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Diotallevi A, Bruno F, Castelli G, Persico G, Buffi G, Ceccarelli M, Ligi D, Mannello F, Vitale F, Magnani M, Galluzzi L. Transcriptional signatures in human macrophage-like cells infected by Leishmania infantum, Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012085. [PMID: 38578804 PMCID: PMC11023634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the Mediterranean basin, three Leishmania species have been identified: L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica, causing zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL), zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and anthroponotic CL, respectively. Despite animal models and genomic/transcriptomic studies provided important insights, the pathogenic determinants modulating the development of VL and CL are still poorly understood. This work aimed to identify host transcriptional signatures shared by cells infected with L. infantum, L. major, and L. tropica, as well as specific transcriptional signatures elicited by parasites causing VL (i.e., L. infantum) and parasites involved in CL (i.e., L. major, L. tropica). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS U937 cells differentiated into macrophage-like cells were infected with L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica for 24h and 48h, and total RNA was extracted. RNA sequencing, performed on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform, was used to evaluate the transcriptional signatures of infected cells with respect to non-infected cells at both time points. The EdgeR package was used to identify differentially expressed genes (fold change > 2 and FDR-adjusted p-values < 0.05). Then, functional enrichment analysis was employed to identify the enriched ontology terms in which these genes are involved. At 24h post-infection, a common signature of 463 dysregulated genes shared among all infection conditions was recognized, while at 48h post-infection the common signature was reduced to 120 genes. Aside from a common transcriptional response, we evidenced different upregulated functional pathways characterizing L. infantum-infected cells, such as VEGFA-VEGFR2 and NFE2L2-related pathways, indicating vascular remodeling and reduction of oxidative stress as potentially important factors for visceralization. CONCLUSIONS The identification of pathways elicited by parasites causing VL or CL could lead to new therapeutic strategies for leishmaniasis, combining the canonical anti-leishmania compounds with host-directed therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Diotallevi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Federica Bruno
- Centro di Referenza Nazionale per le Leishmaniosi (C.Re.Na.L.), OIE Leishmania Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A Mirri, Palermo, Italy
| | - Germano Castelli
- Centro di Referenza Nazionale per le Leishmaniosi (C.Re.Na.L.), OIE Leishmania Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A Mirri, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Persico
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Gloria Buffi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Marcello Ceccarelli
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Daniela Ligi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Mannello
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- Centro di Referenza Nazionale per le Leishmaniosi (C.Re.Na.L.), OIE Leishmania Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia A Mirri, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mauro Magnani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
| | - Luca Galluzzi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
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Ewald S, Nasuhidehnavi A, Feng TY, Lesani M, McCall LI. The intersection of host in vivo metabolism and immune responses to infection with kinetoplastid and apicomplexan parasites. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0016422. [PMID: 38299836 PMCID: PMC10966954 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00164-22] [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] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYProtozoan parasite infection dramatically alters host metabolism, driven by immunological demand and parasite manipulation strategies. Immunometabolic checkpoints are often exploited by kinetoplastid and protozoan parasites to establish chronic infection, which can significantly impair host metabolic homeostasis. The recent growth of tools to analyze metabolism is expanding our understanding of these questions. Here, we review and contrast host metabolic alterations that occur in vivo during infection with Leishmania, trypanosomes, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, and Cryptosporidium. Although genetically divergent, there are commonalities among these pathogens in terms of metabolic needs, induction of the type I immune responses required for clearance, and the potential for sustained host metabolic dysbiosis. Comparing these pathogens provides an opportunity to explore how transmission strategy, nutritional demand, and host cell and tissue tropism drive similarities and unique aspects in host response and infection outcome and to design new strategies to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ewald
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Tzu-Yu Feng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mahbobeh Lesani
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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Mulè A, Crosato V, Kuhns DB, Lorenzi L, Chirico C, Maifredi G, Notarangelo LD, Castelli F, Tomasoni LR. Visceral Leishmaniasis in Immunocompetent Hosts in Brescia: A Case Series and Analysis of Cytokine Cascade. Microorganisms 2024; 12:394. [PMID: 38399799 PMCID: PMC10892745 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Leishmania spp. that usually manifests itself in immunocompromised subjects. It is a rare and neglected disease, and it is not endemic in the province of Brescia (Italy). Three cases of human VL occurred in Brescia from October to December 2021 in immunocompetent patients. We evaluated the patients looking for signs of underlying immunodeficiencies and conducted further epidemiological evaluations in the province of Brescia without success. An analysis of the sera levels of the main cytokines involved in the immune response to VL was performed. All patients presented a significant augmentation of CXCL-10, CCL-4, and IL-6. The patients tested during the acute phase showed an elevation of IL-1α, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-12, while in the recovery phase, higher levels of TNF-α and IL-7 were detected. Altogether, a predominant activation of the T-helper-2 pathway emerged during the acute phase of the parasite infection, while the cytokines associated with the T-helper-1 pathway were less represented. This imbalanced immune response to the parasite infection might play a crucial role in the development of VL in immunocompetent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Mulè
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (V.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Verena Crosato
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (V.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Douglas Byron Kuhns
- Neutrophil Monitoring Laboratory, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 20701, USA;
| | - Luisa Lorenzi
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Claudia Chirico
- Department of Hygiene and Health Prevention, Health Protection Agency of Brescia (ATS Brescia), 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Maifredi
- Epidemiology Unit, Health Protection Agency of Brescia (ATS Brescia), 25124 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Luigi D. Notarangelo
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA;
| | - Francesco Castelli
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (V.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Lina R. Tomasoni
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;
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Aljedaie MM, Alam P. In silico identification of human microRNAs pointing centrin genes in Leishmania donovani: Considering the RNAi-mediated gene control. Front Genet 2024; 14:1329339. [PMID: 38390455 PMCID: PMC10883313 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1329339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease caused by different species of the protozoa parasite Leishmania, is a neglected tropical human disease that is endemic in about a hundred countries worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the annual incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is estimated to be 0.7-1.2 million cases globally, whereas the annual incidence of visceral leishmaniasis is estimated to be 0.2-0.4 million cases. In many eukaryotic organisms, including human beings and protozoan parasites, centrin genes encode proteins that play essential roles within the centrosome or basal body. Human microRNAs (miRNAs) have been linked to several infectious and non-infectious diseases associated with pathogen-host interactions, and they play the emphatic roles as gene expression regulators. In this study, we used the MirTarget bioinformatics tool, which is a machine learning-based approach implemented in miRDB, to predict the target of human miRNAs in Leishmania donovani centrin genes. For cross-validation, we utilized additional prediction algorithms, namely, RNA22 and RNAhybrid, targeting all five centrin isotypes. The centrin-3 (LDBPK_342160) and putative centrin-5 (NC_018236.1) genes in L. donovani were targeted by eight and twelve human miRNAs, respectively, among 2,635 known miRNAs (miRBase). hsa-miR-5193 consistently targeted both genes. Using TargetScan, TarBase, miRecords, and miRTarBase, we identified miRNA targets and off-targets in human homologs of centrin, inflammation, and immune-responsive genes. Significant targets were screened based on GO terminologies and KEGG pathway-enrichment analysis (Log10 p-value >0.0001). In silico tools that predict the biological roles of human miRNAs as primary gene regulators in pathogen-host interactions help unravel the regulatory patterns of these miRNAs, particularly in the early stages of inflammatory responses. It is also noted that these miRNAs played an important role in the late phase of adaptive immune response, inclusively their impacts on the immune system's response to L. donovani.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manei M Aljedaie
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pravej Alam
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
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Pimentel KBA, Oliveira RS, Aragão CF, Aquino Júnior J, Moura MES, Guimarães-e-Silva AS, Pinheiro VCS, Gonçalves EGR, Silva AR. Prediction of visceral leishmaniasis incidence using the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model (SARIMA) in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. BRAZ J BIOL 2024; 84:e257402. [DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.257402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an infectious disease predominant in countries located in the tropics. The prediction of occurrence of infectious diseases through epidemiologic modeling has revealed to be an important tool in the understanding of its occurrence dynamic. The objective of this study was to develop a forecasting model for the incidence of VL in Maranhão using the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model (SARIMA). We collected monthly data regarding VL cases from the National Disease Notification System (SINAN) corresponding to the period between 2001 and 2018. The Box-Jenkins method was applied in order to adjust a SARIMA prediction model for VL general incidence and by sex (male or female) for the period between January 2019 and December 2013. For 216 months of this time series, 10,431 cases of VL were notified in Maranhão, with an average of 579 cases per year. With regard to age range, there was a higher incidence among the pediatric public (0 to 14 years of age). There was a predominance in male cases, 6437 (61.71%). The Box-Pierce test figures for overall, male and female genders supported by the results of the Ljung-Box test suggest that the autocorrelations of residual values act as white noise. Regarding monthly occurrences in general and by gender, the SARIMA models (2,0,0) (2,0,0), (0,1,1) (0,1,1) and (0,1,1) (2, 0, 0) were the ones that mostly adjusted to the data respectively. The model SARIMA has proven to be an adequate tool for predicting and analyzing the trends in VL incidence in Maranhão. The time variation determination and its prediction are decisive in providing guidance in health measure intervention.
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Sánchez-Salvador A, González-de la Fuente S, Aguado B, Yates PA, Requena JM. Refinement of Leishmania donovani Genome Annotations in the Light of Ribosome-Protected mRNAs Fragments (Ribo-Seq Data). Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1637. [PMID: 37628688 PMCID: PMC10454037 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081637] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in next-generation sequencing methodologies have facilitated the assembly of an ever-increasing number of genomes. Gene annotations are typically conducted via specialized software, but the most accurate results require additional manual curation that incorporates insights derived from functional and bioinformatic analyses (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, and phylogenetics). In this study, we improved the annotation of the Leishmania donovani (strain HU3) genome using publicly available data from the deep sequencing of ribosome-protected mRNA fragments (Ribo-Seq). As a result of this analysis, we uncovered 70 previously non-annotated protein-coding genes and improved the annotation of around 600 genes. Additionally, we present evidence for small upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in a significant number of transcripts, indicating their potential role in the translational regulation of gene expression. The bioinformatics pipelines developed for these analyses can be used to improve the genome annotations of other organisms for which Ribo-Seq data are available. The improvements provided by these studies will bring us closer to the ultimate goal of a complete and accurately annotated L. donovani genome and will enhance future transcriptomics, proteomics, and genetics studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Sánchez-Salvador
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Biología Molecular (IUBM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Sandra González-de la Fuente
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Genomic and NGS Facility (GENGS), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.G.-d.l.F.); (B.A.)
| | - Begoña Aguado
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Genomic and NGS Facility (GENGS), 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.G.-d.l.F.); (B.A.)
| | - Phillip A. Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology & Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jose M. Requena
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Biología Molecular (IUBM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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7
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Yadagiri G, Singh A, Arora K, Mudavath SL. Immunotherapy and immunochemotherapy in combating visceral leishmaniasis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1096458. [PMID: 37265481 PMCID: PMC10229823 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1096458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a vector-borne disease, is caused by an obligate intramacrophage, kinetoplastid protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Globally, VL is construed of diversity and complexity concerned with high fatality in tropics, subtropics, and Mediterranean regions with ~50,000-90,000 new cases annually. Factors such as the unavailability of licensed vaccine(s), insubstantial measures to control vectors, and unrestrained surge of drug-resistant parasites and HIV-VL co-infections lead to difficulty in VL treatment and control. Furthermore, VL treatment, which encompasses several problems including limited efficacy, emanation of drug-resistant parasites, exorbitant therapy, and exigency of hospitalization until the completion of treatment, further exacerbates disease severity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of safe and efficacious therapies to control and eliminate this devastating disease. In such a scenario, biotherapy/immunotherapy against VL can become an alternative strategy with limited side effects and no or nominal chance of drug resistance. An extensive understanding of pathogenesis and immunological events that ensue during VL infection is vital for the development of immunotherapeutic strategies against VL. Immunotherapy alone or in combination with standard anti-leishmanial chemotherapeutic agents (immunochemotherapy) has shown better therapeutic outcomes in preclinical studies. This review extensively addresses VL treatment with an emphasis on immunotherapy or immunochemotherapeutic strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganesh Yadagiri
- Infectious Disease Biology Laboratory, Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab, India
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Aakriti Singh
- Infectious Disease Biology Laboratory, Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Kanika Arora
- Infectious Disease Biology Laboratory, Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Shyam Lal Mudavath
- Infectious Disease Biology Laboratory, Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab, India
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Melkie I, Yimer M, Alemu G, Tegegne B. Asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection and associated factors among blood donors attending at Metema district Blood Bank, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross- sectional study. Arch Public Health 2023; 81:62. [PMID: 37085820 PMCID: PMC10120276 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-023-01082-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethiopia is one of the top 10 countries in the world where 90% visceral leishmaniasis cases are reported. Metema-Humera lowlands are the most important foci in Ethiopia. Blood transfusion in visceral leishmaniasis endemic foci in Ethiopia does not consider screening of visceral leishmaniasis during blood donation. The aim of this study is therefore, was to assess asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection and associated factors among blood donors attending at Metema district Blood Bank, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS A Health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted at Metema Blood Bank from February to March 2020. A total of 205 blood donors were eligible and participated in this study. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics and perceived risk factors associated with asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis among blood donors. Blood donors were screened using both rK39 and direct agglutination tests based on the manufactures' instructions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Chi-square test was used to assess associations of Leishmania donovani infection with predisposing factors. Associations were considered statstically significant on P-value < 0.05 at 95% confidence level. RESULTS Of the total 205 participants, 32(15.6%) were positive for asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection at least by one of the diagnostic tests used. Eight (3.9%) and 30(14.6%) of the participants` were positive by the rK39 and direct agglutination tests, respectively. Six (2.9%) donors were tested positive by both diagnostic tests. Family history of visceral leishmaniasis (X²=11.334, P = 0.003) and having neighbors with history of visceral leishmaniasis (X²=5.923, P = 0.015) were significantly associated with asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection among blood donors. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infection was 15.6%. Asymptomatic visceral leishmaniasis was significantly associated with donors' family and neighbors' history of infection. Therefore, laboratory screening of blood donors for visceral leishmaniasis in endemic areas will be mandatory. Moreover, this study will give base line information for future study in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iyasu Melkie
- Bahir Dar city administration Blood Bank, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
| | - Mulat Yimer
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia.
| | - Getaneh Alemu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
| | - Banchamlak Tegegne
- Medical Parasitology Department, Amhara Public Health Institute, Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia
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Araujo Flores GV, Sandoval Pacheco CM, Ferreira AF, Tomokane TY, Nunes JB, Colombo FA, Sosa-Ochoa WH, Zúniga C, Silveira FT, Corbett CEP, Laurenti MD. Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi isolated from skin lesions of patients affected by non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis lead to visceral lesion in hamsters. Parasitol Int 2023; 93:102723. [PMID: 36566911 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In Central America, Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi infection causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis (NUCL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the course of an experimental infection in hamsters caused by L. (L.) infantum chagasi isolated from patients affected by NUCL compared with a strain isolated from a patient with VL. Stationary phase parasites in culture were inoculated through subcutaneous and intraperitoneal routes in hamsters. Following the post-infection times, a histopathological study, parasite load and cytokine determination in skin from the cutaneous inoculation site and viscera were performed. Animals subcutaneously infected with the different strains did not develop macroscopic lesions at the inoculation site, and the histopathological changes in the dermis were very slight. Regarding the histopathological study of the viscera, we observed the portal mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, the presence of nodules in the hepatic parenchyma and the proliferation of macrophages in the spleen, which increased over the infection course. Overall, the parasite load in the liver and spleen and in the total IgG titres in the sera of infected hamster showed an increase with the time of infection, regardless of the route of inoculation. Regarding cellular immunity, we did not observe an increase or decrease in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines compared to the healthy control, except for IL-10, which was evident in the infected animals. The data showed that strains isolated from NUCL cause visceral lesions in the hamsters regardless of the route of inoculation, and they were similar to parasites isolated from VL humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela V Araujo Flores
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carmen M Sandoval Pacheco
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aurea F Ferreira
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica, LIM50, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, Brazil
| | - Thaise Yumie Tomokane
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Wilfredo H Sosa-Ochoa
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Concepción Zúniga
- Departamento de Vigilancia de la Salud, Hospital Escuela, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Fernando T Silveira
- Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Carlos E P Corbett
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia D Laurenti
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Abstract
The burden of cardiovascular diseases is sharply rising in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Along with the increasing rates of cardiovascular risk factors in these regions, there is a growing recognition of the contribution of neglected tropical diseases and other infections. Several cardiac implications of these infections have been reported but have not yet been validated by robust population data. This is in part due to limited access to health care and insufficient data collection infrastructure in many LMICs. Therefore, the true impact of these infections on the cardiovascular system may be underestimated, because of both underdiagnosis and underreporting bias. There is an urgent need to thoroughly delineate the cardiac impact of these conditions with elevated prevalence in LMICs and to propose strategies to reduce the negative consequences of these diseases in health systems with limited resources.
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Chakkumpulakkal Puthan Veettil T, Duffin RN, Roy S, Vongsvivut J, Tobin MJ, Martin M, Adegoke JA, Andrews PC, Wood BR. Synchrotron-Infrared Microspectroscopy of Live Leishmania major Infected Macrophages and Isolated Promastigotes and Amastigotes. Anal Chem 2023; 95:3986-3995. [PMID: 36787387 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is advancing at an alarming rate. The NTD leishmaniasis is now endemic in over 90 tropical and sub-tropical low socioeconomic countries. Current diagnosis for this disease involves serological assessment of infected tissue by either light microscopy, antibody tests, or culturing with in vitro or in vivo animal inoculation. Furthermore, co-infection by other pathogens can make it difficult to accurately determine Leishmania infection with light microscopy. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate the potential of combining synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy with powerful discrimination tools, such as partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), support vector machine-discriminant analysis (SVM-DA), and k-nearest neighbors (KNN), to characterize the parasitic forms of Leishmania major both isolated and within infected macrophages. For measurements performed on functional infected and uninfected macrophages in physiological solutions, the sensitivities from PLS-DA, SVM-DA, and KNN classification methods were found to be 0.923, 0.981, and 0.989, while the specificities were 0.897, 1.00, and 0.975, respectively. Cross-validated PLS-DA models on live amastigotes and promastigotes showed a sensitivity and specificity of 0.98 in the lipid region, while a specificity and sensitivity of 1.00 was achieved in the fingerprint region. The study demonstrates the potential of the FTIR technique to identify unique diagnostic bands and utilize them to generate machine learning models to predict Leishmania infection. For the first time, we examine the potential of infrared spectroscopy to study the molecular structure of parasitic forms in their native aqueous functional state, laying the groundwork for future clinical studies using more portable devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebekah N Duffin
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Supti Roy
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | | | - Mark J Tobin
- Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Miguela Martin
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - John A Adegoke
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Philip C Andrews
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Bayden R Wood
- Centre for Biospectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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Yadav P, Azam M, Ramesh V, Singh R. Unusual Observations in Leishmaniasis-An Overview. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020297. [PMID: 36839569 PMCID: PMC9964612 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis significantly affects the population of the tropics and subtropics. Clinical features and infective species of Leishmania are the primary factors driving the direction of diagnosis. The rise in incidences of atypical presentations present a challenge in patient treatment. Knowledge of unusual/rare presentations can aid in having a broader perspective for including the different aspects during the examination and thus avoid misdiagnosis. A comprehensive literature survey was performed to present the array of atypical presentations confounding clinicians which have been seen in leishmaniasis. Case reports of unusual findings based on the localizations and morphology of lesions and infective species and the predominant geographical sites over almost five decades highlight such presentations in the population. Information regarding the clinical features recorded in the patient and the chosen treatment was extracted to put forward the preferred drug regimen in such cases. This comprehensive review presents various unusual observations seen in visceral leishmaniasis, post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. It highlights the need to consider such features in association with differential diagnosis to facilitate proper treatment of the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Yadav
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi 110029, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Mudsser Azam
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - V Ramesh
- Department of Dermatology, ESIC Hospital, Faridabad 1210026, India
| | - Ruchi Singh
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi 110029, India
- Correspondence: or
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Validating Immunomodulatory Responses of r- LdODC Protein and Its Derived HLA-DRB1 Restricted Epitopes against Visceral Leishmaniasis in BALB/c Mice. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010016. [PMID: 36678364 PMCID: PMC9867430 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is considered the most appropriate way to control visceral leishmaniasis (VL). With this background, the r-LdODC protein as well as its derived HLA-DRB1-restricted synthetic peptides (P1: RLMPSAHAI, P2: LLDQYQIHL, P3: GLYHSFNCI, P4: AVLEVLSAL, and P5: RLPASPAAL) were validated in BALB/c mice against visceral leishmaniasis. The study was initiated by immunization of the r-LdODC protein as well as its derived peptides cocktail with adjuvants (r-CD2 and MPL-A) in different mice groups, separately. Splenocytes isolated from the challenged and differentially immunized mice group exhibited significantly higher IFN-γ secretion, which was evidenced by the increase in the expression profile of intracellular CD4+IFN-γ T cells. However, the IL-10 secretion did not show a significant increase against the protein and peptide cocktail. Subsequently, the study confirmed the ability of peptides as immunoprophylactic agents, as the IE-I/AD-I molecule overexpressed on monocytes and macrophages of the challenged mice group. The parasitic load in macrophages of the protein and peptides cocktail immunized mice groups, and T cell proliferation rate, further established immunoprophylactic efficacy of the r-LdODC protein and peptide cocktail. This study suggests that the r-LdODC protein, as well as its derived HLA-DRB1-restricted synthetic peptides, have immunoprophylactic potential and can activate other immune cells' functions towards protection against visceral leishmaniasis. However, a detailed study in a humanized mice model can explore its potential as a vaccine candidate.
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Olías-Molero AI, Botías P, Cuquerella M, García-Cantalejo J, Barcia E, Torrado S, Torrado JJ, Alunda JM. Leishmania infantum infection does not affect the main composition of the intestinal microbiome of the Syrian hamster. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:468. [PMID: 36522762 PMCID: PMC9753363 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05576-1] [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: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of all leishmanial infections and is caused by infection with protozoa of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum. This parasitic disease occurs in over 80 countries and its geographic distribution is on the rise. Although the interaction between the intestinal microbiome and the immune response has been established in several pathologies, it has not been widely studied in leishmaniasis. The Syrian hamster is the most advanced laboratory model for developing vaccines and new drugs against VL. In the study reported here, we explored the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and infection with L. infantum in this surrogate host. METHODS Male Syrian hamsters (120-140 g) were inoculated with 108 promastigotes of a canine-derived L. infantum strain or left as uninfected control animals. Infection was maintained for 19 weeks (endpoint) and monitored by an immunoglobulin G (IgG) enyzme-linked immunosorbent assay throughout the experiment. Individual faecal samples, obtained at weeks 16, 18 and 19 post-inoculation, were analysed to determine the 16S metagenomic composition (the operational taxonomic units [OTUs] of the intestinal microbiome and the comparison between groups were FDR (false discovery rate)-adjusted). RESULTS Leishmania infantum infection elicited moderate clinical signs and lesions and a steady increase in specific anti-Leishmania serum IgG. The predominant phyla (Firmicutes + Bacteriodetes: > 90%), families (Muribaculaceae + Lachnospiraceae + Ruminococcaceae: 70-80%) and genera found in the uninfected hamsters showed no significant variations throughout the experiment. Leishmania infantum infection provoked a slightly higher-albeit non-significant-value for the Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratio but no notable differences were found in the relative abundance or diversity of phyla and families. The microbiome of the infected hamsters was enriched in CAG-352, whereas Lachnospiraceae UCG-004, the [Eubacterium] ventriosum group and Allobaculum were less abundant. CONCLUSIONS The lack of extensive significant differences between hamsters infected and uninfected with L. infantum in the higher taxa (phyla, families) and the scarce variation found, which was restricted to genera with a low relative abundance, suggest that there is no clear VL infection-intestinal microbiome axis in hamsters. Further studies are needed (chronic infections, co-abundance analyses, intestinal sampling, functional analysis) to confirm these findings and to determine more precisely the possible relationship between microbiome composition and VL infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Olías-Molero
- ICPVet, Department of Animal Health, School of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Botías
- Unidad de Genómica, Centro de Asistencia a la Investigación de Técnicas Biológicas, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Montserrat Cuquerella
- ICPVet, Department of Animal Health, School of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús García-Cantalejo
- Unidad de Genómica, Centro de Asistencia a la Investigación de Técnicas Biológicas, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilia Barcia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Industrial Pharmacy UCM, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Torrado
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Industrial Pharmacy UCM, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan José Torrado
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Industrial Pharmacy UCM, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Alunda
- ICPVet, Department of Animal Health, School of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Industrial Pharmacy UCM, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Investigating the Leishmania donovani sacp Gene and Its Role in Macrophage Infection and Survival in Mice. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7110384. [PMID: 36422936 PMCID: PMC9694005 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani is a causative agent of the neglected tropical disease known as visceral leishmaniasis, which can be lethal when untreated. Studying Leishmania viru-lence factors is crucial in determining how the parasite causes disease and identifying new targets for treatment. One potential virulence factor is L. donovani’s abundantly secreted protein: secreted acid phosphatase (SAcP). Whole-genome analysis revealed that the sacp gene was present in three copies in wild type L. donovani. Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing; we generated a sacp gene knockout termed LdΔSAcP, which demonstrated a loss of both the SAcP protein and an associated reduction in secreted acid phosphatase activity. Genome sequencing confirmed the precise dele-tion of the sacp gene in LdΔSAcP and identified several changes in the genome. LdΔSAcP demonstrated no significant changes in promastigote proliferation or its ability to infect and survive in macrophages compared to the wildtype strain. LdΔSAcP also demonstrated no change in murine liver infection; however, survival was impaired in the spleen. Taken together these results show that SAcP is not necessary for the survival of promastigotes in culture but may support long-term survival in the spleen. These observations also show that the use of CRISPR gene editing and WGS together are effective to investigate the function and phenotype of complex potential drug targets such as multicopy genes.
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Immunoprophylaxis using polypeptide chimera vaccines plus adjuvant system promote Th1 response controlling the spleen parasitism in hamster model of visceral leishmaniasis. Vaccine 2022; 40:5494-5503. [PMID: 35963820 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, several advances have been observed in vaccinology especially for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). One of the tools employed is epitope prediction by immunoinformatic approaches that reduce the time and cost to develop a vaccine. In this scenario, immunoinformatics is being more often used to develop vaccines for NTDs, in particular visceral leishmaniasis (VL) which is proven not to have an effective vaccine yet. Based on that, in a previous study, two predicted T-cell multi-epitope chimera vaccines were experimentally validated in BALB/c mice to evaluate the immunogenicity, central and effector memory and protection against VL. Considering the results obtained in the mouse model, we assessed the immune response of these chimeras inMesocricetus auratushamster, which displays, experimentally, similar pathological status to human and dog VL disease. Our findings indicate that both chimeras lead to a dominant Th1 response profile, inducing a strong cellular response by increasing the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α cytokines associated with a decrease in IL-10. Also, the chimeras reduced the spleen parasite load and the weight a correlation between protector immunological mechanisms and consistent reduction of the parasitic load was observed. Our results demonstrate that both chimeras were immunogenic and corroborate with findings in the mouse model. Therefore, we reinforce the use of the hamster as a pre-clinical model in vaccination trials for canine and human VL and the importance of immunoinformatic to identify epitopes to design vaccines for this important neglected disease.
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An In-depth Proteomic Map of Leishmania donovani Isolate from Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) Patient. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:687-696. [PMID: 35020128 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00511-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The trypanosomatid protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani is the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar. The patients that have undergone treatment may still harbor the parasite and in a small fraction of the patients the disease re-erupts in the form of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). PKDL is a pathological condition found to be intermediate between VL and complete cure of VL. The PKDL disease progression is determined by the host immune response to L. donovani. The majority of the proteomic studies on L. donovani till date have been undertaken on parasites either isolated from kala-azar patients or on established laboratory strains of L. donovani. However, no proteomic information is available on the cutaneous localized isolates of L. donovani from PKDL patients. METHODS The promastigote stage of L. donovani isolate from PKDL patient was cultured and harvested. The cell lysates were trypsin digested, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The LC-MS/MS raw data were analyzed on Proteome Discoverer. Further bioinformatics analysis was carried out. RESULTS In the present, we have used high-resolution mass spectrometry to map the global proteome of a L. donovani isolate from PKDL patient. This in-depth study resulted in the identification of 5537 unique proteins from PKDL isolate of L. donovani which covered 64% of its proteome. OUTCOME This study also identified proteins previously shown to be upregulated in PKDL L. donovani. This is the most in-depth proteome of Leishmania donovani parasite till date.
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Mukkala AN, Kariyawasam R, Lau R, Valencia BM, Llanos-Cuentas A, Boggild AK. Elevated baseline expression of seven virulence factor RNA transcripts in visceralizing species of Leishmania: a preliminary quantitative PCR study. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2022; 9:20499361221102665. [PMID: 35663431 PMCID: PMC9158425 DOI: 10.1177/20499361221102665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that manifests as three major disease phenotypes: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral. In this preliminary study, we quantified virulence factor (VF) RNA transcript expression in Leishmania species, stratified by geographic origin and propensity for specific disease phenotypes. Methods: Cultured promastigotes of 19 Leishmania clinical and ATCC isolates were extracted for total cellular RNA, cDNA was reverse transcribed, and qPCR assays were performed to quantify VF RNA transcript expression for hsp23, hsp70, hsp83, hsp100, mpi, cpb, and gp63. Results: Comparison of visceralizing species (Leishmania donovani, Leishmania chagasi, and Leishmania infantum) versus non-visceralizing species [Leishmania (Viannia) spp., Leishmania tropica, Leishmania major, Leishmania mexicana, and Leishmania amazonensis] revealed a significantly greater pooled transcript expression for visceralizing species (p = 0.0032). Similarly, Old World species demonstrated significantly higher VF RNA transcript expression than New World species (p = 0.0015). On a per-gene basis, species with a propensity to visceralize ubiquitously expressed higher levels of gp63 (p = 0.005), cpb (p = 0.0032), mpi (p = 0.0032), hsp23 (p = 0.0039), hsp70 (p = 0.0032), hsp83 (p = 0.0032), and hsp100 (p = 0.0032). Conclusion: Here, we provide quantitative, preliminary evidence of elevated VF RNA transcript expression driven largely by the visceralizing causative species of Leishmania. This work highlights the extensive heterogeneity in pathogenicity mechanisms between Leishmania species, which may partly underpin the fatal progression of visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruwandi Kariyawasam
- Division of Diagnostic and Applied Microbiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Alberta Precision Laboratories-Public Health Laboratory (ProvLab), Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Rachel Lau
- Public Health Ontario Laboratory, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Braulio M. Valencia
- Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Andrea K. Boggild
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tropical Disease Unit, Toronto General Hospital, Room 13EN-218, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
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Chen G, Liu SC, Fan XY, Jin YL, Li X, Du YT. Plasmodium manipulates the expression of host long non-coding RNA during red blood cell intracellular infection. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:182. [PMID: 35643541 PMCID: PMC9148527 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05298-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasites interact with their host through "direct" and/or "indirect" mechanisms. Plasmodium, for example, either mediates direct physical interactions with host factors or triggers the immune system of the host indirectly, leading to changes in infectious outcomes. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in regulating biological processes, especially host-pathogen interactions. However, research on the role of host lncRNAs during Plasmodium infection is limited. METHODS A RNA sequencing method (RNA-seq) was used to confirm the differential expression profiles of lncRNAs in Plasmodium yeolii 17XL (P.y17XL)-infected BALB/c mice. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to elucidate the potential functions of Plasmodium-induced genes. Subsequently, the effect of specific lncRNAs on the modulation of immune-related signaling pathways in malaria was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS The data showed that in P.y17XL-infected BALB/c mice, Plasmodium upregulated the expression of 132 lncRNAs and downregulated the expression of 159 lncRNAs. Differentially expressed lncRNAs clearly associated with malaria infection were annotated, including four novel dominant lncRNAs: ENMSUSG00000111521.1, XLOC_038009, XLOC_058629 and XLOC_065676. GO and KEGG pathway analyses demonstrated that these four differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with co-localized/co-expressed protein-coding genes that were totally enriched in malaria and with the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway. Using the models of P.y17XL-infected BALB/c mice, data certified that the level of TGF-β production and activation of TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway were obviously changed in malaria infection. CONCLUSIONS These differentially expressed immune-related genes were deemed to have a role in the process of Plasmodium infection in the host via dendritic/T regulatory cells and the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. The results of the present study confirmed that Plasmodium infection-induced lncRNA expression is a novel mechanism used by Plasmodium parasites to modify host immune signaling. These results further enhance current understanding of the interaction between Plasmodium and host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Chen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Taizhou University, No. 1139 Shifu Road, Jiaojiang District, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Shuang-Chun Liu
- Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Taizhou University, No. 381, Zhongshan East Road, Jiaojiang District, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Fan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Taizhou University, No. 1139 Shifu Road, Jiaojiang District, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Yue-Lei Jin
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Taizhou University, No. 1139 Shifu Road, Jiaojiang District, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Taizhou University, No. 1139 Shifu Road, Jiaojiang District, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Yun-Ting Du
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University-Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, Shenyang, 110042, China.
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Mota TF, Silva CMDA, Conceição MDS, Fraga DBM, Brodskyn CI, Neto MFDA, Santana IB, Mesquita PRR, Leite FHA, Magalhães-Júnior JT. Screening organic repellent compounds against Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) present in plant essential oils: Bioassay plus an in silico approach. Acta Trop 2022; 229:106367. [PMID: 35167802 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In the Americas, Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most relevant sand fly species for the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis. For its vector control in Brazil, insecticide spraying has not shown persistent reduction in disease prevalence while some sand fly populations are reported resistant to the insecticides used in spraying. The usage of repellents and personal protection behavior can reduce vector borne diseases prevalence. Therefore, the search for new repellent compounds is needed to use together with insecticide spraying, especially from natural sources to overcome the resistance developed by some sand fly populations to the compounds commercially used. In silico strategies have been applied together with repellency bioassays successfully identifying new bioactive compounds from natural sources. Thus, the present study aimed to screen repellent potential of neem (Azadirachta indica), citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus), bushy matgrass (Lippia alba) and 'alecrim do mato' (Lippia thymoides) essential oils against L. longipalpis and to identify potential repellent compounds by chemical analysis and in silico approach. Plant essential oils were extracted from leaves and repellency bioassays were performed on volunteers using colony reared L. longipalpis. Aside from neem oil, all other tested essential oil has shown a reduced number of sand fly bites using higher concentrations. Chemical composition from oils was assessed and its compounds were screened on a pharmacophore model using odorant binding protein 1 (OBP1). All essential oils were majorly composed of either oxygenated monoterpenes, except for the oil extracted from neem which was composed of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Molecular docking was performed with the compounds that best superimposed in the OBP1 pharmacophore model, identifying those binding to OBP4, which is associated with insect repellency behavior. Citronellol, Citronellol acetate, Citronellal and Geranyl acetate showed similar interactions with OBP4 binding site as DEET. Thus, it is suggested that these compounds are able to bind to L. longipalpis OBP4 generating repellent behavior in sand flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago F Mota
- Laboratório de Interação Parasito-Hospedeiro e Epidemiologia (LaIPHE), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Caliene M de A Silva
- Centro Multidisciplinar do Campus de Barra da Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Maurício Dos S Conceição
- Centro Multidisciplinar do Campus de Barra da Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Deborah B M Fraga
- Laboratório de Interação Parasito-Hospedeiro e Epidemiologia (LaIPHE), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Produção Animal, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Av. Adhemar de Barros, 500 Ondina, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Claudia I Brodskyn
- Laboratório de Interação Parasito-Hospedeiro e Epidemiologia (LaIPHE), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Moysés F de A Neto
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Isis B Santana
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Paulo R R Mesquita
- Centro Tecnológico Agropecuário do Estado da Bahia (CETAB), Bahia, Brazil; Faculdade Maria Milza, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Franco H A Leite
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Departamento de Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil
| | - Jairo T Magalhães-Júnior
- Centro Multidisciplinar do Campus de Barra da Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Bahia, Brasil
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21
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Krobthong S, Yingchutrakul Y, Samutrtai P, Hitakarun A, Siripattanapipong S, Leelayoova S, Mungthin M, Choowongkomon K. Utilizing Quantitative Proteomics to Identify Species-Specific Protein Therapeutic Targets for the Treatment of Leishmaniasis. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:12580-12588. [PMID: 35474788 PMCID: PMC9026083 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, which are transmitted through the bites of infected sandflies. We focused on the emergence of leishmaniasis in Thailand caused by a species (Leishmania orientalis). Treatment by chemotherapy is not effective against L. orientalis. Hence, we intended to solve this issue using a proteomics approach to investigate protein profiles and in silico analysis for the identification of antigenic proteins from L. orientalis, Leishmania martiniquensis, and Leishmania donovani. Using principal component analysis (PCA), protein profile comparisons indicated that different species of Leishmania are different at the protein level. Proteomics analysis identified 6099 proteins. Among these proteins, 1065 proteins were used for further analysis. There were 16 proteins that were promising candidates for therapeutic aspects as they were abundantly expressed and common to all species. In silico analysis of protein's antigenicity revealed that eight proteins had the potential for the development of antigenic molecules. Protein profile information and these antigenic proteins may play key roles in the pathogeny of leishmaniasis and can be used as novel therapeutic targets against leishmaniasis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sucheewin Krobthong
- Genetic
Engineering and Bioinformatics Program, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Center
for Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Yodying Yingchutrakul
- Center
for Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Mahidol
University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- National
Omics Center, NSTDA, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Pawitrabhorn Samutrtai
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang
Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Atitaya Hitakarun
- Suphanburi
Campus Establishment Project, Kasetsart
University, Suphan Buri 72150, Thailand
| | | | - Saovanee Leelayoova
- Department
of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College
of Medicine, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Mathirut Mungthin
- Department
of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College
of Medicine, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Kiattawee Choowongkomon
- Genetic
Engineering and Bioinformatics Program, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Department
of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart
University, 50 Ngam Wong
Wan Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
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22
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Machado AS, Lage DP, Vale DL, Freitas CS, Linhares FP, Cardoso JMO, Oliveira-da-Silva JA, Pereira IAG, Ramos FF, Tavares GSV, Ludolf F, Bandeira RS, Maia LGN, Menezes-Souza D, Duarte MC, Chávez-Fumagalli MA, Roatt BM, Christodoulides M, Martins VT, Coelho EAF. Leishmania LiHyC protein is immunogenic and induces protection against visceral leishmaniasis. Parasite Immunol 2022; 44:e12921. [PMID: 35437797 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Treatment against visceral leishmaniasis (VL) presents problems by toxicity of drugs, high cost and/or emergence of resistant strains. The diagnosis is hampered by variable sensitivity and/or specificity of tests. In this context, prophylactic vaccination could represent a control measure against disease. In this study, the protective efficacy from Leishmania LiHyC protein was evaluated in murine model against Leishmania infantum infection. METHODS AND RESULTS LiHyC was used as recombinant protein (rLiHyC) associated with saponin (rLiHyC/S) or Poloxamer 407-based polymeric micelles (rLiHyC/M) to immunize mice. Animals received also saline, saponin or empty micelles as controls. The immunogenicity was evaluated before and after challenge, and results showed that vaccination with rLiHyC/S or rLiHyC/M induced the production of high levels of IFN-γ, IL-12 and GM-CSF in cell culture supernatants, as well as higher IFN-γ expression evaluated by RT-qPCR and involvement from CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subtypes producing IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2. A positive lymphoproliferative response was also found in cell cultures from vaccinated animals, besides high levels of rLiHyC- and parasite-specific nitrite and IgG2a antibodies. Immunological assays correlated with significant reductions in the parasite load in spleens, livers, bone marrows and draining lymph nodes from vaccinated mice, when compared to values found in the controls. The micellar composition showed slightly better immunological and parasitological data, as compared to rLiHyC/S. CONCLUSION Results suggest that rLiHyC associated with adjuvants could be considered for future studies as a vaccine candidate against VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniela P Lage
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Danniele L Vale
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Camila S Freitas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Flávia P Linhares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jamille M O Cardoso
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João A Oliveira-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabela A G Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda F Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Grasiele S V Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Ludolf
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Raquel S Bandeira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luiz G N Maia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniel Menezes-Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariana C Duarte
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Miguel A Chávez-Fumagalli
- Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Urb. San José S/N, Umacollo, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Bruno M Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, England
| | - Vívian T Martins
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A F Coelho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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23
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Mendes B, Minori K, Consonni SR, Andrews NW, Miguel DC. Causative Agents of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis Are Able to Infect 3T3-L1 Adipocytes In Vitro. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:824494. [PMID: 35186797 PMCID: PMC8855065 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.824494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although macrophages have long been considered key players in the course of Leishmania infections, other non-professional phagocytes have lately been shown to maintain low levels of the parasite in safe intracellular niches. Recently, it was demonstrated that the adipose tissue is capable of harboring Old World L. (L.) infantum in mice. However, there is no evidence of experimental adipocyte infection with New World Leishmania species so far. In addition, it was not known whether adipocytes would be permissive for formation of the unique, large and communal parasitophorous vacuoles that are typical of L. (L.) amazonensis in macrophages. Here we evaluated the ability of L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (V.) braziliensis promastigotes and amastigotes to infect 3T3-L1 fibroblast-derived adipocytes (3T3-Ad) using light and transmission electron microscopy. Our results indicate that amastigotes and promastigotes of both species were capable of infecting and surviving inside pre- and fully differentiated 3T3-Ad for up to 144 h. Importantly, L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes resided in large communal parasitophorous vacuoles in pre-adipocytes, which appeared to be compressed between large lipid droplets in mature adipocytes. In parallel, individual L. (V.) braziliensis amastigotes were detected in single vacuoles 144 h post-infection. We conclude that 3T3-Ad may constitute an environment that supports low loads of viable parasites perhaps contributing to parasite maintenance, since amastigotes of both species recovered from these cells differentiated into replicative promastigotes. Our findings shed light on the potential of a new host cell model that can be relevant to the persistence of New World Leishmania species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mendes
- Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Karen Minori
- Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Silvio R. Consonni
- Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Norma W. Andrews
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Danilo C. Miguel
- Department of Animal Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Danilo C. Miguel,
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24
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Dean DA, Haffner JJ, Katemauswa M, McCall LI. Chemical Cartography Approaches to Study Trypanosomatid Infection. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/63255. [PMID: 35129167 PMCID: PMC8875367 DOI: 10.3791/63255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogen tropism and disease tropism refer to the tissue locations selectively colonized or damaged by pathogens, leading to localized disease symptoms. Human-infective trypanosomatid parasites include Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease; Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness; and Leishmania species, causative agents of leishmaniasis. Jointly, they affect 20 million people across the globe. These parasites show specific tropism: heart, esophagus, colon for T. cruzi, adipose tissue, pancreas, skin, circulatory system and central nervous system for T. brucei, skin for dermotropic Leishmania strains, and liver, spleen, and bone marrow for viscerotropic Leishmania strains. A spatial perspective is therefore essential to understand trypanosomatid disease pathogenesis. Chemical cartography generates 3D visualizations of small molecule abundance generated via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, in comparison to microbiological and immunological parameters. This protocol demonstrates how chemical cartography can be applied to study pathogenic processes during trypanosomatid infection, beginning from systematic tissue sampling and metabolite extraction, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry data acquisition, and concluding with the generation of 3D maps of metabolite distribution. This method can be used for multiple research questions, such as nutrient requirements for tissue colonization by T. cruzi, T. brucei, or Leishmania, immunometabolism at sites of infection, and the relationship between local tissue metabolic perturbation and clinical disease symptoms, leading to comprehensive insight into trypanosomatid disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danya A Dean
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman
| | - Jacob J Haffner
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman; Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman
| | | | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman; Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman; Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman;
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25
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Castillo-Castañeda A, Patiño LH, Muñoz M, Ayala MS, Segura M, Bautista J, Shaban MV, Paniz-Mondolfi A, Ramírez JD. Amplicon-based next-generation sequencing reveals the co-existence of multiple Leishmania species in patients with visceral leishmaniasis. Int J Infect Dis 2021; 115:35-38. [PMID: 34863923 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a mammalian protozoal disease propagated in the Americas by female phlebotomine sandflies, mainly caused by Leishmania infantum. However, in recent years, cases of VL caused by different Leishmania species, such as L. amazonensis and L. colombiensis, have been reported in the continent. This study used an amplicon-based next-generation sequencing approach to identify VL aetiologic species using high-depth sequencing targeting a region on the Heat Shock Protein 70 gene. In this first approach, six samples from five patients diagnosed with VL were selected and analysed to identify DNA of Leishmania spp. All samples harboured DNA of L. infantum; five samples were found to be co-infected with other Leishmania spp. or with Trypanosoma cruzi, and just one sample was mono-infected with L. infantum. This study demonstrates the usefulness of this methodology to identify trypanosomatid co-infections in clinical samples, which presents an interesting study panorama considering their biological, clinical and epidemiological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Castillo-Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luz H Patiño
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martha S Ayala
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maryi Segura
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jessica Bautista
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maryia V Shaban
- Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia/Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Division of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
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26
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Pissarra J, Pagniez J, Petitdidier E, Séveno M, Vigy O, Bras-Gonçalves R, Lemesre JL, Holzmuller P. Proteomic Analysis of the Promastigote Secretome of Seven Leishmania Species. J Proteome Res 2021; 21:30-48. [PMID: 34806897 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the most impactful parasitic diseases worldwide, endangering the lives of 1 billion people every year. There are 20 different species of Leishmania able to infect humans, causing cutaneous (CL), visceral (VL), and/or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL). Leishmania parasites are known to secrete a plethora of proteins to establish infection and modulate the host's immune system. In this study, we analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry the total protein content of the secretomes produced by promastigote forms from seven Leishmania species grown in serum-free in vitro cultures. The core secretome shared by all seven Leishmania species corresponds to up to one-third of total secreted proteins, suggesting conserved mechanisms of adaptation to the vertebrate host. The relative abundance confirms the importance of known virulence factors and some proteins uniquely present in CL- or VL-causing species and may provide further insight regarding their pathogenesis. Bioinformatic analysis showed that most proteins were secreted via unconventional mechanisms, with an important role for vesicle-based secretion for all species. Gene Ontology annotation and enrichment analyses showed a high level of functional conservation among species. This study contributes to the current knowledge on the biological significance of differently secreted proteins and provides new information on the correlation of Leishmania secretome to clinical outcomes and species-specific pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Pissarra
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Pagniez
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Elodie Petitdidier
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Martial Séveno
- BCM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Oana Vigy
- IGF, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Rachel Bras-Gonçalves
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Loup Lemesre
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Holzmuller
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, University of Montpellier (I-MUSE), 34090 Montpellier, France
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27
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Parkash V, Kaye PM, Layton AM, Lacey CJ. Vaccines against leishmaniasis: using controlled human infection models to accelerate development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1407-1418. [PMID: 34664543 PMCID: PMC9835556 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1991795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that is defined by the World Health Organization as vaccine preventable. Although several new candidate vaccines are in development, no vaccine has successfully reached the market for human use. Several species of Leishmania cause human disease and have co-evolved with their respective sand fly vectors. These unique relationships have implications for initiation of infection and vaccine development. An approach to vaccine development for many infectious diseases is the use of controlled human infection models (CHIMs). AREAS COVERED We describe the history and recent development of experimental and deliberate infection using Leishmania in humans and the rationale for developing a new sand fly-initiated CHIM to progress leishmaniasis vaccine development. Examples from other infectious diseases are discussed in the context of the development of a new leishmaniasis CHIM. We also reflect upon the manufacture of the challenge agent, practical considerations, safety, ethics, and regulatory issues. EXPERT OPINION A new cutaneous Leishmania CHIM is being developed to enable testing of vaccines in the development pipeline. Questions remain about the use of such CHIMs to determine effectiveness of vaccines against visceral leishmaniasis. However, such a CHIM will be invaluable in expediting time to market for vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivak Parkash
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Paul M. Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Alison M Layton
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Charles J Lacey
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
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28
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Vojtkova B, Frynta D, Spitzova T, Lestinova T, Votypka J, Volf P, Sadlova J. Repeated Sand Fly Bites of Infected BALB/c Mice Enhance the Development of Leishmania Lesions. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.745104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sand fly saliva has considerable immunomodulatory effects on Leishmania infections in mammalian hosts. Studies on several Leishmania – sand fly - host combinations have demonstrated that co-inoculation with Leishmania parasites enhances pathogenicity, while pre-exposure of hosts to sand fly bites provides significant protection against infection. However, the third scenario, the effect of sand fly saliva on parasite development in hosts infected before exposure to sand flies, remains an understudied aspect of Leishmania–host–vector interaction. Here we studied the effect of exposure of L. major-infected BALB/c mice to repeated sand fly bites. Mice infected intradermally with sand fly-derived Leishmania were repeatedly bitten by Phlebotomus duboscqi females every two weeks. The lesion development was recorded weekly for ten weeks post-infection and parasite load and distribution in various organs were tested post mortem using qPCR. Repeated sand fly bites significantly enhanced the development of cutaneous lesions; they developed faster and reached larger size than in unexposed mice. Multiple sand fly bites also increased parasites load in inoculated ears. On the other hand, the distribution of parasites in mice body and their infectiousness to vectors did not differ significantly between groups. Our study provides the first evidence that multiple and repeated exposures of infected BALB/c mice to sand fly bites significantly enhance the progress of local skin infection caused by Leishmania major and increase tissue parasite load, but do not affect the visceralization of parasites. This finding appeals to adequate protection of infected humans from sand fly bites, not only to prevent transmission but also to prevent enlarged lesions.
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29
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Guimarães TT, Gomes SMR, Albuquerque RAAC, Lima AKC, Braga GF, Souza JB, Assis M, Brito ACS, Santos RF, Da Silva T, Siqueira LM, Ventura BD, Rodrigues LS, Terra R, Da Silva SAG, Dutra PML. Chronic Aerobic Training at Different Volumes in the Modulation of Macrophage Function and in vivo Infection of BALB/c Mice by Leishmania major. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:734355. [PMID: 34616386 PMCID: PMC8489854 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.734355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Physical inactivity is one of the main causes of chronic diseases; however, strenuous exercise can induce immunosuppression. Several studies suggest that moderate amounts of exercise lead to a Th1 response, favoring the resolution of infections caused by intracellular microorganisms, while high volumes of exercise tend to direct the response to Th2, favoring infection by them. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease promoted by parasites of the Leishmania genus, with clinical manifestations that vary according to the species of the parasite and the immune response of the host. The experimental Leishmania major–BALB/C mouse model provides a good model for the resistance (Th1 response) or susceptibility (Th2 response) that determines the progression of this infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic training at different volumes on modulation of in vitro macrophage infection by L. major, as well as to assess the effect of high volume (HV) aerobic training on the development of L. major in vivo in BALB/c mice. Uninfected animals were submitted to various exercise volumes: none (SED), light (LV), moderate (MV), high (HV), very high (VHV), and tapering (TAP). The macrophages of these animals were infected by L. major and the LV and MV groups showed a decrease in the infection factor, while the VHV showed an increase in the infection factor, when treated with LPS. The cytokine concentration pattern measured in the supernatants of these macrophages suggested a predominant Th1 response profile in the LV and MV groups, while the Th2 profile predominated in the VHV and TAP groups. Groups of BALB/C mice infected with L. major were subjected to high volume (iHV) or non-periodized high volume (iNPHV) exercise or kept sedentary (iSED). The exercised animals suffered a significant increase in injuries caused by the parasites. The animals in the group submitted to high volume exercise (iHV) showed visceralization of the infection. These data strongly suggest that a very high volume of aerobic training increased the susceptibility of BALB/C mice to L. major infection, while moderate distribution of training loads promoted immunological balance, better controlling the infection by this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- T T Guimarães
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - S M R Gomes
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - R A A C Albuquerque
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - A K C Lima
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - G F Braga
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J B Souza
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - M Assis
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - A C S Brito
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - R F Santos
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - T Da Silva
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - L M Siqueira
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - B D Ventura
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - L S Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Immunopathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - R Terra
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Colégio Brigadeiro Newton Braga (CBNB), Diretoria de Ensino (DIRENS), Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - S A G Da Silva
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - P M L Dutra
- Discipline of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Teles LDF, Viana AG, Cardoso MS, Pinheiro GRG, Bento GA, Lula JF, Soares TDCM, Fujiwara RT, Carvalho SFGD. Evaluation of medullary cytokine expression and clinical and laboratory aspects in severe human visceral leishmaniasis. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12880. [PMID: 34558674 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a serious public health problem. The factors that can determine whether VL develops and progresses to severe form have not been fully identified, but a specific cellular immune response appears to play a key role. Therefore, understanding immunopathogenesis can be useful in preventing a serious clinical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bone marrow samples were collected from patients with severe VL (SVL) or non-severe VL (NSVL). Cytokine levels and parasitic load were analysed by RT-qPCR. There is a statistically significant difference in the leukocyte parameter in patients with SVL and NSVL compared with the control patients (p = .006 and p = .014, respectively). RESULTS Urea, alanine transaminase and albumin parameters had a significant difference p = .036, p = .039 and p = .017, respectively, between SVL and NSVL. Although high levels of IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α were present in all groups of individuals with VL, they were not statistically associated with severity. In patients with active VL, IFN-γ and IL-10 were associated, respectively, with a reduction and increase in the parasite load, strong and significant positive association between IFN-γ and IL-10 (rho = .627 and p = .003). CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that VL stimulates an non-dichotomized inflammatory response between Th1/Th2 and that bone marrow is an important tissue for immune regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro de Freitas Teles
- Centro de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas. Hospital, Universitário Clemente de Faria, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros-MG, Brazil
| | - Agostinho Gonçalves Viana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-MG, Brazil
| | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-MG, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriele Ariadine Bento
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-MG, Brazil
| | - Jamille Fernandes Lula
- Centro de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas. Hospital, Universitário Clemente de Faria, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros-MG, Brazil
| | - Tânia de Cássia Moreira Soares
- Centro de Pesquisa em Doenças Infecciosas. Hospital, Universitário Clemente de Faria, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros-MG, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-MG, Brazil
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Patino LH, Castillo-Castañeda A, Muñoz M, Muskus C, Rivero-Rodríguez M, Pérez-Doria A, Bejarano EE, Ramírez JD. Revisiting the heterogeneous global genomic population structure of Leishmania infantum. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34491157 PMCID: PMC8715437 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infantum is the main causative agent responsible for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a disease with global distribution. The genomic structure and genetic variation of this species have been widely studied in different parts of the world. However, in some countries, this information is still yet unknown, as is the genomic behaviour of the main antigens used in VL diagnosis (rK39 and rK28), which have demonstrated variable sensitivity and specificity in a manner dependent on the geographic region analysed. The objective of this study was to explore the genomic architecture and diversity of four Colombian L. infantum isolates obtained in this study and to compare these results with the genetic analysis of 183 L. infantum isolates from across the world (obtained from public databases), as well as to analyse the whole rK39 and rK28 antigen sequences in our dataset. The results showed that, at the global level, L. infantum has high genetic homogeneity and extensive aneuploidy. Furthermore, we demonstrated that there are distinct populations of L. infantum circulating in various countries throughout the globe and that populations of distant countries have close genomic relationships. Additionally, this study demonstrated the high genetic variability of the rK28 antigen worldwide. In conclusion, our study allowed us to (i) expand our knowledge of the genomic structure of global L. infantum; (ii) describe the intra-specific genomic variability of this species; and (iii) understand the genomic characteristics of the main antigens used in the diagnosis of VL. Additionally, this is the first study to report whole-genome sequences of Colombian L. infantum isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz H Patino
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Castillo-Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Muskus
- Programa de Estudios y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales (PECET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Matilde Rivero-Rodríguez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia.,Candidata a doctor en Medicina Tropical, Universidad de Cartagena-SUE Caribe, Colombia
| | - Alveiro Pérez-Doria
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
| | - Eduar E Bejarano
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Castillo-Castañeda A, Herrera G, Ayala MS, Fuya P, Ramírez JD. Spatial and Temporal Variability of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Colombia, 2007 to 2018. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 105:144-155. [PMID: 34232908 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease associated with poverty and is endemic in 56 countries worldwide. Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia are the most affected countries in South America. In Colombia, the National Public Health Surveillance System (SIVIGILA) consolidates epidemiological information and monitors all VL cases nationwide. However, to date, no studies have investigated the occurrence of VL in Colombia using metadata analysis. We studied the demographic data, the spatial and temporal distribution of VL cases, and the association with vector distribution of Leishmania species in Colombia from 2007 to 2018. We found 306 VL cases reported to SIVIGILA for this period, with a coverage of 25.5 cases/year, and a mortality of 2.28% (seven deaths). The highest number of confirmed cases (N = 52) occurred in 2007; the lowest (N = 9) occurred in 2012. The cases were reported mainly in children (< 7 years) affiliated with the subsidized health regimen. Regarding the geographic distribution, the cases were reported by 42 municipalities distributed in 10 departments. The occurrence of VL cases toward the northeast of Colombia, and the distribution of vectors, such as Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lu. evansi, may be changing the panorama of VL in the country. We conclude that VL, mainly in recent years, shows a temporal and spatial variability associated with the occurrence of cases in new settings. Our findings increase our understanding and knowledge of this disease, and suggest the need to monitor and prioritize areas with changes in geographic expansion to improve prevention and control actions in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Castillo-Castañeda
- 1Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Giovanny Herrera
- 1Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martha S Ayala
- 2Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Patricia Fuya
- 3Grupo de Entomología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- 1Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Franssen SU, Takele Y, Adem E, Sanders MJ, Müller I, Kropf P, Cotton JA. Diversity and Within-Host Evolution of Leishmania donovani from Visceral Leishmaniasis Patients with and without HIV Coinfection in Northern Ethiopia. mBio 2021; 12:e0097121. [PMID: 34182785 PMCID: PMC8262925 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00971-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal disease and a growing public health problem in East Africa, where Ethiopia has one of the highest VL burdens. The largest focus of VL in Ethiopia is driven by high prevalence in migrant agricultural workers and associated with a high rate of coinfection with HIV. This coinfection makes VL more difficult to treat successfully and is associated with a high rate of relapse, with VL/HIV patients frequently experiencing many relapses of VL before succumbing to this infection. We present genome-wide data on Leishmania donovani isolates from a longitudinal study of cohorts of VL and VL/HIV patients reporting to a single clinic in Ethiopia. Extensive clinical data allow us to investigate the influence of coinfection and relapse on the populations of parasites infecting these patients. We find that the same parasite population is responsible for both VL and VL/HIV infections and that, in most cases, disease relapse is caused by recrudescence of the population of parasites that caused primary VL. Complex, multiclonal infections are present in both primary and relapse cases, but the infrapopulation of parasites within a patient loses genetic diversity between primary disease presentation and subsequent relapses, presumably due to a population bottleneck induced by treatment. These data suggest that VL/HIV relapses are not caused by genetically distinct parasite infections or by reinfection. Treatment of VL does not lead to sterile cure, and in VL/HIV, the infecting parasites are able to reestablish after clinically successful treatment, leading to repeated relapse of VL. IMPORTANCE Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the second largest cause of deaths due to parasite infections and a growing problem in East Africa. In Ethiopia, it is particularly associated with migrant workers moving from regions of nonendemicity for seasonal agricultural work and is frequently found as a coinfection with HIV, which leads to frequent VL relapse following treatment. Insight into the process of relapse in these patients is thus key to controlling the VL epidemic in Ethiopia. We show that there is little genetic differentiation between the parasites infecting HIV-positive and HIV-negative VL patients. Moreover, we provide evidence that relapses are caused by the initially infecting parasite population and that treatment induces a loss of genetic diversity in this population. We propose that restoring functioning immunity and improving antiparasitic treatment may be key in breaking the cycle of relapsing VL in VL/HIV patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yegnasew Takele
- Leishmaniasis Research and Treatment Centre, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emebet Adem
- Leishmaniasis Research and Treatment Centre, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | | | - Ingrid Müller
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pascale Kropf
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Jafarzadeh A, Nair A, Jafarzadeh S, Nemati M, Sharifi I, Saha B. Immunological role of keratinocytes in leishmaniasis. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12870. [PMID: 34028815 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Following inoculation of Leishmania, a protozoan parasite, into the skin of a mammal, the epidermal keratinocytes recognize the parasite and influence the local immune response that can give rise to different outcomes of leishmaniasis. The early keratinocyte-derived cytokines and keratinocytes-T cells interactions shape the anti-leishmanial immune responses that contribute to the resistance or susceptibility to leishmaniasis. The keratinocyte-derived cytokines can directly potentiate the leishmanicidal activity of monocytes and macrophages. As keratinocytes express MHC-II and enhance the expression of costimulatory molecules, these cells act as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Depending on the epidermal microenvironment, the keratinocytes induce various types of effector CD4+ T cells. Keratinocyte apoptosis and necrosis have been also implicated in ulceration in CL. Further, keratinocytes contribute to the healing of Leishmania-related cutaneous wounds. However, keratinocyte-derived IL-10 may play a key role in the development of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). In this review, a comprehensive discussion regarding the multiple roles played by keratinocytes during leishmaniasis was provided, while highlighting novel insights concerning the immunological and pathological roles of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdollah Jafarzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Arathi Nair
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sara Jafarzadeh
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Maryam Nemati
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.,Department of Haematology and Laboratory Sciences, School of Para-Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Bhubaneswar, India.,National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
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Parab AR, Thomas D, Lostracco-Johnson S, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Dorrestein PC, McCall LI. Dysregulation of Glycerophosphocholines in the Cutaneous Lesion Caused by Leishmania major in Experimental Murine Models. Pathogens 2021; 10:593. [PMID: 34068119 PMCID: PMC8152770 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10050593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common disease form caused by a Leishmania parasite infection and considered a neglected tropical disease (NTD), affecting 700,000 to 1.2 million new cases per year in the world. Leishmania major is one of several different species of the Leishmania genus that can cause CL. Current CL treatments are limited by adverse effects and rising resistance. Studying disease metabolism at the site of infection can provide knowledge of new targets for host-targeted drug development. In this study, tissue samples were collected from mice infected in the ear or footpad with L. major and analyzed by untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Significant differences in overall metabolite profiles were noted in the ear at the site of the lesion. Interestingly, lesion-adjacent, macroscopically healthy sites also showed alterations in specific metabolites, including selected glycerophosphocholines (PCs). Host-derived PCs in the lower m/z range (m/z 200-799) showed an increase with infection in the ear at the lesion site, while those in the higher m/z range (m/z 800-899) were decreased with infection at the lesion site. Overall, our results expanded our understanding of the mechanisms of CL pathogenesis through host metabolism and may lead to new curative measures against infection with Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwaita R. Parab
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Diane Thomas
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Sharon Lostracco-Johnson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
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de Castro Neto AL, da Silveira JF, Mortara RA. Comparative Analysis of Virulence Mechanisms of Trypanosomatids Pathogenic to Humans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:669079. [PMID: 33937106 PMCID: PMC8085324 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.669079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania spp., and T. cruzi are flagellate protozoans of the family Trypanosomatidae and the causative agents of human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease, respectively. These diseases affect humans worldwide and exert a significant impact on public health. Over the course of evolution, the parasites associated with these pathologies have developed mechanisms to circumvent the immune response system throughout the infection cycle. In cases of human infection, this function is undertaken by a group of proteins and processes that allow the parasites to propagate and survive during host invasion. In T. brucei, antigenic variation is promoted by variant surface glycoproteins and other proteins involved in evasion from the humoral immune response, which helps the parasite sustain itself in the extracellular milieu during infection. Conversely, Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi possess a more complex infection cycle, with specific intracellular stages. In addition to mechanisms for evading humoral immunity, the pathogens have also developed mechanisms for facilitating their adhesion and incorporation into host cells. In this review, the different immune evasion strategies at cellular and molecular levels developed by these human-pathogenic trypanosomatids have been discussed, with a focus on the key molecules responsible for mediating the invasion and evasion mechanisms and the effects of these molecules on virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Leonel de Castro Neto
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Arruda Mortara
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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McCall LI. Quo vadis? Central Rules of Pathogen and Disease Tropism. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:640987. [PMID: 33718287 PMCID: PMC7947345 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.640987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding why certain people get sick and die while others recover or never become ill is a fundamental question in biomedical research. A key determinant of this process is pathogen and disease tropism: the locations that become infected (pathogen tropism), and the locations that become damaged (disease tropism). Identifying the factors that regulate tropism is essential to understand disease processes, but also to drive the development of new interventions. This review intersects research from across infectious diseases to define the central mediators of disease and pathogen tropism. This review also highlights methods of study, and translational implications. Overall, tropism is a central but under-appreciated aspect of infection pathogenesis which should be at the forefront when considering the development of new methods of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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Das S, Mukherjee S, Ali N. Super enhancer-mediated transcription of miR146a-5p drives M2 polarization during Leishmania donovani infection. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009343. [PMID: 33630975 PMCID: PMC7943006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The outcome of Leishmania donovani infection depends upon the dynamic interchanges between M1 and M2 macrophages. Information of the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) and epigenetic modifiers in regulating macrophage plasticity during L. donovani infection is still elusive. Differential expression analysis of polarization-regulating miRNAs, revealed significant enrichment of miR146a-5p during Leishmania donovani infection. A sustained enrichment of miR146a-5p was observed in both infected bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) and BALB/c mice organs. We found involvement of miR146a-5p in phagocytosis and survivability of parasites. Moreover, miR146a-5pgot enriched in interleukin 4- stimulated BMDMs, indicating its possible involvement in M2 polarization. Upon transfecting BMDMs with miRVANA anti-146a oligos, M2 markers (CCR7, YM-1, FIZZ-1, arginase-1, IL10 and IL4) and transcription factors (p-STAT6 and c/EBPβ) got depleted with concomitant augmentation of M1-polarizing transcription factors (p-STAT1, AP1 and IRF-1), miR146a target genes (TRAF6 and IRAK1), M1 cytokines (IL12 and TNFα), iNOS, nitric oxide, and nuclear translocation of phospho p-65 subunit. Neutralization of intracellular mature miR146a-5p pool in infected BALB/c mice lower organ parasite burden and expressions of M2 markers and IL10 with enrichment of M1 markers like iNOS and IL12. Additionally, we explored the novel role of super enhancer (SE), a cis-acting regulatory component, to enrich miR146a-5p expression during infection. Enhanced expression and nuclear retention of SE components like BET bromodomain 4 (BRD4) and p300 were found in infected BMDMs. Upon silencing BRD4, expressions of miR146a-5p and M2 markers were down regulated and TRAF6, IRAK1 and iNOS levels increased. STRING V.11 based predication and immune precipitation confirmed the strong interaction amongst BRD4, p300 and RNA pol II (RpbI). Chromatin immune precipitation studies suggested the recruitment of BRD4 at the enhancer loci of miR146a-5p gene during infection. Altogether, our findings revealed a novel role of BRD4/p300-depdendent super-enhancer in regulating miR146a expression during L. donovani infection which in turn mediates M2 polarization and immune-suppression. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by protozoan parasites Leishmania donovani, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is highly lethal if left untreated. Major obstacle for successful therapy of VL originates from the life-long immune-suppression triggered in the post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) patients during infection. Identification of molecular principles behind such immune-suppression will add success in VL therapeutics. L. donovani hijacks the host macrophages and converts them from pro-inflammatory M1 to immune-suppressive M2 type, which allows successful infection establishment. Herein, we explored the indispensable role of miRNA-146a-5p in conversion of M1 to M2 type during infection. Both in vitro and in vivo miRNA silencing established miR146a-5p as an imperative negative regulator ofM1 polarization. Computational analysis as well as immune precipitation based experiments authenticated that L. donovani induces super enhancer complex mediated transcriptional upregulation of miR146a-5p. BET bromodomain protein 4 (BRD4) forms this SE complex along with p300 histone acetyl transferase and RNA pol II. Silencing of BRD4 significantly abrogated miR146a-5p mediated M2 polarization. In short, our current findings established a previously unrecognized role of BRD4-depdendent super enhancers in orchestrating persistent transcription of macrophage miR146a-5p which in turn promotes M2 polarization during L. donovani infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Das
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Sohitri Mukherjee
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
- * E-mail:
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Lypaczewski P, Zhang WW, Matlashewski G. Evidence that a naturally occurring single nucleotide polymorphism in the RagC gene of Leishmania donovani contributes to reduced virulence. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009079. [PMID: 33621241 PMCID: PMC7901767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a widespread neglected tropical disease transmitted by infected sand flies resulting in either benign cutaneous infection or fatal visceral disease. Leishmania donovani is the principal species responsible for visceral leishmaniasis, yet an atypical L. donovani has become attenuated in several countries including Sri Lanka and causes cutaneous leishmaniasis. Previous studies have identified 91 genes altered in the atypical cutaneous L. donovani compared to typical visceral disease associated L. donovani including mutations in the RagC and Raptor genes that are part of the eukaryotic conserved TOR pathway and its upstream sensing pathway. In the present study, we investigate whether the RagC R231C mutation present in atypical cutaneous L. donovani introduced into the virulent L. donovani 1S2D chromosome by CRISPR gene editing could affect virulence for survival in visceral organs. Through bioinformatic analysis, we further investigated the presence of sensing pathway components upstream of TOR in L. donovani including RagC complexing proteins, RagA and Raptor. L. donovani 1S2D edited to express mutant RagC R231C were viable in promastigote but had reduced visceral parasitemia in infected BALB/c mice. The RagC R231C mutant retained the ability to interact with RagA and gene knockout experiments revealed that although the RagA gene was essential, the RagC gene was not essential under promastigote culture conditions but was essential for survival in the liver of experimentally infected mice. These results provide evidence that the TOR associated sensing pathway plays a prominent role in L. donovani visceral disease and the RagC R231C mutation contributed to the atypical pathology of cutaneous L. donovani in Sri Lanka.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Lypaczewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Wen-Wei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Greg Matlashewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Ashwin H, Sadlova J, Vojtkova B, Becvar T, Lypaczewski P, Schwartz E, Greensted E, Van Bocxlaer K, Pasin M, Lipinski KS, Parkash V, Matlashewski G, Layton AM, Lacey CJ, Jaffe CL, Volf P, Kaye PM. Characterization of a new Leishmania major strain for use in a controlled human infection model. Nat Commun 2021; 12:215. [PMID: 33431825 PMCID: PMC7801518 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20569-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is widely regarded as a vaccine-preventable disease, but the costs required to reach pivotal Phase 3 studies and uncertainty about which candidate vaccines should be progressed into human studies significantly limits progress in vaccine development for this neglected tropical disease. Controlled human infection models (CHIMs) provide a pathway for accelerating vaccine development and to more fully understand disease pathogenesis and correlates of protection. Here, we describe the isolation, characterization and GMP manufacture of a new clinical strain of Leishmania major. Two fresh strains of L. major from Israel were initially compared by genome sequencing, in vivo infectivity and drug sensitivity in mice, and development and transmission competence in sand flies, allowing one to be selected for GMP production. This study addresses a major roadblock in the development of vaccines for leishmaniasis, providing a key resource for CHIM studies of sand fly transmitted cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Ashwin
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtkova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Becvar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick Lypaczewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eli Schwartz
- The Center for Geographic Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Elizabeth Greensted
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Katrien Van Bocxlaer
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | | | | | - Vivak Parkash
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Greg Matlashewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alison M Layton
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Charles J Lacey
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Charles L Jaffe
- The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Paul M Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK.
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Hzounda Fokou JB, Dize D, Etame Loe GM, Nko'o MHJ, Ngene JP, Ngoule CC, Boyom FF. Anti-leishmanial and anti-trypanosomal natural products from endophytes. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:785-796. [PMID: 33409640 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-07035-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi are parasites belonging to the Trypanosomatidae family and the causative agents for two very important neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), namely leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, respectively. Together, they affect millions of people worldwide and the number of cases is constantly rising; thus, further effort on identifying and developing non-toxic, affordable and effective new drug is urgently needed to overcome this alarming situation. Exploring natural products from fungal and bacterial origin remains hitherto a valuable approach to find new hits and candidates for the development of new drugs against these protozoal human infections. Endophytes, which are microorganisms (fungal and bacterial) inhabiting plant tissues, represent a promising source, as they hold potential to produce a high number of distinct chemical scaffolds. These structurally diverse natural products have previously been successfully tested against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. The present review provides an update of endophytic compounds exerting anti-trypanosomal and anti-leishmanial effects and their predicted pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Baptiste Hzounda Fokou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, PO Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon.
- Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaoundé I, PO Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Darline Dize
- Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaoundé I, PO Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Gisele Marguerite Etame Loe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, PO Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Moise Henri Julien Nko'o
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, PO Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Jean Pierre Ngene
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, PO Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Charles Christian Ngoule
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, PO Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Fabrice Fekam Boyom
- Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry and Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaoundé I, PO Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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Rastogi R, Verma JK, Singh V, Krishnamurthy G, Sood C, Kapoor A, Kumar K, Ansari I, Mukhopadhyay A. Identification and characterization of the hemoglobin-binding domain of hemoglobin receptor in Leishmania. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:548-558. [PMID: 33314040 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania internalize hemoglobin (Hb) via a specific receptor (HbR) for their survival. To identify the Hb-binding domain of HbR, we cloned and expressed several truncated proteins of HbR and determined their ability to bind Hb. Our findings reveal that 90% of Hb-binding activity is retained in HbR41-80 in comparison with HbR1-471 . We synthesized a 40 amino acid peptide (SSEKMKQLTMYMIHEMVEGLEGRPSTVRMLPSFVYTSDPA) corresponding to HbR41-80 and found that it specifically binds Hb. Subsequently, we found that the HbR41-80 peptide completely blocks Hb uptake in both promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania and, thereby, inhibits the growth of the parasite. These results demonstrate that HbR41-80 is the Hb-binding domain of HbR, which might be used as a potential therapeutic agent to inhibit the growth of Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jitender Kumar Verma
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Chandni Sood
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Anjali Kapoor
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Kamal Kumar
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Amitabha Mukhopadhyay
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
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Osero BO, Aruleba RT, Brombacher F, Hurdayal R. Unravelling the unsolved paradoxes of cytokine families in host resistance and susceptibility to Leishmania infection. Cytokine X 2020; 2:100043. [PMID: 33415318 PMCID: PMC7773805 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytox.2020.100043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Successful clearance of Leishmania relies on a robust human immune response and various cytokines have been implicated in resistance and susceptibility to Leishmania infection. Accordingly, various immunotherapeutic approaches involving cytokines and cytokine receptors are being considered as novel avenues of treatment given the limited efficacy of current anti-leishmanial drugs. These approaches target canonical T helper (Th)1/Type 1 cytokines as intended mediators of host-protection to infection whilst concomitantly suppressing Th2/Type 2 cytokines and their anticipated disease-promoting roles. However, the use of cytokine and cytokine receptor gene-deficient mice over the years has challenged this simplistic view of Th1/Type 1-mediated resistance and Th2/Type 2-mediated susceptibility. Indeed, contribution to susceptibility vs resistance is only a partial consequence to cytokine action as the overall response is multi-faceted due to the pleiotropic, redundant, antagonistic and synergistic action of cytokines and interactions with immune cells in the diseased state. Notably, while the responses of certain cytokines are selectively host-protective or characteristic disease-enhancers, some ligands exert a response depending on the parasite-species initiating infection. Paradoxically, others play dual or contradictory roles in different Leishmania immunopathologies. Hence, cytokines in disease is an unsolved paradox and a comprehensive knowledge of cytokine interplay is important to guide the development of novel immunotherapeutics against leishmaniasis. In this review, we characterize various cytokine families in persistence and clearance of the Leishmania parasite and particularly elucidate unsolved cytokine puzzles in leishmaniasis based on information acquired from "gain of knowledge by loss of function" studies in cytokine and cytokine receptor gene-deficient mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Ong'ondo Osero
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) on Immunology of Infectious Diseases, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Raphael Taiwo Aruleba
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Frank Brombacher
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) on Immunology of Infectious Diseases, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ramona Hurdayal
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) on Immunology of Infectious Diseases, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
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Rastogi R, Kapoor A, Verma JK, Ansari I, Sood C, Kumar K, Mukhopadhyay A. Rab5b function is essential to acquire heme from hemoglobin endocytosis for survival of Leishmania. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2020; 1868:118868. [PMID: 33011192 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that Rab5a and Rab5b differentially regulate fluid-phase and receptor-mediated endocytosis in Leishmania, respectively. To unequivocally demonstrate the role of Rab5b in hemoglobin endocytosis in Leishmania, we generated null-mutants of Rab5b parasites by sequentially replacing both copies of LdRab5b with the hygromycin and neomycin resistance gene cassettes. LdRab5b-/- null-mutant parasite was confirmed by qPCR analysis of genomic DNA using LdRab5b specific primers. LdRab5b-/- cells showed severe growth defect indicating essential function of LdRab5b in parasite. To characterize the role of Rab5b in Hb endocytosis in parasites, LdRab5b-/- cells were rescued by exogenous addition of hemin in growth medium. Our results showed that LdRab5b-/- cells are relatively smaller in size. Ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of relatively enlarged flagellar pocket and bigger intracellular vesicles in these cells in comparison to control cells. Both promastigotes and amastigotes of Rab5b null-mutant parasites were unable to internalize Hb but fluid phase endocytosis of different markers was not affected. However, complementation of LdRab5b:WT in LdRab5b-/- cells (LdRab5b-/-:pRab5b:WT) rescued Hb internalization in these cells. Interestingly, LdRab5b-/- cells showed significantly less Hb-receptor on cell surface in comparison to control cells indicating a block in HbR trafficking. Finally, we showed that LdRab5b-/- parasites can infect the macrophages but are unable to survive after 96 h of infection in comparison to control cells. However, supplementation of hemin in the growth medium significantly rescued LdRab5b-/-Leishmania survival in macrophage indicating that LdRab5b function is essential for the acquisition of heme from internalized Hb for the survival of Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchir Rastogi
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Anjali Kapoor
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India; National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Jitender Kumar Verma
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Irshad Ansari
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Chandni Sood
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Kamal Kumar
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Amitabha Mukhopadhyay
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
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Central Asian Rodents as Model Animals for Leishmania major and Leishmania donovani Research. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091440. [PMID: 32962237 PMCID: PMC7563294 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical manifestation of leishmaniases depends on parasite species, host genetic background, and immune response. Manifestations of human leishmaniases are highly variable, ranging from self-healing skin lesions to fatal visceral disease. The scope of standard model hosts is insufficient to mimic well the wide disease spectrum, which compels the introduction of new model animals for leishmaniasis research. In this article, we study the susceptibility of three Asian rodent species (Cricetulus griseus, Lagurus lagurus, and Phodopus sungorus) to Leishmania major and L. donovani. The external manifestation of the disease, distribution, as well as load of parasites and infectiousness to natural sand fly vectors, were compared with standard models, BALB/c mice and Mesocricetus auratus. No significant differences were found in disease outcomes in animals inoculated with sand fly- or culture-derived parasites. All Asian rodent species were highly susceptible to L. major. Phodopus sungorus showed the non-healing phenotype with the progressive growth of ulcerative lesions and massive parasite loads. Lagurus lagurus and C. griseus represented the healing phenotype, the latter with high infectiousness to vectors, mimicking best the character of natural reservoir hosts. Both, L. lagurus and C. griseus were also highly susceptible to L. donovani, having wider parasite distribution and higher parasite loads and infectiousness than standard model animals.
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Experimental infection of Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in BALB/c mice and Syrian golden hamsters. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:3041-3051. [PMID: 32779021 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06842-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Our objective was to investigate clinical progression, presence of parasites and DNAs, parasite loads, and histological alterations in BALB/c mice and Syrian golden hamsters after intraperitoneal inoculation with Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis promastigotes with a goal to choosing an appropriate animal model for visceral leishmaniasis. Infections were monitored for 16 weeks. Infected BALB/c mice were asymptomatic during the infection course. Parasite DNAs were detected in the liver at week 8 of infection, followed by clearance in most animals at week 16; whereas in the spleen, parasite DNAs were detected until week 16. These results are correlated to those obtained measuring parasite loads in both organs. No parasite DNA and no alteration in the bone marrow were observed indicating that no dissemination occurred. These results suggest the control of visceralization of L. martiniquensis by BALB/c mice. In hamsters, weight loss, cachexia, and fatigue were observed after week 11. Leishmania martiniquensis parasites were observed in tissue smears of the liver, spleen, and bone marrow by week 16. Parasite loads correlated with those from the presence of parasites and DNAs in the examined tissues. Alterations in the liver with nuclear destruction and cytoplasmic degeneration of infected hepatocytes, presence of inflammatory infiltrates, necrosis of hepatocytes, and changes in splenic architecture and reduction and deformation of white pulp in the spleen were noted. These results indicate a chronic form of visceral leishmaniasis indicating that the hamster is a suitable animal model for the study of pathological features of chronic visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. martiniquensis.
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Jiménez-Antón MD, Grau M, Corral MJ, Olías-Molero AI, Alunda JM. Efficient infection of hamster with Leishmania donovani by retro-orbital inoculation. Virulence 2020; 10:711-718. [PMID: 31389288 PMCID: PMC8647847 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1649587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M D Jiménez-Antón
- a Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Research group ICPVet, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Spain.,b Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid , Spain
| | - M Grau
- a Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Research group ICPVet, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Spain.,b Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid , Spain
| | - M J Corral
- a Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Research group ICPVet, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Spain.,b Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid , Spain
| | - A I Olías-Molero
- a Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Research group ICPVet, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Spain.,b Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid , Spain
| | - J M Alunda
- a Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Research group ICPVet, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , Spain.,b Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid , Spain
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Zhang WW, Karmakar S, Gannavaram S, Dey R, Lypaczewski P, Ismail N, Siddiqui A, Simonyan V, Oliveira F, Coutinho-Abreu IV, DeSouza-Vieira T, Meneses C, Oristian J, Serafim TD, Musa A, Nakamura R, Saljoughian N, Volpedo G, Satoskar M, Satoskar S, Dagur PK, McCoy JP, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG, Hamano S, Satoskar AR, Matlashewski G, Nakhasi HL. A second generation leishmanization vaccine with a markerless attenuated Leishmania major strain using CRISPR gene editing. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3461. [PMID: 32651371 PMCID: PMC7351751 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17154-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania protozoa transmitted by infected sand flies. Vaccination through leishmanization with live Leishmania major has been used successfully but is no longer practiced because it resulted in occasional skin lesions. A second generation leishmanization is described here using a CRISPR genome edited L. major strain (LmCen-/-). Notably, LmCen-/- is a genetically engineered centrin gene knock-out mutant strain that is antibiotic resistant marker free and does not have detectable off-target mutations. Mice immunized with LmCen-/- have no visible lesions following challenge with L. major-infected sand flies, while non-immunized animals develop large and progressive lesions with a 2-log fold higher parasite burden. LmCen-/- immunization results in protection and an immune response comparable to leishmanization. LmCen-/- is safe since it is unable to cause disease in immunocompromised mice, induces robust host protection against vector sand fly challenge and because it is marker free, can be advanced to human vaccine trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Wei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Subir Karmakar
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Ranadhir Dey
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Patrick Lypaczewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nevien Ismail
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Abid Siddiqui
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Vahan Simonyan
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Fabiano Oliveira
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Iliano V Coutinho-Abreu
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Thiago DeSouza-Vieira
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Claudio Meneses
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - James Oristian
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Tiago D Serafim
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Abu Musa
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan and Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Leadership Program, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Risa Nakamura
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan and Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Leadership Program, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Noushin Saljoughian
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Greta Volpedo
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Monika Satoskar
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, 44272, USA
| | - Sanika Satoskar
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
- Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, 44272, USA
| | - Pradeep K Dagur
- National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20852, USA
| | - J Philip McCoy
- National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Shinjiro Hamano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan and Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Doctoral Leadership Program, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Abhay R Satoskar
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
| | - Greg Matlashewski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.
| | - Hira L Nakhasi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, FDA, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
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49
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Douanne N, Dong G, Douanne M, Olivier M, Fernandez-Prada C. Unravelling the proteomic signature of extracellular vesicles released by drug-resistant Leishmania infantum parasites. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008439. [PMID: 32628683 PMCID: PMC7365475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis constitutes the 9th largest disease burden among all infectious diseases. Control of this disease is based on a short list of chemotherapeutic agents headed by pentavalent antimonials, followed by miltefosine and amphotericin B; drugs that are far from ideal due to host toxicity, elevated cost, limited access, and high rates of drug resistance. Knowing that the composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) can vary according to the state of their parental cell, we hypothesized that EVs released by drug-resistant Leishmania infantum parasites could contain unique and differently enriched proteins depending on the drug-resistance mechanisms involved in the survival of their parental cell line. To assess this possibility, we studied EV production, size, morphology, and protein content of three well-characterized drug-resistant L. infantum cell lines and a wild-type strain. Our results are the first to demonstrate that drug-resistance mechanisms can induce changes in the morphology, size, and distribution of L. infantum EVs. In addition, we identified L. infantum’s core EV proteome. This proteome is highly conserved among strains, with the exception of a handful of proteins that are enriched differently depending on the drug responsible for induction of antimicrobial resistance. Furthermore, we obtained the first snapshot of proteins enriched in EVs released by antimony-, miltefosine- and amphotericin-resistant parasites. These include several virulence factors, transcription factors, as well as proteins encoded by drug-resistance genes. This detailed study of L. infantum EVs sheds new light on the potential roles of EVs in Leishmania biology, particularly with respect to the parasite’s survival in stressful conditions. This work outlines a crucial first step towards the discovery of EV-based profiles capable of predicting response to antileishmanial agents. Visceral leishmaniasis is a life-threatening disease caused by Leishmania infantum parasites, which are transmitted by sand flies. In the absence of vaccines, current control of this disease is based on chemotherapy, which is comprised of a very limited arsenal threatened by the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains. In the shadow of growing concern and treatment failure due to resistance, the characterization of extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by drug-resistant L. infantum parasites could shed some light on the complex nature of drug resistance in Leishmania and increase our understanding of the biology of the parasite. EVs are vesicles secreted by all eukaryotic cells whose contents (proteins, DNA/RNAs, lipids) vary as a function of their cellular origin. Our results demonstrate for the first time that EVs released by drug-resistant parasites are enriched in unique protein markers that reflect the drug-resistance mechanisms involved in the survival of parental cells. These unique proteins included several virulence and transcription factors, as well as drug-resistance genes; this offers a potential benefit for drug-resistant parasites in terms of parasite-to-parasite communication and host-parasite interactions. Collectively, our initial results could serve as a jumping-off point for the future development of novel EV-based diagnostic tools for the detection and appraisal of antimicrobial-resistant Leishmania populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noélie Douanne
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- The Research Group on Infectious Diseases in Production Animals (GREMIP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - George Dong
- The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Mélanie Douanne
- Department of Biology, Health and Ecology, “Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes”, Paris, France
| | - Martin Olivier
- The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
- * E-mail: (MO); (CFP)
| | - Christopher Fernandez-Prada
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- The Research Group on Infectious Diseases in Production Animals (GREMIP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
- * E-mail: (MO); (CFP)
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50
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Saviola AJ, Negrão F, Yates JR. Proteomics of Select Neglected Tropical Diseases. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2020; 13:315-336. [PMID: 32109150 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-091619-093003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Technological advances in mass spectrometry have enabled the extensive identification, characterization, and quantification of proteins in any biological system. In disease processes proteins are often altered in response to external stimuli; therefore, proteomics, the large-scale study of proteins and their functions, represents an invaluable tool for understanding the molecular basis of disease. This review highlights the use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics to study the pathogenesis, etiology, and pathology of several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), a diverse group of disabling diseases primarily associated with poverty in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. While numerous NTDs have been the subject of proteomic studies, this review focuses on Buruli ulcer, dengue, leishmaniasis, and snakebite envenoming. The proteomic studies highlighted provide substantial information on the pathogenic mechanisms driving these diseases; they also identify molecular targets for drug discovery and development and uncover promising biomarkers that can assist in early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Saviola
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA;
| | - Fernanda Negrão
- Department of Biosciences and Technology of Bioactive Products, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA;
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