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Zhou Y, Zhang J, Sun S, Chen W, Wang Y, Shi H, Yang R, Qing Z. Amplified Biosensors Powered by Endogenous Molecules for Intracellular Fluorescence Imaging. Anal Chem 2024; 96:8078-8090. [PMID: 38622818 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Zhou
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Shuanghong Sun
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Weiju Chen
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Yuping Wang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Huiqiu Shi
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
| | - Ronghua Yang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, P.R. China
| | - Zhihe Qing
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P.R. China
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Ye H, Zhou X, Zhu B, Xiong T, Huang W, He F, Li H, Chen L, Tang L, Ren Z. Toxoplasma gondii suppresses proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells by regulating their transcriptome. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:144. [PMID: 38654350 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03333-1] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) has shown anticancer activity in breast cancer mouse models, and exerted beneficial effect on the survival of breast cancer patients, but the mechanism was unclear. METHODS The effect of tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH and ME49 strains) on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells) proliferation and migration was assessed using cell growth curve and wound healing assays. Dual RNA-seq was performed for T. gondii-infected and non-infected cells to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Protein-Protein Interaction Networks analysis (PPI) were performed to explore the related signaling pathway and hub genes. Hub genes were validated using the Kaplan-Meier plotter database, and Pathogen Host Interaction (PHI-base) database. The results were verified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS The tachyzoites of T. gondii decreased the expression of Ki67 and increased the expression of E-cadherin, resulting in suppressing the proliferation and migration of infected human breast cancer cells. The inhibitory effect of T. gondii on breast cancer cells showed a significant dose-response relationship. Compared with the control group, 2321 genes were transcriptionally regulated in MCF-7 cells infected with T. gondii, while 169 genes were transcriptionally regulated in infected MDA-MB-231 cells. Among these genes, 698 genes in infected MCF-7 cells and 67 genes in infected MDA-MB-231 cells were validated by the publicly available database. GO and KEGG analyses suggested that several pathways were involved in anticancer function of T. gondii, such as ribosome, interleukin-17 signaling, coronavirus disease pathway, and breast cancer pathway. BRCA1, MYC and IL-6 were identified as the top three hub genes in infected-breast cancer cells based on the connectivity of PPI analysis. In addition, after interacting with breast cancer cells, the expression of ROP16 and ROP18 in T. gondii increased, while the expression of crt, TgIST, GRA15, GRA24 and MIC13 decreased. CONCLUSIONS T. gondii transcriptionally regulates several signaling pathways by altering the hub genes such as BRCA1, MYC and IL-6, which can inhibit the breast tumor growth and migration, hinting at a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengming Ye
- The School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangzhou, China
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Xiaotao Zhou
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Bike Zhu
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Tiantian Xiong
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Weile Huang
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Feng He
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Hui Li
- Public Health Service Center of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Lihua Chen
- Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, 518034, China
| | - Luying Tang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zefang Ren
- The School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangzhou, China.
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Hasan T, Shimoda N, Nakamura S, Fox BA, Bzik DJ, Ushio-Watanabe N, Nishikawa Y. Protective efficacy of recombinant Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein 15 against toxoplasmosis in C57BL/6 mice. Vaccine 2024; 42:2299-2309. [PMID: 38429153 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.02.062] [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: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a pervasive protozoan parasite that is responsible for significant zoonoses. A wide array of vaccines using different effector molecules of T. gondii have been studied worldwide to control toxoplasmosis. None of the existing vaccines are sufficiently effective to confer protective immunity. Among the different Toxoplasma-derived effector molecules, T. gondii dense granule protein 15 from the type II strain (GRA15 (II)) was recently characterized as an immunomodulatory molecule that induced host immunity via NF-κB. Therefore, we assessed the immunostimulatory and protective efficacy of recombinant GRA15 (II) (rGRA15) against T. gondii infection in a C57BL/6 mouse model. We observed that rGRA15 treatment increased the production of IL-12p40 from mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro. Immunization of mice with rGRA15 induced the production of anti-TgGRA15-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2c antibodies. The rGRA15-sensitized spleen cells from mice inoculated with the same antigen strongly promoted spleen cell proliferation and IFN-γ production. Immunization with rGRA15 significantly enhanced the survival rate of mice and dramatically decreased parasite burden in mice challenged with the Pru (type II) strain. These results suggested that rGRA15 triggered humoral and cellular immune responses to control infection. However, all of the immunized mice died when challenged with the GRA15-deficient Pru strain or the RH (type I) strain. These results suggest that GRA15 (II)-dependent immunity plays a crucial role in protection against challenge infection with the type II strain of T. gondii. This study is the first report to show GRA15 (II) as a recombinant vaccine antigen against Toxoplasma infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanjila Hasan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi 4225, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
| | - Naomi Shimoda
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
| | - Shu Nakamura
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Barbara A Fox
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
| | - David J Bzik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
| | - Nanako Ushio-Watanabe
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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Brito RMDM, de Lima Bessa G, Bastilho AL, Dantas-Torres F, de Andrade-Neto VF, Bueno LL, Fujiwara RT, Magalhães LMD. Genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in South America: occurrence, immunity, and fate of infection. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:461. [PMID: 38115102 PMCID: PMC10729521 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06080-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite with a worldwide distribution. Toxoplasma gondii infections are of great concern for public health, and their impact is usually most severe in pregnant women and their foetuses, and in immunocompromised individuals. Displaying considerable genetic diversity, T. gondii strains differ widely according to geographical location, with archetypal strains predominantly found in the Northern Hemisphere and non-archetypal (atypical) strains, with highly diverse genotypes, found mainly in South America. In this review, we present an overview of the identification and distribution of non-archetypal strains of T. gondii. Special attention is paid to the strains that have been isolated in Brazil, their interaction with the host immunological response, and their impact on disease outcomes. The genetic differences among the strains are pivotal to the distinct immunological responses that they elicit. These differences arise from polymorphisms of key proteins released by the parasite, which represent important virulence factors. Infection with divergent non-archetypal strains can lead to unusual manifestations of the disease, even in immunocompetent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Lazoski Bastilho
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Centre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Lilian Lacerda Bueno
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Luisa M D Magalhães
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Control of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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Thind AC, Mota CM, Gonçalves APN, Sha J, Wohlschlegel JA, Mineo TWP, Bradley PJ. The Toxoplasma gondii effector GRA83 modulates the host's innate immune response to regulate parasite infection. mSphere 2023; 8:e0026323. [PMID: 37768053 PMCID: PMC10597413 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00263-23] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii's propensity to infect its host and cause disease is highly dependent on its ability to modulate host cell functions. One of the strategies the parasite uses to accomplish this is via the export of effector proteins from the secretory dense granules. Dense granule (GRA) proteins are known to play roles in nutrient acquisition, host cell cycle manipulation, and immune regulation. Here, we characterize a novel dense granule protein named GRA83, which localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Disruption of GRA83 results in increased virulence, weight loss, and parasitemia during the acute infection, as well as a marked increase in the cyst burden during the chronic infection. This increased parasitemia was associated with an accumulation of inflammatory infiltrates in tissues in both acute and chronic infections. Murine macrophages infected with ∆gra83 tachyzoites produced less interleukin-12 (IL-12) in vitro, which was confirmed with reduced IL-12 and interferon-gamma in vivo. This dysregulation of cytokines correlates with reduced nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) complex. While GRA15 similarly regulates NF-κB, infection with ∆gra83/∆gra15 parasites did not further reduce p65 translocation to the host cell nucleus, suggesting these GRAs function in converging pathways. We also used proximity labeling experiments to reveal candidate GRA83 interacting T. gondii-derived partners. Taken together, this work reveals a novel effector that stimulates the innate immune response, enabling the host to limit the parasite burden. Importance Toxoplasma gondii poses a significant public health concern as it is recognized as one of the leading foodborne pathogens in the United States. Infection with the parasite can cause congenital defects in neonates, life-threatening complications in immunosuppressed patients, and ocular disease. Specialized secretory organelles, including the dense granules, play an important role in the parasite's ability to efficiently invade and regulate components of the host's infection response machinery to limit parasite clearance and establish an acute infection. Toxoplasma's ability to avoid early clearance, while also successfully infecting the host long enough to establish a persistent chronic infection, is crucial in allowing for its transmission to a new host. While multiple GRAs directly modulate host signaling pathways, they do so in various ways highlighting the parasite's diverse arsenal of effectors that govern infection. Understanding how parasite-derived effectors harness host functions to evade defenses yet ensure a robust infection is important for understanding the complexity of the pathogen's tightly regulated infection. In this study, we characterize a novel secreted protein named GRA83 that stimulates the host cell's response to limit infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amara C. Thind
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Caroline M. Mota
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula N. Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jihui Sha
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - James A. Wohlschlegel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tiago W. P. Mineo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology “Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo,” Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Peter J. Bradley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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6
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Doghish AS, Ali MA, Elrebehy MA, Mohamed HH, Mansour R, Ghanem A, Hassan A, Elballal MS, Elazazy O, Elesawy AE, Abdel Mageed SS, Nassar YA, Mohammed OA, Abulsoud AI. The interplay between toxoplasmosis and host miRNAs: Mechanisms and consequences. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 250:154790. [PMID: 37683390 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is one of the highly prevalent zoonotic diseases worldwide caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). The infection with T. gondii could pass unidentified in immunocompetent individuals; however, latent cysts remain dormant in their digestive tract, but they could be shed and excreted with feces infesting the environment. However, active toxoplasmosis can create serious consequences, particularly in newborns and infected persons with compromised immunity. These complications include ocular toxoplasmosis, in which most cases cannot be treated. Additionally, it caused many stillbirths and miscarriages. Circulating miRNAs are important regulatory molecules ensuring that the normal physiological role of various organs is harmonious. Upon infection with T. gondii, the tightly regulated miRNA profile is disrupted to favor the parasite's survival and further participate in the disease pathogenesis. Interestingly, this dysregulated profile could be useful in acute and chronic disease discrimination and in providing insights into the pathomechanisms of the disease. Thus, this review sheds light on the various roles of miRNAs in signaling pathways regulation involved in the pathogenesis of T. gondii and provides insights into the application of miRNAs clinically for its diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed S Doghish
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11231, Egypt.
| | - Mohamed A Ali
- School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A Elrebehy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt.
| | - Hend H Mohamed
- School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt; Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Reda Mansour
- Zoology and Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan 11795, Egypt; Biology Department, School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Aml Ghanem
- School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Hassan
- School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt; Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan 11795, Egypt
| | - Mohammed S Elballal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Ola Elazazy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Ahmed E Elesawy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Sherif S Abdel Mageed
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Yara A Nassar
- Biology Department, School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Osama A Mohammed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed I Abulsoud
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11231, Egypt; Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University, Cairo 11785, Egypt
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Jin QW, Yu T, Pan M, Fan YM, Huang SY. ROP16 of Toxoplasma gondii Inhibits Innate Immunity by Triggering cGAS-STING Pathway Inactivity through the Polyubiquitination of STING. Cells 2023; 12:1862. [PMID: 37508526 PMCID: PMC10378213 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141862] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
cGAS-STING signaling is a major pathway in inducing type Ⅰ IFN, which plays a crucial role in the defense against T. gondii infection. In contrast, T. gondii develops multiple strategies to counteract the host defense, causing serious diseases in a wide range of hosts. Here, we demonstrate that T. gondii rhoptry protein 16 (ROP16) dampens type I interferon signaling via the inhibition of the cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase) pathway through the polyubiquitination of STING. Mechanistically, ROP16 interacts with STING through the SignalP domain and inhibits the K63-linked ubiquitination of STING in an NLS (nuclear localization signal)-domain-dependent manner. Consequently, knocking out the ROP16 in PRU tachyzoites promotes the STING-mediated production of type I IFNs and limits the replication of T. gondii. Together, these findings describe a distinct pathway where T. gondii exploits the ubiquitination of STING to evade host anti-parasite immunity, revealing new insights into the interaction between the host and parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Wang Jin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Ting Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Ming Pan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Yi-Min Fan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
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Thind AC, Mota CM, Gonçalves APN, Sha J, Wohlschlegel JA, Mineo TWP, Bradley PJ. The Toxoplasma gondii effector GRA83 modulates the host's innate immune response to regulate parasite infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.543158. [PMID: 37398161 PMCID: PMC10312501 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.543158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii 's propensity to infect its host and cause disease is highly dependent on its ability to modulate host cell functions. One of the strategies the parasite uses to accomplish this is via the export of effector proteins from the secretory dense granules. Dense granule (GRA) proteins are known to play roles in nutrient acquisition, host cell cycle manipulation, and immune regulation. Here, we characterize a novel dense granule protein named GRA83, which localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Disruption of GRA83 results in increased virulence, weight loss, and parasitemia during the acute infection, as well as a marked increase in the cyst burden during the chronic infection. This increased parasitemia was associated with an accumulation of inflammatory infiltrates in tissues in both the acute and chronic infection. Murine macrophages infected with Δ gra83 tachyzoites produced less interleukin-12 (IL-12) in vitro , which was confirmed with reduced IL-12 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in vivo . This dysregulation of cytokines correlates with reduced nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of the NF-κB complex. While GRA15 similarly regulates NF-κB, infection with Δ gra83/ Δ gra15 parasites did not further reduce p65 translocation to the host cell nucleus, suggesting these GRAs function in converging pathways. We also used proximity labelling experiments to reveal candidate GRA83 interacting T. gondii derived partners. Taken together, this work reveals a novel effector that stimulates the innate immune response, enabling the host to limit parasite burden. Importance Toxoplasma gondii poses a significant public health concern as it is recognized as one of the leading foodborne pathogens in the United States. Infection with the parasite can cause congenital defects in neonates, life-threatening complications in immunosuppressed patients, and ocular disease. Specialized secretory organelles, including the dense granules, play an important role in the parasite's ability to efficiently invade and regulate components of the host's infection response machinery to limit parasite clearance and establish an acute infection. Toxoplasma' s ability to avoid early clearance, while also successfully infecting the host long enough to establish a persistent chronic infection, is crucial in allowing for its transmission to a new host. While multiple GRAs directly modulate host signaling pathways, they do so in various ways highlighting the parasite's diverse arsenal of effectors that govern infection. Understanding how parasite-derived effectors harness host functions to evade defenses yet ensure a robust infection are important for understanding the complexity of the pathogen's tightly regulated infection. In this study, we characterize a novel secreted protein named GRA83 that stimulates the host cell's response to limit infection.
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Recombinant Mouse Prolactin Confers Partial Protection Against Toxoplasma gondii Infection in a Pre-treated Experimental Murine Model. Acta Parasitol 2023; 68:182-193. [PMID: 36542295 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00651-0] [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: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important health-threatening diseases with worldwide distribution and global impact. It is caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an intracellular apicomplexan parasite that can evade the host immune responses and establish a chronic infection. The available treatments are not efficient against this stage and have many adverse effects. There are no available effective vaccines, apart from Toxovax®, which is used in sheep to prevent abortion. Studies documented that prolactin (PRL) had in vivo and in vitro anti-Toxoplasma effects. Detailed research was recommended about the mechanisms of such inhibitory effects. AIM This study was designed to assess the possible protective role of the recombinant prolactin (rPRL) against T. gondii. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty experimentally infected mice with T. gondii were used. The treated mice received rPRL for five days before infection. Serum prolactin levels were measured; survival rate was monitored; number, size, and DNA of T. gondii cysts in the brain were measured; and histopathological and immunological studies were done. RESULTS There was a significant increase in the survival rate of the rPRL-treated mice, a significant decrease in the number, size, and DNA amount of T. gondii cysts in the brain with a noticeable improvement of histopathological lesions in the brain and liver tissues when compared to the infected untreated group. These effects seem to be achieved through stimulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses that were evident by the significant rise in serum levels of anti-Toxoplasma IgM, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. CONCLUSION The rPRL elicited robust immune responses, which provided efficient protection against murine T. gondii infection.
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Romano JD, Mayoral J, Guevara RB, Rivera-Cuevas Y, Carruthers VB, Weiss LM, Coppens I. Toxoplasma gondii scavenges mammalian host organelles through the usurpation of host ESCRT-III and Vps4A. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260159. [PMID: 36718630 PMCID: PMC10022688 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens exploit cellular resources through host cell manipulation. Within its nonfusogenic parasitophorous vacuole (PV), Toxoplasma gondii targets host nutrient-filled organelles and sequesters them into the PV through deep invaginations of the PV membrane (PVM) that ultimately detach from this membrane. Some of these invaginations are generated by an intravacuolar network (IVN) of parasite-derived tubules attached to the PVM. Here, we examined the usurpation of host ESCRT-III and Vps4A by the parasite to create PVM buds and vesicles. CHMP4B associated with the PVM/IVN, and dominant-negative (DN) CHMP4B formed many long PVM invaginations containing CHMP4B filaments. These invaginations were shorter in IVN-deficient parasites, suggesting cooperation between the IVN and ESCRT. In infected cells expressing Vps4A-DN, enlarged intra-PV structures containing host endolysosomes accumulated, reflecting defects in PVM scission. Parasite mutants lacking T. gondii (Tg)GRA14 or TgGRA64, which interact with ESCRT, reduced CHMP4B-DN-induced PVM invaginations and intra-PV host organelles, with greater defects in a double knockout, revealing the exploitation of ESCRT to scavenge host organelles by Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia D. Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joshua Mayoral
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Rebekah B. Guevara
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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A. PORTES JULIANA, C. VOMMARO ROSSIANE, AYRES CALDAS LUCIO, S. MARTINS-DUARTE ERICA. Intracellular life of protozoan Toxoplasma gondii: Parasitophorous vacuole establishment and survival strategies. BIOCELL 2023. [DOI: 10.32604/biocell.2023.026629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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12
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Guo G, Cui J, Song L, Tang L, Fan S, Shen B, Fang R, Hu M, Zhao J, Zhou Y. Activation of NF-κB signaling by the dense granule protein GRA15 of a newly isolated type 1 Toxoplasma gondii strain. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:347. [PMID: 36175964 PMCID: PMC9523984 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05429-x] [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: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been reported that the NF-κB pathway, an important component of host defense system against pathogens infections, can be differentially modulated by different Toxoplasma gondii strains, depending on the polymorphism of the GRA15 protein. The recently isolated Toxoplasma strain T.gHB1 is a type 1 (ToxoDB#10) strain but shows different virulence determination mechanisms compared to the classic type 1 strains like RH (ToxoDB#10). Therefore, it is worth investigating whether the T.gHB1 strain (ToxoDB#10) affects the host NF-κB signaling pathway. Methods The effects of T.gHB1 (ToxoDB#10) on host NF-κB pathway were investigated in HEK293T cells. The GRA15 gene product was analyzed by bioinformatics, and its effect on NF-κB activation was examined by Western blotting and nuclear translocation of p65. Different truncations of T.gHB1 GRA15 were constructed to map the critical domains for NF-κB activation. Results We demonstrated that the NF-κB pathway signaling pathway could be activated by the newly identified type 1 T.gHB1 strain (ToxoDB#10) of Toxoplasma, while the classic type 1 strain RH (ToxoDB#10) did not. T.gHB1 GRA15 possesses only one transmembrane region with an extended C terminal region, which is distinct from that of classic type 1 (ToxoDB#10) and type 2 (ToxoDB#1) strains. T.gHB1 GRA15 could clearly induce IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation. Dual luciferase assays in HEK293T cells revealed a requirement for 194–518 aa of T.gHB1 GRA15 to effectively activate NF-κB. Conclusions The overall results indicated that the newly isolated type 1 isolate T.gHB1 (ToxoDB#10) had a unique GRA15, which could activate the host NF-κB signaling through inducing IκBα phosphorylation and p65 nuclear translocation. These results provide new insights for our understanding of the interaction between Toxoplasma parasites and its hosts. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Guo
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Lindong Song
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Lvqing Tang
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Sijie Fan
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Bang Shen
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Hu
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqin Zhou
- Key Laboratory Preventive Veterinary of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China. .,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Abstract
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii adapts to diverse host cell environments within a replicative compartment that is heavily decorated by secreted proteins. In an attempt to identify novel parasite secreted proteins that influence host cell activity, we identified and characterized a transmembrane dense granule protein dubbed GRA64 (TGME49_202620). We found that GRA64 is on the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) and is partially exposed to the host cell cytoplasm in both tachyzoite and bradyzoite parasitophorous vacuoles. Using co-immunoprecipitation and proximity-based biotinylation approaches, we demonstrated that GRA64 appears to interact with components of the host endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT). Genetic disruption of GRA64 does not affect acute Toxoplasma virulence or encystation in mice, as observed via tissue cyst burdens in mice during chronic infection. However, ultrastructural analysis of Δgra64 tissue cysts using electron tomography revealed enlarged vesicular structures underneath the cyst membrane, suggesting a role for GRA64 in organizing the recruitment of ESCRT proteins and subsequent intracystic vesicle formation. This study uncovers a novel host-parasite interaction that contributes to an emerging paradigm in which specific host ESCRT proteins are recruited to the limiting membranes (PVMs) of tachyzoite and bradyzoite vacuoles formed during acute and chronic Toxoplasma infection. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread foodborne parasite that causes congenital disease and life-threatening complications in immunocompromised individuals. Part of this parasite's success lies in its ability to infect diverse organisms and host cells and to persist as a latent infection within parasite-constructed structures called tissue cysts. In this study, we characterized a protein that is secreted by T. gondii into its parasitophorous vacuole during intracellular infection, which we dub GRA64. On the vacuolar membrane, this protein is exposed to the host cell cytosol and interacts with specific host ESCRT proteins. Parasites lacking the GRA64 protein exhibit ultrastructural changes in tissue cysts during chronic infection. This study lays the foundation for future studies on the mechanics and consequences of host ESCRT-parasite protein interactions.
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14
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Zhu L, Qi W, Yang G, Yang Y, Wang Y, Zheng L, Fu Y, Cheng X. Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Protein 7 (ROP7) Interacts with NLRP3 and Promotes Inflammasome Hyperactivation in THP-1-Derived Macrophages. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101630. [PMID: 35626667 PMCID: PMC9139738 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a common opportunistic protozoan pathogen that can parasitize the karyocytes of humans and virtually all other warm-blooded animals. In the host’s innate immune response to T. gondii infection, inflammasomes can mediate the maturation of pro-IL-1β and pro-IL-18, which further enhances the immune response. However, how intercellular parasites specifically provoke inflammasome activation remains unclear. In this study, we found that the T. gondii secretory protein, rhoptry protein 7 (ROP7), could interact with the NACHT domain of NLRP3 through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assays. When expressing ROP7 in differentiated THP-1 cells, there was significant up-regulation in NF-κB and continuous release of IL-1β. This process is pyroptosis-independent and leads to inflammasome hyperactivation through the IL-1β/NF-κB/NLRP3 feedback loop. The loss of ROP7 in tachyzoites did not affect parasite proliferation in host cells but did attenuate parasite-induced inflammatory activity. In conclusion, these findings unveil that a T. gondii-derived protein is able to promote inflammasome activation, and further study of ROP7 will deepen our understanding of host innate immunity to parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zhu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
| | - Wanjun Qi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
| | - Yurong Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China;
| | - Yuwen Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, The Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (Y.W.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lulu Zheng
- Engineering Research Center of Optical Instrument and System, The Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical System, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; (Y.W.); (L.Z.)
| | - Yongfeng Fu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Xunjia Cheng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (L.Z.); (W.Q.); (X.C.)
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15
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Mining the Proteome of Toxoplasma Parasites Seeking Vaccine and Diagnostic Candidates. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091098. [PMID: 35565525 PMCID: PMC9099775 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The One Health concept to toxoplasmosis highlights that the health of humans is closely related to the health of animals and our common environment. Toxoplasmosis outcomes might be severe and fatal in patients with immunodeficiency, diabetes, and pregnant women and infants. Consequently, the development of effective vaccine and diagnostic strategies is urgent for the elimination of this disease. Proteomics analysis has allowed the identification of key proteins that can be utilized in the development of novel disease diagnostics and vaccines. This work presents relevant proteins found in the proteome of the life cycle-specific stages of Toxoplasma parasites. In fact, it brings together the main functionality key proteins from Toxoplasma parasites coming from proteomic approaches that are most likely to be useful in improving the disease management, and critically proposes innovative directions to finally develop promising vaccines and diagnostics tools. Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogenic protozoan parasite that infects the nucleated cells of warm-blooded hosts leading to an infectious zoonotic disease known as toxoplasmosis. The infection outcomes might be severe and fatal in patients with immunodeficiency, diabetes, and pregnant women and infants. The One Health approach to toxoplasmosis highlights that the health of humans is closely related to the health of animals and our common environment. The presence of drug resistance and side effects, the further improvement of sensitivity and specificity of serodiagnostic tools and the potentiality of vaccine candidates to induce the host immune response are considered as justifiable reasons for the identification of novel targets for the better management of toxoplasmosis. Thus, the identification of new critical proteins in the proteome of Toxoplasma parasites can also be helpful in designing and test more effective drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tools. Accordingly, in this study we present important proteins found in the proteome of the life cycle-specific stages of Toxoplasma parasites that are potential diagnostic or vaccine candidates. The current study might help to understand the complexity of these parasites and provide a possible source of strategies and biomolecules that can be further evaluated in the pathobiology of Toxoplasma parasites and for diagnostics and vaccine trials against this disease.
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DU K, Lu F, Xie C, Ding H, Shen Y, Gao Y, Lu S, Zhuo X. Toxoplasma gondii infection induces cell apoptosis via multiple pathways revealed by transcriptome analysis. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2022; 23:315-327. [PMID: 35403386 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2100877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide parasite that can infect almost all kinds of mammals and cause fatal toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients. Apoptosis is one of the principal strategies of host cells to clear pathogens and maintain organismal homeostasis, but the mechanism of cell apoptosis induced by T. gondii remains obscure. To explore the apoptosis influenced by T. gondii, Vero cells infected or uninfected with the parasite were subjected to apoptosis detection and subsequent dual RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Using high-throughput Illumina sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, we found that pro-apoptosis genes such as DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3), growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible α (GADD45A), caspase-3 (CASP3), and high-temperature requirement protease A2 (HtrA2) were upregulated, and anti-apoptosis genes such as poly(adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose) polymerase family member 3 (PARP3), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) were downregulated. Besides, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1), TRAF2, TNF receptor superfamily member 10b (TNFRSF10b), disabled homolog 2 (DAB2)-interacting protein (DAB2IP), and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 (ITPR3) were enriched in the upstream of TNF, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways, and TRAIL-receptor 2 (TRAIL-R2) was regarded as an important membrane receptor influenced by T. gondii that had not been previously considered. In conclusion, the T. gondii RH strain could promote and mediate apoptosis through multiple pathways mentioned above in Vero cells. Our findings improve the understanding of the T. gondii infection process through providing new insights into the related cellular apoptosis mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaige DU
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China.,Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Fei Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Chengzuo Xie
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Haojie Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yu Shen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yafan Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Shaohong Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| | - Xunhui Zhuo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China.
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17
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Sugi T, Tomita T, Kidaka T, Kawai N, Hayashida K, Weiss LM, Yamagishi J. Single Cell Transcriptomes of In Vitro Bradyzoite Infected Cells Reveals Toxoplasma gondii Stage Dependent Host Cell Alterations. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:848693. [PMID: 35372115 PMCID: PMC8964302 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.848693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites establish chronic infections within their host cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that several parasite effector proteins are translocated to host cells during the bradyzoite stage of chronic infection. To understand the interaction between host cells and bradyzoites at the transcriptomic landscape level, we utilized single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-Seq) to characterize the bradyzoite-induced host cell response. Distinct gene expression profiles were observed in infected host, cells with low parasite mapped reads, and mock (non-exposed) control cells. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that c-Myc and NF-κB signaling and energy metabolic pathways were upregulated by infection. Type I and II interferon response pathways were upregulated in cells with low parasite mapped reads compared to the non-exposed host control cells, and this upregulation effect was reversed in infected cells. Differences were observed in the host cells depending on the differentiation status of the parasites, as determined by BAG1 and SAG1 expression. NF-κB, inflammatory response pathways, and IFN-γ response pathways were downregulated in host cells containing T. gondiiBAG1+/SAG1-, whereas this downregulation effect was reversed in case of T. gondiiBAG1-/SAG1+. We also identified two distinct host cell subsets that contained T. gondiiBAG1+/SAG1-, one of which displayed distinct transcriptomes with upregulated c-Myc expression. Overall, these data clearly demonstrate that host cell transcriptional alteration by bradyzoite infection is different from that of tachyzoite infection, indicating fine-tuning of the host immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuki Sugi
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tadakimi Tomita
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Taishi Kidaka
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Naoko Kawai
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kyoko Hayashida
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Junya Yamagishi
- Division of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Genetic Disruption of Toxoplasma gondii peroxiredoxin (TgPrx) 1 and 3 Reveals the Essential Role of TgPrx3 in Protecting Mice from Fatal Consequences of Toxoplasmosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063076. [PMID: 35328497 PMCID: PMC8951120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide protozoan parasite that endangers human health and causes enormous economic losses to the animal production sector. A safe and effective vaccine or treatment is needed to reduce these hazards. In this study, we revealed the cyto-nuclear and mitochondrial localization of TgPrx1 and TgPrx3 proteins, respectively. We knocked out the T. gondii peroxiredoxin (TgPrxKO) 1 and 3 genes using a parental type II Prugniaud strain lacking KU80 and HXGPRT genes (PruΔku80Δhxgprt) via CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The successful KO was confirmed using PCR, IFAT, and Western blotting in two clones of both target genes, named TgPrx1KO and TgPrx3KO. Regarding in vitro assays, no significant variations between any of the knocked-out clones in TgPrx1KO or TgPrx3KO parasite strains, or even PruΔku80Δhxgprt, were obtained in rates of infection, proliferation, or egress. Nevertheless, mice that were infected with tachyzoites of the TgPrx3KO strain showed a marked decrease in survival rate compared with TgPrx1KO- and PruΔku80Δhxgprt-infected mice. This effect was confirmed using different mouse strains (ICR and C57BL/6J mice), sexes (male and female), and immunological backgrounds (ICR and SCID mice). In addition, TgPrx1KO and TgPrx3KO induced high levels of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in infected mice at 8 days post infection, and increased IL-6 and IL-12p40 production from murine macrophages cultivated in vitro. The results of the present study suggested that TgPrx3 can induce anti-T. gondii immune responses that protect the mice from fatal consequences of toxoplasmosis. The results of our current and previous studies represent TgPrx3 as an excellent candidate for sub-unit vaccines, suggesting it may contribute to the control of toxoplasmosis for susceptible humans and animals.
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Hasan T, Kawanishi R, Akita H, Nishikawa Y. Toxoplasma gondii GRA15 DNA Vaccine with a Liposomal Nanocarrier Composed of an SS-Cleavable and pH-Activated Lipid-like Material Induces Protective Immunity against Toxoplasmosis in Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 10:vaccines10010021. [PMID: 35062682 PMCID: PMC8781839 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii affects the health of humans and livestock and causes severe illness in the fetus and immunocompromised individuals. Because of the high incidence and severe consequences of T. gondii infection, a safe and suitable vaccine is needed. We found that lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) consisting of a series of functional materials prepared with vitamin E, such as SS-cleavable and pH-activated lipid-like materials (ssPalmE), were a safe and efficient way to develop next-generation DNA vaccines. In this study, we prepared ssPalmE-LNP to encapsulate pCpG-free-T. gondii dense granule protein 15 DNA (ssPalmE-LNPTgGRA15). Following a challenge infection with avirulent PLK strain of T. gondii, the mice immunized with ssPalmE-LNPTgGRA15 had a significantly higher survival rate and lower clinical scores compared with unimmunized and ssPalmE-LNPnon-coding-immunized mice. Immunization of mice with the ssPalmE-LNPTgGRA15 led to a significantly higher production of specific IgG1 and IG2c antibodies compared with unimmunized and ssPalmE-LNPnon-coding-immunized mice, while there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of serum interferon-gamma at the acute stage of the infection. These findings indicate that ssPalmE-LNP is an effective cargo for the transportation of DNA vaccines for protozoan infections. To explore the mechanism of protective immunity induced by ssPalmE-LNPTgGRA15, further immunological study is needed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanjila Hasan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; (T.H.); (R.K.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram 4225, Bangladesh
| | - Ryo Kawanishi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; (T.H.); (R.K.)
| | - Hidetaka Akita
- Laboratory of DDS Design and Drug Disposition, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba City 260-0856, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan; (T.H.); (R.K.)
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protist infecting a wide group of warm-blooded animals, ranging from birds to humans. While this infection is usually asymptomatic in healthy individuals, it can also lead to severe ocular or neurological outcomes in immunocompromised individuals or in developing fetuses. This obligate intracellular parasite has the ability to infect a considerable range of nucleated cells and can propagate in the intermediate host. Yet, under the pressure of the immune system it transforms into an encysted persistent form residing primarily in the brain and muscle tissues. Encysted parasites, which are resistant to current medication, may reactivate and give rise to an acute infection. The clinical outcome of toxoplasmosis depends on a complex balance between the host immune response and parasite virulence factors. Susceptibility to the disease is thus determined by both parasite strains and host species. Recent advances on our understanding of host cell-parasite interactions and parasite virulence have brought new insights into the pathophysiology of T. gondii infection and are summarized here.
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Rivera-Cuevas Y, Mayoral J, Di Cristina M, Lawrence ALE, Olafsson EB, Patel RK, Thornhill D, Waldman BS, Ono A, Sexton JZ, Lourido S, Weiss LM, Carruthers VB. Toxoplasma gondii exploits the host ESCRT machinery for parasite uptake of host cytosolic proteins. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010138. [PMID: 34898650 PMCID: PMC8700025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a master manipulator capable of effectively siphoning the resources from the host cell for its intracellular subsistence. However, the molecular underpinnings of how the parasite gains resources from its host remain largely unknown. Residing within a non-fusogenic parasitophorous vacuole (PV), the parasite must acquire resources across the limiting membrane of its replicative niche, which is decorated with parasite proteins including those secreted from dense granules. We discovered a role for the host Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) machinery in host cytosolic protein uptake by T. gondii by disrupting host ESCRT function. We identified the transmembrane dense granule protein TgGRA14, which contains motifs homologous to the late domain motifs of HIV-1 Gag, as a candidate for the recruitment of the host ESCRT machinery to the PV membrane. Using an HIV-1 virus-like particle (VLP) release assay, we found that the motif-containing portion of TgGRA14 is sufficient to substitute for HIV-1 Gag late domain to mediate ESCRT-dependent VLP budding. We also show that TgGRA14 is proximal to and interacts with host ESCRT components and other dense granule proteins during infection. Furthermore, analysis of TgGRA14-deficient parasites revealed a marked reduction in ingestion of a host cytosolic protein compared to WT parasites. Thus, we propose a model in which T. gondii recruits the host ESCRT machinery to the PV where it can interact with TgGRA14 for the internalization of host cytosolic proteins across the PV membrane (PVM). These findings provide new insight into how T. gondii accesses contents of the host cytosol by exploiting a key pathway for vesicular budding and membrane scission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Rivera-Cuevas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Joshua Mayoral
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna-Lisa E. Lawrence
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Einar B. Olafsson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Romir K. Patel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Dishari Thornhill
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin S. Waldman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Akira Ono
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Z. Sexton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Lourido
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Ihara F, Nishikawa Y. Toxoplasma gondii manipulates host cell signaling pathways via its secreted effector molecules. Parasitol Int 2021; 83:102368. [PMID: 33905814 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii secretes a vast variety of effector molecules from organelles known as rhoptries (ROPs) and dense granules (GRAs). ROP proteins are released into the cytosol of the host cell where they are directed to the cell nucleus or to the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) membrane. ROPs secrete proteins that enable host cell penetration and vacuole formation by the parasites, as well as hijacking host-immune responses. After invading host cells, T. gondii multiplies within a PV that is maintained by the parasite proteins secreted from GRAs. Most GRA proteins remain within the PV, but some are known to access the host cytosol across the PV membrane, and a few are able to traffic into the host-cell nucleus. These effectors bind to host cell proteins and affect host cell signaling pathways to favor the parasite. Studies on host-pathogen interactions have identified many infection-altered host signal transductions. Notably, the relationship between individual parasite effector molecules and the specific targeting of host-signaling pathways is being elucidated through the advent of forward and reverse genetic strategies. Understanding the complex nature of the host-pathogen interactions underlying how the host-signaling pathway is manipulated by parasite effectors may lead to new molecular biological knowledge and novel therapeutic methods for toxoplasmosis. In this review, we discuss how T. gondii modulates cell signaling pathways in the host to favor its survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Ihara
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Yoshifumi Nishikawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.
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23
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Synergistic effect of GRA7 and profilin proteins in vaccination against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection. Vaccine 2021; 39:933-942. [PMID: 33451777 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.12.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease with worldwide prevalence in humans and warm-blooded animal populations. In livestock Toxoplasma gondii is the causal agent of significant economic losses since it can cause abortions in goats and sheep. It is estimated that one third of the world population is infected. Although there are effective therapies for acute infection, these are sometimes poorly tolerated, teratogenic, and have a long administration time. Considering the deficiencies that exist related to the prevention and treatment of toxoplasmosis, the development of a safe and effective vaccine would be extremely valuable in fighting against this infection. In the present work, we characterize for the first time the adjuvant and immunogenic potential of a recombinant profilin protein (rTgPF), in a vaccine formulation alone or in combination with the well-known GRA7 antigen candidate in a murine toxoplasmosis model. Since TgPF acts as a ligand for TLR11 and 12 inducing innate immune responses that promote type 1 adaptive responses, we first study the capacity of the mix rGRA7 + rTgPF to initiate an immune response by evaluating dendritic cell activation. Both rTgPF and rGRA7 induces activation of mouse BMDCs more efficiently than the single proteins, evidenced by increased expression of CD80 and CD86 co-stimulatory proteins and secretion of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 cytokines after in vitro stimulation. The sum of the effects of rGRA7 and rTgPF on BMDCs maturation led us to assay them in a vaccination protocol. BALB/c mice vaccinated with this mix elicited a Th1-biased immunity via the induction of lymphocyte proliferation, activation of CD4+T cells and increased IFN-γ production that resulted in enhanced protection against chronic Toxoplama gondii infection. Profilin per se induce only cellular immunity but augments the effect of rGRA7 immune responses when used together, thus allowing us to postulate rTgPF as a potential adjuvant in a protein vaccine.
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