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Mejía-Jaramillo AM, Fernandez GJ, Ospina-Zapata H, Murillo AM, Jimenez DE, Gómez LA, Triana-Chávez O. PUF3 RNA binding protein of Trypanosoma cruzi regulates mitochondrial morphology and function. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32810. [PMID: 39022037 PMCID: PMC11252720 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32810] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-binding PUF proteins are post-transcriptional regulators found throughout the eukaryotic domain. In Trypanosoma cruzi, ten Puf genes termed Puf1 to Puf10 have been identified. Considering that the control of gene expression in this parasite is mainly at the post-transcriptional level, we characterized the PUF3 protein by knocking out and overexpressing the gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes and studied different genetic and biological features. The RNA-seq analyses in both genotypes showed significant changes in the number of regulated transcripts compared with wild-type parasites. Thus, the number of differentially expressed genes in the knockout (ΔTcPuf3) and the overexpressor (pTEXTcPuf3) were 238 and 187, respectively. In the knockout, a more significant proportion of genes was negatively regulated (166 out of 238). In contrast, in the overexpressor, positively regulated genes were predominant (149 out of 170). Additionally, when we predicted the subcellular location of the differentially expressed genes, the results revealed an important representation of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. Therefore, we determined whether overexpression or knockout of TcPuf3 could lead to changes in both mitochondrial structure and cellular respiration. When mitochondria from ΔTcPuf3 and pTEXTcPuf3 parasites were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was observed that the overexpressor had an abnormal mitochondrial morphology, evidenced by swelling. The results associated with cellular respiration showed that both the ΔTcPuf3 and pTEXTcPuf3 had a lower efficiency in routine respiration and the electron transport system capacity. Likewise, the mitochondria from overexpressing parasites showed a slight hyperpolarization. Additionally, several biological features, depending on the function of the mitochondria, were altered, such as growth, cell division, metacyclogenesis, ROS production, and response to benznidazole. In conclusion, our results suggest that although PUF3 is not an essential protein in T. cruzi, it influences mitochondrial transcripts, affecting mitochondrial morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Geysson Javier Fernandez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Hader Ospina-Zapata
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Ana Milena Murillo
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Dianny Elizabeth Jimenez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luis A. Gómez
- Área de Ciencias Fundamentales, Universidad Eafit, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Omar Triana-Chávez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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Kwakye-Nuako G, Middleton CE, McCall LI. Small molecule mediators of host-T. cruzi-environment interactions in Chagas disease. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012012. [PMID: 38457443 PMCID: PMC10923493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012012] [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] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecules (less than 1,500 Da) include major biological signals that mediate host-pathogen-microbiome communication. They also include key intermediates of metabolism and critical cellular building blocks. Pathogens present with unique nutritional needs that restrict pathogen colonization or promote tissue damage. In parallel, parts of host metabolism are responsive to immune signaling and regulated by immune cascades. These interactions can trigger both adaptive and maladaptive metabolic changes in the host, with microbiome-derived signals also contributing to disease progression. In turn, targeting pathogen metabolic needs or maladaptive host metabolic changes is an important strategy to develop new treatments for infectious diseases. Trypanosoma cruzi is a single-celled eukaryotic pathogen and the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease associated with cardiac and intestinal dysfunction. Here, we discuss the role of small molecules during T. cruzi infection in its vector and in the mammalian host. We integrate these findings to build a theoretical interpretation of how maladaptive metabolic changes drive Chagas disease and extrapolate on how these findings can guide drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godwin Kwakye-Nuako
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Caitlyn E. Middleton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Silva Dias Vieira C, Pinheiro Aguiar R, de Almeida Nogueira NP, Costa dos Santos Junior G, Paes MC. Glucose metabolism sustains heme-induced Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote growth in vitro. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011725. [PMID: 37948458 PMCID: PMC10664871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. This parasite alternates between an insect vector and a mammalian host. T. cruzi epimastigotes reside in the insect vector and coexist with the blood components of the vertebrate host. The metabolic profile of T. cruzi has been extensively studied; however, changes in its metabolism in response to signaling molecules present in the vector are poorly understood. Heme acts as a physiological oxidant that triggers intense epimastigote proliferation and upregulates the expression of genes related to glycolysis and aerobic fermentation in vitro. Here, heme-cultured epimastigotes increased D-glucose consumption. In fact, heme-cultured parasites secreted more succinate (the end product of the so-called succinic fermentation) followed by glucose intake. Increased succinate levels reduced the extracellular pH, leading to acidification of the supernatant. However, the acidification and proliferation stimulated by heme was impaired when glycolysis was inhibited. Otherwise, when glucose amount is enhanced in supernatant, heme-cultured parasites increased its growth whereas the glucose depletion caused a delay in proliferation. Heme supplementation increased epimastigote electron transport system-related O2 consumption rates, while glucose addition reduced both the electron transport system-related O2 consumption rates and spare respiratory capacity, indicating a Crabtree-like effect. These results show that glycolysis predominated in heme-cultured epimastigotes over oxidative phosphorylation for energy supply when glucose is present to sustain its high proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, it provided an insight into the parasite biology in the vector environment that supply glucose and the digestion of blood generates free heme that can lead to the growth of T. cruzi epimastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Silva Dias Vieira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ramon Pinheiro Aguiar
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM) and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging (CENABIO)–UFRJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natalia Pereira de Almeida Nogueira
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
| | | | - Marcia Cristina Paes
- Laboratório de Interação Tripanossomatídeos e Vetores—Departamento de Bioquímica, IBRAG–UERJ–Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia—Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM)–Brazil
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Pardo-Rodriguez D, Lasso P, Santamaría-Torres M, Cala MP, Puerta CJ, Méndez Arteaga JJ, Robles J, Cuervo C. Clethra fimbriata hexanic extract triggers alteration in the energy metabolism in epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1206074. [PMID: 37818099 PMCID: PMC10561390 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1206074] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (ChD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in American countries and an estimated 8 million people worldwide are chronically infected. Currently, only two drugs are available for therapeutic use against T. cruzi and their use is controversial due to several disadvantages associated with side effects and low compliance with treatment. Therefore, there is a need to search for new tripanocidal agents. Natural products have been considered a potential innovative source of effective and selective agents for drug development to treat T. cruzi infection. Recently, our research group showed that hexanic extract from Clethra fimbriata (CFHEX) exhibits anti-parasitic activity against all stages of T. cruzi parasite, being apoptosis the main cell death mechanism in both epimastigotes and trypomastigotes stages. With the aim of deepening the understanding of the mechanisms of death induced by CFHEX, the metabolic alterations elicited after treatment using a multiplatform metabolomics analysis (RP/HILIC-LC-QTOF-MS and GC-QTOF-MS) were performed. A total of 154 altered compounds were found significant in the treated parasites corresponding to amino acids (Arginine, threonine, cysteine, methionine, glycine, valine, proline, isoleucine, alanine, leucine, glutamic acid, and serine), fatty acids (stearic acid), glycerophospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine), sulfur compounds (trypanothione) and carboxylic acids (pyruvate and phosphoenolpyruvate). The most affected metabolic pathways were mainly related to energy metabolism, which was found to be decrease during the evaluated treatment time. Further, exogenous compounds of the triterpene type (betulinic, ursolic and pomolic acid) previously described in C. fimbriata were found inside the treated parasites. Our findings suggest that triterpene-type compounds may contribute to the activity of CFHEX by altering essential processes in the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pardo-Rodriguez
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Fitoquímica, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- Grupo de Productos Naturales, Universidad del Tolima, Tolima, Colombia
- Metabolomics Core Facility—MetCore, Vice-Presidency for Research, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paola Lasso
- Grupo de Inmunobiología y Biología Celular, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mary Santamaría-Torres
- Metabolomics Core Facility—MetCore, Vice-Presidency for Research, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mónica P. Cala
- Metabolomics Core Facility—MetCore, Vice-Presidency for Research, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Concepción J. Puerta
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Jorge Robles
- Grupo de Fitoquímica, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claudia Cuervo
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
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Telleria J, Tibayrenc M, Del Salto Mendoza M, Seveno M, Costales JA. Comparative proteomic analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi TcI lineage epimastigotes unveils metabolic and phenotypic differences between fast- and slow-dividing strains. Exp Parasitol 2023; 252:108576. [PMID: 37429537 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108576] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, is a genetically and phenotypically diverse species, divided into 5 main phylogenetic lineages (TcI to TcVI). TcI is the most widespread lineage in the Americas. Proteomics is a suitable tool to study the global protein expression dynamics in pathogens. Previous proteomic studies have revealed a link between (i) the genetic variability; (ii) the protein expression; and (iii) the biological characteristics of T. cruzi. Here, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and mass spectrometry were used to characterize the overall protein expression profiles of epimastigotes from four distinct TcI strains displaying different growth kinetics. Ascending hierarchical clustering analysis based on the global 2DE protein expression profiles grouped the strains under study into two clusters that were congruent with their fast or slow growth kinetics. A subset of proteins differentially expressed by the strains in each group were identified by mass spectrometry. Biological differences between the two groups, including use of glucose as an energy source, flagellum length, and metabolic activity, were predicted by proteomic analysis and confirmed by metabolic tests and microscopic measurements performed on the epimastigotes of each strain. Our results show that protein expression profiles are correlated with parasite phenotypes, which may in turn influence the parasite's virulence and transmission capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Telleria
- Institut de recherche pour le développement, La recherche agronomique pour le développement, 34398, Montpellier, Cedex 05, France
| | - Michel Tibayrenc
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/UM1-UM2, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France
| | - Michelle Del Salto Mendoza
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Martial Seveno
- BCM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Jaime A Costales
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
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6
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Menezes AP, Murillo AM, de Castro CG, Bellini NK, Tosi LRO, Thiemann OH, Elias MC, Silber AM, da Cunha JPC. Navigating the boundaries between metabolism and epigenetics in trypanosomes. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:682-695. [PMID: 37349193 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic marks enable cells to acquire new biological features that favor their adaptation to environmental changes. These marks are chemical modifications on chromatin-associated proteins and nucleic acids that lead to changes in the chromatin landscape and may eventually affect gene expression. The chemical tags of these epigenetic marks are comprised of intermediate cellular metabolites. The number of discovered associations between metabolism and epigenetics has increased, revealing how environment influences gene regulation and phenotype diversity. This connection is relevant to all organisms but underappreciated in digenetic parasites, which must adapt to different environments as they progress through their life cycles. This review speculates and proposes associations between epigenetics and metabolism in trypanosomes, which are protozoan parasites that cause human and livestock diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Menezes
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo-SP, Brazil; Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Milena Murillo
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tryps - LabTryps, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil
| | - Camila Gachet de Castro
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo-SP, Brazil; Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Karla Bellini
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo-SP, Brazil; Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo-SP, Brazil; Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ariel Mariano Silber
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tryps - LabTryps, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
| | - Julia Pinheiro Chagas da Cunha
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo-SP, Brazil; Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
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De-Simone SG, Bourguignon SC, Gonçalves PS, Lechuga GC, Provance DW. Metabolic Alteration of Trypanosoma cruzi during Differentiation of Epimastigote to Trypomastigote Forms. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11020268. [PMID: 35215210 PMCID: PMC8879499 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020268] [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: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi need to acquire valuable carbon sources from the host cell to replicate. Here, we investigated the energetic metabolism of T. cruzi during metacyclogenesis through the determination of enzymatic activities and quantification by HPLC of glycolytic and Krebs cycle short-chain carboxylic acids. Altered concentrations in pyruvate, acetate, succinate, and glycerate were measured during the growth of epimastigote in the complex medium BHI and their differentiation to trypomastigotes in the chemically defined medium, TAU3AAG. These alterations should represent significant differential metabolic modifications utilized by either form to generate energy. This paper is the first work dealing with the intracellular organic acid concentration measurement in T. cruzi parasites. Although it confirms the previous assumption of the importance of carbohydrate metabolism, it yields an essential improvement in T. cruzi metabolism knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore G. De-Simone
- Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), FIOCRUZ, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Populations Diseases (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.G.); (G.C.L.); (D.W.P.J.)
- Epidemiology and Molecular Systematic Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24020-141, RJ, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
| | - Saulo C. Bourguignon
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24020-141, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Priscila S. Gonçalves
- Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), FIOCRUZ, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Populations Diseases (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.G.); (G.C.L.); (D.W.P.J.)
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24020-141, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Guilherme C. Lechuga
- Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), FIOCRUZ, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Populations Diseases (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.G.); (G.C.L.); (D.W.P.J.)
- Epidemiology and Molecular Systematic Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - David W. Provance
- Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), FIOCRUZ, National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation in Neglected Populations Diseases (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil; (P.S.G.); (G.C.L.); (D.W.P.J.)
- Epidemiology and Molecular Systematic Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
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Mantilla BS, Paes-Vieira L, de Almeida Dias F, Calderano SG, Elias MC, Cosentino-Gomes D, Oliveira PL, Meyer-Fernandes JR, Silber AM. Higher expression of proline dehydrogenase altered mitochondrial function and increased Trypanosoma cruzi differentiation in vitro and in the insect vector. Biochem J 2021; 478:3891-3903. [PMID: 34661234 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenic protist Trypanosoma cruzi uses kissing bugs as invertebrate hosts that vectorize the infection among mammals. This parasite oxidizes proline to glutamate through two enzymatic steps and one nonenzymatic step. In insect vectors, T. cruzi differentiates from a noninfective replicating form to nonproliferative infective forms. Proline sustains this differentiation, but to date, a link between proline metabolism and differentiation has not been established. In T. cruzi, the enzymatic steps of the proline-glutamate oxidation pathway are catalyzed exclusively by the mitochondrial enzymes proline dehydrogenase [TcPRODH, EC: 1.5.5.2] and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase [TcP5CDH, EC: 1.2.1.88]. Both enzymatic steps produce reducing equivalents that are able to directly feed the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) and thus produce ATP. In this study, we demonstrate the contribution of each enzyme of the proline-glutamate pathway to ATP production. In addition, we show that parasites overexpressing these enzymes produce increased levels of H2O2, but only those overexpressing TcP5CDH produce increased levels of superoxide anion. We show that parasites overexpressing TcPRODH, but not parasites overexpressing TcP5CDH, exhibit a higher rate of differentiation into metacyclic trypomastigotes in vitro. Finally, insect hosts infected with parasites overexpressing TcPRODH showed a diminished parasitic load but a higher percent of metacyclic trypomastigotes, when compared with controls. Our data show that parasites overexpressing both, PRODH and P5CDH had increased mitochondrial functions that orchestrated different oxygen signaling, resulting in different outcomes in relation to the efficiency of parasitic differentiation in the invertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Mantilla
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tryps- LabTryps, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lisvane Paes-Vieira
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tryps- LabTryps, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Felipe de Almeida Dias
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Simone G Calderano
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxines, Immune response and Cell Signallig, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxines, Immune response and Cell Signallig, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Daniela Cosentino-Gomes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Meyer-Fernandes
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ariel M Silber
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Tryps- LabTryps, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Arya R, Dhembla C, Makde RD, Sundd M, Kundu S. An overview of the fatty acid biosynthesis in the protozoan parasite Leishmania and its relevance as a drug target against leishmaniasis. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2021; 246:111416. [PMID: 34555376 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2021.111416] [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: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the fast-growing parasitic diseases worldwide. The treatment of this fatal disease presents a daunting challenge because of its adverse effects, necessity for long-term treatment regime, unavailability of functional drugs, emergence of drug resistance and the related expenditure. This calls for an urgent need for novel drugs and the evaluation of new targets. Proteins of the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway are validated as drug targets in pathogenic bacteria and certain viruses. Likewise, this pathway has been speculated as a suitable target against parasite infections. Fatty acid synthesis in parasites seems to be very complex and distinct from the counterpart mammalian host due to the presence of unique mechanisms for fatty acid biosynthesis and acquisition. In recent times, there have been few evidences of the existence of this pathway in the bloodstream form of some pathogens. The fatty acid biosynthesis thus presents a viable and attractive target for emerging therapeutics. Understanding the mechanisms underlying fatty acid metabolism is key to identifying a potential drug target. However, investigations in this direction are still limited and this article attempts to outline the existing knowledge, while highlighting the scope and relevance of the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway as a drug target. This review highlights the advances in the treatment of leishmaniasis, the importance of lipids in the pathogen, known facts about the fatty acid biosynthesis in Leishmania and how this pathway can be manipulated to combat leishmaniasis, suggesting novel drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Arya
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India.
| | - Chetna Dhembla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India.
| | - Ravindra D Makde
- High Pressure and Synchrotron Radiation Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India.
| | - Monica Sundd
- National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
| | - Suman Kundu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India.
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