1
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Jamka JR, Gulbransen BD. Mechanisms of enteric neuropathy in diverse contexts of gastrointestinal dysfunction. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2024:e14870. [PMID: 39038157 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) commands moment-to-moment gut functions through integrative neurocircuitry housed in the gut wall. The functional continuity of ENS networks is disrupted in enteric neuropathies and contributes to major disturbances in normal gut activities including abnormal gut motility, secretions, pain, immune dysregulation, and disrupted signaling along the gut-brain axis. The conditions under which enteric neuropathy occurs are diverse and the mechanistic underpinnings are incompletely understood. The purpose of this brief review is to summarize the current understanding of the cell types involved, the conditions in which neuropathy occurs, and the mechanisms implicated in enteric neuropathy such as oxidative stress, toll like receptor signaling, purines, and pre-programmed cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Jamka
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Brian D Gulbransen
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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2
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Langston H, Fortes Francisco A, Doidge C, Roberts CH, Khan AA, Jayawardhana S, Taylor MC, Kelly JM, Lewis MD. Dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in hamsters and novel association with progressive motor dysfunction. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012278. [PMID: 38905323 PMCID: PMC11221660 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012278] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Clinical outcomes range from long-term asymptomatic carriage to cardiac, digestive, neurological and composite presentations that can be fatal in both acute and chronic stages of the disease. Studies of T. cruzi in animal models, principally mice, have informed our understanding of the biological basis of this variability and its relationship to infection and host response dynamics. Hamsters have higher translational value for many human infectious diseases, but they have not been well developed as models of Chagas disease. We transposed a real-time bioluminescence imaging system for T. cruzi infection from mice into female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). This enabled us to study chronic tissue pathology in the context of spatiotemporal infection dynamics. Acute infections were widely disseminated, whereas chronic infections were almost entirely restricted to the skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Neither cardiac nor digestive tract disease were reproducible features of the model. Skeletal muscle had only sporadic parasitism in the chronic phase, but nevertheless displayed significant inflammation and fibrosis, features also seen in mouse models. Whereas mice had normal locomotion, all chronically infected hamsters developed hindlimb muscle hypertonia and a gait dysfunction resembling spastic diplegia. With further development, this model may therefore prove valuable in studies of peripheral nervous system involvement in Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Langston
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ciaran Doidge
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chrissy H. Roberts
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Archie A. Khan
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin C. Taylor
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Khan AA, Langston HC, Walsh L, Roscoe R, Jayawardhana S, Francisco AF, Taylor MC, McCann CJ, Kelly JM, Lewis MD. Enteric nervous system regeneration and functional cure of experimental digestive Chagas disease with trypanocidal chemotherapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4400. [PMID: 38782898 PMCID: PMC11116530 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48749-5] [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: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Digestive Chagas disease (DCD) is an enteric neuropathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection. There is a lack of evidence on the mechanism of pathogenesis and rationales for treatment. We used a female C3H/HeN mouse model that recapitulates key clinical manifestations to study how infection dynamics shape DCD pathology and the impact of treatment with the front-line, anti-parasitic drug benznidazole. Curative treatment 6 weeks post-infection resulted in sustained recovery of gastrointestinal transit function, whereas treatment failure led to infection relapse and gradual return of DCD symptoms. Neuro/immune gene expression patterns shifted from chronic inflammation to a tissue repair profile after cure, accompanied by increased cellular proliferation, glial cell marker expression and recovery of neuronal density in the myenteric plexus. Delaying treatment until 24 weeks post-infection led to partial reversal of DCD, suggesting the accumulation of permanent tissue damage over the course of chronic infection. Our study shows that murine DCD pathogenesis is sustained by chronic T. cruzi infection and is not an inevitable consequence of acute stage denervation. The risk of irreversible enteric neuromuscular tissue damage and dysfunction developing highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment. These findings support the concept of treating asymptomatic, T. cruzi-infected individuals with benznidazole to prevent DCD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie A Khan
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Harry C Langston
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Louis Walsh
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Roscoe
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Martin C Taylor
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Conor J McCann
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - John M Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Michael D Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK.
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, CV4 7AJ, Coventry, UK.
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4
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Olmo F, Jayawardhana S, Khan AA, Langston HC, Francisco AF, Atherton RL, Ward AI, Taylor MC, Kelly JM, Lewis MD. A panel of phenotypically and genotypically diverse bioluminescent:fluorescent Trypanosoma cruzi strains as a resource for Chagas disease research. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012106. [PMID: 38820564 PMCID: PMC11168640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012106] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite that displays considerable genetic diversity. Infections result in a range of pathological outcomes, and different strains can exhibit a wide spectrum of anti-parasitic drug tolerance. The genetic determinants of infectivity, virulence and therapeutic susceptibility remain largely unknown. As experimental tools to address these issues, we have generated a panel of bioluminescent:fluorescent parasite strains that cover the diversity of the T. cruzi species. These reporters allow spatio-temporal infection dynamics in murine models to be monitored in a non-invasive manner by in vivo imaging, provide a capability to detect rare infection foci at single-cell resolution, and represent a valuable resource for investigating virulence and host:parasite interactions at a mechanistic level. Importantly, these parasite reporter strains can also contribute to the Chagas disease drug screening cascade by ensuring that candidate compounds have pan-species in vivo activity prior to being advanced into clinical testing. The parasite strains described in this paper are available on request.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Olmo
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shiromani Jayawardhana
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Archie A. Khan
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry C. Langston
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Fortes Francisco
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard L. Atherton
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex I. Ward
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin C. Taylor
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Kelly
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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5
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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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6
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Rossi IV, de Almeida RF, Sabatke B, de Godoy LMF, Ramirez MI. Trypanosoma cruzi interaction with host tissues modulate the composition of large extracellular vesicles. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5000. [PMID: 38424216 PMCID: PMC10904747 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55302-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan that causes Chagas disease (CD), an endemic parasitosis in Latin America distributed around the globe. If CD is not treated in acute phase, the parasite remains silent for years in the host's tissues in a chronic form, which may progress to cardiac, digestive or neurological manifestations. Recently, studies indicated that the gastrointestinal tract represents an important reservoir for T. cruzi in the chronic phase. During interaction T. cruzi and host cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that modulates the immune system and infection, but the dynamics of secretion of host and parasite molecules through these EVs is not understood. Now, we used two cell lines: mouse myoblast cell line C2C12, and human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2to simulate the environments found by the parasite in the host. We isolated large EVs (LEVs) from the interaction of T. cruzi CL Brener and Dm28c/C2C12 and Caco-2 cells upon 2 and 24 h of infection. Our data showed that at two hours there is a strong cellular response mediated by EVs, both in the number, variety and enrichment/targeting of proteins found in LEVs for diverse functions. Qualitative and quantitative analysis showed that proteins exported in LEVs of C2C12 and Caco-2 have different patterns. We found a predominance of host proteins at early infection. The parasite-host cell interaction induces a switch in the functionality of proteins carried by LEVs and a heterogeneous response depending on the tissues analyzed. Protein-protein interaction analysis showed that cytoplasmic and mitochondrial homologues of the same parasite protein, tryparedoxin peroxidase, were differentially packaged in LEVs, also impacting the interacting molecule of this protein in the host. These data provide new evidence that the interaction with T. cruzi leads to a rapid tissue response through the release of LEVs, reflecting the enrichment of some proteins that could modulate the infection environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izadora Volpato Rossi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Microbiologia, Parasitologia e Patologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- EVAHPI Research Group, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Rafael Fogaça de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistêmica de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Bruna Sabatke
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Microbiologia, Parasitologia e Patologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- EVAHPI Research Group, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Lyris Martins Franco de Godoy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistêmica de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Marcel Ivan Ramirez
- EVAHPI Research Group, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
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7
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Liu Z, Ulrich vonBargen R, Kendricks AL, Wheeler K, Leão AC, Sankaranarayanan K, Dean DA, Kane SS, Hossain E, Pollet J, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Jones KM, McCall LI. Localized cardiac small molecule trajectories and persistent chemical sequelae in experimental Chagas disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6769. [PMID: 37880260 PMCID: PMC10600178 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42247-w] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-infectious conditions present major health burdens but remain poorly understood. In Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites, antiparasitic agents that successfully clear T. cruzi do not always improve clinical outcomes. In this study, we reveal differential small molecule trajectories between cardiac regions during chronic T. cruzi infection, matching with characteristic CD apical aneurysm sites. Incomplete, region-specific, cardiac small molecule restoration is observed in animals treated with the antiparasitic benznidazole. In contrast, superior restoration of the cardiac small molecule profile is observed for a combination treatment of reduced-dose benznidazole plus an immunotherapy, even with less parasite burden reduction. Overall, these results reveal molecular mechanisms of CD treatment based on simultaneous effects on the pathogen and on host small molecule responses, and expand our understanding of clinical treatment failure in CD. This link between infection and subsequent persistent small molecule perturbation broadens our understanding of infectious disease sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongyuan Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Rebecca Ulrich vonBargen
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | - Kate Wheeler
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Ana Carolina Leão
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Danya A Dean
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Shelley S Kane
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Ekram Hossain
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kathryn M Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
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8
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Gabaldón-Figueira JC, Martinez-Peinado N, Escabia E, Ros-Lucas A, Chatelain E, Scandale I, Gascon J, Pinazo MJ, Alonso-Padilla J. State-of-the-Art in the Drug Discovery Pathway for Chagas Disease: A Framework for Drug Development and Target Validation. Res Rep Trop Med 2023; 14:1-19. [PMID: 37337597 PMCID: PMC10277022 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s415273] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is the most important protozoan infection in the Americas, and constitutes a significant public health concern throughout the world. Development of new medications against its etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, has been traditionally slow and difficult, lagging in comparison with diseases caused by other kinetoplastid parasites. Among the factors that explain this are the incompletely understood mechanisms of pathogenesis of T. cruzi infection and its complex set of interactions with the host in the chronic stage of the disease. These demand the performance of a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays as part of any drug development effort. In this review, we discuss recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the parasite's life cycle and their implications in the search for new chemotherapeutics. For this, we present a framework to guide drug discovery efforts against Chagas disease, considering state-of-the-art preclinical models and recently developed tools for the identification and validation of molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nieves Martinez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Escabia
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joaquim Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Jesús Pinazo
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Daghero H, Pagotto R, Quiroga C, Medeiros A, Comini MA, Bollati-Fogolín M. Murine colon organoids as a novel model to study Trypanosoma cruzi infection and interactions with the intestinal epithelium. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1082524. [PMID: 36968103 PMCID: PMC10033869 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1082524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a life-threatening illness caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). With around seven million people infected worldwide and over 50,000 deaths per year, CD is a major public health issue in Latin America. The main route of transmission to humans is through a triatomine bug (vector-borne), but congenital and oral transmission have also been reported. The acute phase of CD presents mild symptoms but may develop into a long-lasting chronic illness, characterized by severely impaired cardiac, digestive, and neurological functions. The intestinal tissue appears to have a key role during oral transmission and chronic infection of CD. In this immune-privileged reservoir, dormant/quiescent parasites have been suggested to contribute to disease persistence, infection relapse, and treatment failure. However, the interaction between the intestinal epithelium and T. cruzi has not been examined in depth, in part, due to the lack of in vitro models that approximate to the biological and structural complexity of this tissue. Therefore, to understand the role played by the intestinal tissue during transmission and chronic infection, physiological models resembling the organ complexity are needed. Here we addressed this issue by establishing and characterizing adult stem cell-derived colonoid infection models that are clinically relevant for CD. 3D and 2D systems of murine intestinal organoids infected with T. cruzi Dm28c (a highly virulent strain associated with oral outbreaks) were analyzed at different time points by confocal microscopy. T. cruzi was able to invade and replicate in intestinal epithelial primary cells grown as intact organoids (3D) and monolayers (2D). The permissiveness to pathogen infection differed markedly between organoids and cell lines (primate and intestinal human cell lines). So far, this represents the first evidence of the potential that these cellular systems offer for the study of host-pathogen interactions and the discovery of effective anti-chagasic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hellen Daghero
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Romina Pagotto
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cristina Quiroga
- Redox Biology of Trypanosomes Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Redox Biology of Trypanosomes Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Redox Biology of Trypanosomes Lab, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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10
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Liu Z, Ulrich R, Kendricks AL, Wheeler K, Leão AC, Pollet J, Bottazzi ME, Hotez P, Gusovsky F, Jones KM, McCall LI. Localized cardiac metabolic trajectories and post-infectious metabolic sequelae in experimental Chagas disease. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2497474. [PMID: 36711878 PMCID: PMC9882638 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2497474/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Post-infectious conditions, where clinical symptoms fail to resolve even after pathogen clearance, present major health burdens. However, the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. In Chagas disease (CD), caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, antiparasitic agents can clear T. cruzi but late-stage treatment does not improve clinical cardiac outcomes. In this study, we revealed differential metabolic trajectories of cardiac regions during T. cruzi infection, matching sites of clinical symptoms. Incomplete, region-specific, cardiac metabolic restoration was observed in animals treated with the antiparasitic benznidazole, even though parasites were successfully cleared. In contrast, superior metabolic restoration was observed for a combination treatment of reduced-dose benznidazole plus an immunotherapy (Tc24-C4 T. cruzi flagellar protein and TLR4 agonist adjuvant), even though parasite burden reduction was lower. Overall, these results provide a mechanism to explain prior clinical treatment failures in CD and to test novel candidate treatment regimens. More broadly, our results demonstrate a link between persistent metabolic perturbation and post-infectious conditions, with broad implications for our understanding of post-infectious disease sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongyuan Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Ulrich
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - April L. Kendricks
- Southern Star Medical Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Kate Wheeler
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Ana Carolina Leão
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Peter Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | | | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
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11
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Nguyen TD, Lan Y, Kane SS, Haffner JJ, Liu R, McCall LI, Yang Z. Single-Cell Mass Spectrometry Enables Insight into Heterogeneity in Infectious Disease. Anal Chem 2022; 94:10567-10572. [PMID: 35863111 PMCID: PMC10064790 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity is generally overlooked in infectious diseases. In this study, we investigated host cell heterogeneity during infection with Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) parasites, causative agents of Chagas disease (CD). In chronic-stage CD, only a few host cells are infected with a large load of parasites and symptoms may appear at sites distal to parasite colonization. Furthermore, recent work has revealed T. cruzi heterogeneity with regard to replication rates and drug susceptibility. However, the role of cellular-level metabolic heterogeneity in these processes has yet to be assessed. To fill this knowledge gap, we developed a Single-probe SCMS (single-cell mass spectrometry) method compatible with biosafety protocols, to acquire metabolomics data from individual cells during T. cruzi infection. This study revealed heterogeneity in the metabolic response of the host cells to T. cruzi infection in vitro. Our results showed that parasite-infected cells possessed divergent metabolism compared to control cells. Strikingly, some uninfected cells adjacent to infected cells showed metabolic impacts as well. Specific metabolic changes include increases in glycerophospholipids with infection. These results provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of CD. Furthermore, they represent the first application of bioanalytical SCMS to the study of mammalian-infectious agents, with the potential for broad applications to study infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tra D Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Yunpeng Lan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Shelley S Kane
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Jacob J Haffner
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States.,Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Renmeng Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States.,Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Zhibo Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
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