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Ren Z, Yang Z, Yuan H, Song Y, He H, Nie L, Wang X, Yuan ZG, Zhang XX. 4D label-free proteomic analysis reveals key potential pathways of Toxoplasma invasion into the central nervous system. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 138:112618. [PMID: 38996663 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a successful parasite capable of infecting a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including people, livestock, and wildlife. In individuals with intact immune function, T. gondii can invade the host brain tissue by altering the blood-brain barrier permeability, leading to chronic infection. Proteins play crucial regulatory roles in disease progression. By monitoring changes in proteins, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host resistance to infection and the potential pathogenic mechanisms of pathogens can be gained. This study analyzed differential protein expression and associated signaling pathways in mouse brain tissues during acute and chronic T. gondii infection using proteomic and bioinformatics methods. The results showed that during acute and chronic T. gondii infection stages, 74 and 498 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in mouse brain tissue, respectively. Among them, 45 and 309 were up-regulated, while 29 and 189 were down-regulated. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that some of these DEPs were implicated in host immunity, pathogen immune evasion, and T. gondii invasion of the central nervous system, particularly interleukin production and secretion, complement system activation, and alterations in tight junction pathways. Notably, the upregulation of Rab13 was identified as a potential molecular mechanism for T. gondii to regulate blood-brain barrier permeability and facilitate central nervous system invasion. Our findings provided fundamental data for understanding host control of Toxoplasmosis infection and offered new insights into parasite immune evasion and invasion mechanisms within the central nervous system. These insights are crucial for developing strategies to prevent the establishment of chronic T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaowen Ren
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Baishigang, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Zipeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yining Song
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Houjing He
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Linchong Nie
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Scientific Observation and Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Health, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Baishigang, Wushan Street, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Zi-Guo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xiu-Xiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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2
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Ewald S, Nasuhidehnavi A, Feng TY, Lesani M, McCall LI. The intersection of host in vivo metabolism and immune responses to infection with kinetoplastid and apicomplexan parasites. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2024; 88:e0016422. [PMID: 38299836 PMCID: PMC10966954 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00164-22] [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] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYProtozoan parasite infection dramatically alters host metabolism, driven by immunological demand and parasite manipulation strategies. Immunometabolic checkpoints are often exploited by kinetoplastid and protozoan parasites to establish chronic infection, which can significantly impair host metabolic homeostasis. The recent growth of tools to analyze metabolism is expanding our understanding of these questions. Here, we review and contrast host metabolic alterations that occur in vivo during infection with Leishmania, trypanosomes, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, and Cryptosporidium. Although genetically divergent, there are commonalities among these pathogens in terms of metabolic needs, induction of the type I immune responses required for clearance, and the potential for sustained host metabolic dysbiosis. Comparing these pathogens provides an opportunity to explore how transmission strategy, nutritional demand, and host cell and tissue tropism drive similarities and unique aspects in host response and infection outcome and to design new strategies to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ewald
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Tzu-Yu Feng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology at the Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Mahbobeh Lesani
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
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3
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Deng B, Vanagas L, Alonso AM, Angel SO. Proteomics Applications in Toxoplasma gondii: Unveiling the Host-Parasite Interactions and Therapeutic Target Discovery. Pathogens 2023; 13:33. [PMID: 38251340 PMCID: PMC10821451 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite with the ability to infect various warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans, is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. This infection poses significant risks, leading to severe complications in immunocompromised individuals and potentially affecting the fetus through congenital transmission. A comprehensive understanding of the intricate molecular interactions between T. gondii and its host is pivotal for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. This review emphasizes the crucial role of proteomics in T. gondii research, with a specific focus on host-parasite interactions, post-translational modifications (PTMs), PTM crosstalk, and ongoing efforts in drug discovery. Additionally, we provide an overview of recent advancements in proteomics techniques, encompassing interactome sample preparation methods such as BioID (BirA*-mediated proximity-dependent biotin identification), APEX (ascorbate peroxidase-mediated proximity labeling), and Y2H (yeast two hybrid), as well as various proteomics approaches, including single-cell analysis, DIA (data-independent acquisition), targeted, top-down, and plasma proteomics. Furthermore, we discuss bioinformatics and the integration of proteomics with other omics technologies, highlighting its potential in unraveling the intricate mechanisms of T. gondii pathogenesis and identifying novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Deng
- Department of Biology and VBRN Proteomics Facility, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Laura Vanagas
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús 7130, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (L.V.); (S.O.A.); (A.M.A.)
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), 25 de Mayo y Francia. C.P., San Martín 1650, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andres M. Alonso
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús 7130, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (L.V.); (S.O.A.); (A.M.A.)
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), 25 de Mayo y Francia. C.P., San Martín 1650, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio O. Angel
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús 7130, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (L.V.); (S.O.A.); (A.M.A.)
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), 25 de Mayo y Francia. C.P., San Martín 1650, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Xie H, Sun H, Dong H, Dai L, Xu H, Zhang L, Wang Q, Zhang J, Zhao G, Xu C, Yin K. Label-free quantitative proteomic analyses of mouse astrocytes provides insight into the host response mechanism at different developmental stages of Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011102. [PMID: 37721957 PMCID: PMC10538781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an opportunistic parasite that can infect the central nervous system (CNS), causing severe toxoplasmosis and behavioral cognitive impairment. Mortality is high in immunocompromised individuals with toxoplasmosis, most commonly due to reactivation of infection in the CNS. There are still no effective vaccines and drugs for the prevention and treatment of toxoplasmosis. There are five developmental stages for T. gondii to complete life cycle, of which the tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages are the key to the acute and chronic infection. In this study, to better understanding of how T. gondii interacts with the host CNS at different stages of infection, we constructed acute and chronic infection models of T. gondii in astrocytes, and used label-free proteomics to detect the proteome changes before and after infection, respectively. A total of 4676 proteins were identified, among which 163 differentially expressed proteins (fold change ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.67 and p-value ≤ 0.05) including 109 up-regulated proteins and 54 down-regulated proteins in C8-TA vs C8 group, and 719 differentially expressed proteins including 495 up-regulated proteins and 224 down-regulated proteins in C8-BR vs C8-TA group. After T. gondii tachyzoites infected astrocytes, differentially expressed proteins were enriched in immune-related biological processes to promote the formation of bradyzoites and maintain the balance of T. gondii, CNS and brain. After T. gondii bradyzoites infected astrocytes, the differentially expressed proteins up-regulated the host's glucose metabolism, and some up-regulated proteins were strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases. These findings not only provide new insights into the psychiatric pathogenesis of T. gondii, but also provide potential targets for the treatment of acute and chronic Toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Xie
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Hongjie Dong
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Lisha Dai
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Haozhi Xu
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
- Xingan League Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Junmei Zhang
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Guihua Zhao
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Chao Xu
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Kun Yin
- Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, Shandong, China
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Ahlawat S, Choudhary V, Kaur R, Arora R, Sharma Formal Analyses R, Chhabra Formal Analyses P, Kumar A, Kaur M. Unraveling the genetic mechanisms governing the host response to bovine anaplasmosis. Gene 2023:147532. [PMID: 37279864 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bovine anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma marginale is a tick-borne disease of livestock with widespread prevalence and huge economic implications. In order to get new insights into modulation of host gene expression in response to natural infections of anaplasmosis, this study is the first attempt that compared the transcriptome profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of A. marginale infected and healthy crossbred cattle. Transcriptome analysis identified shared as well as unique functional pathways in the two groups. Translation and structural constituent of ribosome were the important terms for the genes abundantly expressed in the infected as well as healthy animals. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that immunity and signal transduction related terms were enriched for the up-regulated genes in the infected animals. The over-represented pathways were cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and signaling pathways involving chemokines, Interleukin 17 (IL17), Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF), Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFKB) etc. Interestingly, many genes previously associated with parasite-borne diseases such as amoebiasis, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis were profusely expressed in the dataset of the diseased animals. High expression was also evident for the genes for acute phase response proteins, anti-microbial peptides and many inflammatory cytokines. Role of cytokines in mediating communication between immune cells was the most conspicuous gene network identified through the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. This study provides comprehensive information about the crosstalk of genes involved in host defense as well as parasite persistence in the host upon infection with A. marginale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Ahlawat
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal.
| | - Vikas Choudhary
- District Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Karnal, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Haryana
| | - Rashmeet Kaur
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal
| | - Reena Arora
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal
| | | | | | - Ashish Kumar
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal
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6
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Host cell proteins modulated upon Toxoplasma infection identified using proteomic approaches: a molecular rationale. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1853-1865. [PMID: 35552534 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07541-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogenic protozoan parasite belonging to the apicomplexan phylum that infects the nucleated cells of warm-blooded hosts leading to an infectious disease known as toxoplasmosis. Apicomplexan parasites such as T. gondii can display different mechanisms to control or manipulate host cells signaling at different levels altering the host subcellular genome and proteome. Indeed, Toxoplasma is able to modulate host cell responses (especially immune responses) during infection to its advantage through both structural and functional changes in the proteome of different infected cells. Consequently, parasites can transform the invaded cells into a suitable environment for its own replication and the induction of infection. Proteomics as an applicable tool can identify such critical proteins involved in pathogen (Toxoplasma)-host cell interactions and consequently clarify the cellular mechanisms that facilitate the entry of pathogens into host cells, and their replication and transmission, as well as the central mechanisms of host defense against pathogens. Accordingly, the current paper reviews several proteins (identified using proteomic approaches) differentially expressed in the proteome of Toxoplasma-infected host cells (macrophages and human foreskin fibroblasts) and tissues (brain and liver) and highlights their plausible functions in the cellular biology of the infected cells. The identification of such modulated proteins and their related cell impact (cell responses/signaling) can provide further information regarding parasite pathogenesis and biology that might lead to a better understanding of therapeutic strategies and novel drug targets.
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