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Bongiorni Galego G, Tasca T. Infinity war: Trichomonas vaginalis and interactions with host immune response. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2023; 10:103-116. [PMID: 37125086 PMCID: PMC10140678 DOI: 10.15698/mic2023.05.796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is the pathological agent of human trichomoniasis. The incidence is 156 million cases worldwide. Due to the increasing resistance of isolates to approved drugs and clinical complications that include increased risk in the acquisition and transmission of HIV, cervical and prostate cancer, and adverse outcomes during pregnancy, increasing our understanding of the pathogen's interaction with the host immune response is essential. Production of cytokines and cells of innate immunity: Neutrophils and macrophages are the main cells involved in the fight against the parasite, while IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α are the most produced cytokines in response to this infection. Clinical complications: T. vaginalis increases the acquisition of HIV, stimulates the invasiveness and growth of prostate cells, and generates an inflammatory environment that may lead to preterm birth. Endosymbiosis: Mycoplasma hominis increased cytotoxicity, growth, and survival rate of the parasite. Purinergic signaling: NTPD-ases and ecto-5'-nucleotidase helps in parasite survival by modulating the nucleotides levels in the microenvironment. Antibodies: IgG was detected in serum samples of rodents infected with isolates from symptomatic patients as well as patients with symptoms. However, antibody production does not protect against a reinfection. Vaccine candidate targets: The transient receptor potential- like channel of T. vaginalis (TvTRPV), cysteine peptidase, and α-actinin are currently cited as candidate targets for vaccine development. In this context, the understanding of mechanisms involved in the host-T. vaginalis interaction that elicit the immune response may contribute to the development of new targets to combat trichomoniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bongiorni Galego
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Tricomonas, Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, 90610-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Tricomonas, Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, 90610-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- * Corresponding Author: Tiana Tasca, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752. 90610-000. Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Tel: +555133085325;
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Ferla M, Tasca T. The Role of Purinergic Signaling in Trichomonas vaginalis Infection. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 21:181-192. [PMID: 32888270 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620999200904122212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Trichomoniasis, one of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections worldwide, is caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. The pathogen colonizes the human urogenital tract, and the infection is associated with complications such as adverse pregnancy outcomes, cervical cancer, and an increase in HIV transmission. The mechanisms of pathogenicity are multifactorial, and controlling immune responses is essential for infection maintenance. Extracellular purine nucleotides are released by cells in physiological and pathological conditions, and they are hydrolyzed by enzymes called ecto-nucleotidases. The cellular effects of nucleotides and nucleosides occur via binding to purinoceptors, or through the uptake by nucleoside transporters. Altogether, enzymes, receptors and transporters constitute the purinergic signaling, a cellular network that regulates several effects in practically all systems including mammals, helminths, protozoa, bacteria, and fungi. In this context, this review updates the data on purinergic signaling involved in T. vaginalis biology and interaction with host cells, focusing on the characterization of ecto-nucleotidases and on purine salvage pathways. The implications of the final products, the nucleosides adenosine and guanosine, for human neutrophil response and vaginal epithelial cell damage reveal the purinergic signaling as a potential new mechanism for alternative drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micheli Ferla
- Research Team on Trichomonas, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduation Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Research Team on Trichomonas, Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduation Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Menezes CB, Frasson AP, Meirelles LC, Tasca T. Adenosine, but not guanosine, protects vaginal epithelial cells from Trichomonas vaginalis cytotoxicity. Microbes Infect 2016; 19:122-131. [PMID: 27871906 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis causes the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. The cytoadherence and cytotoxicity upon the vaginal epithelial cells are crucial for the infection. Extracellular nucleotides are released during cell damage and, along with their nucleosides, can activate purinoceptors. The opposing effects of nucleotides versus nucleosides are regulated by ectonucleotidases. Herein we evaluated the hemolysis and cytolysis induced by T. vaginalis, as well as the extracellular nucleotide hydrolysis along with the effects mediated by nucleotides and nucleosides on cytotoxicity. In addition, the gene expression of purinoceptors in host cells was determined. The hemolysis and cytolysis exerted by all T. vaginalis isolates presented positive Pearson correlation. All T. vaginalis isolates were able to hydrolyze nucleotides, showing higher NTPDase than ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity. The most cytotoxic isolate, TV-LACM6, hydrolyzes ATP, GTP with more efficiency than AMP and GMP. The vaginal epithelial cell line (HMVII) expressed the genes for all subtypes of P1, P2X and P2Y receptors. Finally, when nucleotides and nucleosides were tested, the cytotoxic effect elicited by TV-LACM6 was increased with nucleotides. In contrast, the cytotoxicity was reversed by adenosine in presence of EHNA, but not by guanosine, contributing to the understanding of the purinergic signaling role on T. vaginalis cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Braz Menezes
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Amanda Piccoli Frasson
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Domo Salute Consultoria Regulatória Ltda, Rua Cristóvão Colombo 2948/411, CEP 90560-002, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lucia Collares Meirelles
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Menezes CB, Tasca T. Trichomoniasis immunity and the involvement of the purinergic signaling. Biomed J 2016; 39:234-243. [PMID: 27793265 PMCID: PMC6138788 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate and adaptive immunity play a significant role in trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. In the urogenital tract, innate immunity is accomplished by a defense physical barrier constituted by epithelial cells, mucus, and acidic pH. During infection, immune cells, antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, chemokines, and adaptive immunity evolve in the reproductive tract, and a proinflammatory response is generated to eliminate the invading extracellular pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis. However, the parasite has developed complex evolutionary mechanisms to evade the host immune response through cysteine proteases, phenotypic variation, and molecular mimicry. The purinergic system constitutes a signaling cellular net where nucleotides and nucleosides, enzymes, purinoceptors and transporters are involved in almost all cells and tissues signaling pathways, especially in central and autonomic nervous systems, endocrine, respiratory, cardiac, reproductive, and immune systems, during physiological as well as pathological processes. The involvement of the purinergic system in T. vaginalis biology and infection has been demonstrated and this review highlights the participation of this signaling pathway in the parasite immune evasion strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Braz Menezes
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, Pharmacy Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, Pharmacy Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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Wu PK, Tao Z, Ouyang Z, Cao JY, Geng D, Liu J, Wang CM. The anti-tumor effects of cordycepin-loaded liposomes on the growth of hepatoma 22 tumors in mice and human hepatoma BEL-7402 cells in culture. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2016; 42:1424-33. [PMID: 26984179 DOI: 10.3109/03639045.2016.1141930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Liposomes have successfully been used for decades to encapsulate and protect drugs that are prone to deactivation in the body. The present study aimed to demonstrate the use of liposomes to encapsulate cordycepin, an adenosine analog that quickly loses its activity in vivo. The cordycepin-loaded liposomes were prepared by the ammonium sulfate gradient approach, and its in vitro and in vivo antitumour activities were evaluated using BEL-7402 cells and hepatocellular carcinoma H22 transplanted tumors, respectively. An MTT assay was used to observe the cytotoxicity of cells treated with cordycepin and cordycepin-loaded liposomes in vitro. High-content screening (HSC) was carried out using Hoechst 33342 to detect apoptotic cells and the ratio of cells in different cell cycle stages. The data demonstrated that both the cordycepin and the cordycepin-loaded liposomes resulted in clear cytotoxicity with IC50 values of 18.97 and 29.39 μg/mL, respectively. The latter showed significantly strong inhibitory effects on H22 tumor growth in mice, while the former did not show any inhibitory effects on tumor growth. In addition, the HSC assay showed that the cordycepin-loaded liposomes resulted in a higher rate of apoptosis than the cordycepin alone in BEL-7402 cells. Further data analysis revealed that the cells treated with cordycepin-loaded liposomes were predominately arrested at the G2/M phase (p < 0.05), while those treated with cordycepin alone were arrested in the G0/G1 phase (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that liposomes can enhance and maintain the in vivo anti-tumor activity of cordycepin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Kai Wu
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Zhi Tao
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Zhao Ouyang
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Jiang-Ye Cao
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Di Geng
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
| | - Jin Liu
- b College of Life Science , Beijing Normal University , Beijing , China
| | - Chun-Mei Wang
- a Department of Biopharmaceuticals, School of Chinese Materia Medica , Beijing University of Chinese Medicine , Beijing , China
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