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da Silva-Gomes NL, Ruivo LADS, Moreira C, Meuser-Batista M, da Silva CF, Batista DDGJ, Fragoso S, de Oliveira GM, Soeiro MDNC, Moreira OC. Overexpression of TcNTPDase-1 Gene Increases Infectivity in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314661. [PMID: 36498985 PMCID: PMC9736689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases) are enzymes located on the surface of the T. cruzi plasma membrane, which hydrolyze a wide range of tri-/-diphosphate nucleosides. In this work, we used previously developed genetically modified strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), hemi-knockout (KO +/−) and overexpressing (OE) the TcNTPDase-1 gene to evaluate the parasite infectivity profile in a mouse model of acute infection (n = 6 mice per group). Our results showed significantly higher parasitemia and mortality, and lower weight in animals infected with parasites OE TcNTPDase-1, as compared to the infection with the wild type (WT) parasites. On the other hand, animals infected with (KO +/−) parasites showed no mortality during the 30-day trial and mouse weight was more similar to the non-infected (NI) animals. In addition, they had low parasitemia (45.7 times lower) when compared with parasites overexpressing TcNTPDase-1 from the hemi-knockout (OE KO +/−) group. The hearts of animals infected with the OE KO +/− and OE parasites showed significantly larger regions of cardiac inflammation than those infected with the WT parasites (p < 0.001). Only animals infected with KO +/− did not show individual electrocardiographic changes during the period of experimentation. Together, our results expand the knowledge on the role of NTPDases in T. cruzi infectivity, reenforcing the potential of this enzyme as a chemotherapy target to treat Chagas disease (CD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Lins da Silva-Gomes
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular-IOC/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Tripanossomatídeos-ICC/FIOCRUZ, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Laboratório de Educação Profissional em Técnicas Laboratoriais em Saúde, EPSJV/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | | | | | - Stênio Fragoso
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Tripanossomatídeos-ICC/FIOCRUZ, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | | | | | - Otacilio C. Moreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular-IOC/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Dzul-Huchim VM, Ramirez-Sierra MJ, Martinez-Vega PP, Rosado-Vallado ME, Arana-Argaez VE, Ortega-Lopez J, Gusovsky F, Dumonteil E, Cruz-Chan JV, Hotez P, Bottazzi ME, Villanueva-Lizama LE. Vaccine-linked chemotherapy with a low dose of benznidazole plus a bivalent recombinant protein vaccine prevents the development of cardiac fibrosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in chronically-infected BALB/c mice. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010258. [PMID: 36095001 PMCID: PMC9499242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and affects 6–7 million people worldwide. Approximately 30% of chronic patients develop chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) after decades. Benznidazole (BNZ), one of the first-line chemotherapy used for CD, induces toxicity and fails to halt the progression of CCC in chronic patients. The recombinant parasite-derived antigens, including Tc24, Tc24-C4, TSA-1, and TSA-1-C4 with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) agonist-adjuvants reduce cardiac parasite burdens, heart inflammation, and fibrosis, leading us to envision their use as immunotherapy together with BNZ. Given genetic immunization (DNA vaccines) encoding Tc24 and TSA-1 induce protective immunity in mice and dogs, we propose that immunization with the corresponding recombinant proteins offers an alternative and feasible strategy to develop these antigens as a bivalent human vaccine. We hypothesized that a low dose of BNZ in combination with a therapeutic vaccine (TSA-1-C4 and Tc24-C4 antigens formulated with a synthetic TLR-4 agonist-adjuvant, E6020-SE) given during early chronic infection, could prevent cardiac disease progression and provide antigen-specific T cell immunity. Methodology/ Principal findings We evaluated the therapeutic vaccine candidate plus BNZ (25 mg/kg/day/7 days) given on days 72 and 79 post-infection (p.i) (early chronic phase). Fibrosis, inflammation, and parasite burden were quantified in heart tissue at day 200 p.i. (late chronic phase). Further, spleen cells were collected to evaluate antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immune response, using flow cytometry. We found that vaccine-linked BNZ treated mice had lower cardiac fibrosis compared to the infected untreated control group. Moreover, cells from mice that received the immunotherapy had higher stimulation index of antigen-specific CD8+Perforin+ T cells as well as antigen-specific central memory T cells compared to the infected untreated control. Conclusions Our results suggest that the bivalent immunotherapy together with BNZ treatment given during early chronic infection protects BALB/c mice against cardiac fibrosis progression and activates a strong CD8+ T cell response by in vitro restimulation, evidencing the induction of a long-lasting T. cruzi-immunity. Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted through contact with infected feces of vectors bugs. CD can induce cardiac abnormalities including the development of fibrosis and eventually death. Benznidazole (BNZ) is the first-line drug approved against CD, however, its toxicity and lack of efficacy in the chronic phase have limited its use. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of reducing doses of BNZ given in combination with therapeutic vaccines during the acute phase of CD, which increases its tolerability and reduces adverse side effects. Considering that patients are often diagnosed until more advanced stages of the disease, its necessary to evaluate therapies given in the chronic phase of CD. In this study, we evaluated a vaccine formulated with the recombinant T. cruzi-antigens TSA-1-C4 and Tc24-C4 and the adjuvant E6020-SE in combination with a low dose of BNZ given during the chronic phase of T. cruzi-infection using a murine model. The authors found that the combination therapy protects mice against cardiac fibrosis progression, allows the activation of a CD8+ T cell response, and induces a prolonged memory response against T. cruzi. This study supports the development of the vaccine-linked chemotherapy approach to prevent T. cruzi chronic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Manuel Dzul-Huchim
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Maria Jesus Ramirez-Sierra
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Pedro Pablo Martinez-Vega
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Miguel Enrique Rosado-Vallado
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Victor Ermilo Arana-Argaez
- Laboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Jaime Ortega-Lopez
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Fabian Gusovsky
- Eisai, Inc., Eisai Inc, Andover, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Julio Vladimir Cruz-Chan
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Peter Hotez
- Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - María Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Liliana Estefania Villanueva-Lizama
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
- * E-mail:
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Cascabulho CM, Meuser-Batista M, Moura KCGD, Pinto MDC, Duque TLA, Demarque KC, Guimarães ACR, Manso PPDA, Pelajo-Machado M, Oliveira GM, Castro SLD, Menna-Barreto RF. Antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory activities of ß-lapachone-derived naphthoimidazoles in experimental acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2020; 115:e190389. [PMID: 32074167 PMCID: PMC7029714 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760190389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, which is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma
cruzi, is endemic to Latin America and mainly affects
low-income populations. Chemotherapy is based on two nitrocompounds, but
their reduced efficacy encourages the continuous search for alternative
drugs. Our group has characterised the trypanocidal effect of
naphthoquinones and their derivatives, with naphthoimidazoles derived from
β-lapachone (N1, N2 and N3) being the most active in
vitro. OBJECTIVES In the present work, the effects of N1, N2 and N3 on acutely infected mice
were investigated. METHODS in vivo activity of the compounds was assessed by
parasitological, biochemical, histopathological, immunophenotypical,
electrocardiographic (ECG) and behavioral analyses. FINDINGS Naphthoimidazoles led to a decrease in parasitaemia (8 dpi) by reducing the
number of bloodstream trypomastigotes by 25-50% but not by reducing
mortality. N1 protected mice from heart injury (15 dpi) by decreasing
inflammation. Bradycardia was also partially reversed after treatment with
N1 and N2. Furthermore, the three compounds did not reverse hepatic and
renal lesions or promote the improvement of other evaluated parameters. MAIN CONCLUSION N1 showed moderate trypanocidal and promising immunomodulatory activities,
and its use in combination with benznidazole and/or anti-arrhythmic drugs as
well as the efficacy of its alternative formulations must be investigated in
the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M Cascabulho
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Fernandes Figueira, Departamento de Anatomia Patológica e Citopatologia, Laboratório de Patologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Kelly Cristina G de Moura
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Maria do Carmo Pinto
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Pesquisa em Produtos Naturais, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Thabata Lopes Alberto Duque
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Kelly C Demarque
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Ana Carolina Ramos Guimarães
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Pedro Paulo de Abreu Manso
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Patologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Pelajo-Machado
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Patologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Gabriel M Oliveira
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Solange L De Castro
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Rubem Fs Menna-Barreto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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5
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Philot Pavão B, Demarque KC, Meuser Batista M, Melo de Oliveira G, França da Silva C, Guedes da Silva FH, Gonçalves Caputo LF, Machado Cascabulho C, Barcinski MA, Correia Soeiro MDN. Impact of autologous whole blood administration upon experimental mouse models of acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:25. [PMID: 30186314 PMCID: PMC6117903 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0157-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autologous whole blood (AWB) administration is described as alternative/complementary medical practice widely employed in medical and veterinary therapy against infections, chronic pathologies and neoplasias. Our aim is to investigate in vivo biological effect of AWB using healthy murine models under the course of Trypanosoma cruzi acute infection. Methods The first set of studies consisted of injecting different volumes of AWB and saline (SAL) into the posterior region of quadriceps muscle of healthy male Swiss mice under distinct therapeutic schemes evaluating: animal behavior, body and organ weight, hemogram, plasmatic biochemical markers for tissue damage and inflammatory cytokine levels and profile. To assess the impact on the experimental T. cruzi infection, different schemes (prior and post infection) and periods of AWB administration (from one up to 10 days) were conducted, also employing heterologous whole blood (HWB) and evaluating plasma cytokine profile. Results No major adverse events were observed in healthy AWB-treated mice, except gait impairment in animals that received three doses of 20 μL AWB in the same hind limb. AWB and SAL triggered an immediate polymorphonuclear response followed by mononuclear infiltrate. Although SAL triggered an inflammatory response, the kinetics and intensity of the histological profile and humoral mediator levels were different from AWB, the latter occurring earlier and more intensely with concomitant elevation of plasma IL-6. Inflammatory peak response of SAL, mainly composed of mononuclear cells with IL-10, was increased at 24 h. According to the mouse model of acute T. cruzi infection, only minor decreases (< 30%) in the parasitemia levels were produced by AWB and HWB given before and after infection, without protecting against mortality. Rises in IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-6 were detected at 9 dpi in all infected animals as compared to uninfected mice but only Bz displayed a statistically significant diminution (p = 0.02) in TNF-alpha levels than infected and untreated mice. Conclusions This study revealed that the use of autologous whole blood (AWB) in the acute model employed was unable to reduce the parasitic load of infected mice, providing only a minor decrease in parasitemia levels (up to 30%) but without protecting against animal mortality. Further in vivo studies will be necessary to elucidate the effective impact of this procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Philot Pavão
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Kelly Cristina Demarque
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Marcos Meuser Batista
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Gabriel Melo de Oliveira
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Cristiane França da Silva
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | | | - Luzia Fátima Gonçalves Caputo
- 2Laboratório de Patologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Cynthia Machado Cascabulho
- 3Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Marcello André Barcinski
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
| | - Maria de Nazaré Correia Soeiro
- 1Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
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Sandri PF, Portocarrero AR, Ciupa L, Ferraz FN, Falkowski-Temporini GJ, Rodrigues WN, Ferreira ÉC, Aleixo DL, de Araújo SM. Dynamized ethyl alcohol improves immune response and behavior in murine infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. Cytokine 2017; 99:240-248. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2017.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Campos JDS, Hoppe LY, Duque TLA, de Castro SL, Oliveira GM. Use of Noninvasive Parameters to Evaluate Swiss Webster Mice DuringTrypanosoma cruziExperimental Acute Infection. J Parasitol 2016; 102:280-5. [DOI: 10.1645/15-884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
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Vilar-Pereira G, Ruivo LADS, Lannes-Vieira J. Behavioural alterations are independent of sickness behaviour in chronic experimental Chagas disease. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:1042-50. [PMID: 26676323 PMCID: PMC4708025 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of the nervous form of Chagas disease is a matter of discussion since Carlos Chagas described neurological disorders, learning and behavioural alterations in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected individuals. In most patients, the clinical manifestations of the acute phase, including neurological abnormalities, resolve spontaneously without apparent consequence in the chronic phase of infection. However, chronic Chagas disease patients have behavioural changes such as psychomotor alterations, attention and memory deficits, and depression. In the present study, we tested whether or not behavioural alterations are reproducible in experimental models. We show that C57BL/6 mice chronically infected with the Colombian strain of T. cruzi (150 days post-infection) exhibit behavioural changes as (i) depression in the tail suspension and forced swim tests, (ii) anxiety analysed by elevated plus maze and open field test sand and (iii) motor coordination in the rotarod test. These alterations are neither associated with neuromuscular disorders assessed by the grip strength test nor with sickness behaviour analysed by temperature variation sand weight loss. Therefore, chronically T. cruzi-infected mice replicate behavioural alterations (depression and anxiety) detected in Chagas disease patients opening an opportunity to study the interconnection and the physiopathology of these two biological processes in an infectious scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glaucia Vilar-Pereira
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia das
Interações, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Joseli Lannes-Vieira
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia das
Interações, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Gulin JEN, Rocco DM, García-Bournissen F. Quality of Reporting and Adherence to ARRIVE Guidelines in Animal Studies for Chagas Disease Preclinical Drug Research: A Systematic Review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004194. [PMID: 26587586 PMCID: PMC4654562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Publication of accurate and detailed descriptions of methods in research articles involving animals is essential for health scientists to accurately interpret published data, evaluate results and replicate findings. Inadequate reporting of key aspects of experimental design may reduce the impact of studies and could act as a barrier to translation of research findings. Reporting of animal use must be as comprehensive as possible in order to take advantage of every study and every animal used. Animal models are essential to understanding and assessing new chemotherapy candidates for Chagas disease pathology, a widespread parasitic disease with few treatment options currently available. A systematic review was carried out to compare ARRIVE guidelines recommendations with information provided in publications of preclinical studies for new anti-Trypanosoma cruzi compounds. A total of 83 publications were reviewed. Before ARRIVE guidelines, 69% of publications failed to report any macroenvironment information, compared to 57% after ARRIVE publication. Similar proportions were observed when evaluating reporting of microenvironmental information (56% vs. 61%). Also, before ARRIVE guidelines publication, only 13% of papers described animal gender, only 18% specified microbiological status and 13% reported randomized treatment assignment, among other essential information missing or incomplete. Unfortunately, publication of ARRIVE guidelines did not seem to enhance reporting quality, compared to papers appeared before ARRIVE publication. Our results suggest that there is a strong need for the scientific community to improve animal use description, animal models employed, transparent reporting and experiment design to facilitate its transfer and application to the affected human population. Full compliance with ARRIVE guidelines, or similar animal research reporting guidelines, would be an excellent start in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Ernesto Nicolás Gulin
- Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Marisa Rocco
- Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García-Bournissen
- Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Chatelain E, Konar N. Translational challenges of animal models in Chagas disease drug development: a review. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2015; 9:4807-23. [PMID: 26316715 PMCID: PMC4548737 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s90208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasite infection is endemic in Latin America and presents an increasing clinical challenge due to migrating populations. Despite being first identified over a century ago, only two drugs are available for its treatment, and recent outcomes from the first clinical trials in 40 years were lackluster. There is a critical need to develop new drugs to treat Chagas disease. This requires a better understanding of the progression of parasite infection, and standardization of animal models designed for Chagas disease drug discovery. Such measures would improve comparison of generated data and the predictability of test hypotheses and models designed for translation to human disease. Existing animal models address both disease pathology and treatment efficacy. Available models have limited predictive value for the preclinical evaluation of novel therapies and need to more confidently predict the efficacy of new drug candidates in clinical trials. This review highlights the overall lack of standardized methodology and assessment tools, which has hampered the development of efficacious compounds to treat Chagas disease. We provide an overview of animal models for Chagas disease, and propose steps that could be undertaken to reduce variability and improve predictability of drug candidate efficacy. New technological developments and tools may contribute to a much needed boost in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DND i ), Geneva, Switzerland
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Gonzalez-Mejia ME, Torres-Rasgado E, Porchia LM, Salgado HR, Totolhua JL, Ortega A, Hernández-Kelly LCR, Ruiz-Vivanco G, Báez-Duarte BG, Pérez-Fuentes R. Metallothionein-1 and nitric oxide expression are inversely correlated in a murine model of Chagas disease. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2014; 109:174-81. [PMID: 24676665 PMCID: PMC4015253 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276140339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, represents an endemic among Latin America countries. The participation of free radicals, especially nitric oxide (NO), has been demonstrated in the pathophysiology of seropositive individuals with T. cruzi. In Chagas disease, increased NO contributes to the development of cardiomyopathy and megacolon. Metallothioneins (MTs) are efficient free radicals scavengers of NO in vitro and in vivo. Here, we developed a murine model of the chronic phase of Chagas disease using endemic T. cruzi RyCH1 in BALB/c mice, which were divided into four groups: infected non-treated (Inf), infected N-monomethyl-L-arginine treated (Inf L-NAME), non-infected L-NAME treated and non-infected vehicle-treated. We determined blood parasitaemia and NO levels, the extent of parasite nests in tissues and liver MT-I expression levels. It was observed that NO levels were increasing in Inf mice in a time-dependent manner. Inf L-NAME mice had fewer T. cruzi nests in cardiac and skeletal muscle with decreased blood NO levels at day 135 post infection. This affect was negatively correlated with an increase of MT-I expression (r = -0.8462, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, we determined that in Chagas disease, an unknown inhibitory mechanism reduces MT-I expression, allowing augmented NO levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leonardo M Porchia
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de
Investigación Biomédica de Oriente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Puebla,
México
| | - Hilda Rosas Salgado
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de
Investigación Biomédica de Oriente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Puebla,
México
| | - José-Luis Totolhua
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de
Investigación Biomédica de Oriente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Puebla,
México
| | - Arturo Ortega
- Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación y
de Estudios Avanzados, Unidad Zacatenco, México DF,México
| | | | | | | | - Ricardo Pérez-Fuentes
- Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla,
México
- Laboratorio de Fisiopatología de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de
Investigación Biomédica de Oriente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Puebla,
México
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12
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Vilar-Pereira G, Silva AAD, Pereira IR, Silva RR, Moreira OC, de Almeida LR, de Souza AS, Rocha MS, Lannes-Vieira J. Trypanosoma cruzi-induced depressive-like behavior is independent of meningoencephalitis but responsive to parasiticide and TNF-targeted therapeutic interventions. Brain Behav Immun 2012; 26:1136-49. [PMID: 22841695 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2012] [Revised: 07/15/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory cytokines and microbe-borne immunostimulators have emerged as triggers of depressive behavior. Behavioral alterations affect patients chronically infected by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. We have previously shown that C3H/He mice present acute phase-restricted meningoencephalitis with persistent central nervous system (CNS) parasitism, whereas C57BL/6 mice are resistant to T. cruzi-induced CNS inflammation. In the present study, we investigated whether depression is a long-term consequence of acute CNS inflammation and a contribution of the parasite strain that infects the host. C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice were infected with the Colombian (type I) and Y (type II) T. cruzi strains. Forced-swim and tail-suspension tests were used to assess depressive-like behavior. Independent of the mouse lineage, the Colombian-infected mice showed significant increases in immobility times during the acute and chronic phases of infection. Therefore, T. cruzi-induced depression is independent of active or prior CNS inflammation. Furthermore, chronic depressive-like behavior was triggered only by the type I Colombian T. cruzi strain. Acute and chronic T. cruzi infection increased indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expression in the CNS. Treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine abrogated the T. cruzi-induced depressive-like behavior. Moreover, treatment with the parasiticide drug benznidazole abrogated depression. Chronic T. cruzi infection of C57BL/6 mice increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF) expression systemically but not in the CNS. Importantly, TNF modulators (anti-TNF and pentoxifylline) reduced immobility. Therefore, direct or indirect parasite-induced immune dysregulation may contribute to chronic depressive disorder in T. cruzi infection, which opens a new therapeutic pathway to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glaucia Vilar-Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz, Av Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil
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13
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Aleixo DL, Ferraz FN, Ferreira EC, de Lana M, Gomes ML, de Abreu Filho BA, de Araújo SM. Highly diluted medication reduces parasitemia and improves experimental infection evolution by Trypanosoma cruzi. BMC Res Notes 2012; 5:352. [PMID: 22784664 PMCID: PMC3441236 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is no published information about the use of different protocols to administer a highly diluted medication. Evaluate the effect of different protocols for treatment with biotherapic T. cruzi 17 dH (BIOTTc17dH) on clinical/parasitological evolution of mice infected with T. cruzi-Y strain. Methods A blind, randomized controlled trial was performed twice, using 60 28-day-old male Swiss mice infected with T. cruzi-Y strain, in five treatment groups: CI - treated with a 7% ethanol-water solution, diluted in water (10 μL/mL) ad libitum; BIOTPI - treated with BIOTTc17dH in water (10 μL/mL) ad libitum during a period that started on the day of infection; BIOT4DI - treated with BIOTTc17dH in water (10 μL/mL) ad libitum beginning on the 4th day of infection; BIOT4-5–6 - treated with BIOTTc17dH by gavage (0.2 mL/ animal/day) on the 4th, 5th and 6th days after infection; BIOT7-8–9 - treated with BIOTTc17dH by gavage (0.2 mL/ animal/day) on the 7th, 8th and 9th days after infection. We evaluated: parasitemia; total parasitemia (Ptotal); maximum peak of parasites; prepatent period (PPP) - time from infection to detection of the parasite in blood; patent period (PP) - period when the parasitemia can be detected in blood; clinical aspects; and mortality. Results Parasitological parameters in the BIOTPI and mainly in the BIOT4PI group showed better evolution of the infection compared to the control group (CI), with lower Ptotal, lower maximum peak of parasites, higher PPP, lower PP and longer survival times. These animals showed stable body temperature and higher weight gain and water consumption, with more animals having normal-appearing fur for longer periods. In contrast, groups BIOT4-5–6 and BIOT7-8–9 showed worse evolution of the infection compared to the control group, considering both parasitological and clinical parameters. The correlation analysis combined with the other data from this study indicated that the prepatent period is the best parameter to evaluate the effect of a medication in this model. Conclusions The BIOT4DI group showed the best clinical and parasitological evolution, with lower parasitemia and a trend toward lower mortality and a longer survival period. The prepatent period was the best parameter to evaluate the effect of a medication in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Lessa Aleixo
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
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