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Ricotta TQN, Dos Santos LM, Oliveira LG, Souza-Testasicca MC, Nascimento FC, Vago JP, Carvalho AFS, Queiroz-Junior CM, Sousa LP, Fernandes AP. Annexin A1 improves immune responses and control of tissue parasitism during Leishmania amazonensis infection in BALB/c mice. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 172:116254. [PMID: 38340398 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116254] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases, a group of diseases caused by the species of the protozoan parasite Leishmania, remains a significant public health concern worldwide. Host immune responses play a crucial role in the outcome of Leishmania infections, and several mediators that regulate inflammatory responses are potential targets for therapeutic approaches. Annexin A1 (AnxA1), an endogenous protein endowed with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties, has emerged as a potential player. We have shown that during L. braziliensis infection, deficiency of AnxA1 exacerbates inflammatory responses but does not affect parasite burden. Here, we have investigated the role of AnxA1 in L. amazonensis infection, given the non-healing and progressive lesions characteristic of this infectious model. Infection of AnxA1 KO BALB/c mice resulted in increased lesion size and tissue damage associated with higher parasite burdens and enhanced inflammatory response. Notably, therapeutic application of the AnxA1 peptidomimetic Ac2-26 improves control of parasite replication and increases IL-10 production in vivo and in vitro, in both WT and AnxA1 KO mice. Conversely, administration of WRW4, an inhibitor of FPR2/3, resulted in larger lesions and decreased production of IL-10, suggesting that the effects of AnxA1 during L. amazonensis infection are associated with the engagement of these receptors. Our study illuminates the role of AnxA1 in L. amazonensis infection, demonstrating its impact on the susceptibility phenotype of BALB/c mice. Furthermore, our results indicate that targeting the AnxA1 pathway by using the Ac2-26 peptide could represent a promising alternative for new treatments for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Queiroga Nery Ricotta
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Liliane Martins Dos Santos
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Leandro Gonzaga Oliveira
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Frederico Crepaldi Nascimento
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliana P Vago
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antônio Felipe S Carvalho
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Lirlândia P Sousa
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Fernandes
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Costa SF, Soares MF, Poleto Bragato J, dos Santos MO, Rebech GT, de Freitas JH, de Lima VMF. MicroRNA-194 regulates parasitic load and IL-1β-dependent nitric oxide production in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dogs with leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011789. [PMID: 38241360 PMCID: PMC10798644 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Domestic dogs are the primary urban reservoirs of Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. In Canine Leishmaniasis (CanL), modulation of the host's immune response may be associated with the expression of small non-coding RNAs called microRNA (miR). miR-194 expression increases in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of dogs with leishmaniasis with a positive correlation with the parasite load and in silico analysis demonstrated that the TRAF6 gene is the target of miR-194 in PBMCs from diseased dogs. Here, we isolated PBMCs from 5 healthy dogs and 28 dogs with leishmaniasis, naturally infected with L. infantum. To confirm changes in miR-194 and TRAF6 expression, basal expression of miR-194 and gene expression of TRAF6 was measured using qPCR. PBMCs from healthy dogs and dogs with leishmaniasis were transfected with miR-194 scramble, mimic, and inhibitor and cultured at 37° C, 5% CO2 for 48 hours. The expression of possible targets was measured: iNOS, NO, T-bet, GATA3, and FoxP3 were measured using flow cytometry; the production of cytokines IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and TGF-β in cell culture supernatants was measured using capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Parasite load was measured using cytometry and qPCR. Functional assays followed by miR-194 inhibitor and IL-1β blockade and assessment of NO production were also performed. Basal miR-194 expression was increased in PBMC from dogs with Leishmaniasis and was negatively correlated with TRAF6 expression. The mimic of miR-194 promoted an increase in parasite load. There were no significant changes in T-bet, GATA3, or FoxP3 expression with miR-194 enhancement or inhibition. Inhibition of miR-194 increased IL-1β and NO in PBMCs from diseased dogs, and blockade of IL-1β following miR-194 inhibition decreased NO levels. These findings suggest that miR-194 is upregulated in PBMCs from dogs with leishmaniasis and increases parasite load, possibly decreasing NO production via IL-1β. These results increase our understanding of the mechanisms of evasion of the immune response by the parasite and the identification of possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidnei Ferro Costa
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Matheus Fujimura Soares
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Poleto Bragato
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marilene Oliveira dos Santos
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Torres Rebech
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Henrique de Freitas
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valéria Marçal Felix de Lima
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Animal Reproduction, São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
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Wang X, Chen J, Zheng J. The state of the art of extracellular vesicle research in protozoan infection. Front Genet 2022; 13:941561. [PMID: 36035188 PMCID: PMC9417467 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.941561] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan diseases seriously affect the health of human beings, livestock and poultry and lead to high economic and medical costs. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous structures formed through biological processes that play important roles in immune regulation. Studies have shown that parasites transmit information to hosts through EVs to modulate host immune responses. The major roles played by EVs released from parasites involve facilitating parasitization of the host. In this review, we discuss relevant recently obtained data on EVs secreted by different kinds of protozoa, including their molecular mechanisms, and discuss the roles played by EVs in the occurrence and development of parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingtong Zheng
- Department of Pathogenobiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Jingtong Zheng,
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