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Siti Farah Norasyikeen SO, Ngui R, Syaza Zafirah AR, Md Zoqratt MZH, Eng WWH, Ayub Q, Amin Nordin S, Narcisse Mary Sither Joseph V, Musa S, Lim YAL. Study on intestinal parasitic infections and gut microbiota in cancer patients at a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13650. [PMID: 38871760 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. While they are unlikely to cause severe disease and are self-limiting in healthy individuals, cancer patients are especially susceptible to opportunistic parasitic infections. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in various aspects of health, including immune regulation and metabolic processes. Parasites occupy the same environment as bacteria in the gut. Recent research suggests intestinal parasites can disrupt the normal balance of the gut microbiota. However, there is limited understanding of this co-infection dynamic among cancer patients in Malaysia. A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and relationship between intestinal parasites and gut microbiota composition in cancer patients. Stool samples from 134 cancer patients undergoing active treatment or newly diagnosed were collected and examined for the presence of intestinal parasites and gut microbiota composition. The study also involved 17 healthy individuals for comparison and control. Sequencing with 16S RNA at the V3-V4 region was used to determine the gut microbial composition between infected and non-infected cancer patients and healthy control subjects. The overall prevalence of IPIs among cancer patients was found to be 32.8%. Microsporidia spp. Accounted for the highest percentage at 20.1%, followed by Entamoeba spp. (3.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (3.0%), Cyclospora spp. (2.2%), and Ascaris lumbricoides (0.8%). None of the health control subjects tested positive for intestinal parasites. The sequencing data analysis revealed that the gut microbiota diversity and composition were significantly different in cancer patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.001). A significant dissimilarity was observed in the bacterial composition between parasite-infected and non-infected patients based on Bray-Curtis (p = 0.041) and Jaccard (p = 0.021) measurements. Bacteria from the genus Enterococcus were enriched in the parasite-infected groups, while Faecalibacterium prausnitzii reduced compared to non-infected and control groups. Further analysis between different IPIs and non-infected individuals demonstrated a noteworthy variation in Entamoeba-infected (unweighted UniFrac: p = 0.008), Cryptosporidium-infected (Bray-Curtis: p = 0.034) and microsporidia-infected (unweighted: p = 0.026; weighted: p = 0.019; Jaccard: p = 0.031) samples. No significant dissimilarity was observed between Cyclospora-infected groups and non-infected groups. Specifically, patients infected with Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba showed increased obligate anaerobic bacteria. Clostridiales were enriched with Entamoeba infections, whereas those from Coriobacteriales decreased. Bacteroidales and Clostridium were found in higher abundance in the gut microbiota with Cryptosporidium infection, while Bacillales decreased. Additionally, bacteria from the genus Enterococcus were enriched in microsporidia-infected patients. In contrast, bacteria from the Clostridiales order, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, Collinsella, Ruminococcus, and Sporosarcina decreased compared to the non-infected groups. These findings underscore the importance of understanding and managing the interactions between intestinal parasites and gut microbiota for improved outcomes in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidi Omar Siti Farah Norasyikeen
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | - Romano Ngui
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia.
| | - Ab Rahman Syaza Zafirah
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Wilhelm Wei Han Eng
- Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility, Monash University Malaysia, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Qasim Ayub
- Monash University Malaysia Genomics Facility, Monash University Malaysia, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Syafinaz Amin Nordin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Malaysia
| | | | - Sabri Musa
- Department of Children's Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Ai Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Widmer G, Creasey HN. Fecal microbiota impacts development of Cryptosporidium parvum in the mouse. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5498. [PMID: 38448682 PMCID: PMC10917813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56184-1] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The dependence of Cryptosporidium parasites on host cell metabolites suggests that the development of nutritional interventions to limit parasite proliferation should be feasible. Based on this concept, we are testing dietary interventions to affect the enterocytes' metabolism in a manner that limits intracellular multiplication of the parasite. We hypothesize that changes in the metabolic pathways encoded by the gastro-intestinal tract microbiota may restrict parasite proliferation. To identify taxonomic and metabolic features of the microbiota associated with severity of cryptosporidiosis, as determined by estimating oocyst output, we characterized the fecal microbiota from mice experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. To eliminate the confounding effect of the interaction between co-housed mice, as well as facilitate the identification of microbiota markers associated with severity of cryptosporidiosis, fecal microbiota from individually caged mice were analyzed. Variation partitioning analysis applied to 16S sequence data from 25 mice belonging to four experiments shows that experiment was by far the biggest source of microbiota variation. Severity of cryptosporidiosis explained a smaller, though significant, fraction of microbiota variation. Notably, this effect was significant in the pre-patent phase of the infection, before mice excreted oocysts. These results are consistent with the pre-patent intestinal microbiota having a modest, but measurable, effect on cryptosporidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Widmer
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA.
| | - Hannah N Creasey
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Pardy RD, Wallbank BA, Striepen B, Hunter CA. Immunity to Cryptosporidium: insights into principles of enteric responses to infection. Nat Rev Immunol 2024; 24:142-155. [PMID: 37697084 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00932-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parasites replicate within intestinal epithelial cells and are an important cause of diarrhoeal disease in young children and in patients with primary and acquired defects in T cell function. This Review of immune-mediated control of Cryptosporidium highlights advances in understanding how intestinal epithelial cells detect this infection, the induction of innate resistance and the processes required for activation of T cell responses that promote parasite control. The development of a genetic tool set to modify Cryptosporidium combined with tractable mouse models provide new opportunities to understand the principles that govern the interface between intestinal epithelial cells and the immune system that mediate resistance to enteric pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D Pardy
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bethan A Wallbank
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Hurle GR, Brainard J, Tyler KM. Microbiome diversity is a modifiable virulence factor for cryptosporidiosis. Virulence 2023; 14:2273004. [PMID: 37872759 PMCID: PMC10653618 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2273004] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium spp. infection causes significant disease in immunosuppressed individuals and children under the age of 5 years. The severity of the pathological presentation of cryptosporidiosis is a function of the host and parasite genotypes, host immune status, and the enteric environment or microbiome of the host. Cryptosporidiosis often presents with abdominal pain and severe diarrhoea and is associated with intestinal dysbiosis and inflammation. Our systematic analysis of the available literature revealed that bacterial diversity is reduced during infection in larger animal models, lending support to recent studies which indicate that the use of probiotics or the presence of a naturally diverse gut microbiome can prevent or minimise pathology caused by gastrointestinal pathogens. In summary, we present evidence that the presence of a diverse gut microbiome, natural or induced, reduces both symptomatic pathology and oocyst output.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julii Brainard
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Kevin. M. Tyler
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Piazzesi A, Pane S, Russo A, Del Chierico F, Francalanci P, Cotugno N, Rossi P, Locatelli F, Palma P, Putignani L. Case Report: The impact of severe cryptosporidiosis on the gut microbiota of a pediatric patient with CD40L immunodeficiency. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1281440. [PMID: 37965266 PMCID: PMC10641285 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1281440] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoan parasite and one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in the world, primarily affecting very young children and immunocompromised patients. While infection is usually self-limiting, it can become chronic and even lethal in these vulnerable populations, in whom Cryptosporidium treatments are generally ineffective, due to their acting in concert with a functioning immune system. Here, we describe a case of chronic cryptosporidiosis in a European child with severe CD40L immunodeficiency infected with Cryptosporidium parvum of the IIa20G1 subgenotype, a lineage which has thus far only ever been described in the Middle East. After years of on-off treatment with conventional and non-conventional anti-parasitic drugs failed to clear parasitosis, we performed targeted metagenomics to observe the bacterial composition of the patient's gut microbiota (GM), and to evaluate fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a potential treatment option. We found that C. parvum infection led to significant shifts in GM bacterial composition in our patient, with consequent shifts in predicted intestinal functional signatures consistent with a state of persistent inflammation. This, combined with the patient's poor prognosis and increasing parasitic burden despite many rounds of anti-parasitic drug treatments, made the patient a potential candidate for an experimental FMT procedure. Unfortunately, given the many comorbidities that were precipitated by the patient's immunodeficiency and chronic C. parvum infection, FMT was postponed in favor of more urgently necessary liver and bone marrow transplants. Tragically, after the first liver transplant failed, the patient lost his life before undergoing FMT and a second liver transplant. With this case report, we present the first description of how cryptosporidiosis can shape the gut microbiota of a pediatric patient with severe immunodeficiency. Finally, we discuss how both our results and the current scientific literature suggest that GM modulations, either by probiotics or FMT, can become novel treatment options for chronic Cryptosporidium infection and its consequent complications, especially in those patients who do not respond to the currently available anti-parasitic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Piazzesi
- Unit of Human Microbiome, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Pane
- Unit of Microbiomics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Russo
- Unit of Microbiomics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Paola Francalanci
- Department of Pathology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Cotugno
- Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, Chair of Pediatrics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Rossi
- Department of Systems Medicine, Chair of Pediatrics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Haematology/Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Palma
- Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, Chair of Pediatrics, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenza Putignani
- Unit of Microbiomics and Unit of Human Microbiome, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Lu S, Zou W, Chen X, Sun G, Cidan Y, Almutairi MH, Dunzhu L, Nazar M, Mehmood K, Zhu Y, Basang W, Li K. Effects of Cryptosporidium parvum infection on intestinal fungal microbiota in yaks (Bos grunniens). Microb Pathog 2023; 183:106322. [PMID: 37633503 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106322] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
During the last decade, researchers had started to focus on the relationship between intestinal parasitic infection and variation of intestinal microflora. Cryptosporidium is a widely known opportunistic and zoonotic pathogen. Several studies have shown that Cryptosporidium infection has impact to alter the gut microflora. However, there are only few studies referring to the fungal microflora changes in response to Cryptosporidium infection in highland ruminants. Therefore, the present study was performed for exploring the alternations of intestinal fungal microbiota in yaks after exposure to Cryptosporidium infection. In present study, Amplicon sequencing of ITS regions was used to study the variations of fungal microflora in yaks. After filtering the raw data, over 45 000 and 62 000 clean data were obtained in uninfected and infected yaks, respectively. By using alpha diversity analysis, it was found that there is no significant difference in the richness and evenness when positive samples were compared with negative ones, whereas intestinal fungal communities in different taxa in yaks were changed. The results of present study depicted that 2-phyla and 21-genera in the infected animals had significantly (P < 0.05) changed. These genera were Septoria, Coniothyrium, Cleistothelebolus, Bensingtonia, Cystobasidium, Filobasidium, Coprotus, Carex, Blumeria, Coprinellus, Leucosporidium, Phialophora, Isolepis, Ascobolus, Thecaphora, Mortierella, Urocystis, Symmetrospora and Lasiobolus. In addition, we found variations in 28 enzymes suggesting that the function of microbiota was also affected. It is concluded that there are drastic changes in the fungal microflora and microbiota functions after exposure to Cryptosporidium infection in yak. Our results help to focus on the prompt way for the development of new therapies to control Cryptosporidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Lu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine & MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Wen Zou
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine & MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Xiushuang Chen
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine & MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Guangming Sun
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa, 850009, China
| | - Yangji Cidan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa, 850009, China
| | - Mikhlid H Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luosang Dunzhu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa, 850009, China
| | - Mudassar Nazar
- University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Sub-Campus, Burewala, 61010, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Mehmood
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Yanbin Zhu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa, 850009, China.
| | - Wangdui Basang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Tibet Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Science, Lhasa, 850009, China.
| | - Kun Li
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine & MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
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7
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Hares MF, Griffiths BE, Johnson F, Nelson C, Haldenby S, Stewart CJ, Duncan JS, Oikonomou G, Coombes JL. Specific pathway abundances in the neonatal calf faecal microbiome are associated with susceptibility to Cryptosporidium parvum infection: a metagenomic analysis. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:43. [PMID: 37700351 PMCID: PMC10496319 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00265-5] [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: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryptosporidium parvum is the main cause of calf scour worldwide. With limited therapeutic options and research compared to other Apicomplexa, it is important to understand the parasites' biology and interactions with the host and microbiome in order to develop novel strategies against this infection. The age-dependent nature of symptomatic cryptosporidiosis suggests a link to the undeveloped immune response, the immature intestinal epithelium, and its associated microbiota. This led us to hypothesise that specific features of the early life microbiome could predict calf susceptibility to C. parvum infection. RESULTS In this study, a single faecal swab sample was collected from each calf within the first week of life in a cohort of 346 animals. All 346 calves were subsequently monitored for clinical signs of cryptosporidiosis, and calves that developed diarrhoea were tested for Rotavirus, Coronavirus, E. coli F5 (K99) and C. parvum by lateral flow test (LFT). A retrospective case-control approach was taken whereby a subset of healthy calves (Control group; n = 33) and calves that went on to develop clinical signs of infectious diarrhoea and test positive for C. parvum infection via LFT (Cryptosporidium-positive group; n = 32) were selected from this cohort, five of which were excluded due to low DNA quality. A metagenomic analysis was conducted on the faecal microbiomes of the control group (n = 30) and the Cryptosporidium-positive group (n = 30) prior to infection, to determine features predictive of cryptosporidiosis. Taxonomic analysis showed no significant differences in alpha diversity, beta diversity, and taxa relative abundance between controls and Cryptosporidium-positive groups. Analysis of functional potential showed pathways related to isoprenoid precursor, haem and purine biosynthesis were significantly higher in abundance in calves that later tested positive for C. parvum (q ≤ 0.25). These pathways are either absent or streamlined in the C. parvum parasites. Though the de novo production of isoprenoid precursors, haem and purines are absent, C. parvum has been shown to encode enzymes that catalyse the downstream reactions of these pathway metabolites, indicating that C. parvum may scavenge those products from an external source. CONCLUSIONS The host has previously been put forward as the source of essential metabolites, but our study suggests that C. parvum may also be able to harness specific metabolic pathways of the microbiota in order to survive and replicate. This finding is important as components of these microbial pathways could be exploited as potential therapeutic targets for the prevention or mitigation of cryptosporidiosis in bovine neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Hares
- Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, iC2 Liverpool Science Park, Liverpool, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - B E Griffiths
- Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - F Johnson
- Centre of Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - C Nelson
- Centre of Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - S Haldenby
- Centre of Genomic Research, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - C J Stewart
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - J S Duncan
- Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - G Oikonomou
- Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - J L Coombes
- School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ, UK.
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Mead JR. Indole metabolites generated by microbiota inhibit Cryptosporidium growth. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:716-717. [PMID: 37500333 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.07.003] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Funkhouser-Jones et al. recently identified gut metabolites that affected Cryptosporidium growth. A key focus, indole, was shown to inhibit the parasite in vivo and in vitro by decreasing the host mitochondria function and the membrane potential of parasite mitosomes. These findings help clarify the role microflora and metabolites play in host resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan R Mead
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Children's Healthcare Organization of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA.
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Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Xu R, Wilke G, Fu Y, Schriefer LA, Makimaa H, Rodgers R, Kennedy EA, VanDussen KL, Stappenbeck TS, Baldridge MT, Sibley LD. Microbiota-produced indole metabolites disrupt mitochondrial function and inhibit Cryptosporidium parvum growth. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112680. [PMID: 37384526 PMCID: PMC10530208 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of life-threatening diarrhea in young children in resource-poor settings. To explore microbial influences on susceptibility, we screened 85 microbiota-associated metabolites for their effects on Cryptosporidium parvum growth in vitro. We identify eight inhibitory metabolites in three main classes: secondary bile salts/acids, a vitamin B6 precursor, and indoles. Growth restriction of C. parvum by indoles does not depend on the host aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Instead, treatment impairs host mitochondrial function and reduces total cellular ATP, as well as directly reducing the membrane potential in the parasite mitosome, a degenerate mitochondria. Oral administration of indoles, or reconstitution of the gut microbiota with indole-producing bacteria, delays life cycle progression of the parasite in vitro and reduces the severity of C. parvum infection in mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that microbiota metabolites impair mitochondrial function and contribute to colonization resistance to Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Georgia Wilke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yong Fu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lawrence A Schriefer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Heyde Makimaa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Rodgers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Kennedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelli L VanDussen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Thaddeus S Stappenbeck
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Megan T Baldridge
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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DeMichele E, Sosnowski O, Buret AG, Allain T. Regulatory Functions of Hypoxia in Host-Parasite Interactions: A Focus on Enteric, Tissue, and Blood Protozoa. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1598. [PMID: 37375100 PMCID: PMC10303274 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Body tissues are subjected to various oxygenic gradients and fluctuations and hence can become transiently hypoxic. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is the master transcriptional regulator of the cellular hypoxic response and is capable of modulating cellular metabolism, immune responses, epithelial barrier integrity, and local microbiota. Recent reports have characterized the hypoxic response to various infections. However, little is known about the role of HIF activation in the context of protozoan parasitic infections. Growing evidence suggests that tissue and blood protozoa can activate HIF and subsequent HIF target genes in the host, helping or hindering their pathogenicity. In the gut, enteric protozoa are adapted to steep longitudinal and radial oxygen gradients to complete their life cycle, yet the role of HIF during these protozoan infections remains unclear. This review focuses on the hypoxic response to protozoa and its role in the pathophysiology of parasitic infections. We also discuss how hypoxia modulates host immune responses in the context of protozoan infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily DeMichele
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (E.D.); (O.S.); (A.G.B.)
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Olivia Sosnowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (E.D.); (O.S.); (A.G.B.)
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andre G. Buret
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (E.D.); (O.S.); (A.G.B.)
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Thibault Allain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (E.D.); (O.S.); (A.G.B.)
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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11
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Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Xu R, Wilke G, Fu Y, Shriefer LA, Makimaa H, Rodgers R, Kennedy EA, VanDussen KL, Stappenbeck TS, Baldridge MT, Sibley LD. Microbiota produced indole metabolites disrupt host cell mitochondrial energy production and inhibit Cryptosporidium parvum growth. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542157. [PMID: 37292732 PMCID: PMC10245909 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of life-threatening diarrhea in young children in resource-poor settings. Susceptibility rapidly declines with age, associated with changes in the microbiota. To explore microbial influences on susceptibility, we screened 85 microbiota- associated metabolites enriched in the adult gut for their effects on C. parvum growth in vitro. We identified eight inhibitory metabolites in three main classes: secondary bile salts/acids, a vitamin B 6 precursor, and indoles. Growth restriction of C. parvum by indoles did not depend on the host aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Instead, treatment impaired host mitochondrial function and reduced total cellular ATP, as well as directly reduced the membrane potential in the parasite mitosome, a degenerate mitochondria. Oral administration of indoles, or reconstitution of the gut microbiota with indole producing bacteria, delayed life cycle progression of the parasite in vitro and reduced severity of C. parvum infection in mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that microbiota metabolites contribute to colonization resistance to Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J. Funkhouser-Jones
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rui Xu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Georgia Wilke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yong Fu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lawrence A. Shriefer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Heyde Makimaa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Rodgers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Kennedy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelli L. VanDussen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Megan T. Baldridge
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - L. David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
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12
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Mead JR. Early immune and host cell responses to Cryptosporidium infection. FRONTIERS IN PARASITOLOGY 2023; 2:1113950. [PMID: 37325809 PMCID: PMC10269812 DOI: 10.3389/fpara.2023.1113950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium spp. are opportunistic protozoan parasites that infect epithelial cells of the small intestine and cause diarrheal illness in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient individuals. These infections may be more severe in immunocompromised individuals and young children, especially in children under 2 in developing countries. The parasite has a global distribution and is an important cause of childhood diarrhea where it may result in cognitive impairment and growth deficits. Current therapies are limited with nitazoxanide being the only FDA-approved drug. However, it is not efficacious in immunocompromised patients. Additionally, there are no vaccines for cryptosporidiosis available. While acquired immunity is needed to clear Cryptosporidium parasites completely, innate immunity and early responses to infection are important in keeping the infection in check so that adaptive responses have time to develop. Infection is localized to the epithelial cells of the gut. Therefore, host cell defenses are important in the early response to infection and may be triggered through toll receptors or inflammasomes which induce a number of signal pathways, interferons, cytokines, and other immune mediators. Chemokines and chemokine receptors are upregulated which recruit immune cells such neutrophils, NK cells, and macrophages to the infection site to help in host cell defense as well as dendritic cells that are an important bridge between innate and adaptive responses. This review will focus on the host cell responses and the immune responses that are important in the early stages of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan R. Mead
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Healthcare Organization of Atlanta, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States
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13
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Dubik M, Pilecki B, Moeller JB. Commensal Intestinal Protozoa-Underestimated Members of the Gut Microbial Community. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121742. [PMID: 36552252 PMCID: PMC9774987 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal microbiota contains a diverse consortium of microbes, including bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi. Through millennia of co-evolution, the host-microbiota interactions have shaped the immune system to both tolerate and maintain the symbiotic relationship with commensal microbiota, while exerting protective responses against invading pathogens. Microbiome research is dominated by studies describing the impact of prokaryotic bacteria on gut immunity with a limited understanding of their relationship with other integral microbiota constituents. However, converging evidence shows that eukaryotic organisms, such as commensal protozoa, can play an important role in modulating intestinal immune responses as well as influencing the overall health of the host. The presence of several protozoa species has recently been shown to be a common occurrence in healthy populations worldwide, suggesting that many of these are commensals rather than invading pathogens. This review aims to discuss the most recent, conflicting findings regarding the role of intestinal protozoa in gut homeostasis, interactions between intestinal protozoa and the bacterial microbiota, as well as potential immunological consequences of protozoa colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Dubik
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Bartosz Pilecki
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bonnet Moeller
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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14
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Antibiotic Changes Host Susceptibility to Eimeria falciformis Infection Associated with Alteration of Gut Microbiota. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0022922. [PMID: 36040156 PMCID: PMC9584326 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00229-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Eimeria falciformis is a murine-infecting coccidium that mainly infects the cecum and colon where it coexists with a large number of endogenous bacteria. Here, we found that mice treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail including ampicillin, neomycin, metronidazole, and vancomycin had less oocyst production and milder pathological consequences after E. falciformis infection than mice without antibiotics, regardless of the inoculation doses. Furthermore, we showed that antibiotic treatment reduced parasitic invasion and prolonged asexual stage during E. falciformis infection, which may result in alleviating the infection. Interestingly, when further defining different antibiotic combinations for E. falciformis infection, it was shown that mice treated with ampicillin plus vancomycin had substantially attenuated E. falciformis infections as measured by cecal parasite counts and histopathological features. In contrast, treatment with metronidazole plus neomycin was beneficial to E. falciformis infection. Analyses of gut microbiota revealed various changes in bacterial composition and diversity following antibiotic treatments that were associated with host susceptibility to E. falciformis infection. Together, these findings suggest that gut microbiota may regulate the course and pathogenicity of E. falciformis infection, while the mechanisms need to be further investigated, especially for the development of coccidial vaccines for use in farm animals.
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15
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The Effect of Short-Chain Fatty Acids on Growth of Cryptosporidium parvum In Vitro. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10091822. [PMID: 36144424 PMCID: PMC9505670 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091822] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, we observed an increase in the severity of cryptosporidial infection corresponding to decreased levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Therefore, we decided to examine the effect of SCFAs on Cryptosporidium growth in human ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HTC-8) cells. HTC-8 cells were infected with 1 × 105 C. parvum oocysts. After 48 h of incubation with selected SCFAs, cells were fixed and labeled with monoclonal antibody directed to all intracellular stages, and the number of parasites was quantitated using a fluorescent microscope. Acetate, butyrate, propionate and valproate significantly inhibited growth, with an EC50 between 4 and 10 mM. Additionally, when combined, butyrate, acetate and propionate showed increased efficacy. Butyrate also inhibited growth when incubated with sporozoites prior to infection of host cell monolayers. In addition, we looked at possible mechanisms of action of inhibition. A combination of C. parvum infection and butyrate treatment led to increases in apoptosis and certain inflammatory cytokines. We conclude that acetate, propionate and butyrate have direct inhibitory activities in host cells against C. parvum, and butyrate can also affect sporozoite infectivity directly. While not preventing infection, SCFAs may help in keeping the infection low or in check.
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16
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Investigating the Potential Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Intestinal Coccidian Infections. JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.22207/jpam.16.3.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
New infectious agents pose a global threat to the healthcare system, and studies are conducted to estimate their health and epidemiological outcomes in the long run. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused the COVID-19 disease, was formerly assumed to be a respiratory virus; however, it can have serious systemic effects, affecting organs such as the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Viral RNA was reported in the stool in a subset of patients, indicating another mode of transmission and diagnosis. In COVID-19, prolonged GIT symptoms, especially diarrhea, were associated with reduced diversity and richness of gut microbiota, immunological dysregulation, and delayed viral clearance. Intestinal coccidian parasites are intracellular protozoa that are most typically transmitted to humans by oocysts found in fecally contaminated food and water. Their epidemiological relevance is coupled to opportunistic infections, which cause high morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised individuals. Among immunocompetent people, intestinal coccidia is also involved in acute diarrhea, which is usually self-limiting. Evaluating the available evidence provided an opportunity to carefully consider that; the COVID-19 virus and coccidian protozoan parasites: namely, Cryptosporidium spp., Cyclospora cayetanensis, and Isospora belli, could mutually influence each other from the microbiological, clinical, diagnostic, and elimination aspects. We further systemically highlighted the possible shared pathogenesis mechanisms, transmission routes, clinical manifestations, parasite-driven immune regulation, and intestinal microbiota alteration. Finally, we showed how this might impact developing and developed countries prevention and vaccination strategies. To the best of our knowledge, there is no review that has discussed the reciprocal effect between coccidian parasites and COVID-19 coinfection.
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17
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Wang Y, Li X, Chen X, Kulyar MFEA, Duan K, Li H, Bhutta ZA, Wu Y, Li K. Gut Fungal Microbiome Responses to Natural Cryptosporidium Infection in Horses. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:877280. [PMID: 35875530 PMCID: PMC9298756 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.877280] [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: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is critical to characterize changes in the structure and composition of the host fungal community in natural Cryptosporidium infection, because it gives the possible overview of gut microbiome in host homeostasis and disease progression. A total of 168 rectal fecal samples were collected and examined using nPCR. The positive samples were double-checked using 18S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. After confirmation, ITS high-throughput sequencing was utilized to investigate the fungal community’s response to natural Cryptosporidium infection. Results showed that a total of three positive samples (1.79%) were identified with an increased abundance of fungi associated with health hazards, such as class Dothideomycetes, families, i.e., Cladosporiaceae, Glomerellaceae, and genera, i.e., Wickerhamomyces, Talaromyces, Cladosporium, Dactylonectria, and Colletotrichum. On the contrary, taxa associated with favorable physiological effects on the host were shown to have the reverse impact, such as families, i.e., Psathyrellaceae, Pseudeurotiaceae and genera (Beauveria, Nigrospora, and Diversispora). For the first time, we evaluated the condition of natural Cryptosporidium infection in horses in Wuhan, China, and discovered distinct variations in the fungal microbiome in response to natural infection. It might prompt a therapy or prevention strategy to apply specific fungal microorganisms that are probably responsible for decreased susceptibility or increased resistance to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuwen Li
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiushuang Chen
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Kun Duan
- China Tobacco Henan Industrial Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huade Li
- Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science, Chengdu, China
| | - Zeeshan Ahmad Bhutta
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea
| | - Yi Wu
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kun Li
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Creasey HN, Zhang W, Widmer G. Effect of Caging on Cryptosporidium parvum Proliferation in Mice. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1242. [PMID: 35744762 PMCID: PMC9230662 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061242] [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: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is an enteric infection caused by several protozoan species in the genus Cryptosporidium (phylum Apicomplexa). Immunosuppressed mice are commonly used to model this infection. Surprisingly, for a pathogen like Cryptosporidium parvum, which is readily transmitted fecal-orally, mice housed in the same cage can develop vastly different levels of infection, ranging from undetectable to lethal. The motivation for this study was to investigate this phenomenon and assess the association between the severity of cryptosporidiosis and the fecal microbiota. To this aim, the association between severity of cryptosporidiosis and caging (group caged vs. individually caged) and between the microbiota taxonomy and the course of the infection was examined. In contrast to mice caged in groups of four, a majority of mice caged individually did not excrete a detectable level of oocysts. Microbiota α diversity in samples collected between three days prior to infection and one day post-infection was negatively correlated with the severity of cryptosporidiosis, suggesting a causal negative relationship between microbiota diversity and susceptibility to C. parvum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah N. Creasey
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA; (H.N.C.); (W.Z.)
| | - Wen Zhang
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA; (H.N.C.); (W.Z.)
- Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Giovanni Widmer
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA; (H.N.C.); (W.Z.)
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19
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Pane S, Putignani L. Cryptosporidium: Still Open Scenarios. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050515. [PMID: 35631036 PMCID: PMC9143492 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is increasingly identified as a leading cause of childhood diarrhea and malnutrition in both low-income and high-income countries. The strong impact on public health in epidemic scenarios makes it increasingly essential to identify the sources of infection and understand the transmission routes in order to apply the right prevention or treatment protocols. The objective of this literature review was to present an overview of the current state of human cryptosporidiosis, reviewing risk factors, discussing advances in the drug treatment and epidemiology, and emphasizing the need to identify a government system for reporting diagnosed cases, hitherto undervalued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Pane
- Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Unit of Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology, Unit of Microbiomics, 00146 Rome, Italy;
| | - Lorenza Putignani
- Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Unit of Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology, Unit of Microbiomics and Multimodal Laboratory Medicine Research Area, Unit of Human Microbiome, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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20
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Rahman SU, Zhou K, Zhou S, Sun T, Mi R, Huang Y, Han X, Gong H, Chen Z. Curcumin mitigates Cryptosporidium parvum infection through modulation of gut microbiota and innate immune-related genes in immunosuppressed neonatal mice. Microb Pathog 2022; 164:105424. [PMID: 35092833 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of diarrheal disease in immature or weakened immune systems, mainly in infants and young children in resource-poor settings. Despite its high prevalence, fully effective and safe drugs for the treatment of C. parvum infections remain scarce, and there is no vaccine. Meanwhile, curcumin has shown protective effects against C. parvum infections. However, the mechanisms of action and relationship to the gut microbiota and innate immune responses are unclear. Immunosuppressed neonatal mice were infected with oocysts of C. parvum and either untreated or treated with a normal diet, curcumin or paromomycin. We found that curcumin stopped C. parvum oocysts shedding in the feces of infected immunosuppressed neonatal mice, prevented epithelial damage, and villi degeneration, as well as prevented recurrence of infection. Curcumin supplementation increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in mice infected with C. parvum as shown by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, Akkermansia, Desulfovibrio, Prevotella, and Helicobacter was significantly associated with C. parvum infection inhibited by curcumin. Curcumin significantly (P < 0.01) suppressed IFN-γ and IL -18 gene expression levels in immunosuppressed neonatal C. parvum-infected mice. We demonstrate that the therapeutic effects curcumin are associated with alterations in the gut microbiota and innate immune-related genes, which may be linked to the anti-Cryptosporidium mechanisms of curcumin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajid Ur Rahman
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Keke Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - ShaSha Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Tiancong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Rongsheng Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xiangan Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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21
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Russler-Germain EV, Jung J, Miller AT, Young S, Yi J, Wehmeier A, Fox LE, Monte KJ, Chai JN, Kulkarni DH, Funkhouser-Jones LJ, Wilke G, Durai V, Zinselmeyer BH, Czepielewski RS, Greco S, Murphy KM, Newberry RD, Sibley LD, Hsieh CS. Commensal Cryptosporidium colonization elicits a cDC1-dependent Th1 response that promotes intestinal homeostasis and limits other infections. Immunity 2021; 54:2547-2564.e7. [PMID: 34715017 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium can cause severe diarrhea and morbidity, but many infections are asymptomatic. Here, we studied the immune response to a commensal strain of Cryptosporidium tyzzeri (Ct-STL) serendipitously discovered when conventional type 1 dendritic cell (cDC1)-deficient mice developed cryptosporidiosis. Ct-STL was vertically transmitted without negative health effects in wild-type mice. Yet, Ct-STL provoked profound changes in the intestinal immune system, including induction of an IFN-γ-producing Th1 response. TCR sequencing coupled with in vitro and in vivo analysis of common Th1 TCRs revealed that Ct-STL elicited a dominant antigen-specific Th1 response. In contrast, deficiency in cDC1s skewed the Ct-STL CD4 T cell response toward Th17 and regulatory T cells. Although Ct-STL predominantly colonized the small intestine, colon Th1 responses were enhanced and associated with protection against Citrobacter rodentium infection and exacerbation of dextran sodium sulfate and anti-IL10R-triggered colitis. Thus, Ct-STL represents a commensal pathobiont that elicits Th1-mediated intestinal homeostasis that may reflect asymptomatic human Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie V Russler-Germain
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jisun Jung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Aidan T Miller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shannon Young
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jaeu Yi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alec Wehmeier
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lindsey E Fox
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kristen J Monte
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jiani N Chai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Devesha H Kulkarni
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Georgia Wilke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Vivek Durai
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bernd H Zinselmeyer
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rafael S Czepielewski
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Suellen Greco
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kenneth M Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rodney D Newberry
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Chyi-Song Hsieh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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22
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Karpe AV, Hutton ML, Mileto SJ, James ML, Evans C, Shah RM, Ghodke AB, Hillyer KE, Metcalfe SS, Liu JW, Walsh T, Lyras D, Palombo EA, Beale DJ. Cryptosporidiosis Modulates the Gut Microbiome and Metabolism in a Murine Infection Model. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11060380. [PMID: 34208228 PMCID: PMC8230837 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11060380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a major human health concern globally. Despite well-established methods, misdiagnosis remains common. Our understanding of the cryptosporidiosis biochemical mechanism remains limited, compounding the difficulty of clinical diagnosis. Here, we used a systems biology approach to investigate the underlying biochemical interactions in C57BL/6J mice infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Faecal samples were collected daily following infection. Blood, liver tissues and luminal contents were collected 10 days post infection. High-resolution liquid chromatography and low-resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry were used to analyse the proteomes and metabolomes of these samples. Faeces and luminal contents were additionally subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of the acquired data illustrated altered host and microbial energy pathways during infection. Glycolysis/citrate cycle metabolites were depleted, while short-chain fatty acids and D-amino acids accumulated. An increased abundance of bacteria associated with a stressed gut environment was seen. Host proteins involved in energy pathways and Lactobacillus glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were upregulated during cryptosporidiosis. Liver oxalate also increased during infection. Microbiome–parasite relationships were observed to be more influential than the host–parasite association in mediating major biochemical changes in the mouse gut during cryptosporidiosis. Defining this parasite–microbiome interaction is the first step towards building a comprehensive cryptosporidiosis model towards biomarker discovery, and rapid and accurate diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avinash V. Karpe
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia; (A.V.K.); (R.M.S.); (K.E.H.); (S.S.M.)
| | - Melanie L. Hutton
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.L.H.); (S.J.M.); (M.L.J.); (C.E.); (D.L.)
| | - Steven J. Mileto
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.L.H.); (S.J.M.); (M.L.J.); (C.E.); (D.L.)
| | - Meagan L. James
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.L.H.); (S.J.M.); (M.L.J.); (C.E.); (D.L.)
| | - Chris Evans
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.L.H.); (S.J.M.); (M.L.J.); (C.E.); (D.L.)
| | - Rohan M. Shah
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia; (A.V.K.); (R.M.S.); (K.E.H.); (S.S.M.)
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia;
| | - Amol B. Ghodke
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Department of Horticulture, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
- BIO21 Institute, School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Katie E. Hillyer
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia; (A.V.K.); (R.M.S.); (K.E.H.); (S.S.M.)
| | - Suzanne S. Metcalfe
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia; (A.V.K.); (R.M.S.); (K.E.H.); (S.S.M.)
| | - Jian-Wei Liu
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Research and Innovation Park, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia; (J.-W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Tom Walsh
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Research and Innovation Park, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia; (J.-W.L.); (T.W.)
| | - Dena Lyras
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.L.H.); (S.J.M.); (M.L.J.); (C.E.); (D.L.)
| | - Enzo A. Palombo
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia;
| | - David J. Beale
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia; (A.V.K.); (R.M.S.); (K.E.H.); (S.S.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-3833-5774
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Carey MA, Medlock GL, Alam M, Kabir M, Uddin MJ, Nayak U, Papin J, Faruque ASG, Haque R, Petri WA, Gilchrist CA. Megasphaera in the stool microbiota is negatively associated with diarrheal cryptosporidiosis. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:e1242-e1251. [PMID: 33684930 PMCID: PMC8442784 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The protozoan parasites in the Cryptosporidium genus cause both acute diarrheal disease and subclinical (i.e. non-diarrheal) disease. It is unclear if the microbiota can influence the manifestation of diarrhea during a Cryptosporidium infection. METHODS To characterize the role of the gut microbiota in diarrheal cryptosporidiosis, the microbiome composition of both diarrheal and surveillance Cryptosporidium-positive fecal samples from 72 infants was evaluated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, the microbiome composition prior to infection was examined to test whether a preexisting microbiome profile could influence the Cryptosporidium infection phenotype. RESULTS Fecal microbiome composition was associated with diarrheal symptoms at two timepoints. Megasphaera was significantly less abundant in diarrheal samples when compared to subclinical samples at the time of Cryptosporidium detection (log2(fold change) = -4.3, p=10 -10) and prior to infection (log2(fold change) = -2.0, p=10 -4); this assigned sequence variant was detected in 8 children who had diarrhea and 30 children without diarrhea. Random forest classification also identified Megasphaera abundance in the pre- and post-exposure microbiota as predictive of a subclinical infection. CONCLUSIONS Microbiome composition broadly, and specifically low Megasphaera abundance, was associated with diarrheal symptoms prior to and at the time of Cryptosporidium detection. This observation suggests that the gut microenvironment may play a role in determining the severity of a Cryptosporidium infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen A Carey
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Gregory L Medlock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.,Current affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Masud Alam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Mamun Kabir
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Md Jashim Uddin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Uma Nayak
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jason Papin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - A S G Faruque
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Rashidul Haque
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - William A Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Carol A Gilchrist
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
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24
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Certad G, Viscogliosi E. Editorial for the Special Issue: Epidemiology, Transmission, Cell Biology and Pathogenicity of Cryptosporidium. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9030511. [PMID: 33804407 PMCID: PMC7999443 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Certad
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France;
- Délégation à la Recherche Clinique et à l’Innovation, Groupement des Hôpitaux de l’Institut Catholique de Lille, F-59462 Lomme, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Eric Viscogliosi
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019—UMR 9017—CIIL—Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France;
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25
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Fekete E, Allain T, Siddiq A, Sosnowski O, Buret AG. Giardia spp. and the Gut Microbiota: Dangerous Liaisons. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:618106. [PMID: 33510729 PMCID: PMC7835142 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.618106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alteration of the intestinal microbiome by enteropathogens is commonly associated with gastrointestinal diseases and disorders and has far-reaching consequences for overall health. Significant advances have been made in understanding the role of microbial dysbiosis during intestinal infections, including infection with the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis, one of the most prevalent gut protozoa. Altered species composition and diversity, functional changes in the commensal microbiota, and changes to intestinal bacterial biofilm structure have all been demonstrated during the course of Giardia infection and have been implicated in Giardia pathogenesis. Conversely, the gut microbiota has been found to regulate parasite colonization and establishment and plays a critical role in immune modulation during mono and polymicrobial infections. These disruptions to the commensal microbiome may contribute to a number of acute, chronic, and post-infectious clinical manifestations of giardiasis and may account for variations in disease presentation within and between infected populations. This review discusses recent advances in characterizing Giardia-induced bacterial dysbiosis in the gut and the roles of dysbiosis in Giardia pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Fekete
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Thibault Allain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Affan Siddiq
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Olivia Sosnowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Andre G. Buret
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Inflammation Research Network, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Host-Parasite Interactions, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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26
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Bulteel L, Houwenhuyse S, Declerck SAJ, Decaestecker E. The Role of Microbiome and Genotype in Daphnia magna upon Parasite Re-Exposure. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:70. [PMID: 33430247 PMCID: PMC7825712 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, it has been shown that the community of gut microorganisms plays a crucial role in host performance with respect to parasite tolerance. Knowledge, however, is lacking on the role of the gut microbiome in mediating host tolerance after parasite re-exposure, especially considering multiple parasite infections. We here aimed to fill this knowledge gap by studying the role of the gut microbiome on tolerance in Daphnia magna upon multiple parasite species re-exposure. Additionally, we investigated the role of the host genotype in the interaction between the gut microbiome and the host phenotypic performance. A microbiome transplant experiment was performed in which three germ-free D. magna genotypes were exposed to a gut microbial inoculum and a parasite community treatment. The gut microbiome inocula were pre-exposed to the same parasite communities or a control treatment. Daphnia performance was monitored, and amplicon sequencing was performed to characterize the gut microbial community. Our experimental results showed that the gut microbiome plays no role in Daphnia tolerance upon parasite re-exposure. We did, however, find a main effect of the gut microbiome on Daphnia body size reflecting parasite specific responses. Our results also showed that it is rather the Daphnia genotype, and not the gut microbiome, that affected parasite-induced host mortality. Additionally, we found a role of the genotype in structuring the gut microbial community, both in alpha diversity as in the microbial composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore Bulteel
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, University of Leuven-Campus Kulak, E. Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; (S.H.); (E.D.)
| | - Shira Houwenhuyse
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, University of Leuven-Campus Kulak, E. Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; (S.H.); (E.D.)
| | - Steven A. J. Declerck
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands;
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Department of Biology, KULeuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen Decaestecker
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, University of Leuven-Campus Kulak, E. Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; (S.H.); (E.D.)
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27
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Neonatal Mouse Gut Metabolites Influence Cryptosporidium parvum Infection in Intestinal Epithelial Cells. mBio 2020; 11:mBio.02582-20. [PMID: 33323514 PMCID: PMC7773987 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02582-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidium sp. occupies a unique intracellular niche that exposes the parasite to both host cell contents and the intestinal lumen, including metabolites from the diet and produced by the microbiota. Both dietary and microbial products change over the course of early development and could contribute to the changes seen in susceptibility to cryptosporidiosis in humans and mice. The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium sp. is a leading cause of diarrheal disease in those with compromised or underdeveloped immune systems, particularly infants and toddlers in resource-poor localities. As an enteric pathogen, Cryptosporidium sp. invades the apical surface of intestinal epithelial cells, where it resides in close proximity to metabolites in the intestinal lumen. However, the effect of gut metabolites on susceptibility to Cryptosporidium infection remains largely unstudied. Here, we first identified which gut metabolites are prevalent in neonatal mice when they are most susceptible to Cryptosporidium parvum infection and then tested the isolated effects of these metabolites on C. parvum invasion and growth in intestinal epithelial cells. Our findings demonstrate that medium or long-chain saturated fatty acids inhibit C. parvum growth, perhaps by negatively affecting the streamlined metabolism in C. parvum, which is unable to synthesize fatty acids. Conversely, long-chain unsaturated fatty acids enhanced C. parvum invasion, possibly by modulating membrane fluidity. Hence, gut metabolites, either from diet or produced by the microbiota, influence C. parvum growth in vitro and may also contribute to the early susceptibility to cryptosporidiosis seen in young animals.
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