < 0.05). This effect was most marked in the Sb-resistant (Sbr) PMMr clone, in which PMM resistance was associated with a significant upregulation of glutathione compared to that in its wild type (P < 0.05), although there was no change in the regulation of trypanothione (detected in its oxidized form). Interestingly, PMMr strains showed an increase in either the keto acid derivative of isoleucine (Sb intermediate PMMr) or the 2-hydroxy acids derived from arginine and tyrosine (Sb susceptible PMMr and Sbr PMMr). These results are consistent with the recent finding that the upregulation of the branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase and d-lactate dehydrogenase is linked to PMMr. In addition, we found that PMMr is associated with a significant increase in aneuploidy during PMM selection in all the strains, which could allow the rapid selection of genetic changes that confer a survival advantage.
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Amaral M, de Sousa FS, Silva TAC, Junior AJG, Taniwaki NN, Johns DM, Lago JHG, Anderson EA, Tempone AG. A semi-synthetic neolignan derivative from dihydrodieugenol B selectively affects the bioenergetic system of Leishmania infantum and inhibits cell division. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6114. [PMID: 30992481 PMCID: PMC6467890 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42273-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects more than 12 million people, with a limited therapy. Plant-derived natural products represent a useful source of anti-protozoan prototypes. In this work, four derivatives were prepared from neolignans isolated from the Brazilian plant Nectandra leucantha, and their effects against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania (L.) infantum evaluated in vitro. IC50 values between 6 and 35 µM were observed and in silico predictions suggested good oral bioavailability, no PAINS similarities, and ADMET risks typical of lipophilic compounds. The most selective (SI > 32) compound was chosen for lethal action and immunomodulatory studies. This compound caused a transient depolarization of the plasma membrane potential and induced an imbalance of intracellular Ca2+, possibly resulting in a mitochondrial impairment and leading to a strong depolarization of the membrane potential and decrease of ATP levels. The derivative also interfered with the cell cycle of Leishmania, inducing a programmed cell death-like mechanism and affecting DNA replication. Further immunomodulatory studies demonstrated that the compound eliminates amastigotes via an independent activation of the host cell, with decrease levels of IL-10, TNF and MCP-1. Additionally, this derivative caused no hemolytic effects in murine erythrocytes and could be considered promising for future lead studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiara Amaral
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Fernanda S de Sousa
- Institute of Environmental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brazil
| | - Thais A Costa Silva
- Centre of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Andrés Jimenez G Junior
- Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Noemi N Taniwaki
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil
| | - Deidre M Johns
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - João Henrique G Lago
- Centre of Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Edward A Anderson
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Andre G Tempone
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil.
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Shrivastava R, Drory-Retwitzer M, Shapira M. Nutritional stress targets LeishIF4E-3 to storage granules that contain RNA and ribosome components in Leishmania. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007237. [PMID: 30870425 PMCID: PMC6435199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007237] [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: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites lack pathways for de novo purine biosynthesis. The depletion of purines induces differentiation into virulent metacyclic forms. In vitro, the parasites can survive prolonged periods of purine withdrawal changing their morphology to long and slender cells with an extended flagellum, and decreasing their translation rates. Reduced translation leads to the appearance of discrete granules that contain LeishIF4E-3, one of the six eIF4E paralogs encoded by the Leishmania genome. We hypothesize that each is responsible for a different function during the life cycle. LeishIF4E-3 is a weak cap-binding protein paralog, but its involvement in translation under normal conditions cannot be excluded. However, in response to nutritional stress, LeishIF4E-3 concentrates in specific cytoplasmic granules. LeishIF4E-3 granulation can be induced by the independent elimination of purines, amino acids and glucose. As these granules contain mature mRNAs, we propose that these bodies store inactive transcripts until recovery from stress occurs. In attempt to examine the content of the nutritional stress-induced granules, they were concentrated over sucrose gradients and further pulled-down by targeting in vivo tagged LeishIF4E-3. Proteomic analysis highlighted granule enrichment with multiple ribosomal proteins, suggesting that ribosome particles are abundant in these foci, as expected in case of translation inhibition. RNA-binding proteins, RNA helicases and metabolic enzymes were also enriched in the granules, whereas no degradation enzymes or P-body markers were detected. The starvation-induced LeishIF4E-3-containing granules, therefore, appear to store stalled ribosomes and ribosomal subunits, along with their associated mRNAs. Following nutritional stress, LeishIF4E-3 becomes phosphorylated at position S75, located in its less-conserved N-terminal extension. The ability of the S75A mutant to form granules was reduced, indicating that cellular signaling regulates LeishIF4E-3 function. Cells respond to cellular stress by decreasing protein translation, to prevent the formation of partially folded or misfolded new polypeptides whose accumulation can be detrimental to living cells. Under such conditions, the cells benefit from storing inactive mRNAs and stalled ribosomal particles, to maintain their availability once conditions improve; dedicated granules offer a solution for such storage. Leishmania parasites are exposed to a variety of stress conditions as a natural part of their life cycle, including the nutritional stress that the parasites experience within the gut of the sandfly. Thus, Leishmania and related trypanosomatids serve as a good model system to investigate RNA fate during different stress conditions. Various granules appear in Leishmania and related organisms in response to different stress conditions. Here, we investigated how nutritional stress, in particular elimination of purines, induced the formation of granules that harbor a specific cap-binding protein, LeishIF4E-3. The starvation-induced LeishIF4E-3 containing granules consist of a variety of ribosomal proteins, along with RNA-binding proteins and mature mRNAs. We thus propose that Leishmania modulates the assembly of LeishIF4E-3-containing granules for transient storage of stalled ribosomal particles and inactive mRNAs. Following renewal of nutrient availability, as occurs during the parasite’s life cycle, the granules disappear. Although their fate is yet unclear, they could be recycled in the cell. Unlike other granules described in trypanosomes, the LeishIF4E-3-containing granules did not contain RNA degradation enzymes, suggesting that their function is mainly for storage until conditions improve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Shrivastava
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Matan Drory-Retwitzer
- Department of Computer Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Michal Shapira
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- * E-mail:
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Subramanian A, Sarkar RR. Perspectives on Leishmania Species and Stage-specific Adaptive Mechanisms. Trends Parasitol 2018; 34:1068-1081. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Samarasinghe SR, Samaranayake N, Kariyawasam UL, Siriwardana YD, Imamura H, Karunaweera ND. Genomic insights into virulence mechanisms of Leishmania donovani: evidence from an atypical strain. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:843. [PMID: 30486770 PMCID: PMC6262978 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5271-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with diverse clinical phenotypes, determined by parasite, host and vector interactions. Despite the advances in molecular biology and the availability of more Leishmania genome references in recent years, the association between parasite species and distinct clinical phenotypes remains poorly understood. We present a genomic comparison of an atypical variant of Leishmania donovani from a South Asian focus, where it mostly causes cutaneous form of leishmaniasis. Results Clinical isolates from six cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (CL-SL); 2 of whom were poor responders to antimony (CL-PR), and two visceral leishmaniasis patients (VL-SL) were sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform. Chromosome aneuploidy was observed in both groups but was more frequent in CL-SL. 248 genes differed by 2 fold or more in copy number among the two groups. Genes involved in amino acid use (LdBPK_271940) and energy metabolism (LdBPK_271950), predominated the VL-SL group with the same distribution pattern reflected in gene tandem arrays. Genes encoding amastins were present in higher copy numbers in VL-SL and CL-PR as well as being among predicted pseudogenes in CL-SL. Both chromosome and SNP profiles showed CL-SL and VL-SL to form two distinct groups. While expected heterozygosity was much higher in VL-SL, SNP allele frequency patterns did not suggest potential recent recombination breakpoints. The SNP/indel profile obtained using the more recently generated PacBio sequence did not vary markedly from that based on the standard LdBPK282A1 reference. Several genes previously associated with resistance to antimonials were observed in higher copy numbers in the analysis of CL-PR. H-locus amplification was seen in one cutaneous isolate which however did not belong to the CL-PR group. Conclusions The data presented suggests that intra species variations at chromosome and gene level are more likely to influence differences in tropism as well as response to treatment, and contributes to greater understanding of parasite molecular mechanisms underpinning these differences. These findings should be substantiated with a larger sample number and expression/functional studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-5271-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumudu R Samarasinghe
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Nilakshi Samaranayake
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Udeshika L Kariyawasam
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Yamuna D Siriwardana
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Hideo Imamura
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nadira D Karunaweera
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
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An Insight into the Constitutive Proteome Throughout Leishmania donovani Promastigote Growth and Differentiation. Int Microbiol 2018; 22:143-154. [DOI: 10.1007/s10123-018-00036-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Influence of 6-aminonicotinamide (6AN) on Leishmania promastigotes evaluated by metabolomics: Beyond the pentose phosphate pathway. Chem Biol Interact 2018; 294:167-177. [PMID: 30170107 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2018.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
6-Aminonicotinamide (6AN) is an antimetabolite used to inhibit the NADPH-producing pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in many cellular systems, making them more susceptible to oxidative stress. It is converted by a NAD(P)+ glycohydrolase to 6-aminoNAD and 6-aminoNADP, causing the accumulation of PPP intermediates, due to their inability to participate in redox reactions. Some parasites like Plasmodium falciparum and Coccidia are highly sensitive but not all cell types showed a strong responsiveness to 6AN, probably due to the different targeted pathway. For instance, in bacteria the main target is the Preiss-Handler salvage pathway for NAD+ biosynthesis. We were interested in testing 6AN on the kinetoplastid protozoan Leishmania as another model to clarify the mechanisms of action of 6AN, by using metabolomics. Leishmania promastigotes, the life-cycle stage residing in the sandfly, demonstrated a three order of magnitude higher EC50 (mM) compared to P. falciparum and mammalian cells (μM), although pre-treatment with 100 μM 6AN prior to sub-lethal oxidative challenge induced a supra-additive cell kill in L. infantum. By metabolomics, we did not detect 6ANAD/P suggesting that NAD+ glycohydrolases in Leishmania may not be highly efficient in catalysing transglycosidation as happens in other microorganisms. Contrariwise to the reported effect on 6AN-treated cancer cells, we did not detect 6-phosphogluconate (6 PG) accumulation, indicating that 6ANADP cannot bind with high affinity to the PPP enzyme 6 PG dehydrogenase. By contrast, 6AN caused a profound phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) decrease and nucleobases accumulation confirming that PPP is somehow affected. More importantly, we found a decrease in nicotinate production, evidencing the interference with the Preiss-Handler salvage pathway for NAD+ biosynthesis, most probably by inhibiting the reaction catalysed by nicotinamidase. Therefore, our combined data from Leishmania strains, though confirming the interference with PPP, also showed that 6AN impairs the Preiss-Handler pathway, underlining the importance to develop compounds targeting this last route.
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Armitage EG, Alqaisi AQI, Godzien J, Peña I, Mbekeani AJ, Alonso-Herranz V, López-Gonzálvez Á, Martín J, Gabarro R, Denny PW, Barrett MP, Barbas C. Complex Interplay between Sphingolipid and Sterol Metabolism Revealed by Perturbations to the Leishmania Metabolome Caused by Miltefosine. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:e02095-17. [PMID: 29463533 PMCID: PMC5923112 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02095-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
With the World Health Organization reporting over 30,000 deaths and 200,000 to 400,000 new cases annually, visceral leishmaniasis is a serious disease affecting some of the world's poorest people. As drug resistance continues to rise, there is a huge unmet need to improve treatment. Miltefosine remains one of the main treatments for leishmaniasis, yet its mode of action (MoA) is still unknown. Understanding the MoA of this drug and parasite response to treatment could help pave the way for new and more successful treatments for leishmaniasis. A novel method has been devised to study the metabolome and lipidome of Leishmania donovani axenic amastigotes treated with miltefosine. Miltefosine caused a dramatic decrease in many membrane phospholipids (PLs), in addition to amino acid pools, while sphingolipids (SLs) and sterols increased. Leishmania major promastigotes devoid of SL biosynthesis through loss of the serine palmitoyl transferase gene (ΔLCB2) were 3-fold less sensitive to miltefosine than wild-type (WT) parasites. Changes in the metabolome and lipidome of miltefosine-treated L. major mirrored those of L. donovani A lack of SLs in the ΔLCB2 mutant was matched by substantial alterations in sterol content. Together, these data indicate that SLs and ergosterol are important for miltefosine sensitivity and, perhaps, MoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Armitage
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
- GSK I+D Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Parque Tecnológico de Madrid, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences & Glasgow Polyomics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Amjed Q I Alqaisi
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Durham, United Kingdom
- University of Baghdad, College of Science, Biology Department, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Joanna Godzien
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
| | - Imanol Peña
- GSK I+D Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Parque Tecnológico de Madrid, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alison J Mbekeani
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Vanesa Alonso-Herranz
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángeles López-Gonzálvez
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Martín
- GSK I+D Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Parque Tecnológico de Madrid, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Gabarro
- GSK I+D Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Parque Tecnológico de Madrid, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paul W Denny
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P Barrett
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences & Glasgow Polyomics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Montepríncipe, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, Spain
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Influential Parameters for the Analysis of Intracellular Parasite Metabolomics. mSphere 2018; 3:3/2/e00097-18. [PMID: 29669882 PMCID: PMC5907652 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00097-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular characterization of pathogens such as the malaria parasite can lead to improved biological understanding and novel treatment strategies. However, the distinctive biology of the Plasmodium parasite, including its repetitive genome and the requirement for growth within a host cell, hinders progress toward these goals. Untargeted metabolomics is a promising approach to learn about pathogen biology. By measuring many small molecules in the parasite at once, we gain a better understanding of important pathways that contribute to the parasite’s response to perturbations such as drug treatment. Although increasingly popular, approaches for intracellular parasite metabolomics and subsequent analysis are not well explored. The findings presented in this report emphasize the critical need for improvements in these areas to limit misinterpretation due to host metabolites and to standardize biological interpretation. Such improvements will aid both basic biological investigations and clinical efforts to understand important pathogens. Metabolomics is increasingly popular for the study of pathogens. For the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, both targeted and untargeted metabolomics have improved our understanding of pathogenesis, host-parasite interactions, and antimalarial drug treatment and resistance. However, purification and analysis procedures for performing metabolomics on intracellular pathogens have not been explored. Here, we purified in vitro-grown ring-stage intraerythrocytic P. falciparum parasites for untargeted metabolomics studies; the small size of this developmental stage amplifies the challenges associated with metabolomics studies as the ratio between host and parasite biomass is maximized. Following metabolite identification and data preprocessing, we explored multiple confounding factors that influence data interpretation, including host contamination and normalization approaches (including double-stranded DNA, total protein, and parasite numbers). We conclude that normalization parameters have large effects on differential abundance analysis and recommend the thoughtful selection of these parameters. However, normalization does not remove the contribution from the parasite’s extracellular environment (culture media and host erythrocyte). In fact, we found that extraparasite material is as influential on the metabolome as treatment with a potent antimalarial drug with known metabolic effects (artemisinin). Because of this influence, we could not detect significant changes associated with drug treatment. Instead, we identified metabolites predictive of host and medium contamination that could be used to assess sample purification. Our analysis provides the first quantitative exploration of the effects of these factors on metabolomics data analysis; these findings provide a basis for development of improved experimental and analytical methods for future metabolomics studies of intracellular organisms. IMPORTANCE Molecular characterization of pathogens such as the malaria parasite can lead to improved biological understanding and novel treatment strategies. However, the distinctive biology of the Plasmodium parasite, including its repetitive genome and the requirement for growth within a host cell, hinders progress toward these goals. Untargeted metabolomics is a promising approach to learn about pathogen biology. By measuring many small molecules in the parasite at once, we gain a better understanding of important pathways that contribute to the parasite’s response to perturbations such as drug treatment. Although increasingly popular, approaches for intracellular parasite metabolomics and subsequent analysis are not well explored. The findings presented in this report emphasize the critical need for improvements in these areas to limit misinterpretation due to host metabolites and to standardize biological interpretation. Such improvements will aid both basic biological investigations and clinical efforts to understand important pathogens.
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25
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Engineering riboswitch in L. major: From prediction to conceptualization. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 115:98-105. [PMID: 29655887 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Post-transcriptional gene regulation is a vital process to regulate expression of the key genes in the eukaryotic cell. Such processes are essential for pathogens which reside inside the host cell. One such pathogen is Leishmania major, which causes cutaneous leishmaniasis. The parasite lives inside the macrophages of mammalian host (mostly human). Inside the macrophage, Leishmania genes show complex host-pathogen interaction regulating a plethora of gene expression. Till date, most of the studies have shown this kind of regulation with respect to the host macrophages. Here, based on an extensive in silico analysis, we have hypothesized a novel Theophylline binding riboswitch mediated post-transcriptional regulation of a gene i.e. RNA Polymerase III subunit1 (Lmjf_09_1060), an essential gene for the parasite's survival both in its promastigote as well as in its amastigote form. Later, we have conceptualized the working of the identified putative Theophylline binding riboswitch cassette in in vitro using E. coli based reporter assay, wherein, a reporter gene (eGFP) is used instead of RNA Polymerase III subunit1 gene and apparently have shown the downregulation of the reporter gene (eGFP) expression under the influence of in silico identified Theophylline binding riboswitch.
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26
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The Uptake and Metabolism of Amino Acids, and Their Unique Role in the Biology of Pathogenic Trypanosomatids. Pathogens 2018; 7:pathogens7020036. [PMID: 29614775 PMCID: PMC6027508 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens7020036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei, as well as Trypanosoma cruzi and more than 20 species of the genus Leishmania, form a group of flagellated protists that threaten human health. These organisms are transmitted by insects that, together with mammals, are their natural hosts. This implies that during their life cycles each of them faces environments with different physical, chemical, biochemical, and biological characteristics. In this work we review how amino acids are obtained from such environments, how they are metabolized, and how they and some of their intermediate metabolites are used as a survival toolbox to cope with the different conditions in which these parasites should establish the infections in the insects and mammalian hosts.
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Nayak A, Akpunarlieva S, Barrett M, Burchmore R. A defined medium for Leishmania culture allows definition of essential amino acids. Exp Parasitol 2018; 185:39-52. [PMID: 29326050 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Axenic culture of Leishmania is generally performed in rich, serum-supplemented media which sustain robust growth over multiple passages. The use of such undefined media, however, obscures proteomic analyses and confounds the study of metabolism. We have established a simple, defined culture medium that supports the sustained growth of promastigotes over multiple passages and which yields parasites that have similar infectivity to macrophages to parasites grown in a conventional semi-defined medium. We have exploited this medium to investigate the amino acid requirements of promastigotes in culture and have found that phenylalanine, tryptophan, arginine, leucine, lysine and valine are essential for viability in culture. Most of the 20 proteogenic amino acids promote growth of Leishmania promastigotes, with the exception of alanine, asparagine, and glycine. This defined medium will be useful for further studies of promastigote substrate requirements, and will facilitate future proteomic and metabolomic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Nayak
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Snezhana Akpunarlieva
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Michael Barrett
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Richard Burchmore
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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28
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Westrop GD, Wang L, Blackburn GJ, Zhang T, Zheng L, Watson DG, Coombs GH. Metabolomic profiling and stable isotope labelling of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus reveal major differences in amino acid metabolism including the production of 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid, cystathionine and S-methylcysteine. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189072. [PMID: 29267346 PMCID: PMC5739422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus are pathogens that parasitise, respectively, human and bovine urogenital tracts causing disease. Using LC-MS, reference metabolomic profiles were obtained for both species and stable isotope labelling with D-[U-13C6] glucose was used to analyse central carbon metabolism. This facilitated a comparison of the metabolic pathways of T. vaginalis and T. foetus, extending earlier targeted biochemical studies. 43 metabolites, whose identities were confirmed by comparison of their retention times with authentic standards, occurred at more than 3-fold difference in peak intensity between T. vaginalis and T. foetus. 18 metabolites that were removed from or released into the medium during growth also showed more than 3-fold difference between the species. Major differences were observed in cysteine and methionine metabolism in which homocysteine, produced as a bi-product of trans-methylation, is catabolised by methionine γ-lyase in T. vaginalis but converted to cystathionine in T. foetus. Both species synthesise methylthioadenosine by an unusual mechanism, but it is not used as a substrate for methionine recycling. T. vaginalis also produces and exports high levels of S-methylcysteine, whereas only negligible levels were found in T. foetus which maintains significantly higher intracellular levels of cysteine. 13C-labeling confirmed that both cysteine and S-methylcysteine are synthesised by T. vaginalis; S-methylcysteine can be generated by recombinant T. vaginalis cysteine synthase using phosphoserine and methanethiol. T. foetus contained higher levels of ornithine and citrulline than T. vaginalis and exported increased levels of putrescine, suggesting greater flux through the arginine dihydrolase pathway. T. vaginalis produced and exported hydroxy acid derivatives of certain amino acids, particularly 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid derived from leucine, whereas negligible levels of these metabolites occurred in T. foetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth D. Westrop
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Lijie Wang
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tong Zhang
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Liang Zheng
- Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - David G. Watson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Graham H. Coombs
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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29
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Nieto-Meneses R, Castillo R, Hernández-Campos A, Maldonado-Rangel A, Matius-Ruiz JB, Trejo-Soto PJ, Nogueda-Torres B, Dea-Ayuela MA, Bolás-Fernández F, Méndez-Cuesta C, Yépez-Mulia L. In vitro activity of new N-benzyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-amine derivatives against cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral Leishmania species. Exp Parasitol 2017; 184:82-89. [PMID: 29191699 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The identification of specific therapeutic targets and the development of new drugs against leishmaniasis are urgently needed, since chemotherapy currently available for its treatment has several problems including many adverse side effects. In an effort to develop new antileishmanial drugs, in the present study a series of 28 N-benzyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-amine derivatives was synthesized and evaluated in vitro against Leishmania mexicana promastigotes. Compounds 7 and 8 with the highest antileishmanial activity (micromolar) and lower cytotoxicity than miltefosine and amphotericin B were selected to evaluate their activity against L. braziliensis 9and L. donovani, species causative of mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, respectively. Compound 7 showed significantly higher activity against L. braziliensis promastigotes than compound 8 and slightly lower than miltefosine. Compounds 7 and 8 had IC50 values in the micromolar range against the amastigote of L. mexicana and L. braziliensis. However, both compounds did not show better activity against L. donovani than miltefosine. Compound 8 showed the highest SI against both parasite stages of L. mexicana. In addition, compound 8 inhibited 68.27% the activity of recombinant L. mexicana arginase (LmARG), a therapeutic target for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Docking studies were also performed in order to establish the possible mechanism of action by which this compound exerts its inhibitory effect. Compound 8 shows promising potential for the development of more potent antileishmanial benzimidazole derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Nieto-Meneses
- Departamento de Parasitología, ENCB-IPN, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico; Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias-Pediatría, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rafael Castillo
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, UNAM, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ma Auxiliadora Dea-Ayuela
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, Avda. Seminario s/n, 46113 Moncada, Spain
| | - Francisco Bolás-Fernández
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid Spain
| | | | - Lilián Yépez-Mulia
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias-Pediatría, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, 06720 Mexico City, Mexico.
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30
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Giordana L, Sosa MH, Leroux AE, Mendoza EFR, Petray P, Nowicki C. Molecular and functional characterization of two malic enzymes from Leishmania parasites. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2017; 219:67-76. [PMID: 29128656 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites cause a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in humans and the available clinical treatments are far from satisfactory. Since these pathogens require large amounts of NADPH to maintain intracellular redox homeostasis, oxidoreductases that catalyze the production of NADPH are considered as potential drug targets against these diseases. In the sequenced genomes of most Leishmania spp. two putative malic enzymes (MEs) with an identity of about 55% have been identified. In this work, the ME from L. major (LmjF24.0770, Lmj_ME-70) and its less similar homolog from L. mexicana (LmxM.24.0761, Lmex_ME-61) were cloned and functionally characterized. Both MEs specifically catalyzed NADPH production, but only Lmex_ME-61 was activated by l-aspartate. Unlike the allosterically activated human ME, Lmex_ME-61 exhibited typical hyperbolic curves without any sign of cooperativity in the absence of l-aspartate. Moreover, Lmex_ME-61 and Lmj_ME-70 differ from higher eukaryotic homologs in that they display dimeric instead of tetrameric molecular organization. Homology modeling analysis showed that Lmex_ME-61 and Lmj_ME-70 notably differ in their surface charge distribution; this feature encompasses the coenzyme binding pockets as well. However, in both isozymes, the residues directly involved in the coenzyme binding exhibited a good degree of conservation. Besides, only Lmex_ME-61 and its closest homologs were immunodetected in cell-free extracts from L. mexicana, L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis promastigotes. Our findings provide a first glimpse into the biochemical properties of leishmanial MEs and suggest that MEs could be potentially related to the metabolic differences among the species of Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucila Giordana
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica (IQUIFIB-CONICET), Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Máximo Hernán Sosa
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas en alianza estratégica con UBA-CONICET (ININFA) Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro E Leroux
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET -Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires C1415FQD, Argentina
| | - Elkin F Rodas Mendoza
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Patricia Petray
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM-CONICET), Paraguay 2155, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina Nowicki
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológica (IQUIFIB-CONICET), Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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31
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Martins DB, Vieira MR, Fadel V, Santana VAC, Guerra MER, Lima ML, Tempone AG, dos Santos Cabrera MP. Membrane targeting peptides toward antileishmanial activity: Design, structural determination and mechanism of interaction. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2017; 1861:2861-2871. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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32
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Negrão F, de O. Rocha DF, Jaeeger CF, Rocha FJS, Eberlin MN, Giorgio S. Murine cutaneous leishmaniasis investigated by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2017; 13:2036-2043. [DOI: 10.1039/c7mb00411g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The MALDI-IMS technique was applied to screen for peptides and low molecular weight proteins to unveil potential biomarkers for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Negrão
- ThoMSon Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
- University of Campinas – UNICAMP
- Campinas-SP
- Brazil
- Department of Animal Biology
| | | | - Caroline F. Jaeeger
- ThoMSon Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
- University of Campinas – UNICAMP
- Campinas-SP
- Brazil
| | - Francisca J. S. Rocha
- Department of Tropical Medicine
- Federal University of Pernambuco – UFPE
- Recife-PE
- Brazil
| | - Marcos N. Eberlin
- ThoMSon Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
- University of Campinas – UNICAMP
- Campinas-SP
- Brazil
| | - Selma Giorgio
- Department of Animal Biology
- Biology Institute
- University of Campinas UNICAMP
- Campinas-SP
- Brazil
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33
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Schatz V, Strüssmann Y, Mahnke A, Schley G, Waldner M, Ritter U, Wild J, Willam C, Dehne N, Brüne B, McNiff JM, Colegio OR, Bogdan C, Jantsch J. Myeloid Cell-Derived HIF-1α Promotes Control of Leishmania major. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 197:4034-4041. [PMID: 27798163 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which accumulates in mammalian host organisms during infection, supports the defense against microbial pathogens. However, whether and to what extent HIF-1α expressed by myeloid cells contributes to the innate immune response against Leishmania major parasites is unknown. We observed that Leishmania-infected humans and L. major-infected C57BL/6 mice exhibited substantial amounts of HIF-1α in acute cutaneous lesions. In vitro, HIF-1α was required for leishmanicidal activity and high-level NO production by IFN-γ/LPS-activated macrophages. Mice deficient for HIF-1α in their myeloid cell compartment had a more severe clinical course of infection and increased parasite burden in the skin lesions compared with wild-type controls. These findings were paralleled by reduced expression of type 2 NO synthase by lesional CD11b+ cells. Together, these data illustrate that HIF-1α is required for optimal innate leishmanicidal immune responses and, thereby, contributes to the cure of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Schatz
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Yannic Strüssmann
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Mahnke
- Mikrobiologisches Institut, Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie, und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schley
- Medizinische Klinik 4, Nephrologie und Hypertensiologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Waldner
- Medizinische Klinik 1, Gastroenterologie, Pneumologie und Endokrinologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Uwe Ritter
- Institute of Immunology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jens Wild
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Willam
- Medizinische Klinik 4, Nephrologie und Hypertensiologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nathalie Dehne
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; and
| | - Bernhard Brüne
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; and
| | - Jennifer M McNiff
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Oscar R Colegio
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Christian Bogdan
- Mikrobiologisches Institut, Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie, und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jonathan Jantsch
- Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Regensburg, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
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34
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Bejugam PR, Singh S. Computing Molecular Devices in L.major through Transcriptome Analysis: Structured Simulation Approach. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148909. [PMID: 26901858 PMCID: PMC4768835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the modern era of post genomics and transcriptomics, non-coding RNAs and non-coding regions of many RNAs are a big puzzle when we try deciphering their role in specific gene function. Gene function assessment is a main task wherein high throughput technologies provide an impressive body of data that enables the design of hypotheses linking genes to phenotypes. Gene knockdown technologies and RNA-dependent gene silencing are the most frequent approaches to assess the role of key effectors in a particular scenario. Ribozymes are effective modulators of gene expression because of their simple structure, site-specific cleavage activity, and catalytic potential. In our study, after an extensive transcriptomic search of Leishmania major transcriptome we found a Putative ATP dependent DNA helicase (Lmjf_09_0590) 3’ UTR which has a structural signature similar to well-known HDV hammerhead ribozyme, even though they have variable sequence motifs. Henceforth, to determine their structural stability and sustainability we analyzed our predicted structural model of this 3’UTR with a 30ns MD simulation, further confirmed with 100ns MD simulation in presence of 5mM MgCl2 ionic environment. In this environment, structural stability was significantly improved by bonded interactions between a RNA backbone and Mg2+ ions. These predictions were further validated in silico using RNA normal mode analysis and anisotropic network modelling (ANM) studies. The study may be significantly imparted to know the functional importance of many such 3’UTRs to predict their role in a mechanistic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shailza Singh
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
- * E-mail:
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