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Clark EH, Messenger LA, Whitman JD, Bern C. Chagas disease in immunocompromised patients. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0009923. [PMID: 38546225 PMCID: PMC11237761 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00099-23] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYAs Chagas disease remains prevalent in the Americas, it is important that healthcare professionals and researchers are aware of the screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment recommendations for the populations of patients they care for and study. Management of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in immunocompromised hosts is challenging, particularly because, regardless of antitrypanosomal treatment status, immunocompromised patients with Chagas disease are at risk for T. cruzi reactivation, which can be lethal. Evidence-based practices to prevent and manage T. cruzi reactivation vary depending on the type of immunocompromise. Here, we review available data describing Chagas disease epidemiology, testing, and management practices for various populations of immunocompromised individuals, including people with HIV and patients undergoing solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva H Clark
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Division of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Louisa A Messenger
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Whitman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Caryn Bern
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
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2
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Vázquez ME, Zabala BA, Mesías AC, Biscari L, Kaufman CD, Alloatti A, Siano F, Picariello G, Corbalán NS, Lenis BA, Toscano MA, Parodi CM, Brandán CMP, Acuña L. Protective Efficacy of the Epitope-Conjugated Antigen N-Tc52/TSkb20 in Mitigating Trypanosoma cruzi Infection through CD8+ T-Cells and IFNγ Responses. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:621. [PMID: 38932350 PMCID: PMC11209121 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12060621] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a major public health challenge affecting millions in Latin America and worldwide. Although significant progress has been made in vector control, no vaccine exists to prevent infection or mitigate disease pathogenesis. We developed a rationally designed chimeric protein vaccine, N-Tc52/TSkb20, incorporating immunodominant epitopes from two T. cruzi antigens, the amino-terminal portion of Tc52 and the TSkb20 epitope derived from trans-sialidase. The objectives of this study were to construct and characterize the antigen and evaluate its protective potential in an immunoprophylactic murine model of T. cruzi infection. The N-Tc52/TSkb20 protein was recombinantly expressed in E. coli and its identity was confirmed using mass spectrometry and Western blotting. Immunization with the chimeric protein significantly controlled parasitemia and reduced the heart, colon, and skeletal muscle parasite burdens compared to non-vaccinated mice. Protection was superior to vaccination with the individual parental antigen components. Mechanistically, the vaccine induced potent CD8+ T-cell and IFNγ responses against the incorporated epitopes and a protective IgG antibody profile. A relatively low IL-10 response favored early parasite control. These results validate the promising multi-epitope approach and support the continued development of this type of rational vaccine design strategy against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elisa Vázquez
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
| | - Brenda A. Zabala
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
| | - Andrea C. Mesías
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
| | - Lucia Biscari
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER—CONICET—UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina; (L.B.); (C.D.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Cintia D. Kaufman
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER—CONICET—UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina; (L.B.); (C.D.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Andrés Alloatti
- Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario, IDICER—CONICET—UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina; (L.B.); (C.D.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Francesco Siano
- Istituto di Scienze dell’ Alimentazione—Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 83100 Avellino, Italy; (F.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Gianluca Picariello
- Istituto di Scienze dell’ Alimentazione—Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 83100 Avellino, Italy; (F.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Natalia S. Corbalán
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina;
| | - Bladimiro A. Lenis
- Unidad de Conocimiento Traslacional, Hospital Arturo Oñativia, Salta A4400, Argentina; (B.A.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Marta A. Toscano
- Unidad de Conocimiento Traslacional, Hospital Arturo Oñativia, Salta A4400, Argentina; (B.A.L.); (M.A.T.)
| | - Cecilia M. Parodi
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
| | - Cecilia M. Pérez Brandán
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
| | - Leonardo Acuña
- Unidad de Biotecnología y Protozoarios, Instituto de Patología Experimental “Dr. Miguel Ángel Basombrío”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta A4400, Argentina; (M.E.V.); (B.A.Z.); (A.C.M.); (C.M.P.)
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3
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Rossi IV, de Souza DAS, Ramirez MI. The End Justifies the Means: Chagas Disease from a Perspective of the Host- Trypanosoma cruzi Interaction. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:488. [PMID: 38672758 PMCID: PMC11050810 DOI: 10.3390/life14040488] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The neglected Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Despite CD dispersion throughout the world, it prevails in tropical areas affecting mainly poor communities, causing devastating health, social and economic consequences. Clinically, CD is marked by a mildly symptomatic acute phase, and a chronic phase characterized by cardiac and/or digestive complications. Current treatment for CD relies on medications with strong side effects and reduced effectiveness. The complex interaction between the parasite and the host outlines the etiology and progression of CD. The unique characteristics and high adaptability of T. cruzi, its mechanisms of persistence, and evasion of the immune system seem to influence the course of the disease. Despite the efforts to uncover the pathology of CD, there are many gaps in understanding how it is established and reaches chronicity. Also, the lack of effective treatments and protective vaccines constitute challenges for public health. Here, we explain the background in which CD is established, from the peculiarities of T. cruzi molecular biology to the development of the host's immune response leading to the pathophysiology of CD. We also discuss the state of the art of treatments for CD and current challenges in basic and applied science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izadora Volpato Rossi
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
| | - Denise Andréa Silva de Souza
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
| | - Marcel Ivan Ramirez
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba 81531-980, PR, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Carlos Chagas Institute/Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-PR), Curitiba 81310-020, PR, Brazil;
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Silvestrini MMA, Alessio GD, Frias BED, Sales Júnior PA, Araújo MSS, Silvestrini CMA, Brito Alvim de Melo GE, Martins-Filho OA, Teixeira-Carvalho A, Martins HR. New insights into Trypanosoma cruzi genetic diversity, and its influence on parasite biology and clinical outcomes. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1342431. [PMID: 38655255 PMCID: PMC11035809 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1342431] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a serious public health problem worldwide. The parasite was subdivided into six distinct genetic groups, called "discrete typing units" (DTUs), from TcI to TcVI. Several studies have indicated that the heterogeneity of T. cruzi species directly affects the diversity of clinical manifestations of Chagas disease, control, diagnosis performance, and susceptibility to treatment. Thus, this review aims to describe how T. cruzi genetic diversity influences the biology of the parasite and/or clinical parameters in humans. Regarding the geographic dispersion of T. cruzi, evident differences were observed in the distribution of DTUs in distinct areas. For example, TcII is the main DTU detected in Brazilian patients from the central and southeastern regions, where there are also registers of TcVI as a secondary T. cruzi DTU. An important aspect observed in previous studies is that the genetic variability of T. cruzi can impact parasite infectivity, reproduction, and differentiation in the vectors. It has been proposed that T. cruzi DTU influences the host immune response and affects disease progression. Genetic aspects of the parasite play an important role in determining which host tissues will be infected, thus heavily influencing Chagas disease's pathogenesis. Several teams have investigated the correlation between T. cruzi DTU and the reactivation of Chagas disease. In agreement with these data, it is reasonable to suppose that the immunological condition of the patient, whether or not associated with the reactivation of the T. cruzi infection and the parasite strain, may have an important role in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease. In this context, understanding the genetics of T. cruzi and its biological and clinical implications will provide new knowledge that may contribute to additional strategies in the diagnosis and clinical outcome follow-up of patients with Chagas disease, in addition to the reactivation of immunocompromised patients infected with T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glaucia Diniz Alessio
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Bruna Estefânia Diniz Frias
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Policarpo Ademar Sales Júnior
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Márcio Sobreira Silva Araújo
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Olindo Assis Martins-Filho
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andréa Teixeira-Carvalho
- Integrated Biomarker Research Group, René Rachou Institute, Fiocruz Minas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Helen Rodrigues Martins
- Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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5
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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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Gonzáles-Córdova RA, Dos Santos TR, Gachet-Castro C, Andrade Vieira J, Trajano-Silva LAM, Sakamoto-Hojo ET, Baqui MMA. Trypanosoma cruzi infection induces DNA double-strand breaks and activates DNA damage response pathway in host epithelial cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5225. [PMID: 38433244 PMCID: PMC10909859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53589-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, invades many cell types affecting numerous host-signalling pathways. During the T. cruzi infection, we demonstrated modulations in the host RNA polymerase II activity with the downregulation of ribonucleoproteins affecting host transcription and splicing machinery. These alterations could be a result of the initial damage to the host DNA caused by the presence of the parasite, however, the mechanisms are not well understood. Herein, we examined whether infection by T. cruzi coincided with enhanced DNA damage in the host cell. We studied the engagement of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathways at the different time points (0-24 h post-infection, hpi) by T. cruzi in LLC-MK2 cells. In response to double-strand breaks (DSB), maximum phosphorylation of the histone variant H2AX is observed at 2hpi and promotes recruitment of the DDR p53-binding protein (53BP1). During T. cruzi infection, Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) and DNA-PK protein kinases remained active in a time-dependent manner and played roles in regulating the host response to DSB. The host DNA lesions caused by the infection are likely orchestrated by the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway to maintain the host genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Alexander Gonzáles-Córdova
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Thamires Rossi Dos Santos
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Camila Gachet-Castro
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Johnathan Andrade Vieira
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Lays Adrianne Mendonça Trajano-Silva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Elza Tiemi Sakamoto-Hojo
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy Sciences and Letters at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 14040-901, Brazil
| | - Munira Muhammad Abdel Baqui
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo-USP, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil.
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Reboreda-Hernández ÓA, Ortiz-Butron R, Nogueda-Torres B, González-Rodríguez N. Influence of sexual hormones on Chagas disease. ARCHIVOS DE CARDIOLOGIA DE MEXICO 2024; 94:127-132. [PMID: 38377617 PMCID: PMC11160546 DOI: 10.24875/acm.23000018] [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: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Analyze sex hormone's influence during Chagas´ Disease. METHODS Male and female BALB/c mice were divided into six groups, four experimental (sham, orchiectomized, orchiectomized and supplemented with estradiol, orchiectomized supplemented with testosterone, oophorectomized, oophorectomized and supplemented with estradiol, and oophorectomized and supplemented with testosterone), and two control (healthy and intraperitoneally with T. cruzi strain NINOA infected). Clinical data were recorded daily, parasitemia was evaluated using a Neubauer chamber during the infection, and heart histopathological analysis was performed using the paraffin embedding technique. To analyze parasitemia curves and the area under the parametric curves, two-way ANOVA test was performed to correlate groups´ data. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS Higher mortality rates, cardiomegaly, hepatomegaly, ascites, edema, higher parasitemia levels, more amastigote nests, and more severe inflammatory infiltrate were found in higher testosterone concentration mice, whereas in higher estradiol concentration groups, paresia, prostration, edema, and necrosis were found. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that testosterone increased infection severity, whereas estradiol had the opposite effect. This research improves the understanding of sex hormones´infuence upon this infection to contribute with the handling of Chagas´disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Benjamin Nogueda-Torres
- Helmints Laboratory, Departament of Parasitology. Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
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Ribeiro LR, Magalhães EP, Barroso Gomes ND, Cavalcante JW, Gomes Maia MM, Marinho MM, Dos Santos HS, Marinho ES, Sampaio TL, Costa Martins AM, Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes RR. Elongation on aliphatic chain improves selectivity of 2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl chalcone on Trypanosoma cruzi. Future Med Chem 2024; 16:11-26. [PMID: 38084595 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0177] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: Our objective was to investigate the trypanocidal effect of the chalcone (2E,4E)-1-(2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-5-phenylpenta-2,4-dien-1-one (CPNC). Material & methods: Cytotoxicity toward LLC-MK2 host cells was assessed by MTT assay, and the effect on Trypanosoma cruzi life forms (epimastigotes, trypomastigotes and amastigotes) was evaluated by counting. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to evaluate the possible mechanisms of action. Finally, molecular docking simulations were performed to evaluate interactions between CPNC and T. cruzi enzymes. Results: CPNC showed activity against epimastigote, trypomastigote and amastigote life forms, induced membrane damage, increased cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction on T. cruzi. Regarding molecular docking, CPNC interacted with both trypanothione reductase and TcCr enzymes. Conclusion: CPNC presented a trypanocidal effect, and its effect is related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment and necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyanna Rodrigues Ribeiro
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Paula Magalhães
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Márcia Machado Marinho
- State University of Vale do Acaraú, Center for Exact Sciences & Technology, Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Hélcio Silva Dos Santos
- State University of Vale do Acaraú, Center for Exact Sciences & Technology, Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel Silva Marinho
- Theoretical & Eletrochemical Chemistry Research Group, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Tiago Lima Sampaio
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical & Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Alice Maria Costa Martins
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical & Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Ramon Róseo Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical & Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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9
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González-González A, Vázquez C, Encalada R, Saavedra E, Vázquez-Jiménez LK, Ortiz-Pérez E, Bolognesi ML, Rivera G. Phenothiazine-based virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics of new trypanothione reductase inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol Inform 2023; 42:e2300069. [PMID: 37490403 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202300069] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Phenothiazine derivatives can unselectively inhibit the trypanothione-dependent antioxidant system enzyme trypanothione reductase (TR). A virtual screening of 2163 phenothiazine derivatives from the ZINC15 and PubChem databases docked on the active site of T. cruzi TR showed that 285 compounds have higher affinity than the natural ligand trypanothione disulfide. 244 compounds showed higher affinity toward the parasite's enzyme than to its human homolog glutathione reductase. Protein-ligand interaction profiling predicted that the main interactions for the top scored compounds were with residues important for trypanothione disulfide binding: Phe396, Pro398, Leu399, His461, Glu466, and Glu467, particularly His461, which participates in catalysis. Two compounds with the desired profiles, ZINC1033681 (Zn_C687) and ZINC10213096 (Zn_C216), decreased parasite growth by 20 % and 50 %, respectively. They behaved as mixed-type inhibitors of recombinant TR, with Ki values of 59 and 47 μM, respectively. This study provides a further understanding of the potential of phenothiazine derivatives as TR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonzo González-González
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, México
| | - Citlali Vázquez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rusely Encalada
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Emma Saavedra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lenci K Vázquez-Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, México
| | - Eyra Ortiz-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, México
| | - María Laura Bolognesi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 88710, Reynosa, México
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10
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Silberstein E, Chung CC, Debrabant A. The transcriptome landscape of 3D-cultured placental trophoblasts reveals activation of TLR2 and TLR3/7 in response to low Trypanosoma cruzi parasite exposure. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1256385. [PMID: 37799608 PMCID: PMC10548471 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1256385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertical transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) become a globalized health problem accounting for 22% of new cases of Chagas disease (CD). Congenital infection is now considered the main route of CD spread in non-endemic countries where no routine disease testing of pregnant women is implemented. The main mechanisms that lead to fetal infection by T. cruzi remain poorly understood. Mother-to-child transmission may occur when bloodstream trypomastigotes interact with the syncytiotrophoblasts (SYNs) that cover the placenta chorionic villi. These highly specialized cells function as a physical barrier and modulate immune responses against pathogen infections. To model the human placenta environment, we have previously used a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system of SYNs that exhibits differentiation characteristics comparable to placental trophoblasts. Further, we have shown that 3D-grown SYNs are highly resistant to T. cruzi infection. In this work, we used RNA sequencing and whole transcriptome analysis to explore the immunological signatures that drive SYNs' infection control. We found that the largest category of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are associated with inflammation and innate immunity functions. Quantitative RT-PCR evaluation of selected DEGs, together with detection of cytokines and chemokines in SYNs culture supernatants, confirmed the transcriptome data. Several genes implicated in the Toll-like receptors signaling pathways were upregulated in 3D-grown SYNs. In fact, TLR2 blockade and TLR3/7 knockdown stimulated T. cruzi growth, suggesting that these molecules play a significant role in the host cell response to infection. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of DEGs predicted the activation of canonical pathways such as S100 protein family, pathogen induced cytokine storm, wound healing, HIF1α signaling and phagosome formation after T. cruzi exposure. Our findings indicate that SYNs resist infection by eliciting a constitutive pro-inflammatory response and modulating multiple defense mechanisms that interfere with the parasite's intracellular life cycle, contributing to parasite killing and infection control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Silberstein
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Charles C. Chung
- High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment Team, Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Alain Debrabant
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Office of Blood Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
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11
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Nguyen DM, Poveda C, Pollet J, Gusovsky F, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Jones KM. The impact of vaccine-linked chemotherapy on liver health in a mouse model of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548497. [PMID: 37503013 PMCID: PMC10369866 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Chagas disease, chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly manifests as cardiac disease. However, the liver is important for both controlling parasite burdens and metabolizing drugs. Notably, high doses of anti-parasitic drug benznidazole (BNZ) causes liver damage. We previously showed that combining low dose BNZ with a prototype therapeutic vaccine is a dose sparing strategy that effectively reduced T. cruzi induced cardiac damage. However, the impact of this treatment on liver health is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated several markers of liver health after treatment with low dose BNZ plus the vaccine therapy in comparison to a curative dose of BNZ. Methodology Female BALB/c mice were infected with a bioluminescent T. cruzi H1 clone for approximately 70 days, then randomly divided into groups of 15 mice each. Mice were treated with a 25mg/kg BNZ, 25μg Tc24-C4 protein/5μg E6020-SE (Vaccine), 25mg/kg BNZ followed by vaccine, or 100mg/kg BNZ (curative dose). At study endpoints we evaluated hepatomegaly, parasite burden by quantitative PCR, cellular infiltration by histology, and expression of B-cell translocation gene 2(BTG2) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) by RT-PCR. Levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were quantified from serum. Results Curative BNZ treatment significantly reduced hepatomegaly, liver parasite burdens, and the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but significantly elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, and LDH. Low BNZ plus vaccine did not significantly affect hepatomegaly, parasite burdens or the quantity of cellular infiltrate, but only elevated ALT and AST. Low dose BNZ significantly decreased expression of both BTG2 and PPARα, and curative BNZ reduced expression of BTG2 while low BNZ plus vaccine had no impact. Conclusions These data confirm toxicity associated with curative doses of BNZ and suggest that the dose sparing low BNZ plus vaccine treatment better preserves liver health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duc Minh Nguyen
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
- James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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12
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Castañeda S, Muñoz M, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Jones KM, Mejia R, Poveda C, Ramírez JD. Microbiome Alterations Driven by Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Two Disjunctive Murine Models. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0019923. [PMID: 37140369 PMCID: PMC10269900 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00199-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in the composition of gut microbiome may play a vital role in the host-parasite interactions that shapes physiology and immune responses against infection. Thus, a better understanding of this parasite-host-microbiome interaction may yield relevant information in the comprehension of the pathophysiology of the disease and the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives. Therefore, we implemented a murine model with two mice strains (BALB/c and C57BL/6) to evaluate the impact of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tulahuen strain) infection on the gut microbiome utilizing cytokine profiling and shotgun metagenomics. Higher parasite burdens were observed in cardiac and intestinal tissues, including changes in anti-inflammatory (interleukin-4 [IL-4] and IL-10) and proinflammatory (gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-6) cytokines. Bacterial species such as Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Faecalibaculum rodentium, and Lactobacillus johnsonii showed a decrease in relative abundance, while Akkermansia muciniphila and Staphylococcus xylosus increased. Likewise, as infection progressed, there was a decrease in gene abundances related to metabolic processes such as lipid synthesis (including short-chain fatty acids) and amino acid synthesis (including branched-chain amino acids). High-quality metagenomic assembled genomes of L. johnsonii and A. muciniphila among other species were reconstructed, confirming, functional changes associated with metabolic pathways that are directly affected by the loss of abundance of specific bacterial taxa. IMPORTANCE Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, presenting acute and chronic phases where cardiomyopathy, megaesophagus, and/or megacolon stand out. During the course of its life cycle, the parasite has an important gastrointestinal tract transit that leads to severe forms of CD. The intestinal microbiome plays an essential role in the immunological, physiological, and metabolic homeostasis of the host. Therefore, parasite-host-intestinal microbiome interactions may provide information on certain biological and pathophysiological aspects related to CD. The present study proposes a comprehensive evaluation of the potential effects of this interaction based on metagenomic and immunological data from two mice models with different genetic, immunological, and microbiome backgrounds. Our findings suggest that there are alterations in the immune and microbiome profiles that affect several metabolic pathways that can potentially promote the infection's establishment, progression, and persistence. In addition, this information may prove essential in the research of new prophylactic and therapeutic alternatives for CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Rojelio Mejia
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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13
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Cornet-Gomez A, Retana Moreira L, Kronenberger T, Osuna A. Extracellular vesicles of trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi induce changes in ubiquitin-related processes, cell-signaling pathways and apoptosis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7618. [PMID: 37165081 PMCID: PMC10171165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34820-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease has an acute and a chronic phase in which approximately 30% of the chronic patients suffer from heart disease and/or gastrointestinal symptoms. The pathogenesis of the disease is multifactorial and involves the virulence of the strains, immunological factors and extracellular vesicles (EV) shed by the parasite which participate in cell-cell communication and evasion of the immune response. In this work, we present a transcriptomic analysis of cells stimulated with EV of the trypomastigote stage of T. cruzi. Results after EV-cell incubation revealed 322 differentially expressed genes (168 were upregulated and 154 were downregulated). In this regard, the overexpression of genes related to ubiquitin-related processes (Ube2C, SUMO1 and SUMO2) is highlighted. Moreover, the expression of Rho-GTPases (RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42) after the interaction was analyzed, revealing a downregulation of the analyzed genes after 4 h of interaction. Finally, a protective role of EV over apoptosis is suggested, as relative values of cells in early and late apoptosis were significantly lower in EV-treated cells, which also showed increased CSNK1G1 expression. These results contribute to a better understanding of the EV-cell interaction and support the role of EV as virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Cornet-Gomez
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Lissette Retana Moreira
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, 18071, Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 11501, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 11501, Costa Rica
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery (TüCAD2), Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Grupo de Bioquímica y Parasitología Molecular (CTS 183), Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, 18071, Granada, Spain.
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14
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da Silva LP, Almeida-Neto FWQ, Bezerra LL, Silva J, Monteiro NKV, Marinho MM, Dos Santos HS, Teixeira AMR, Marinho ES, de Lima-Neto P. Sulfonamide derived from anacardic acid as potential antichagasic: a theoretical approach based on molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and density functional theory calculations. J Mol Model 2023; 29:165. [PMID: 37117952 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05566-9] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by the barber insect. Currently, there are approximately 7 million infected people in the world, and it is estimated that 70 million people could contract this disease. The anacardic acid (AA) showed effectiveness in in silico and in vitro tests. The antichagasic potential of five sulfonamide molecules, derived from anacardic acid, was evaluated from a molecular approach based on the density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD), and molecular docking (docking) calculations. Methyl 2-methoxy-6- (8- (methylsulfonamide) octyl) benzoate (SA1); 2-methoxy-6- (8- (phenylsulfonamide) octyl) benzoate (SA2); methyl 2-methoxy-6- (8- (2methylphenyl sulfonamide) octyl) benzoate (SA3); methyl 2-methoxy-6- (8-(methylphenylsulfonamide)octyl)benzoate (SA4); methyl2-(8-(2,5-dimethylphenylsulfonamide)octyl)-6-methoxybenzoate (SA5) were the investigated molecules. The DFT calculations were performed using the B3LYP/6-311+G (d, p) level of theory. The global and local reactivity data showed that SA1 shows the highest molecular reactivity, while SA2 is the most stable derivative. In addition, the structures of investigated molecules were confirmed by the linear correlations higher than 0.98 displayed between the experimental and calculated spectroscopic data (IR and NMR). Molecular docking of the molecules showed a greater prominence for the SA1, SA2, and SA4 molecules in the results of distances of ligand-cruzain. In molecular dynamics, SA2 obtained better stability due to greater interactions with important amino acids of cruzain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo P da Silva
- Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
| | | | - Lucas L Bezerra
- Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Jacilene Silva
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Norberto K V Monteiro
- Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Márcia M Marinho
- Faculdade de Educação, Ciência e Letras de Iguatu, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Iguatu, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Hélcio S Dos Santos
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Curso de Química, Universidade Vale do Acaraú, Sobral, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Alexandre M R Teixeira
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel S Marinho
- Faculdade de Filosofia Dom Aureliano Matos, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Limoeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil
| | - Pedro de Lima-Neto
- Departamento de Química Analítica e Físico-Química, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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15
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Jha BK, Varikuti S, Verma C, Shivahare R, Bishop N, Dos Santos GP, McDonald J, Sur A, Myler PJ, Schenkman S, Satoskar AR, McGwire BS. Immunization with a Trypanosoma cruzi cyclophilin-19 deletion mutant protects against acute Chagas disease in mice. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:63. [PMID: 37185599 PMCID: PMC10130101 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00647-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Human infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease for which there are no prophylactic vaccines. Cyclophilin 19 is a secreted cis-trans peptidyl isomerase expressed in all life stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. This protein in the insect stage leads to the inactivation of insect anti-parasitic peptides and parasite transformation whereas in the intracellular amastigotes it participates in generating ROS promoting the growth of parasites. We have generated a parasite mutant with depleted expression of Cyp19 by removal of 2 of 3 genes encoding this protein using double allelic homologous recombination. The mutant parasite line failed to replicate when inoculated into host cells in vitro or in mice indicating that Cyp19 is critical for infectivity. The mutant parasite line also fails to replicate in or cause clinical disease in immuno-deficient mice further validating their lack of virulence. Repeated inoculation of mutant parasites into immuno-competent mice elicits parasite-specific trypanolytic antibodies and a Th-1 biased immune response and challenge of mutant immunized mice with virulent wild-type parasites is 100% effective at preventing death from acute disease. These results suggest that parasite Cyp19 may be candidate for small molecule drug targeting and that the mutant parasite line may warrant further immunization studies for prevention of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bijay Kumar Jha
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sanjay Varikuti
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Chaitenya Verma
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rahul Shivahare
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nicholas Bishop
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Gregory P Dos Santos
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jacquelyn McDonald
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aakash Sur
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter J Myler
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Abhay R Satoskar
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Bradford S McGwire
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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16
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Alvim JM, Venturini G, Oliveira TGM, Seidman JG, Seidman CE, Krieger JE, Pereira AC. mTOR signaling inhibition decreases lysosome migration and impairs the success of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and replication in cardiomyocytes. Acta Trop 2023; 240:106845. [PMID: 36709791 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106845] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) and, among all the chronic manifestations of the disease, Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most severe outcome. Despite high burden and public health importance in Latin America, there is a gap in understanding the molecular mechanisms that results in CCC development. Previous studies showed that T. cruzi uses the host machinery for infection and replication, including the repurposing of the responses to intracellular infection such as mitochondrial activity, vacuolar membrane, and lysosomal activation in benefit of parasite infection and replication. One common signaling upstream to many responses to parasite infection is mTOR pathway, previous associated to several downstream cellular mechanisms including autophagy, mitophagy and lysosomal activation. Here, using human iPSC derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSCCM), we show the mTOR pathway is activated in hiPSCCM after T. cruzi infection, and the inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin reduced number of T. cruzi 48 h post infection (hpi). Rapamycin treatment also reduced lysosome migration from nuclei region to cell periphery resulting in less T. cruzi inside the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in the first hour of infection. In addition, the number of parasites leaving the PV to the cytoplasm to replicate in later times of infection was also lower after rapamycin treatment. Altogether, our data suggest that host's mTOR activation concomitant with parasite infection modulates lysosome migration and that T. cruzi uses this mechanism to achieve infection and replication. Modulating this mechanism with rapamycin impaired the success of T. cruzi life cycle independent of mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Alvim
- Heart Institute, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Venturini
- Heart Institute, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, United States.
| | - Theo G M Oliveira
- Heart Institute, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Fundação Pró-Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Christine E Seidman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, United States; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), United States
| | - José E Krieger
- Heart Institute, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre C Pereira
- Heart Institute, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Cardiology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, United States
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17
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Synthetic Analogues of Gibbilimbol B Induce Bioenergetic Damage and Calcium Imbalance in Trypanosoma cruzi. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030663. [PMID: 36983820 PMCID: PMC10052702 DOI: 10.3390/life13030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is an endemic tropical disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, which affects around 7 million people worldwide, mostly in development countries. The treatment relies on only two available drugs, with severe adverse effects and a limited efficacy. Therefore, the search for new therapies is a legitimate need. Within this context, our group reported the anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of gibbilimbol B, a natural alkylphenol isolated from the plant Piper malacophyllum. Two synthetic derivatives, LINS03018 (1) and LINS03024 (2), demonstrated a higher antiparasitic potency and were selected for mechanism of action investigations. Our studies revealed no alterations in the plasma membrane potential, but a rapid alkalinization of the acidocalcisomes. Nevertheless, compound 1 exhibit a pronounced effect in the bioenergetics metabolism, with a mitochondrial impairment and consequent decrease in ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Compound 2 only depolarized the mitochondrial membrane potential, with no interferences in the respiratory chain. Additionally, no macrophages response of nitric oxide (NO) was observed in both compounds. Noteworthy, simple structure modifications in these derivatives induced significant differences in their lethal effects. Thus, this work reinforces the importance of the mechanism of action investigations at the early phases of drug discovery and support further developments of the series.
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18
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Development and Application of an Assay to Evaluate the Anti-Parasitic Effect of Humoral Responses against Trypanosoma cruzi. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020241. [PMID: 36838206 PMCID: PMC9966445 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mounting a balanced and robust humoral immune response is of utmost importance for reducing the infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi. While the role of such a response in controlling the infection is well known, there is a lack of tools that can be used to quickly evaluate it. We developed a serum parasite inhibition assay (to evaluate changes in the parasite infection after exposing infective T. cruzi trypomastigotes to serum samples from infected patients). It is based on Vero cells as the hosts and the Tulahuen β-galactosidase parasite strain, genetically engineered to be quantifiable by spectrophotometry. In parallel, we developed an in-house ELISA to correlate the anti-T. cruzi antibody titres of the clinical samples with their observed anti-parasitic effect in the serum parasite inhibition assay. Serum samples from chronically T. cruzi-infected patients significantly inhibited parasite invasion in a titre-dependant manner, regardless of the patient's clinical status, compared to samples from the non-infected controls. In addition, there was a clear correlation between the reactivity of the samples to the whole-parasite lysates by ELISA and the inhibitory effect. The results of this work confirm the previously described anti-parasitic effect of the serum of individuals exposed to T. cruzi and present a framework for its large-scale evaluation in further studies. The serum parasite inhibition assay represents a reproducible way to evaluate the intensity and anti-parasitic effect of humoral responses against T. cruzi, which could be applied to the evaluation of candidate antigens/epitopes in the design of Chagas disease vaccine candidates.
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González-Herrera F, Clayton NS, Guzmán-Rivera D, Carrillo I, Castillo C, Catalán M, Anfossi R, Quintero-Pertuz H, Quilaqueo ME, Olea-Azar C, Rivera-Meza M, Kemmerling U, Ridley AJ, Vivar R, Maya JD. Statins change the cytokine profile in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected U937 macrophages and murine cardiac tissue through Rho-associated kinases inhibition. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1035589. [PMID: 36713380 PMCID: PMC9874148 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1035589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is the most severe manifestation of Chagas disease.CCC is characterized by cardiac inflammation and fibrosis caused by a persistent inflammatory response. Following infection, macrophages secrete inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α to control parasitemia. Although this response contains parasite infection, it causes damage to the heart tissue. Thus, the use of immunomodulators is a rational alternative to CCC. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) 1 and 2 are RhoA-activated serine/threonine kinases that regulate the actomyosin cytoskeleton. Both ROCKs have been implicated in the polarization of macrophages towards an M1 (pro-inflammatory) phenotype. Statins are FDA-approved lipid-lowering drugs that reduce RhoA signaling by inhibiting geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) synthesis. This work aims to identify the effect of statins on U937 macrophage polarization and cardiac tissue inflammation and its relationship with ROCK activity during T. cruzi infection. Methods PMA-induced, wild-type, GFP-, CA-ROCK1- and CA-ROCK2-expressing U937 macrophages were incubated with atorvastatin, or the inhibitors Y-27632, JSH-23, TAK-242, or C3 exoenzyme incubated with or without T. cruzi trypomastigotes for 30 min to evaluate the activity of ROCK and the M1 and M2 cytokine expression and secretion profiling. Also, ROCK activity was determined in T. cruzi-infected, BALB/c mice hearts. Results In this study, we demonstrate for the first time in macrophages that incubation with T. cruzi leads to ROCK activation via the TLR4 pathway, which triggers NF-κB activation. Inhibition of ROCKs by Y-27632 prevents NF-κB activation and the expression and secretion of M1 markers, as does treatment with atorvastatin. Furthermore, we show that the effect of atorvastatin on the NF-kB pathway and cytokine secretion is mediated by ROCK. Finally, statin treatment decreased ROCK activation and expression, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine production, promoting anti-inflammatory cytokine expression in chronic chagasic mice hearts. Conclusion These results suggest that the statin modulation of the inflammatory response due to ROCK inhibition is a potential pharmacological strategy to prevent cardiac inflammation in CCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola González-Herrera
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Natasha S. Clayton
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Guzmán-Rivera
- Escuela de Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ileana Carrillo
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Núcleo de Investigación Aplicada en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mabel Catalán
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Renatto Anfossi
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Helena Quintero-Pertuz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Elena Quilaqueo
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Olea-Azar
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario Rivera-Meza
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Integrative Biology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Anne J. Ridley
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Raúl Vivar
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile,*Correspondence: Juan Diego Maya, ; Raúl Vivar,
| | - Juan Diego Maya
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile,*Correspondence: Juan Diego Maya, ; Raúl Vivar,
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Borgna E, Prochetto E, Gamba JC, Marcipar I, Cabrera G. Role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells during Trypanosoma cruzi infection. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 375:117-163. [PMID: 36967151 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is the third largest parasitic disease burden globally. Currently, more than 6 million people are infected, mainly in Latin America, but international migration has turned CD into an emerging health problem in many nonendemic countries. Despite intense research, a vaccine is still not available. A complex parasite life cycle, together with numerous immune system manipulation strategies, may account for the lack of a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine. There is substantial experimental evidence supporting that T. cruzi acute infection generates a strong immunosuppression state that involves numerous immune populations with regulatory/suppressive capacity. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), regulatory dendritic cells and B regulatory cells are some of the regulatory populations that have been involved in the acute immune response elicited by the parasite. The fact that, during acute infection, MDSCs increase notably in several organs, such as spleen, liver and heart, together with the observation that depletion of those cells can decrease mouse survival to 0%, strongly suggests that MDSCs play a major role during acute T. cruzi infection. Accumulating evidence gained in different settings supports the capacity of MDSCs to interact with cells from both the effector and the regulatory arms of the immune system, shaping the outcome of the response in a very wide range of scenarios that include pathological and physiological processes. In this sense, the aim of the present review is to describe the main knowledge about MDSCs acquired so far, including several crosstalk with other immune populations, which could be useful to gain insight into their role during T. cruzi infection.
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21
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Oliveira C, Holetz FB, Alves LR, Ávila AR. Modulation of Virulence Factors during Trypanosoma cruzi Differentiation. Pathogens 2022; 12:pathogens12010032. [PMID: 36678380 PMCID: PMC9865030 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. This protozoan developed several mechanisms to infect, propagate, and survive in different hosts. The specific expression of proteins is responsible for morphological and metabolic changes in different parasite stages along the parasite life cycle. The virulence strategies at the cellular and molecular levels consist of molecules responsible for mediating resistance mechanisms to oxidative damage, cellular invasion, and immune evasion, performed mainly by surface proteins. Since parasite surface coat remodeling is crucial to invasion and infectivity, surface proteins are essential virulence elements. Understanding the factors involved in these processes improves the knowledge of parasite pathogenesis. Genome sequencing has opened the door to high-throughput technologies, allowing us to obtain a deeper understanding of gene reprogramming along the parasite life cycle and identify critical molecules for survival. This review therefore focuses on proteins regulated during differentiation into infective forms considered virulence factors and addresses the current known mechanisms acting in the modulation of gene expression, emphasizing mRNA signals, regulatory factors, and protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Oliveira
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Centre de Recherche CERVO, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Fabíola Barbieri Holetz
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Lysangela Ronalte Alves
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Research Center in Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Disease and Immunity CHU de Quebec Research Center, University Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Andréa Rodrigues Ávila
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Apicomplexa, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-41-33163230
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22
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González-González A, Sánchez-Sánchez O, Krauth-Siegel RL, Bolognesi ML, Gớmez-Escobedo R, Nogueda-Torres B, Vázquez-Jiménez LK, Saavedra E, Encalada R, Espinoza-Hicks JC, Paz-González AD, Rivera G. In Vitro and In Silico Analysis of New n-Butyl and Isobutyl Quinoxaline-7-carboxylate 1,4-di- N-oxide Derivatives against Trypanosoma cruzi as Trypanothione Reductase Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13315. [PMID: 36362102 PMCID: PMC9655728 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
American trypanosomiasis is a worldwide health problem that requires attention due to ineffective treatment options. We evaluated n-butyl and isobutyl quinoxaline-7-carboxylate 1,4-di-N-oxide derivatives against trypomastigotes of the Trypanosoma cruzi strains NINOA and INC-5. An in silico analysis of the interactions of 1,4-di-N-oxide on the active site of trypanothione reductase (TR) and an enzyme inhibition study was carried out. The n-butyl series compound identified as T-150 had the best trypanocidal activity against T. cruzi trypomastigotes, with a 13% TR inhibition at 44 μM. The derivative T-147 behaved as a mixed inhibitor with Ki and Ki' inhibition constants of 11.4 and 60.8 µM, respectively. This finding is comparable to the TR inhibitor mepacrine (Ki = 19 µM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonzo González-González
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
| | - Oscar Sánchez-Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
| | - R. Luise Krauth-Siegel
- Center of Biochemistry, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Laura Bolognesi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Rogelio Gớmez-Escobedo
- Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico
| | - Benjamín Nogueda-Torres
- Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de Mexico 07738, Mexico
| | - Lenci K. Vázquez-Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
| | - Emma Saavedra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico
| | - Rusely Encalada
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico
| | | | - Alma D. Paz-González
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
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Rashidi S, Mansouri R, Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Muro A, Nguewa P, Manzano-Román R. The Defensive Interactions of Prominent Infectious Protozoan Parasites: The Host's Complement System. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1564. [PMID: 36358913 PMCID: PMC9687244 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The complement system exerts crucial functions both in innate immune responses and adaptive humoral immunity. This pivotal system plays a major role dealing with pathogen invasions including protozoan parasites. Different pathogens including parasites have developed sophisticated strategies to defend themselves against complement killing. Some of these strategies include the employment, mimicking or inhibition of host's complement regulatory proteins, leading to complement evasion. Therefore, parasites are proven to use the manipulation of the complement system to assist them during infection and persistence. Herein, we attempt to study the interaction´s mechanisms of some prominent infectious protozoan parasites including Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, and Leishmania dealing with the complement system. Moreover, several crucial proteins that are expressed, recruited or hijacked by parasites and are involved in the modulation of the host´s complement system are selected and their role for efficient complement killing or lysis evasion is discussed. In addition, parasite's complement regulatory proteins appear as plausible therapeutic and vaccine targets in protozoan parasitic infections. Accordingly, we also suggest some perspectives and insights useful in guiding future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Rashidi
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein 38811, Iran
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein 38811, Iran
| | - Reza Mansouri
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd 8915173143, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft 7861615765, Iran
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Paul Nguewa
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, ISTUN Institute of Tropical Health, IdiSNA (Navarra Institute for Health Research), University of Navarra, C/Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Raúl Manzano-Román
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca-Research Center for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
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24
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Lobo-Rojas Á, Quintero-Troconis E, Rondón-Mercado R, Pérez-Aguilar. MC, Concepción JL, Cáceres AJ. Consumption of Galactose by Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes Generates Resistance against Oxidative Stress. Pathogens 2022; 11:1174. [PMID: 36297231 PMCID: PMC9611177 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrate that Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes previously grown in LIT medium supplemented with 20 mM galactose and exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (100 μM) showed two-fold and five-fold viability when compared to epimastigotes grown in LIT medium supplemented with two different glucose concentrations (20 mM and 1.5 mM), respectively. Similar results were obtained when exposing epimastigotes from all treatments to methylene blue 30 μM. Additionally, through differential centrifugation and the selective permeabilization of cellular membranes with digitonin, we found that phosphoglucomutase activity (a key enzyme in galactose metabolism) occurs predominantly within the cytosolic compartment. Furthermore, after partially permeabilizing epimastigotes with digitonin (0.025 mg × mg-1 of protein), intact glycosomes treated with 20 mM galactose released a higher hexose phosphate concentration to the cytosol in the form of glucose-1-phosphate, when compared to intact glycosomes treated with 20 mM glucose, which predominantly released glucose-6-phosphate. These results shine a light on T. cruzi's galactose metabolism and its interplay with mechanisms that enable resistance to oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Lobo-Rojas
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101, Venezuela
| | - Ender Quintero-Troconis
- Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101, Venezuela
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25
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Jones KM, Poveda C, Versteeg L, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ. Preclinical advances and the immunophysiology of a new therapeutic chagas disease vaccine. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:1185-1203. [PMID: 35735065 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2093721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic infection with the protozoal parasite Trypanosoma cruzi leads to a progressive cardiac disease, known as chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). A new therapeutic Chagas disease vaccine is in development to augment existing antiparasitic chemotherapy drugs. AREAS COVERED We report on our current understanding of the underlying immunologic and physiologic mechanisms that lead to CCC, including parasite immune escape mechanisms that allow persistence and the subsequent inflammatory and fibrotic processes that lead to clinical disease. We report on vaccine design and the observed immunotherapeutic effects including induction of a balanced TH1/TH2/TH17 immune response that leads to reduced parasite burdens and tissue pathology. Further, we report vaccine-linked chemotherapy, a dose sparing strategy to further reduce parasite burdens and tissue pathology. EXPERT OPINION Our vaccine-linked chemotherapeutic approach is a multimodal treatment strategy, addressing both the parasite persistence and the underlying deleterious host inflammatory and fibrotic responses that lead to cardiac dysfunction. In targeting treatment towards patients with chronic indeterminate or early determinate Chagas disease, this vaccine-linked chemotherapeutic approach will be highly economical and will reduce the global disease burden and deaths due to CCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Jones
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Leroy Versteeg
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America.,James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America.,Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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26
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Linhart P, Bandouchova H, Zukal J, Votýpka J, Baláž V, Heger T, Kalocsanyiova V, Kubickova A, Nemcova M, Sedlackova J, Seidlova V, Veitova L, Vlaschenko A, Divinova R, Pikula J. Blood Parasites and Health Status of Hibernating and Non-Hibernating Noctule Bats (Nyctalus noctula). Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051028. [PMID: 35630470 PMCID: PMC9143927 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-existence of bats with a wide range of infectious agents relates to their co-evolutionary history and specific physiology. Here, we examined blood samples collected during hibernation and the post-hibernation period to assess the influence of trypanosomes and babesias on the health status of 50 Noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) using nested PCR. The impact of blood parasites on health was assessed by analysis of haematology and blood chemistry parameters in 21 bats. Prevalence of trypanosomes (Trypanosoma dionisii and T. vespertilionis) and babesia (Babesia vesperuginis) was 44% and 8%, respectively. Analysis of blood parameters indicated impact of babesia on acid–base balance. Blood chemistry parameters showed a significant decrease in total dissolved carbon dioxide and bicarbonate, increased anion gap, and no change in blood pH, suggesting compensated metabolic acidosis. Adverse effects of babesia were only apparent in hibernating bats. Our results suggest differences in the pathogenicity of trypanosomes and babesia in bats. While trypanosomes in general had no significant impact on the health status, we observed alterations in the blood acid–base balance in Babesia-infected bats during hibernation. Despite being infected, Babesia-positive bats survived hibernation without showing any clinical signs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Linhart
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Bandouchova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-541-562-653
| | - Jan Zukal
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 60365 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Baláž
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Tomas Heger
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Vendula Kalocsanyiova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Aneta Kubickova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Monika Nemcova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Jana Sedlackova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Veronika Seidlova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Lucie Veitova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
| | - Anton Vlaschenko
- Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark, Lisne, 62340 Kharkiv, Ukraine;
| | - Renata Divinova
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Jiri Pikula
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences, 61242 Brno, Czech Republic; (P.L.); (V.B.); (T.H.); (V.K.); (A.K.); (M.N.); (J.S.); (V.S.); (L.V.); (J.P.)
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IgG Subclass Analysis in Patients with Chagas Disease 4 Years After Benznidazole Treatment. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:1499-1509. [PMID: 34115282 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00430-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In humans, Trypanosoma cruzi infection is controlled by a complex immune response. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is important for opsonizing blood trypomastigotes, activating the classic complement pathway, and reducing parasitemia. The trypanocidal activity of benznidazole is recognized, but its effects on the prevention and progression of Chagas disease is not well understood OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the levels of total IgG and cross-specific IgG subclasses in patients with chronic Chagas disease of different clinical forms before and after 4 years of benznidazole treatment. METHODS Eight individuals with the indeterminate form and nine with the cardiac form who completed the treatment protocol were evaluated. The levels of total IgG and IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 isotypes were quantified in the serum of each individual using the fluorescent immunosorbent assay. The results are expressed as relative fluorescence unit. RESULTS Patients with chronic Chagas disease presented decreased levels of total IgG at 48 months after benznidazole treatment. Increased IgG1 and decreased IgG3 levels were observed in patients with the cardiac form and those with exacerbated clinical forms. In addition, a decrease in the IgG3/IgG1 ratio was observed in individuals with the cardiac form of Chagas disease. CONCLUSIONS Benznidazole administration in the chronic phase differentially changes IgG subclasses in patients with cardiac and indeterminate forms, and monitoring the IgG3 level may indicate the possible prognosis to the cardiac form or worsening of the already established clinical form.
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Gutierrez BC, Lammel E, González-Cappa SM, Poncini CV. Early Immune Response Elicited by Different Trypanosoma cruzi Infective Stages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:768566. [PMID: 34900754 PMCID: PMC8656353 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.768566] [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: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that affects millions of people in Latin America. Infection occurs by vectorial transmission or by transfusion or transplacental route. Immune events occurring immediately after the parasite entrance are poorly explored. Dendritic cells (DCs) are target for the parasite immune evasion mechanisms. Recently, we have demonstrated that two different populations of DCs display variable activation after interaction with the two infective forms of the parasite: metacyclic or blood trypomastigotes (mTp or bTp) in vitro. The skin constitutes a complex network with several populations of antigen-presenting cells. Previously, we have demonstrated T. cruzi conditioning the repertoire of cells recruited into the site of infection. In the present work, we observed that mTp and bTp inoculation displayed differences in cell recruitment to the site of infection and in the activation status of APCs in draining lymph nodes and spleen during acute infection. Animals inoculated with mTp exhibited 100% of survival with no detectable parasitemia, in contrast with those injected with bTp that displayed high mortality and high parasite load. Animals infected with mTp and challenged with a lethal dose of bTp 15 days after primary infection showed no mortality and incremented DC activation in secondary lymphoid organs compared with controls injected only with bTp or non-infected mice. These animals also displayed a smaller number of amastigote nests in cardiac tissue and more CD8 T cells than mice infected with bTp. All the results suggest that both Tp infective stages induce an unequal immune response since the beginning of the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Celeste Gutierrez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular e Inmunopatología de Infecciones, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Medica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Estela Lammel
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular e Inmunopatología de Infecciones, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Medica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Stella Maris González-Cappa
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular e Inmunopatología de Infecciones, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Medica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Verónica Poncini
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular e Inmunopatología de Infecciones, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Medica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Borges AR, Link F, Engstler M, Jones NG. The Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Anchor: A Linchpin for Cell Surface Versatility of Trypanosomatids. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:720536. [PMID: 34790656 PMCID: PMC8591177 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.720536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) to anchor proteins to the cell surface is widespread among eukaryotes. The GPI-anchor is covalently attached to the C-terminus of a protein and mediates the protein’s attachment to the outer leaflet of the lipid bilayer. GPI-anchored proteins have a wide range of functions, including acting as receptors, transporters, and adhesion molecules. In unicellular eukaryotic parasites, abundantly expressed GPI-anchored proteins are major virulence factors, which support infection and survival within distinct host environments. While, for example, the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) is the major component of the cell surface of the bloodstream form of African trypanosomes, procyclin is the most abundant protein of the procyclic form which is found in the invertebrate host, the tsetse fly vector. Trypanosoma cruzi, on the other hand, expresses a variety of GPI-anchored molecules on their cell surface, such as mucins, that interact with their hosts. The latter is also true for Leishmania, which use GPI anchors to display, amongst others, lipophosphoglycans on their surface. Clearly, GPI-anchoring is a common feature in trypanosomatids and the fact that it has been maintained throughout eukaryote evolution indicates its adaptive value. Here, we explore and discuss GPI anchors as universal evolutionary building blocks that support the great variety of surface molecules of trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa R Borges
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Link
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Engstler
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nicola G Jones
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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da Costa KM, Marques da Fonseca L, Dos Reis JS, Santos MARDC, Previato JO, Mendonça-Previato L, Freire-de-Lima L. Trypanosoma cruzi trans-Sialidase as a Potential Vaccine Target Against Chagas Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:768450. [PMID: 34765570 PMCID: PMC8576188 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.768450] [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: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas’ disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, described in the early 20th century by the Brazilian physician Dr. Carlos Chagas. There was a great amount of research devoted to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. One of the most important discoveries made since then, impacting the understanding of how the parasite interacts with the host’s immune system, was the description of trans-sialidase. It is an unique enzyme, capable of masking the parasite’s presence from the host, while at the same time dampening the activation of CD8+ T cells, the most important components of the immune response. Since the description of Chagas’ disease in 1909, extensive research has identified important events in the disease in order to understand the biochemical mechanism that modulates T. cruzi-host cell interactions and the ability of the parasite to ensure its survival. The importance of the trans-sialidase enzyme brought life to many studies for the design of diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines. While many groups have been prolific, such efforts have encountered problems, among them: the fact that while T. cruzi have many genes that are unique to the parasite, it relies on multiple copies of them and the difficulty in providing epitopes that result in effective and robust immune responses. In this review, we aim to convey the importance of trans-sialidase as well as to provide a history, including the initial failures and the most promising successes in the chasing of a working vaccine for a disease that is endemic in many tropical countries, including Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli Monteiro da Costa
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Marques da Fonseca
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jhenifer Santos Dos Reis
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - José Osvaldo Previato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucia Mendonça-Previato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Freire-de-Lima
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Chadha A, Chadee K. The NF-κB Pathway: Modulation by Entamoeba histolytica and Other Protozoan Parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:748404. [PMID: 34595137 PMCID: PMC8476871 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.748404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan parasites have led to worldwide devastation because of their ability to cause infectious diseases. They have evolved as successful pathogens in part because of their remarkable and sophisticated ways to evade innate host defenses. This holds true for both intracellular and extracellular parasites that deploy multiple strategies to circumvent innate host defenses for their survival. The different strategies protozoan parasites use include hijacking the host cellular signaling pathways and transcription factors. In particular, the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway seems to be an attractive target for different pathogens owing to their central role in regulating prompt innate immune responses in host defense. NF-κB is a ubiquitous transcription factor that plays an indispensable role not only in regulating immediate immune responses against invading pathogens but is also a critical regulator of cell proliferation and survival. The major immunomodulatory components include parasite surface and secreted proteins/enzymes and stimulation of host cells intracellular pathways and inflammatory caspases that directly or indirectly interfere with the NF-κB pathway to thwart immune responses that are directed for containment and/or elimination of the pathogen. To showcase how protozoan parasites exploits the NF-κB signaling pathway, this review highlights recent advances from Entamoeba histolytica and other protozoan parasites in contact with host cells that induce outside-in and inside-out signaling to modulate NF-κB in disease pathogenesis and survival in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attinder Chadha
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kris Chadee
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Versteeg L, Adhikari R, Poveda C, Villar-Mondragon MJ, Jones KM, Hotez PJ, Bottazzi ME, Tijhaar E, Pollet J. Location and expression kinetics of Tc24 in different life stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009689. [PMID: 34478444 PMCID: PMC8415617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tc24-C4, a modified recombinant flagellar calcium-binding protein of Trypanosoma cruzi, is under development as a therapeutic subunit vaccine candidate to prevent or delay progression of chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy. When combined with Toll-like receptor agonists, Tc24-C4 immunization reduces parasitemia, parasites in cardiac tissue, and cardiac fibrosis and inflammation in animal models. To support further research on the vaccine candidate and its mechanism of action, murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Tc24-C4 were generated. Here, we report new findings made with mAb Tc24-C4/884 that detects Tc24-WT and Tc24-C4, as well as native Tc24 in T. cruzi on ELISA, western blots, and different imaging techniques. Surprisingly, detection of Tc24 by Tc24-C/884 in fixed T. cruzi trypomastigotes required permeabilization of the parasite, revealing that Tc24 is not exposed on the surface of T. cruzi, making a direct role of antibodies in the induced protection after Tc24-C4 immunization less likely. We further observed that after immunostaining T. cruzi-infected cells with mAb Tc24-C4/884, the expression of Tc24 decreases significantly when T. cruzi trypomastigotes enter host cells and transform into amastigotes. However, Tc24 is then upregulated in association with parasite flagellar growth linked to re-transformation into the trypomastigote form, prior to host cellular escape. These observations are discussed in the context of potential mechanisms of vaccine immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leroy Versteeg
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rakesh Adhikari
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Cristina Poveda
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Jose Villar-Mondragon
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
| | - Edwin Tijhaar
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
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Girard MC, Ossowski MS, Muñoz-Calderón A, Fernández M, Hernández-Vásquez Y, Chadi R, Gómez KA. Trypanosoma cruzi Induces Regulatory B Cell Alterations in Patients With Chronic Chagas Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:723549. [PMID: 34458163 PMCID: PMC8387560 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.723549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical evolution of patients with chronic Chagas disease (CCD) is mainly associated with an excessive inflammation and a defective immunomodulatory profile caused by the interaction between T. cruzi and the host. Regulatory B (Breg) cells exert immune suppression mostly through IL-10 production (B10 cells), but also through IL-10-independent mechanisms. Previously, we demonstrated that CCD patients with cardiomyopathy show changes in the ex vivo Breg cell phenotypic distribution although maintain IL-10 production capacity. Here, we sought to identify potential alterations on Breg cells upon in vitro stimulation. Isolated B cells from CCD patients with or without cardiomyopathy and non-infected (NI) donors were stimulated with T. cruzi lysate or CpG + CD40L, and characterized by flow cytometry based on the expression of CD24, CD27, CD38, and the regulatory molecules IL-10 and PD-L1. IL-10 and IL-17 secretion in the supernatant of B cells was evaluated by ELISA. Data showed that T. cruzi stimulation diminished the expression of CD24 and CD38 on CD27- B cells while reducing the percentage of CD24high inside CD27+ B cells. Furthermore, T. cruzi induced a regulatory B cell phenotype by increasing B10 cells and IL-10 secretion in all the groups. The innate-like B10 cells expansion observed in patients with cardiomyopathy would be associated with CD27- B10 cell subsets, while no predominant phenotype was found in the other groups. Patients with cardiomyopathy also displayed higher IL-17 secretion levels in T. cruzi-activated B cells. CpG + CD40L stimulation revealed that B cells from CCD patients and NI donors had the same ability to differentiate into B10 cells and secrete IL-10 in vitro. Additionally, CCD patients showed an increased frequency of CD24-CD27- B cells and a reduction in the percentage of CD24highCD27+ Breg cells, which appeared to be inversely correlated with the presence of T. cruzi DNA in blood. Finally, CCD patients exhibited a higher frequency of PD-L1+ B cells in T. cruzi-stimulated samples, suggesting that IL-10-independent mechanisms could also be tangled in the control of inflammation. Altogether, our results provide evidence about the potential role of Breg cells in the immune response developed against T. cruzi and its contribution to chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magalí C. Girard
- Laboratorio de Inmunología de las Infecciones por Tripanosomátidos (LIIT), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI), Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Micaela S. Ossowski
- Laboratorio de Inmunología de las Infecciones por Tripanosomátidos (LIIT), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI), Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Arturo Muñoz-Calderón
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas (LabMECh), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI), Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marisa Fernández
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Raúl Chadi
- Hospital General de Agudos “Dr. Ignacio Pirovano”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina A. Gómez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología de las Infecciones por Tripanosomátidos (LIIT), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres” (INGEBI), Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Chulanetra M, Chaicumpa W. Revisiting the Mechanisms of Immune Evasion Employed by Human Parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:702125. [PMID: 34395313 PMCID: PMC8358743 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.702125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
For the establishment of a successful infection, i.e., long-term parasitism and a complete life cycle, parasites use various diverse mechanisms and factors, which they may be inherently bestowed with, or may acquire from the natural vector biting the host at the infection prelude, or may take over from the infecting host, to outmaneuver, evade, overcome, and/or suppress the host immunity, both innately and adaptively. This narrative review summarizes the up-to-date strategies exploited by a number of representative human parasites (protozoa and helminths) to counteract the target host immune defense. The revisited information should be useful for designing diagnostics and therapeutics as well as vaccines against the respective parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monrat Chulanetra
- Center of Research Excellence on Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wanpen Chaicumpa
- Center of Research Excellence on Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Gamba JC, Roldán C, Prochetto E, Lupi G, Bontempi I, Poncini CV, Vermeulen M, Pérez AR, Marcipar I, Cabrera G. Targeting Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells to Enhance a Trans-Sialidase-Based Vaccine Against Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:671104. [PMID: 34295832 PMCID: PMC8290872 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.671104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that affects more than 6 million people around the world, mostly in Latin America. Despite intensive research, there is no vaccine available; therefore, new approaches are needed to further improve vaccine efficacy. It is well established that experimental T. cruzi infection induces a marked immunosuppressed state, which includes notably increases of CD11b+ GR-1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the spleen, liver and heart of infected mice. We previously showed that a trans-sialidase based vaccine (TSf-ISPA) is able to confer protection against a virulent T. cruzi strain, stimulating the effector immune response and decreasing CD11b+ GR-1+ splenocytes significantly. Here, we show that even in the immunological context elicited by the TSf-ISPA vaccine, the remaining MDSCs are still able to influence several immune populations. Depletion of MDSCs with 5 fluorouracil (5FU) at day 15 post-infection notably reshaped the immune response, as evidenced by flow cytometry of spleen cells obtained from mice after 21 days post-infection. After infection, TSf-ISPA-vaccinated and 5FU-treated mice showed a marked increase of the CD8 response, which included an increased expression of CD107a and CD44 markers in CD8+ cultured splenocytes. In addition, vaccinated and MDSC depleted mice showed an increase in the percentage and number of CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) as well as in the expression of Foxp3+ in CD4+ splenocytes. Furthermore, depletion of MDSCs also caused changes in the percentage and number of CD11chigh CD8α+ dendritic cells as well as in activation/maturation markers such as CD80, CD40 and MHCII. Thus, the obtained results suggest that MDSCs not only play a role suppressing the effector response during T. cruzi infection, but also strongly modulate the immune response in vaccinated mice, even when the vaccine formulation has a significant protective capacity. Although MDSC depletion at day 15 post-infection did not ameliorated survival or parasitemia levels, depletion of MDSCs during the first week of infection caused a beneficial trend in parasitemia and mice survival of vaccinated mice, supporting the possibility to target MDSCs from different approaches to enhance vaccine efficacy. Finally, since we previously showed that TSf-ISPA immunization causes a slight but significant increase of CD11b+ GR-1+ splenocytes, here we also targeted those cells at the stage of immunization, prior to T. cruzi challenge. Notably, 5FU administration before each dose of TSf-ISPA vaccine was able to significantly ameliorate survival and decrease parasitemia levels of TSf-ISPA-vaccinated and infected mice. Overall, this work supports that targeting MDSCs may be a valuable tool during vaccine design against T. cruzi, and likely for other pathologies that are characterized by the subversion of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Cruz Gamba
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Carolina Roldán
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Estefanía Prochetto
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Giuliana Lupi
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Iván Bontempi
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Carolina Verónica Poncini
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mónica Vermeulen
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Oncológica, Instituto de Medicina Experimental (IMEX-CONICET), Academia Nacional de Medicina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Rosa Pérez
- IDICER-CONICET and Instituto de Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Iván Marcipar
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Cabrera
- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
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Brink JTR, Fourie R, Sebolai O, Albertyn J, Pohl CH. The role of lipid droplets in microbial pathogenesis. J Med Microbiol 2021; 70. [PMID: 34184983 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonpolar lipids present in cells are mainly triacylglycerols and steryl esters. When cells are provided with an abundance of nutrients, these storage lipids accumulate. As large quantities of nonpolar lipids cannot be integrated into membranes, they are isolated from the cytosolic environment in lipid droplets. As specialized, inducible cytoplasmic organelles, lipid droplets have functions beyond the regulation of lipid metabolism, in cell signalling and activation, membrane trafficking and control of inflammatory mediator synthesis and secretion. Pathogens, including fungi, viruses, parasites, or intracellular bacteria can induce and may benefit from lipid droplets in infected cells. Here we review biogenesis of lipid droplets as well as the role of lipid droplets in the pathogenesis of selected viruses, bacteria, protists and yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacobus T R Brink
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Ruan Fourie
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Olihile Sebolai
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Jacobus Albertyn
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Carolina H Pohl
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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37
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Characterization and functional analysis of the proteins Prohibitin 1 and 2 in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009322. [PMID: 33830991 PMCID: PMC8057595 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease is the third most important neglected tropical disease. There is no vaccine available, and only two drugs are generally prescribed for the treatment, both of which with a wide range of side effects. Our study of T. cruzi PHBs revealed a pleiotropic function in different stages of the parasite, participating actively in the transformation of the non-infective replicative epimastigote form into metacyclic trypomastigotes and also in the multiplication of intracellular amastigotes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To obtain and confirm our results, we applied several tools and techniques such as electron microscopy, immuno-electron microscopy, bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology. We transfected T. cruzi clones with the PHB genes, in order to overexpress the proteins and performed a CRISPR/Cas9 disruption to obtain partially silenced PHB1 parasites or completely silenced PHB2 parasites. The function of these proteins was also studied in the biology of the parasite, specifically in the transformation rate from non-infective forms to the metacyclic infective forms, and in their capacity of intracellular multiplication. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE This research expands our understanding of the functions of PHBs in the life cycle of the parasite. It also highlights the protective role of prohibitins against ROS and reveals that the absence of PHB2 has a lethal effect on the parasite, a fact that could support the consideration of this protein as a possible target for therapeutic action.
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38
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Lidani KCF, Andrade FA, Beltrame MH, Chakravarti I, Tizzot MR, Cavalcanti EO, Sandri TL, Luz PR, Messias-Reason IJ. Ficolin-3 in chronic Chagas disease: Low serum levels associated with the risk of cardiac insufficiency. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12829. [PMID: 33686686 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate whether FCN3 polymorphisms and circulating ficolin-3 levels were associated with clinical forms of chronic Chagas disease (CD) and to assess their potential use as biomarkers for the disease or its severity. METHODS AND RESULTS FCN3 polymorphisms (g.1637delC (rs532781899) in exon 5; g.3524_3532insTATTTGGCC (rs28362807) in intron 5 and g.4473C > A) (rs4494157) in intron 7) were determined in 178 chronic CD patients (65 asymptomatic, 68 cardiac, 21 digestive and 24 cardiodigestive), and 285 healthy controls by sequence-specific PCR. Ficolin-3 serum levels, measured by ELISA in 80 patients and 80 controls, did not differ between groups. On the other hand, ficolin-3 levels were positively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (P = .002; r = .5), with lower levels associated with increased risk of cardiac insufficiency (P = .033; OR 7.21, 95%IC 1.17-44.4). Ficolin-3 levels were positively correlated with ficolin-2 (P = .021; r = .63), and negatively with MBL (P = .002; r = -.36) and pentraxin-3 (P = .04; r = -.32) levels. No significant results were observed for the investigated FCN3 polymorphisms and CD. The g.1637del/1637C heterozygotes presented lower ficolin-3 levels than g.1637C/1637C homozygotes in the control group (P = .023). CONCLUSION Low ficolin-3 levels may play a role in the pathophysiology of cardiac insufficiency associated with CD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabiana Antunes Andrade
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Marcia Holsbach Beltrame
- Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Department of Genetics, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Indira Chakravarti
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Regina Tizzot
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Edneia Oliveira Cavalcanti
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Paola Rosa Luz
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Iara J Messias-Reason
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunopathology, Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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39
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Ferri G, Edreira MM. All Roads Lead to Cytosol: Trypanosoma cruzi Multi-Strategic Approach to Invasion. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:634793. [PMID: 33747982 PMCID: PMC7973469 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.634793] [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: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
T. cruzi has a complex life cycle involving four developmental stages namely, epimastigotes, metacyclic trypomastigotes, amastigotes and bloodstream trypomastigotes. Although trypomastigotes are the infective forms, extracellular amastigotes have also shown the ability to invade host cells. Both stages can invade a broad spectrum of host tissues, in fact, almost any nucleated cell can be the target of infection. To add complexity, the parasite presents high genetic variability with differential characteristics such as infectivity. In this review, we address the several strategies T. cruzi has developed to subvert the host cell signaling machinery in order to gain access to the host cell cytoplasm. Special attention is made to the numerous parasite/host protein interactions and to the set of signaling cascades activated during the formation of a parasite-containing vesicle, the parasitophorous vacuole, from which the parasite escapes to the cytosol, where differentiation and replication take place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Ferri
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martin M Edreira
- CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de Trypanosoma, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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40
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Rodríguez-Morales O, Cabrera-Mata JJ, Carrillo-Sánchez SDC, Gutiérrez-Ocejo RA, Baylón-Pacheco L, Pérez-Reyes OL, Rosales-Encina JL, Aranda-Fraustro A, Hernández-García S, Arce-Fonseca M. Electrolyzed Oxidizing Water Modulates the Immune Response in BALB/c Mice Experimentally Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Pathogens 2020; 9:E974. [PMID: 33238401 PMCID: PMC7700191 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a major public health problem in Latin America. The mixed Th1/Th2 immune response is required against Trypanosoma cruzi. Electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) has been shown to have germicidal efficacy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the EOW effectiveness in T. cruzi-infected BALB/c mice clinically, immunologically, and histologically. The severity of the infection was assessed by parasitaemia, general health condition, mortality, mega syndromes, and histological lesions. IgG, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-1 beta levels were quantified. The EOW administration showed a beneficial effect on parasitaemia, general physical condition, and mortality. High levels of IgG1 at 50 days postinfection were observed. Prophylactic EOW treatment was able to induce a predominantly TH1 immune response based on an IgG2a levels increase at the late acute phase, and a 10-fold increase of INF-gamma in whole acute phase. EOW was able to control the acute phase infection as effectively as benznidazole. Splenomegaly was caused by EOW treatment and lymphadenopathy was stimulated by T. cruzi infection in all groups. Severe tissue damage was not prevented by EOW treatments. Moderate efficacy may be due to immunomodulatory properties and not to a direct toxic effect on the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Rodríguez-Morales
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics, Department of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.R.-M.); (J.J.C.-M.); (S.d.C.C.-S.); (R.A.G.-O.)
| | - Juan José Cabrera-Mata
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics, Department of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.R.-M.); (J.J.C.-M.); (S.d.C.C.-S.); (R.A.G.-O.)
| | - Silvia del C. Carrillo-Sánchez
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics, Department of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.R.-M.); (J.J.C.-M.); (S.d.C.C.-S.); (R.A.G.-O.)
| | - Rodolfo A. Gutiérrez-Ocejo
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics, Department of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.R.-M.); (J.J.C.-M.); (S.d.C.C.-S.); (R.A.G.-O.)
| | - Lidia Baylón-Pacheco
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional No. 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (L.B.-P.); (J.L.R.-E.)
| | - Olga L. Pérez-Reyes
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.L.P.-R.); (A.A.-F.)
| | - José Luis Rosales-Encina
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional No. 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07360, Mexico; (L.B.-P.); (J.L.R.-E.)
| | - Alberto Aranda-Fraustro
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.L.P.-R.); (A.A.-F.)
| | - Sergio Hernández-García
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional No. 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City 07360, Mexico;
| | - Minerva Arce-Fonseca
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Proteomics, Department of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Cardiology “Ignacio Chávez”, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (O.R.-M.); (J.J.C.-M.); (S.d.C.C.-S.); (R.A.G.-O.)
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Pérez-Mazliah D, Ward AI, Lewis MD. Host-parasite dynamics in Chagas disease from systemic to hyper-local scales. Parasite Immunol 2020; 43:e12786. [PMID: 32799361 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a remarkably versatile parasite. It can parasitize almost any nucleated cell type and naturally infects hundreds of mammal species across much of the Americas. In humans, it is the cause of Chagas disease, a set of mainly chronic conditions predominantly affecting the heart and gastrointestinal tract, which can progress to become life threatening. Yet around two thirds of infected people are long-term asymptomatic carriers. Clinical outcomes depend on many factors, but the central determinant is the nature of the host-parasite interactions that play out over the years of chronic infection in diverse tissue environments. In this review, we aim to integrate recent developments in the understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of T. cruzi infections with established and emerging concepts in host immune responses in the corresponding phases and tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Pérez-Mazliah
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Alexander I Ward
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Michael D Lewis
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Watanabe Costa R, Batista MF, Meneghelli I, Vidal RO, Nájera CA, Mendes AC, Andrade-Lima IA, da Silveira JF, Lopes LR, Ferreira LRP, Antoneli F, Bahia D. Comparative Analysis of the Secretome and Interactome of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli Reveals Species Specific Immune Response Modulating Proteins. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1774. [PMID: 32973747 PMCID: PMC7481403 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, a zoonosis caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a chronic and systemic parasitic infection that affects ~5–7 million people worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Chagas disease is an emerging public health problem due to the lack of vaccines and effective treatments. According to recent studies, several T. cruzi secreted proteins interact with the human host during cell invasion. Moreover, some comparative studies with T. rangeli, which is non-pathogenic in humans, have been performed to identify proteins directly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, we present an integrated analysis of canonical putative secreted proteins (PSPs) from both species. Additionally, we propose an interactome with human host and gene family clusters, and a phylogenetic inference of a selected protein. In total, we identified 322 exclusively PSPs in T. cruzi and 202 in T. rangeli. Among the PSPs identified in T. cruzi, we found several trans-sialidases, mucins, MASPs, proteins with phospholipase 2 domains (PLA2-like), and proteins with Hsp70 domains (Hsp70-like) which have been previously characterized and demonstrated to be related to T. cruzi virulence. PSPs found in T. rangeli were related to protozoan metabolism, specifically carboxylases and phosphatases. Furthermore, we also identified PSPs that may interact with the human immune system, including heat shock and MASP proteins, but in a lower number compared to T. cruzi. Interestingly, we describe a hypothetical hybrid interactome of PSPs which reveals that T. cruzi secreted molecules may be down-regulating IL-17 whilst T. rangeli may enhance the production of IL-15. These results will pave the way for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of Chagas disease and may ultimately lead to the identification of molecular targets, such as key PSPs, that could be used to minimize the health outcomes of Chagas disease by modulating the immune response triggered by T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Watanabe Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina Ferreira Batista
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Isabela Meneghelli
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ramon Oliveira Vidal
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology-Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association in Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Laboratorio Nacional de Biociências (LNBio), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alcides Nájera
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Clara Mendes
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Izabela Augusta Andrade-Lima
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciano Rodrigo Lopes
- Departamento de Informática em Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto Ferreira
- RNA Systems Biology Lab (RSBL), Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fernando Antoneli
- Departamento de Informática em Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana Bahia
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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A Trypsin Inhibitor from Moringa oleifera Flowers Modulates the Immune Response In Vitro of Trypanosoma cruzi-Infected Human Cells. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9080515. [PMID: 32823803 PMCID: PMC7460158 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9080515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi causes the lethal Chagas disease, which is endemic in Latin America. Flowers of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) express a trypsin inhibitor (MoFTI) whose toxicity to T. cruzi trypomastigotes was previously reported. Here, we studied the effects of MoFTI on the viability of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as on the production of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) by T. cruzi-infected PBMCs. Incubation with MoFTI (trypsin inhibitory activity: 62 U/mg) led to lysis of trypomastigotes (LC50 of 43.5 µg/mL) but did not affect the viability of PBMCs when tested at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL. A selectivity index > 11.48 was determined. When T. cruzi-infected PBMCs were treated with MoFTI (43.5 or 87.0 µg/mL), the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and INF-γ, as well as of NO, was stimulated. The release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 also increased. In conclusion, the toxicity to T. cruzi and the production of IL-10 by infected PBMCs treated with MoFTI suggest that this molecule may be able to control parasitemia while regulating the inflammation, preventing the progress of Chagas disease. The data reported here stimulate future investigations concerning the in vivo effects of MoFTI on immune response in Chagas disease.
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Ramirez JL. Trypanosoma cruzi Genome 15 Years Later: What Has Been Accomplished? Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:E129. [PMID: 32781761 PMCID: PMC7559697 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5030129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
On 15 July 2020 was the 15th anniversary of the Science Magazine issue that reported three trypanosomatid genomes, namely Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi. That publication was a milestone for the research community working with trypanosomatids, even more so, when considering that the first draft of the human genome was published only four years earlier after 15 years of research. Although nowadays, genome sequencing has become commonplace, the work done by researchers before that publication represented a huge challenge and a good example of international cooperation. Research in neglected diseases often faces obstacles, not only because of the unique characteristics of each biological model but also due to the lower funds the research projects receive. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, the first genome draft published in 2005 was not complete, and even after the implementation of more advanced sequencing strategies, to this date no final chromosomal map is available. However, the first genome draft enabled researchers to pick genes a la carte, produce proteins in vitro for immunological studies, and predict drug targets for the treatment of the disease or to be used in PCR diagnostic protocols. Besides, the analysis of the T. cruzi genome is revealing unique features about its organization and dynamics. In this work, I briefly summarize the actions of Latin American researchers that contributed to the first publication of the T. cruzi genome and discuss some features of the genome that may help to understand the parasite's robustness and adaptive capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Ramirez
- Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas, Venezuela and Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1080, Venezuela
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45
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Avelar GST, Gonçalves LO, Guimarães FG, Guimarães PAS, do Nascimento Rocha LG, Carvalho MGR, de Melo Resende D, Ruiz JC. Diversity and genome mapping assessment of disordered and functional domains in trypanosomatids. J Proteomics 2020; 227:103919. [PMID: 32721629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The proteins that have structural disorder exemplify a class of proteins which is part of a new frontier in structural biology that demands a new understanding of the paradigm of structure/function correlations. In order to address the location, relative distances and the functional/structural correlation between disordered and conserved domains, consensus disordered predictions were mapped together with CDD domains in Leishmania braziliensis M2904, Leishmania infantum JPCM5, Trypanosoma cruzi CL-Brener Esmeraldo-like, Trypanosoma cruzi Dm28c, Trypanosoma cruzi Sylvio X10, Blechomonas ayalai B08-376 and Paratrypanosoma confusum CUL13 predicted proteomes. Our results depicts the role of protein disorder in key aspects of parasites biology highlighting: a) statistical significant association between genome structural location of protein disordered consensus stretches and functional domains; b) that disordered protein stretches appear in greater percentage at upstream or downstream position of the predicted domain; c) a possible role of structural disorder in several gene expression, control points that includes but are not limited to: i) protein folding; ii) protein transport and degradation; and iii) protein modification. In addition, for values of protein with disorder content greater than 40%, a small percentage of protein binding sites in IDPs/IDRs, a higher hypothetical protein annotation frequency was observed than expected by chance and trypanosomatid multigene families linked with virulence are rich in protein with disorder content. SIGNIFICANCE: T. cruzi and Leishmania spp are the etiological agents of Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, respectively. Currently, no vaccine or effective drug treatment is available against these neglected diseases and the knowledge about the post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms of these organisms, which are key for this scenario, remain scarce. This study depicts the potential impact of the proximity between protein structural disorder and functional domains in the post-transcriptional regulation of pathogenic versus human non-pathogenic trypanosomatids. Our results revealed a significant statistical relationship between the genome structural locations of these two variables and disordered regions appearing more frequently at upstream or downstream positions of the CDD locus domain. This flexibility feature would maintain structural accessibility of functional sites for post-translational modifications, shedding light into this important aspect of parasite biology. This hypothesis is corroborated by the functional enrichment analysis of disordered proteins subset that highlight the involvement of this class of proteins in protein folding, protein transport and degradation and protein modification. Furthermore, our results pointed out: a) the impact of protein disorder in the process of genome annotation (proteins tend to be annotated as hypothetical when the disorder content reaches ~40%); b) that trypanosomatid multigenic families linked with virulence have a key protein disorder content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Santos Tavares Avelar
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Leilane Oliveira Gonçalves
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Frederico Gonçalves Guimarães
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Paul Anderson Souza Guimarães
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gustavo do Nascimento Rocha
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Daniela de Melo Resende
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo Conceição Ruiz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Ramírez-Toloza G, Aguilar-Guzmán L, Valck C, Ferreira VP, Ferreira A. The Interactions of Parasite Calreticulin With Initial Complement Components: Consequences in Immunity and Virulence. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1561. [PMID: 32793217 PMCID: PMC7391170 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01561] [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: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of its capacity to increase a physiologic inflammatory response, to stimulate phagocytosis, to promote cell lysis and to enhance pathogen immunogenicity, the complement system is a crucial component of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. However, many infectious agents resist the activation of this system by expressing or secreting proteins with a role as complement regulatory, mainly inhibitory, proteins. Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, a reemerging microbial ailment, possesses several virulence factors with capacity to inhibit complement at different stages of activation. T. cruzi calreticulin (TcCalr) is a highly-conserved, endoplasmic reticulum-resident chaperone that the parasite translocates to the extracellular environment, where it exerts a variety of functions. Among these functions, TcCalr binds C1, MBL and ficolins, thus inhibiting the classical and lectin pathways of complement at their earliest stages of activation. Moreover, the TcCalr/C1 interaction also mediates infectivity by mimicking a strategy used by apoptotic cells for their removal. More recently, it has been determined that these Calr strategies are also used by a variety of other parasites. In addition, as reviewed elsewhere, TcCalr inhibits angiogenesis, promotes wound healing and reduces tumor growth. Complement C1 is also involved in some of these properties. Knowledge on the role of virulence factors, such as TcCalr, and their interactions with complement components in host-parasite interactions, may lead toward the description of new anti-parasite therapies and prophylaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galia Ramírez-Toloza
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lorena Aguilar-Guzmán
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Valck
- Department of Immunology, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Viviana P Ferreira
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Arturo Ferreira
- Department of Immunology, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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MicroRNA-155 Deficiency Exacerbates Trypanosoma cruzi Infection. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00948-19. [PMID: 32312766 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00948-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a public health problem affecting 6 to 8 million people, mainly in Latin America. The role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease has not been well described. Here, we investigate the role of microRNA-155 (miR-155), a proinflammatory host innate immune regulator responsible for T helper type 1 and type 17 (Th1 and Th17) development and macrophage responses during T. cruzi infection. For this, we compared the survival and parasite growth and distribution in miR-155-/- and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice. The lack of miR-155 caused robust parasite infection and diminished survival of infected mice, while WT mice were resistant to infection. Immunological analysis of infected mice indicated that, in the absence of miR-155, there was decreased interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production. In addition, we found that there was a significant reduction of CD8-positive (CD8+) T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and NK-T cells and increased accumulation of neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes in miR-155-/- mice. Collectively, these data indicate that miR-155 is an important immune regulatory molecule critical for the control of T. cruzi infection.
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Prevalence and Epitope Recognition of Anti- Trypanosoma cruzi Antibodies in Two Procyonid Species: Implications for Host Resistance. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060464. [PMID: 32545481 PMCID: PMC7350377 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 180 mammalian species have been found naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Many of them play an important role in the maintenance of this parasite. In particular, new studies have appeared which indicate that some species of Procyonidae family may play a role as T. cruzi hosts, however, more data are needed to evaluate their long-term physiological response to parasite infection, especially for specific antibodies. In this study, antibodies to T. cruzi were detected and prevalence and epitope recognition were assessed by ELISA (using discrete typing unit (DTU) I as antigen) and WB (using DTU I and DTU II as antigens) and sera from two procyonid species obtained through five-year follow-up of two semicaptive populations living in the same habitat. Marked heterogeneity in antigens recognition between species and differences in seroprevalence (p = 0.0002) between white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica), 51.8% (115/222), and common raccoons (Procyon lotor), 28.3% (23/81), were found. Antigens with high molecular weight when DTU-I was used were the most recognized, while a greater antigen diversity recognition was observed with DTU-II; for white-nosed coatis, low-molecular-weight antigens were mainly recognized, while for common raccoons proteins with molecular weights greater than 80 kDa were recognized most. These divergent humoral immune responses could be related to an alleged pattern of recognition receptors and major histocompatibility complex molecules difference in the procyonids species.
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Effect of the Tc13Tul antigen from Trypanosoma cruzi on splenocytes from naïve mice. Parasitology 2020; 147:1114-1123. [PMID: 32466805 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020000864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, releases factors, including antigens from the trans-sialidase (TS) superfamily, which modulate the host immune responses. Tc13 antigens belong to group IV of TSs and are characterized by C-terminal EPKSA repeats. Here, we studied the effect of the Tc13 antigen from the Tulahuén strain, Tc13Tul, on primary cultures of splenocytes from naïve BALB/c mice. Recombinant Tc13Tul increased the percentage of viable cells and induced B (CD19+) lymphocyte proliferation. Tc13Tul stimulation also induced secretion of non-specific IgM and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). The same effects were induced by Tc13Tul on splenocytes from naïve C3H/HeJ mice. In vivo administration of Tc13Tul to naïve BALB/c mice increased non-specific IgG in sera. In addition, in vitro cultured splenocytes from Tc13Tul-inoculated mice secreted a higher basal level of non-specific IgM than controls and the in vitro Tc13Tul stimulation of these cells showed an enhanced effect on IgM and IFN-γ secretion. Our results indicate that Tc13Tul may participate in the early immunity in T. cruzi infection by favouring immune system evasion through B-cell activation and non-specific Ig secretion. In contrast, as IFN-γ is an important factor involved in T. cruzi resistance, this may be considered a Tc13Tul effect in favour of the host.
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Salvador F, Sánchez-Montalvá A, Martínez-Gallo M, Sulleiro E, Franco-Jarava C, Sao Avilés A, Bosch-Nicolau P, Moure Z, Silgado A, Molina I. Serum IL-10 Levels and Its Relationship with Parasitemia in Chronic Chagas Disease Patients. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 102:159-163. [PMID: 31701864 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that the immunoregulatory networks in human Chagas disease play a key role in parasitemia control during the acute phase. However, little is known regarding the control of parasitemia during the chronic phase. The aim of the study was to describe the serum cytokine profile of Trypanosoma cruzi chronically infected patients and to evaluate its relationship with the presence or absence of parasitemia in peripheral blood. This is a prospective observational study where adult Chagas disease patients were included. Patients previously treated for Chagas disease, pregnant women, and immunosuppressed patients were excluded. Demographic and clinical information was collected, and T. cruzi real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and serum cytokine profile were determined in peripheral blood. Forty-five patients were included. Trypanosoma cruzi RT-PCR in peripheral blood resulted positive in 19 (42.2%) patients. No differences in the serum cytokine profile were found depending on cardiac or digestive involvement. However, patients with positive T. cruzi RT-PCR had a higher median concentration of IL-10 and IL-1beta and a lower median concentration of IL-8 than those with negative T. cruzi PCR. These results reinforce the key role that this anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) plays in parasitemia control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Salvador
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrián Sánchez-Montalvá
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Elena Sulleiro
- Department of Microbiology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Augusto Sao Avilés
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Bosch-Nicolau
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zaira Moure
- Department of Microbiology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aroa Silgado
- Department of Microbiology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Israel Molina
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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