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Marques-da-Silva C, Schmidt-Silva C, Kurup SP. Hepatocytes and the art of killing Plasmodium softly. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:466-476. [PMID: 38714463 PMCID: PMC11156546 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.04.004] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
The Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria undergo asymptomatic development in the parenchymal cells of the liver, the hepatocytes, prior to infecting erythrocytes and causing clinical disease. Traditionally, hepatocytes have been perceived as passive bystanders that allow hepatotropic pathogens such as Plasmodium to develop relatively unchallenged. However, now there is emerging evidence suggesting that hepatocytes can mount robust cell-autonomous immune responses that target Plasmodium, limiting its progression to the blood and reducing the incidence and severity of clinical malaria. Here we discuss our current understanding of hepatocyte cell-intrinsic immune responses that target Plasmodium and how these pathways impact malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Marques-da-Silva
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Clyde Schmidt-Silva
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Samarchith P Kurup
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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2
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Segireddy RR, Belda H, Yang ASP, Dundas K, Knoeckel J, Galaway F, Wood L, Quinkert D, Knuepfer E, Treeck M, Wright GJ, Douglas AD. A screen for Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite surface protein binding to human hepatocyte surface receptors identifies novel host-pathogen interactions. Malar J 2024; 23:151. [PMID: 38755636 PMCID: PMC11098746 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04913-2] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes is an essential step in the Plasmodium life-cycle and has similarities, at the cellular level, to merozoite invasion of erythrocytes. In the case of the Plasmodium blood-stage, efforts to identify host-pathogen protein-protein interactions have yielded important insights including vaccine candidates. In the case of sporozoite-hepatocyte invasion, the host-pathogen protein-protein interactions involved are poorly understood. METHODS To gain a better understanding of the protein-protein interaction between the sporozoite ligands and host receptors, a systematic screen was performed. The previous Plasmodium falciparum and human surface protein ectodomain libraries were substantially extended, resulting in the creation of new libraries comprising 88 P. falciparum sporozoite protein coding sequences and 182 sequences encoding human hepatocyte surface proteins. Having expressed recombinant proteins from these sequences, a plate-based assay was used, capable of detecting low affinity interactions between recombinant proteins, modified for enhanced throughput, to screen the proteins for interactions. The novel interactions identified in the screen were characterized biochemically, and their essential role in parasite invasion was further elucidated using antibodies and genetically manipulated Plasmodium parasites. RESULTS A total of 7540 sporozoite-hepatocyte protein pairs were tested under conditions capable of detecting interactions of at least 1.2 µM KD. An interaction between the human fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) and the P. falciparum protein Pf34 is identified and reported here, characterizing its affinity and demonstrating the blockade of the interaction by reagents, including a monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, further interactions between Pf34 and a second P. falciparum rhoptry neck protein, PfRON6, and between human low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and the P. falciparum protein PIESP15 are identified. Conditional genetic deletion confirmed the essentiality of PfRON6 in the blood-stage, consistent with the important role of this protein in parasite lifecycle. Pf34 was refractory to attempted genetic modification. Antibodies to Pf34 abrogated the interaction and had a modest effect upon sporozoite invasion into primary human hepatocytes. CONCLUSION Pf34 and PfRON6 may be members of a functionally important invasion complex which could be a target for future interventions. The modified interaction screening assay, protein expression libraries and P. falciparum mutant parasites reported here may be a useful tool for protein interaction discovery and antigen candidate screening which could be of wider value to the scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rameswara R Segireddy
- Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
| | - Hugo Belda
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Annie S P Yang
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kirsten Dundas
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Julia Knoeckel
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Francis Galaway
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Laura Wood
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Doris Quinkert
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Ellen Knuepfer
- The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gavin J Wright
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Alexander D Douglas
- Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
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Farhan F, Trivedi M, Di Wu P, Cui W. Extracellular matrix modulates the spatial hepatic features in hepatocyte-like cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:314. [PMID: 37907977 PMCID: PMC10619266 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03542-x] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) can provide a valuable in vitro model for disease modelling and drug development. However, generating HLCs with characteristics comparable to hepatocytes in vivo is challenging. Extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in supporting liver development and hepatocyte functions, but their impact on hepatocyte differentiation and maturation during hPSC differentiation remains unclear. Here, we investigate the effects of two ECM components-Matrigel and type I collagen on hepatic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). METHODS hESC-derived HLCs were generated through multistage differentiation in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures, incorporating either type I collagen or Matrigel during hepatic specification and maturation. The resulting HLCs was characterized for their gene expression and functionality using various molecular and cellular techniques. RESULTS Our results showed that HLCs cultured with collagen exhibited a significant increase in albumin and alpha-1 anti-trypsin expression with reduced AFP compared to HLCs cultured with Matrigel. They also secreted more urea than Matrigel cultures. However, these HLCs exhibited lower CYP3A4 activity and glycogen storage than those cultured with Matrigel. These functional differences in HLCs between collagen and Matrigel cultures closely resembled the hepatocytes of periportal and pericentral zones, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that Matrigel and collagen have differential effects on the differentiation and functionality of HLCs, which resemble, to an extent, hepatic zonation in the liver lobules. Our finding has an important impact on the generation of hPSC-HLCs for biomedical and medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Farhan
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Manjari Trivedi
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Priscilla Di Wu
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Wei Cui
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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4
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Yang ASP, Dutta D, Kretzschmar K, Hendriks D, Puschhof J, Hu H, Boonekamp KE, van Waardenburg Y, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM, van Gemert GJ, de Wilt JHW, Bousema T, Clevers H, Sauerwein RW. Development of Plasmodium falciparum liver-stages in hepatocytes derived from human fetal liver organoid cultures. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4631. [PMID: 37532704 PMCID: PMC10397232 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40298-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasite development in liver represents the initial step of the life-cycle in the human host after a Pf-infected mosquito bite. While an attractive stage for life-cycle interruption, understanding of parasite-hepatocyte interaction is inadequate due to limitations of existing in vitro models. We explore the suitability of hepatocyte organoids (HepOrgs) for Pf-development and show that these cells permitted parasite invasion, differentiation and maturation of different Pf strains. Single-cell messenger RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of Pf-infected HepOrg cells has identified 80 Pf-transcripts upregulated on day 5 post-infection. Transcriptional profile changes are found involving distinct metabolic pathways in hepatocytes with Scavenger Receptor B1 (SR-B1) transcripts highly upregulated. A novel functional involvement in schizont maturation is confirmed in fresh primary hepatocytes. Thus, HepOrgs provide a strong foundation for a versatile in vitro model for Pf liver-stages accommodating basic biological studies and accelerated clinical development of novel tools for malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie S P Yang
- Radboud Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Devanjali Dutta
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Merus, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kai Kretzschmar
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Centre (MSNZ) for Cancer Research Würzburg, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Delilah Hendriks
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jens Puschhof
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Microbiome and Cancer Devision, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Huili Hu
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- The Research Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Kim E Boonekamp
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Signaling and Functional Genomics Devision, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Youri van Waardenburg
- Radboud Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Radboud Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes H W de Wilt
- Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboud Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Princess Maxima Center (PMC) for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- Pharma, Research and Early Development (pRED) of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Radboud Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- TropIQ Health Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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5
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Zou J, Li J, Zhong X, Tang D, Fan X, Chen R. Liver in infections: a single-cell and spatial transcriptomics perspective. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:53. [PMID: 37430371 PMCID: PMC10332047 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00945-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is an immune organ that plays a vital role in the detection, capture, and clearance of pathogens and foreign antigens that invade the human body. During acute and chronic infections, the liver transforms from a tolerant to an active immune state. The defence mechanism of the liver mainly depends on a complicated network of intrahepatic and translocated immune cells and non-immune cells. Therefore, a comprehensive liver cell atlas in both healthy and diseased states is needed for new therapeutic target development and disease intervention improvement. With the development of high-throughput single-cell technology, we can now decipher heterogeneity, differentiation, and intercellular communication at the single-cell level in sophisticated organs and complicated diseases. In this concise review, we aimed to summarise the advancement of emerging high-throughput single-cell technologies and re-define our understanding of liver function towards infections, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Plasmodium, schistosomiasis, endotoxemia, and corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We also unravel previously unknown pathogenic pathways and disease mechanisms for the development of new therapeutic targets. As high-throughput single-cell technologies mature, their integration into spatial transcriptomics, multiomics, and clinical data analysis will aid in patient stratification and in developing effective treatment plans for patients with or without liver injury due to infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao Zhong
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xuegong Fan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Ruochan Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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6
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Lahree A, Mello-Vieira J, Mota MM. The nutrient games - Plasmodium metabolism during hepatic development. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:445-460. [PMID: 37061442 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.03.013] [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: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a febrile illness caused by species of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium and is characterized by recursive infections of erythrocytes, leading to clinical symptoms and pathology. In mammals, Plasmodium parasites undergo a compulsory intrahepatic development stage before infecting erythrocytes. Liver-stage parasites have a metabolic configuration to facilitate the replication of several thousand daughter parasites. Their metabolism is of interest to identify cellular pathways essential for liver infection, to kill the parasite before onset of the disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on nutrient acquisition and biosynthesis by liver-stage parasites mostly generated in murine malaria models, gaps in knowledge, and challenges to create a holistic view of the development and deficiencies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparajita Lahree
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
| | - João Mello-Vieira
- Institute of Biochemistry II, School of Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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7
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van der Boor SC, Alkema M, van Gemert GJ, Teelen K, van de Vegte-Bolmer M, Walk J, van Crevel R, de Mast Q, Ockenhouse CF, Sauerwein RW, McCall MBB. Whole sporozoite immunization with Plasmodium falciparum strain NF135 in a randomized trial. BMC Med 2023; 21:137. [PMID: 37024868 PMCID: PMC10079489 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02788-9] [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: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole sporozoite immunization under chemoprophylaxis (CPS regime) induces long-lasting sterile homologous protection in the controlled human malaria infection model using Plasmodium falciparum strain NF54. The relative proficiency of liver-stage parasite development may be an important factor determining immunization efficacy. Previous studies show that Plasmodium falciparum strain NF135 produces relatively high numbers of large liver-stage schizonts in vitro. Here, we evaluate this strain for use in CPS immunization regimes. METHODS In a partially randomized, open-label study conducted at the Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, healthy, malaria-naïve adults were immunized by three rounds of fifteen or five NF135-infected mosquito bites under mefloquine prophylaxis (cohort A) or fifteen NF135-infected mosquito bites and presumptive treatment with artemether/lumefantrine (cohort B). Cohort A participants were exposed to a homologous challenge 19 weeks after immunization. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CPS immunizations with NF135. RESULTS Relatively high liver-to-blood inocula were observed during immunization with NF135 in both cohorts. Eighteen of 30 (60%) high-dose participants and 3/10 (30%) low-dose participants experienced grade 3 adverse events 7 to 21 days following their first immunization. All cohort A participants and two participants in cohort B developed breakthrough blood-stage malaria infections during immunizations requiring rescue treatment. The resulting compromised immunizations induced modest sterile protection against homologous challenge in cohort A (5/17; 29%). CONCLUSIONS These CPS regimes using NF135 were relatively poorly tolerated and frequently required rescue treatment, thereby compromising immunization efficiency and protective efficacy. Consequently, the full potential of NF135 sporozoites for induction of immune protection remains inconclusive. Nonetheless, the high liver-stage burden achieved by this strain highlights it as an interesting potential candidate for novel whole sporozoite immunization approaches. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT03813108.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia C van der Boor
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Alkema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Karina Teelen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jona Walk
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Present affiliation: TropIQ Health Sciences, Transistorweg 5-C02, 6534 AT, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Reinout van Crevel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Quirijn de Mast
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Present affiliation: TropIQ Health Sciences, Transistorweg 5-C02, 6534 AT, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew B B McCall
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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8
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Wang X, Chen J, Zheng J. The roles of COX-2 in protozoan infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:955616. [PMID: 36875123 PMCID: PMC9978824 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.955616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoan diseases cause great harm in animal husbandry and require human-provided medical treatment. Protozoan infection can induce changes in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. The role played by COX-2 in the response to protozoan infection is complex. COX-2 induces and regulates inflammation by promoting the synthesis of different prostaglandins (PGs), which exhibit a variety of biological activities and participate in pathophysiological processes in the body in a variety of ways. This review explains the roles played by COX-2 in protozoan infection and analyzes the effects of COX-2-related drugs in protozoan diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingtong Zheng
- Department of Pathogenobiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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9
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Afriat A, Zuzarte-Luís V, Bahar Halpern K, Buchauer L, Marques S, Chora ÂF, Lahree A, Amit I, Mota MM, Itzkovitz S. A spatiotemporally resolved single-cell atlas of the Plasmodium liver stage. Nature 2022; 611:563-569. [PMID: 36352220 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05406-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Malaria infection involves an obligatory, yet clinically silent liver stage1,2. Hepatocytes operate in repeating units termed lobules, exhibiting heterogeneous gene expression patterns along the lobule axis3, but the effects of hepatocyte zonation on parasite development at the molecular level remain unknown. Here we combine single-cell RNA sequencing4 and single-molecule transcript imaging5 to characterize the host and parasite temporal expression programmes in a zonally controlled manner for the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei ANKA. We identify differences in parasite gene expression in distinct zones, including potentially co-adaptive programmes related to iron and fatty acid metabolism. We find that parasites develop more rapidly in the pericentral lobule zones and identify a subpopulation of periportally biased hepatocytes that harbour abortive infections, reduced levels of Plasmodium transcripts and parasitophorous vacuole breakdown. These 'abortive hepatocytes', which appear predominantly with high parasite inoculum, upregulate immune recruitment and key signalling programmes. Our study provides a resource for understanding the liver stage of Plasmodium infection at high spatial resolution and highlights the heterogeneous behaviour of both the parasite and the host hepatocyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amichay Afriat
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Vanessa Zuzarte-Luís
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Keren Bahar Halpern
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lisa Buchauer
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sofia Marques
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ângelo Ferreira Chora
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Aparajita Lahree
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Shalev Itzkovitz
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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10
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Vantaux A, Péneau J, Cooper CA, Kyle DE, Witkowski B, Maher SP. Liver-stage fate determination in Plasmodium vivax parasites: Characterization of schizont growth and hypnozoite fating from patient isolates. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:976606. [PMID: 36212849 PMCID: PMC9539820 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.976606] [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: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax, one species of parasite causing human malaria, forms a dormant liver stage, termed the hypnozoite, which activate weeks, months or years after the primary infection, causing relapse episodes. Relapses significantly contribute to the vivax malaria burden and are only killed with drugs of the 8-aminoquinoline class, which are contraindicated in many vulnerable populations. Development of new therapies targeting hypnozoites is hindered, in part, by the lack of robust methods to continuously culture and characterize this parasite. As a result, the determinants of relapse periodicity and the molecular processes that drive hypnozoite formation, persistence, and activation are largely unknown. While previous reports have described vastly different liver-stage growth metrics attributable to which hepatocyte donor lot is used to initiate culture, a comprehensive assessment of how different P. vivax patient isolates behave in the same lots at the same time is logistically challenging. Using our primary human hepatocyte-based P. vivax liver-stage culture platform, we aimed to simultaneously test the effects of how hepatocyte donor lot and P. vivax patient isolate influence the fate of sporozoites and growth of liver schizonts. We found that, while environmental factors such as hepatocyte donor lot can modulate hypnozoite formation rate, the P. vivax case is also an important determinant of the proportion of hypnozoites observed in culture. In addition, we found schizont growth to be mostly influenced by hepatocyte donor lot. These results suggest that, while host hepatocytes harbor characteristics making them more- or less-supportive of a quiescent versus growing intracellular parasite, sporozoite fating toward hypnozoites is isolate-specific. Future studies involving these host–parasite interactions, including characterization of individual P. vivax strains, should consider the impact of culture conditions on hypnozoite formation, in order to better understand this important part of the parasite’s lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- *Correspondence: Amélie Vantaux,
| | - Julie Péneau
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Caitlin A. Cooper
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Steven P. Maher
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Steven P. Maher,
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11
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Schroeder EA, Chirgwin ME, Derbyshire ER. Plasmodium’s fight for survival: escaping elimination while acquiring nutrients. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:544-557. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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12
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van der Boor SC, van Gemert GJ, Hanssen AEJ, van Waardenburg YM, McCall MBB, Bousema T, de Wilt JHW, Sauerwein RW, Yang ASP. Mid-Liver Stage Arrest of Plasmodium falciparum Schizonts in Primary Porcine Hepatocytes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:834850. [PMID: 35252038 PMCID: PMC8892583 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.834850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During co-evolution Plasmodium parasites and vertebrates went through a process of selection resulting in defined and preferred parasite-host combinations. As such, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites can infect human hepatocytes while seemingly incompatible with host cellular machinery of other species. The compatibility between parasite invasion ligands and their respective human hepatocyte receptors plays a key role in Pf host selectivity. However, it is unclear whether the ability of Pf sporozoites to mature in cross-species infection also plays a role in host tropism. Here we used fresh hepatocytes isolated from porcine livers to study permissiveness to Pf sporozoite invasion and development. We monitored intra-hepatic development via immunofluorescence using anti-HSP70, MSP1, EXP1, and EXP2 antibodies. Our data shows that Pf sporozoites can invade non-human hepatocytes and undergo partial maturation with a significant decrease in schizont numbers between day three and day five. A possible explanation is that Pf sporozoites fail to form a parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) during invasion. Indeed, the observed aberrant EXP1 and EXP2 staining supports the presence of an atypical PVM. Functions of the PVM include the transport of nutrients, export of waste, and offering a protective barrier against intracellular host effectors. Therefore, an atypical PVM likely results in deficiencies that may detrimentally impact parasite development at multiple levels. In summary, despite successful invasion of porcine hepatocytes, Pf development arrests at mid-stage, possibly due to an inability to mobilize critical nutrients across the PVM. These findings underscore the potential of a porcine liver model for understanding the importance of host factors required for Pf mid-liver stage development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia C. van der Boor
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alex E. J. Hanssen
- Animal Research Facility, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Youri M. van Waardenburg
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Matthew B. B. McCall
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Robert W. Sauerwein
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- TropIQ Health Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Annie S. P. Yang
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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13
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Glennon EKK, Tongogara T, Primavera VI, Reeder SM, Wei L, Kaushansky A. Elucidating Spatially-Resolved Changes in Host Signaling During Plasmodium Liver-Stage Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:804186. [PMID: 35111697 PMCID: PMC8801743 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.804186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon transmission to the human host, Plasmodium sporozoites exit the skin, are taken up by the blood stream, and then travel to the liver where they infect and significantly modify a single hepatocyte. Low infection rates within the liver have made proteomic studies of infected hepatocytes challenging, particularly in vivo, and existing studies have been largely unable to consider how protein and phosphoprotein differences are altered at different spatial locations within the heterogeneous liver. Using digital spatial profiling, we characterized changes in host signaling during Plasmodium yoelii infection in vivo without disrupting the liver tissue. Moreover, we measured alterations in protein expression around infected hepatocytes and identified a subset of CD163+ Kupffer cells that migrate towards infected cells during infection. These data offer the first insight into the heterogeneous microenvironment that surrounds the infected hepatocyte and provide insights into how the parasite may alter its milieu to influence its survival and modulate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K. K. Glennon
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Tinotenda Tongogara
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
- Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA, United States
| | - Veronica I. Primavera
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sophia M. Reeder
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ling Wei
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Alexis Kaushansky
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
- *Correspondence: Alexis Kaushansky,
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14
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van de Vegte-Bolmer M, Graumans W, Stoter R, van Gemert GJ, Sauerwein R, Collins KA, Bousema T. A portfolio of geographically distinct laboratory-adapted Plasmodium falciparum clones with consistent infection rates in Anopheles mosquitoes. Malar J 2021; 20:381. [PMID: 34565372 PMCID: PMC8474906 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03912-x] [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] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability to culture Plasmodium falciparum continuously in vitro has enabled stable access to asexual and sexual parasites for malaria research. The portfolio of isolates has remained limited and research is still largely based on NF54 and its derived clone 3D7. Since 1978, isolates were collected and cryopreserved at Radboudumc from patients presenting at the hospital. Here, procedures are described for culture adaptation of asexual parasites, cloning and production of sexual stage parasites responsible for transmission (gametocytes) and production of oocysts in Anopheles mosquitoes. This study aimed to identify new culture-adapted transmissible P. falciparum isolates, originating from distinct geographical locations. Methods Out of a collection of 121 P. falciparum isolates stored in liquid nitrogen, 21 from different geographical origin were selected for initial testing. Isolates were evaluated for their ability to be asexually cultured in vitro, their gametocyte production capacity, and consistent generation of oocysts. Results Out of 21 isolates tested, twelve were excluded from further analysis due to lack of mature gametocyte production (n = 1) or generation of satisfactory numbers of oocysts in mosquitoes (n = 11). Nine isolates fulfilled selection criteria and were cloned by limiting dilution and retested. After cloning, one isolate was excluded for not showing transmission. The remaining eight isolates transmitted to Anopheles stephensi or Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes and were categorized into two groups with a reproducible mean oocyst infection intensity above (n = 5) or below five (n = 3). Conclusions These new P. falciparum culture-adapted isolates with reproducible transmission to Anopheles mosquitoes are a valuable addition to the malaria research tool box. They can aid in the development of malaria interventions and will be particularly useful for those studying malaria transmission. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-021-03912-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne Stoter
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Katharine A Collins
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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15
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Blight J, Sala KA, Atcheson E, Kramer H, El-Turabi A, Real E, Dahalan FA, Bettencourt P, Dickinson-Craig E, Alves E, Salman AM, Janse CJ, Ashcroft FM, Hill AV, Reyes-Sandoval A, Blagborough AM, Baum J. Dissection-independent production of Plasmodium sporozoites from whole mosquitoes. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202101094. [PMID: 34135099 PMCID: PMC8321652 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Progress towards a protective vaccine against malaria remains slow. To date, only limited protection has been routinely achieved following immunisation with either whole-parasite (sporozoite) or subunit-based vaccines. One major roadblock to vaccine progress, and to pre-erythrocytic parasite biology in general, is the continued reliance on manual salivary gland dissection for sporozoite isolation from infected mosquitoes. Here, we report development of a multi-step method, based on batch processing of homogenised whole mosquitoes, slurry, and density-gradient filtration, which combined with free-flow electrophoresis rapidly produces a pure, infective sporozoite inoculum. Human-infective Plasmodium falciparum and rodent-infective Plasmodium berghei sporozoites produced in this way are two- to threefold more infective than salivary gland dissection sporozoites in in vitro hepatocyte infection assays. In an in vivo rodent malaria model, the same P. berghei sporozoites confer sterile protection from mosquito-bite challenge when immunisation is delivered intravenously or 60-70% protection when delivered intramuscularly. By improving purity, infectivity, and immunogenicity, this method represents a key advancement in capacity to produce research-grade sporozoites, which should impact delivery of a whole-parasite based malaria vaccine at scale in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Blight
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Katarzyna A Sala
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Erwan Atcheson
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Holger Kramer
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Henry Wellcome Building for Gene Function, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Aadil El-Turabi
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Eliana Real
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Farah A Dahalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Paulo Bettencourt
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Dickinson-Craig
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Eduardo Alves
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden Malaria Research Group, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frances M Ashcroft
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Henry Wellcome Building for Gene Function, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adrian Vs Hill
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andrew M Blagborough
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
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16
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Vijayan K, Wei L, Glennon EKK, Mattocks C, Bourgeois N, Staker B, Kaushansky A. Host-targeted Interventions as an Exciting Opportunity to Combat Malaria. Chem Rev 2021; 121:10452-10468. [PMID: 34197083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Terminal and benign diseases alike in adults, children, pregnant women, and others are successfully treated by pharmacological inhibitors that target human enzymes. Despite extensive global efforts to fight malaria, the disease continues to be a massive worldwide health burden, and new interventional strategies are needed. Current drugs and vector control strategies have contributed to the reduction in malaria deaths over the past 10 years, but progress toward eradication has waned in recent years. Resistance to antimalarial drugs is a substantial and growing problem. Moreover, targeting dormant forms of the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax is only possible with two approved drugs, which are both contraindicated for individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and in pregnant women. Plasmodium parasites are obligate intracellular parasites and thus have specific and absolute requirements of their hosts. Growing evidence has described these host necessities, paving the way for opportunities to pharmacologically target host factors to eliminate Plasmodium infection. Here, we describe progress in malaria research and adjacent fields and discuss key challenges that remain in implementing host-directed therapy against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ling Wei
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | | | - Christa Mattocks
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Natasha Bourgeois
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Bart Staker
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Alexis Kaushansky
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, United States.,Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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17
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Yang ASP, van Waardenburg YM, van de Vegte-Bolmer M, van Gemert GJA, Graumans W, de Wilt JHW, Sauerwein RW. Zonal human hepatocytes are differentially permissive to Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. EMBO J 2021; 40:e106583. [PMID: 33459428 PMCID: PMC7957391 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020106583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is a major cause of human malaria and is transmitted by infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The initial asymptomatic infection is characterized by parasite invasion of hepatocytes, followed by massive replication generating schizonts with blood‐infective merozoites. Hepatocytes can be categorized by their zonal location and metabolic functions within a liver lobule. To understand specific host conditions that affect infectivity, we studied Pf parasite liver stage development in relation to the metabolic heterogeneity of fresh human hepatocytes. We found selective preference of different Pf strains for a minority of hepatocytes, which are characterized by the particular presence of glutamine synthetase (hGS). Schizont growth is significantly enhanced by hGS uptake early in development, showcasing a novel import system. In conclusion, Pf development is strongly determined by the differential metabolic status in hepatocyte subtypes. These findings underscore the importance of detailed understanding of hepatocyte host‐Pf interactions and may delineate novel pathways for intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie S P Yang
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Youri M van Waardenburg
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan A van Gemert
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes H W de Wilt
- Department of surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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