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Gomaa MM, Nabil El Achy S, Hezema NN. Could metformin modulate the outcome of chronic murine toxoplasmosis? Acta Trop 2024; 258:107339. [PMID: 39084481 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107339] [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: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a pervasive parasitic infection possessing a chief impact on both public health and veterinary medicine. Unfortunately, the commercially-available anti-Toxoplasma agents have either serious side effects or diminished efficiency, specifically on the Toxoplasma tissue cysts. In the present study, metformin (The first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus) was investigated for the first time against chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis in mice model experimentally-infected with ME49 strain versus spiramycin. Two metformin regimens were applied; starting one week before the infection and four weeks PI. Parasitological, ultrastructural, histopathological, immunohistochemical, immunological, and biochemical assessments were performed. The anti-parasitic effect of metformin was granted by the statistically-significant reduction in tissue-cyst burden in both treatment regimens. This was accompanied by markedly-mutilated ultrastructure and profound amelioration of the cerebral histopathology with remarkable decline in the brain CD4+ and CD8+ T cell count. Besides, diminution of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and brain GSH levels was evident. Ultimately, the present findings highlighted the powerful promising therapeutic role of metformin in the management of chronic toxoplasmosis on a basis of anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant possessions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Mohamed Gomaa
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Samar Nabil El Achy
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Nehal Nassef Hezema
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
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2
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Mani R, Mercier C, Delauw MF, Suzuki Y. Immunization with the amino-terminus region of dense granule protein 6 (GRA6) of Toxoplasma gondii activates CD8 + cytotoxic T cells capable of removing tissue cysts of the parasite through antigen presentation by human HLA-A2.1. Microbes Infect 2023; 25:105182. [PMID: 37423326 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2023.105182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
CD8+ T cells from HLA-A2.1-transgenic mice, but not wild-type mice, immunized with the amino-terminus region (aa 41-152) of dense granule protein 6 (GRA6Nt) of Toxoplasma gondii secreted large amounts of perforin and granzyme B in response to GRA6Nt through antigen presentation by HLA-A2.1 in vitro. When those CD8+ T cells were transferred into chronically infected HLA-A2.1-expressing NSG mice deficient in T cells, cerebral cyst burden of the recipients of HLA-A2.1-transgenic T cells, but not of WT T cells, became significantly less than that of control mice with no cell transfer. Furthermore, the significant reduction of the cyst burden by a transfer of the HLA-A2.1-transgenic CD8+ immune T cells required an expression of HLA-A2.1 in the recipient NSG mice. Thus, antigen presentation of GRA6Nt by human HLA-A2.1is able to activate anti-cyst CD8+ T cells that eliminate T. gondii cysts through antigen presentation by human HLA-A2.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Mani
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY40536, USA
| | - Corinne Mercier
- CNRS, UMR 5525, VetAgro Sup, Grenoble INP, TIMC, Universite Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Marie-France Delauw
- ApicoLipid Team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM U1209, Grenoble, France
| | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY40536, USA.
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3
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Yang L, Ren H, Zhu N, Xin S, Mao G, Ma Y, Li J, Liang Q, Yang Y. Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from a Patas Monkey ( Erythrocebus patas) in China. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1606. [PMID: 37628657 PMCID: PMC10454590 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081606] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Many cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection have been reported worldwide in non-human primates (NHPs), especially in captive New World monkeys. However, few studies on toxoplasmosis in Old World monkeys have been conducted. In this study, serological and molecular biological analyses were carried out to look for T. gondii antibodies and T. gondii infection in 13 NHPs from China. T. gondii infection was confirmed in 8 NHP cases. T. gondii antibodies were detected in 1/5 New World monkeys and in 4/7 Old World monkeys. T. gondii DNA was detected in 3/5 New World monkeys and 5/7 Old World monkeys. The one ring-tailed lemur was negative for both antibodies and DNA of T. gondii. The most common clinical manifestations of T. gondii infection were malaise, poor appetite, emaciation, and foamy nasal discharge. The most common histopathological findings were interstitial pneumonia, necrotic hepatitis, necrotizing myocarditis, lymphadenitis, and necrotic splenitis. One viable T. gondii strain was successfully isolated from the myocardium of a patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) by bioassay in mice. T. gondii tachyzoites were obtained from cell cultures and were designated as TgMonkeyCHn2. The genotype of this strain belongs to ToxoDB genotype #9, and the allele of ROP18/ROP5 gene was 3/6. TgMonkeyCHn2 tachyzoites were avirulent in Swiss mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in a patas monkey. T. gondii infection in patas monkeys may indicate environmental contamination by oocysts. The patas monkey is a new host record for T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liulu Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Hongjie Ren
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Niuping Zhu
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Shilin Xin
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Gaohui Mao
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Yiheng Ma
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Junbao Li
- Zhengzhou Zoo, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Qunchao Liang
- Henan Yinji Jiabao Amusement Park Management Co., Ltd., Xinmi 452300, China
| | - Yurong Yang
- Veterinary Pathology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
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4
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Cui P, Lu W, Wang J, Wang F, Zhang X, Hou X, Xu F, Liang Y, Chai G, Hao J. Microglia/macrophages require vitamin D signaling to restrain neuroinflammation and brain injury in a murine ischemic stroke model. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:63. [PMID: 36890539 PMCID: PMC9993716 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02705-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with worse clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke; nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, we characterized the molecular mechanisms of how vitamin D signaling modulated stroke progression in male mouse ischemia-reperfusion stroke models. We found that vitamin D receptor (VDR) exhibited a predominant upregulation in peri-infarct microglia/macrophages following cerebral ischemia. Conditional Vdr inactivation in microglia/macrophages markedly augmented infarct volumes and neurological deficits. VDR-deficient microglia/macrophages exhibited a more primed proinflammatory phenotype with substantial secretion of TNF-α and IFN-γ. These inflammatory cytokines further enhanced CXCL10 release from endothelial cells and blood-brain barrier disruption, and ultimately infiltration of peripheral T lymphocytes. Notably, blocking TNF-α and IFN-γ significantly ameliorated stroke phenotypes in Vdr conditional knockout mice. Collectively, VDR signaling in microglia/macrophages plays a crucial role in restraining ischemia-elicited neuroinflammation and stroke progression. Our findings delineate a novel mechanism underlying the association between vitamin D deficiency and poor stroke outcomes, and underline the significance of maintaining a functional vitamin D signaling in the management of acute ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Cui
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450007, Henan, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Wanting Lu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xiyue Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodan Hou
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Xu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Guoliang Chai
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. .,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China. .,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
| | - Junwei Hao
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China. .,Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China. .,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
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Suzuki Y, Lutshumba J, Chen KC, Abdelaziz MH, Sa Q, Ochiai E. IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells activates cerebral mRNA expression of a wide spectrum of molecules critical for both innate and T cell-mediated protective immunity to control reactivation of chronic infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1110508. [PMID: 36875520 PMCID: PMC9975934 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1110508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that brain-resident cells produce IFN-γ in response to reactivation of cerebral infection with Toxoplasma gondii. To obtain an overall landscape view of the effects of IFN-γ from brain-resident cells on the cerebral protective immunity, in the present study we employed NanoString nCounter assay and quantified mRNA levels for 734 genes in myeloid immunity in the brains of T and B cell-deficient, bone marrow chimeric mice with and without IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells in response to reactivation of cerebral T. gondii infection. Our study revealed that IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells amplified mRNA expression for the molecules to activate the protective innate immunity including 1) chemokines for recruitment of microglia and macrophages (CCL8 and CXCL12) and 2) the molecules for activating those phagocytes (IL-18, TLRs, NOD1, and CD40) for killing tachyzoites. Importantly, IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells also upregulated cerebral expression of molecules for facilitating the protective T cell immunity, which include the molecules for 1) recruiting effector T cells (CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11), 2) antigen processing (PA28αβ, LMP2, and LMP7), transporting the processed peptides (TAP1 and TAP2), assembling the transported peptides to the MHC class I molecules (Tapasin), and the MHC class I (H2-K1 and H2-D1) and Ib molecules (H2-Q1, H-2Q2, and H2-M3) for presenting antigens to activate the recruited CD8+ T cells, 3) MHC class II molecules (H2-Aa, H2-Ab1, H2-Eb1, H2-Ea-ps, H2-DMa, H2-Ob, and CD74) to present antigens for CD4+ T cell activation, 4) co-stimulatory molecules (ICOSL) for T cell activation, and 5) cytokines (IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18) facilitating IFN-γ production by NK and T cells. Notably, the present study also revealed that IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells also upregulates cerebral expressions of mRNA for the downregulatory molecules (IL-10, STAT3, SOCS1, CD274 [PD-L1], IL-27, and CD36), which can prevent overly stimulated IFN-γ-mediated pro-inflammatory responses and tissue damages. Thus, the present study uncovered the previously unrecognized the capability of IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells to upregulate expressions of a wide spectrum of molecules for coordinating both innate and T cell-mediated protective immunity with a fine-tuning regulation system to effectively control cerebral infection with T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
- *Correspondence: Yasuhiro Suzuki,
| | - Jenny Lutshumba
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Kuey Chu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
- Genomics Core Laboratory, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Mohamed H. Abdelaziz
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Qila Sa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Eri Ochiai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
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6
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de Medeiros Brito RM, Meurer YDSR, Batista JAL, de Sá AL, de Medeiros Souza CR, de Souto JT, de Andrade-Neto VF. Chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection contributes to perineuronal nets impairment in the primary somatosensory cortex. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:487. [PMID: 36566237 PMCID: PMC9790132 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05596-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is able to manipulate the host immune system to establish a persistent and efficient infection, contributing to the development of brain abnormalities with behavioral repercussions. In this context, this work aimed to evaluate the effects of T. gondii infection on the systemic inflammatory response and structure of the primary somatosensory cortex (PSC). C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were infected with T. gondii ME49 strain tissue cysts and accompanied for 30 days. After this period, levels of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α and TGF-β were measured. After blood collection, mice were perfused and the brains were submitted to immunohistochemistry for perineuronal net (PNN) evaluation and cyst quantification. The results showed that C57BL/6 mice presented higher levels of TNF-α and IL-12, while the levels of TGF-β were similar between the two mouse lineages, associated with the elevated number of tissue cysts, with a higher occurrence of cysts in the posterior area of the PSC when compared to BALB/c mice, which presented a more homogeneous cyst distribution. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed a greater loss of PNN labeling in C57BL/6 animals compared to BALB/c. These data raised a discussion about the ability of T. gondii to stimulate a systemic inflammatory response capable of indirectly interfering in the brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XPostgraduate Program in Parasitary Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil ,grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
| | - Ywlliane da Silva Rodrigues Meurer
- grid.411216.10000 0004 0397 5145Postgraduate Program in Cognitive Neuroscience and Behavior, Memory and Cognition Studies Laboratory, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba Brazil
| | - Jully Anne Lemos Batista
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
| | - Andréa Lima de Sá
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
| | - Cássio Ricardo de Medeiros Souza
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Immunopharmacology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
| | - Janeusa Trindade de Souto
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Immunopharmacology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
| | - Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
- grid.411233.60000 0000 9687 399XLaboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil
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Soares GLDS, Leão ERLPD, Freitas SF, Alves RMC, Tavares NDP, Costa MVN, Menezes GCD, Oliveira JHPD, Guerreiro LCF, Assis ACLD, Araújo SC, Franco FTDC, Anaissi AKM, Carmo ELD, Morais RDAPB, Demachki S, Diniz JAP, Nunes HM, Anthony DC, Diniz DG, Diniz CWP. Behavioral and Neuropathological Changes After Toxoplasma gondii Ocular Conjunctival Infection in BALB/c Mice. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:812152. [PMID: 35372100 PMCID: PMC8965508 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.812152] [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: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular infection with Toxoplasma gondii causes toxoplasmosis in mice. However, following ocular infection with tachyzoites, the cause of the accompanying progressive changes in hippocampal-dependent tasks, and their relationship with the morphology and number of microglia, is less well understood. Here, in 6-month-old, female BALB/c mice, 5 μl of a suspension containing 48.5 × 106 tachyzoites/ml was introduced into the conjunctival sac; control received an equal volume of saline. Before and after instillation, all mice were subject to an olfactory discrimination (OD) test, using predator (cat) feces, and to an open-field (OF) task. After the behavioral tests, the animals were culled at either 22 or 44 days post-instillation (dpi), and the brains and retinas were dissected and processed for immunohistochemistry. The total number of Iba-1-immunolabeled microglia in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus was estimated, and three-dimensional reconstructions of the cells were evaluated. Immobility was increased in the infected group at 12, 22, and 43 dpi, but the greatest immobility was observed at 22 dpi and was associated with reduced line crossing in the OF and distance traveled. In the OD test, infected animals spent more time in the compartment with feline fecal material at 14 and at 43 dpi. No OD changes were observed in the control group. The number of microglia was increased at 22 dpi but returned to control levels by 44 dpi. These changes were associated with the differentiation of T. gondii tachyzoites into bradyzoite-enclosed cysts within the brain and retina. Thus, infection of mice with T. gondii alters exploratory behavior, gives rise to a loss in predator’s odor avoidance from 2 weeks after infection, increased microglia number, and altered their morphology in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus.
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Deficiency in indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase induces upregulation of guanylate binding protein 1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the brain during cerebral infection with Toxoplasma gondii in genetically resistant BALB/c mice but not in genetically susceptible C57BL/6 mice. Microbes Infect 2021; 24:104908. [PMID: 34781010 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2021.104908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We examined the roles of indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in controlling cerebral Toxoplasma gondii infection in both genetically resistant and susceptible strains of mice. In susceptible C57BL/6 mice, IDO expression was immunohistochemically detected only in a minority (22.5 %) of tachyzoite-infected cells in their brains during the later stage of infection. When C57BL-6-background IDO1-deficient (IDO1-/-) mice were infected, their cerebral tachyzoite burden was equivalent to those of wild-type (WT) animals. In contrast, in resistant BALB/c mice, IDO expression was detected in a majority (84.0%) of tachyzoite-infected cerebral cells. However, tachyzoite burden in BALB/c-background IDO1-/- mice remained as low as that of WT mice, which was 78 times less than those of C57BL/6 mice. Of interest, IDO1-/- mice of only resistant BALB/c-background had markedly greater cerebral expressions of two other IFN-γ-mediated effector molecules, guanylate binding protein 1 (Gbp1) and nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2), than their WT mice. Therefore, it would be possible that IDO1 deficiency was effectively compensated by the upregulated expression of Gbp1 and NOS2 to control cerebral tachyzoite growth in genetically resistant BALB/c mice, whereas IDO1 did not significantly contribute to controlling cerebral tachyzoite growth in genetically susceptible C57BL/6 mice because of its suppressed expression in infected cells.
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Effect of 17β-Estradiol, Progesterone, and Tamoxifen on Neurons Infected with Toxoplasma gondii In Vitro. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9102174. [PMID: 34683495 PMCID: PMC8541540 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is the causal agent of toxoplasmosis, which produces damage in the central nervous system (CNS). Toxoplasma-CNS interaction is critical for the development of disease symptoms. T. gondii can form cysts in the CNS; however, neurons are more resistant to this infection than astrocytes. The probable mechanism for neuron resistance is a permanent state of neurons in the interface, avoiding the replication of intracellular parasites. Steroids regulate the formation of Toxoplasma cysts in mice brains. 17β-estradiol and progesterone also participate in the control of Toxoplasma infection in glial cells in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 17β-estradiol, progesterone, and their specific agonists-antagonists on Toxoplasma infection in neurons in vitro. Neurons cultured were pretreated for 48 h with 17β-estradiol or progesterone at 10, 20, 40, 80, or 160 nM/mL or tamoxifen 1 μM/mL plus 17β-estradiol at 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 nM/mL. In other conditions, the neurons were pretreated during 48 h with 4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H] pyrozole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol or 23-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionitrile at 1 nM/mL, and mifepristone 1 µM/mL plus progesterone at 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 nM/mL. Neurons were infected with 5000 tachyzoites of the T. gondii strain RH. The effect of 17β estradiol, progesterone, their agonists, or antagonists on Toxoplasma infection in neurons was evaluated at 24 and 48 h by immunocytochemistry. T. gondii replication was measured with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay. 17β-Estradiol alone or plus tamoxifen reduced infected neurons (50%) compared to the control at 48 h. Progesterone plus estradiol decreased the number of intracellular parasites at 48 h of treatment compared to the control (p < 0.001). 4,4',4″-(4-propyl-[1H] pyrozole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol and 23-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionitrile reduced infected neurons at 48 h of treatment significantly compared to the control (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The Toxoplasma infection process was decreased by the effect of 17β-estradiol alone or combined with tamoxifen or progesterone in neurons in vitro. These results suggest the essential participation of progesterone and estradiol and their classical receptors in the regulation of T. gondii neuron infection.
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10
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Abou-El-Naga IF, Gomaa MM, ElAchy SN. Effect of HIV aspartyl protease inhibitors on experimental infection with a cystogenic Me49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Pathog Glob Health 2021; 116:107-118. [PMID: 34420500 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1967628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease of major significant perspectives in public health and veterinary medicine. So far, the available drugs control only the active infection, once the parasite encysts in the tissues, they lose their efficacy. Cytokines; IFN-γ and IL-10, play a critical role in the modulation of toxoplasmic encephalitis and neuro-inflammation in chronic toxoplasmosis. Antiretroviral protease inhibitors applied in the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, revealed activity against multiple parasites. Aluvia (lopinavir/ritonavir) (L/R); an aspartyl protease inhibitor, had efficiently treated T. gondii RH strain infection. We investigated the potential activity of L/R against experimental T. gondii infection with a cystogenic Me49 strain in mice, considering the role of IFN-γ and IL-10 in the neuropathology versus pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine combination therapy. Three aluvia regimens were applied; starting on the day of infection (acute phase), 2-week PI (early chronic phase) and eight weeks PI (late chronic phase). L/R reduced the brain-tissue cyst burden significantly in all treatment regimens. It impaired the parasite infectivity markedly in the late chronic phase. Ultrastructural changes were detected in Toxoplasma cyst membrane and wall, bradyzoite membrane and nuclear envelope. The signs of bradyzoite paraptosis and cytoplasmic lipid droplets were observed. L/R had significantly reduced the brain-homogenate levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 in its three regimens however, they could not reach the normal level in chronic phases. Cerebral hypercellularity, perivascular inflammatory response, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates and glial cellular reaction were ameliorated by L/R treatment. Herein, L/R was proved to possess promising preventive and therapeutic perspectives in chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Fathy Abou-El-Naga
- Department Of Medical Parasitology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Maha Mohamed Gomaa
- Department Of Medical Parasitology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Samar Nabil ElAchy
- Department Of Pathology, Faculty Of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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11
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Hamie M, Tawil N, El Hajj R, Najm R, Moodad S, Hleihel R, Karam M, El Sayyed S, Besteiro S, El-Sabban M, Dubremetz JF, Lebrun M, El Hajj H. P18 (SRS35/TgSAG4) Plays a Role in the Invasion and Virulence of Toxoplasma gondii. Front Immunol 2021; 12:643292. [PMID: 34262559 PMCID: PMC8273438 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.643292] [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: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a prevalent parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Under the control of the host immune system, T. gondii persists as latent bradyzoite cysts. Immunosuppression leads to their reactivation, a potentially life-threatening condition. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) controls the different stages of toxoplasmosis. Here, we addressed the role of the parasite surface antigen P18, belonging to the Surface-Antigen 1 (SAG-1) Related Sequence (SRS) family, in a cyst-forming strain. Deletion of P18 gene (KO P18) impaired the invasion of parasites in macrophages and IFN-γ-mediated activation of macrophages further reduced the invasion capacity of this KO, as compared to WT strain. Mice infected by KO P18, showed a marked decrease in virulence during acute toxoplasmosis. This was consequent to less parasitemia, accompanied by a substantial recruitment of dendritic cells, macrophages and natural killer cells (NK). Furthermore, KO P18 resulted in a higher number of bradyzoite cysts, and a stronger inflammatory response. A prolonged survival of mice was observed upon immunosuppression of KO P18 infected BALB/c mice or upon oral infection of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, with intact macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. In stark contrast, oral infection of NSG (NOD/Shi-scid/IL-2Rγnull) mice, defective in macrophages and NK cells, with KO P18, was as lethal as that of the control strain showing that the conversion from bradyzoites to tachyzoites is intact and, suggesting a role of P18 in the response to host IFN-γ. Collectively, these data demonstrate a role for P18 surface antigen in the invasion of macrophages and in the virulence of the parasite, during acute and chronic toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maguy Hamie
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nadim Tawil
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rana El Hajj
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rania Najm
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sara Moodad
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rita Hleihel
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Martin Karam
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sana El Sayyed
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Marwan El-Sabban
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Maryse Lebrun
- LPHI UMR5235, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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12
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Elsheikha HM, Marra CM, Zhu XQ. Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cerebral Toxoplasmosis. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e00115-19. [PMID: 33239310 PMCID: PMC7690944 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00115-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is known to infect a considerable number of mammalian and avian species and a substantial proportion of the world's human population. The parasite has an impressive ability to disseminate within the host's body and employs various tactics to overcome the highly regulatory blood-brain barrier and reside in the brain. In healthy individuals, T. gondii infection is largely tolerated without any obvious ill effects. However, primary infection in immunosuppressed patients can result in acute cerebral or systemic disease, and reactivation of latent tissue cysts can lead to a deadly outcome. It is imperative that treatment of life-threatening toxoplasmic encephalitis is timely and effective. Several therapeutic and prophylactic regimens have been used in clinical practice. Current approaches can control infection caused by the invasive and highly proliferative tachyzoites but cannot eliminate the dormant tissue cysts. Adverse events and other limitations are associated with the standard pyrimethamine-based therapy, and effective vaccines are unavailable. In this review, the epidemiology, economic impact, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of cerebral toxoplasmosis are discussed, and critical areas for future research are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Christina M Marra
- Departments of Neurology and Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China
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13
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Laing C, Blanchard N, McConkey GA. Noradrenergic Signaling and Neuroinflammation Crosstalk Regulate Toxoplasma gondii-Induced Behavioral Changes. Trends Immunol 2020; 41:1072-1082. [PMID: 33214056 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Infections of the nervous system elicit neuroimmune responses and alter neurotransmission, affecting host neurological functions. Chronic infection with the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma correlates with certain neurological disorders in humans and alters behavior in rodents. Here, we propose that the crosstalk between neurotransmission and neuroinflammation may underlie some of these cognitive changes. We discuss how T. gondii infection suppresses noradrenergic signaling and how the restoration of this pathway improves behavioral aberrations, suggesting that altered neurotransmission and neuroimmune responses may act in concert to perturb behavior. This interaction might apply to other infectious agents, such as viruses, that elicit cognitive changes. We hypothesize that neurotransmitter signaling in immune cells can contribute to behavioral changes associated with brain infection, offering opportunities for potential therapeutic targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor Laing
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Nicolas Blanchard
- Centre de Physiopathologie Toulouse Purpan (CPTP), Inserm, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
| | - Glenn A McConkey
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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14
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Salvioni A, Belloy M, Lebourg A, Bassot E, Cantaloube-Ferrieu V, Vasseur V, Blanié S, Liblau RS, Suberbielle E, Robey EA, Blanchard N. Robust Control of a Brain-Persisting Parasite through MHC I Presentation by Infected Neurons. Cell Rep 2020; 27:3254-3268.e8. [PMID: 31189109 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of CNS pathogens by CD8 T cells is key to avoid fatal neuroinflammation. Yet, the modalities of MHC I presentation in the brain are poorly understood. Here, we analyze the antigen presentation mechanisms underlying CD8 T cell-mediated control of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite in the CNS. We show that MHC I presentation of an efficiently processed model antigen (GRA6-OVA), even when not expressed in the bradyzoite stage, reduces cyst burden and dampens encephalitis in C57BL/6 mice. Antigen presentation assays with infected primary neurons reveal a correlation between lower MHC I presentation of tachyzoite antigens by neurons and poor parasite control in vivo. Using conditional MHC I-deficient mice, we find that neuronal MHC I presentation is required for robust restriction of T. gondii in the CNS during chronic phase, showing the importance of MHC I presentation by CNS neurons in the control of a prevalent brain pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Salvioni
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Marcy Belloy
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Aurore Lebourg
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Emilie Bassot
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Vincent Cantaloube-Ferrieu
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Virginie Vasseur
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Blanié
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Roland S Liblau
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Elsa Suberbielle
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Ellen A Robey
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Nicolas Blanchard
- Center for Pathophysiology Toulouse-Purpan (CPTP), INSERM, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France.
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15
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Zhao XY, Ewald SE. The molecular biology and immune control of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:3370-3380. [PMID: 32609097 PMCID: PMC7324197 DOI: 10.1172/jci136226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an incredibly successful parasite owing in part to its ability to persist within cells for the life of the host. Remarkably, at least 350 host species of T. gondii have been described to date, and it is estimated that 30% of the global human population is chronically infected. The importance of T. gondii in human health was made clear with the first reports of congenital toxoplasmosis in the 1940s. However, the AIDS crisis in the 1980s revealed the prevalence of chronic infection, as patients presented with reactivated chronic toxoplasmosis, underscoring the importance of an intact immune system for parasite control. In the last 40 years, there has been tremendous progress toward understanding the biology of T. gondii infection using rodent models, human cell experimental systems, and clinical data. However, there are still major holes in our understanding of T. gondii biology, including the genes controlling parasite development, the mechanisms of cell-intrinsic immunity to T. gondii in the brain and muscle, and the long-term effects of infection on host homeostasis. The need to better understand the biology of chronic infection is underscored by the recent rise in ocular disease associated with emerging haplotypes of T. gondii and our lack of effective treatments to sterilize chronic infection. This Review discusses the cell types and molecular mediators, both host and parasite, that facilitate persistent T. gondii infection. We highlight the consequences of chronic infection for tissue-specific pathology and identify open questions in this area of host-Toxoplasma interactions.
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16
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Sa Q, Mercier C, Cesbron-Delauw MF, Suzuki Y. The amino-terminal region of dense granule protein 6 of Toxoplasma gondii stimulates IFN-γ production by microglia. Microbes Infect 2020; 22:375-378. [PMID: 31972245 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We examined activities of dense granule proteins (GRAs), which Toxoplasma gondii secretes within infected cells, to stimulate microglial IFN-γ production in vitro. We identified that the N-terminal region (amino acids 41-152) of GRA6 (GRA6Nt) stimulates IFN-γ production by both a microglia cell line and primary microglia purified from the brains of uninfected adult mice. In contrast, neither of GRA1, GRA2, GRA5Nt, nor the carboxyl-terminal (amino acids 174-224) of GRA6 stimulated microglial IFN-γ production. GRA6Nt appears to be a target molecule of the sentinel function of microglia to detect cerebral proliferation of T. gondii and activate their IFN-γ production for facilitating the protective immunity to control the pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qila Sa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY40536, USA
| | - Corinne Mercier
- TIMC-IMAG, CNRS-UMR5525, Universite Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY40536, USA.
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17
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Watson AES, Goodkey K, Footz T, Voronova A. Regulation of CNS precursor function by neuronal chemokines. Neurosci Lett 2020; 715:134533. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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18
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Suzuki Y. The immune system utilizes two distinct effector mechanisms of T cells depending on two different life cycle stages of a single pathogen, Toxoplasma gondii, to control its cerebral infection. Parasitol Int 2019; 76:102030. [PMID: 31778800 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2019.102030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii takes two different life cycle stages within intermediate hosts including humans. Tachyzoites proliferate during the acute stage, and they transform into cysts to establish a chronic infection preferentially in the brain. IFN-γ production by infiltrated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is required for the prevention of cerebral tachyzoite growth. IFN-γ production by brain-resident cells, most likely microglia, plays a key first line defense role to facilitate both innate and T cell-mediated protective immunity to control the tachyzoite growth. IFN-γ produced by brain-resident cells activates cerebral expression of IFN-dependent effector molecules to suppress tachyzoite growth during the early stage of infection. Their IFN-γ production also induces an expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 chemokines to recruit immune T cells into the brain, and upregulates cerebral expression of MHC class I and II molecules for antigen presentation to the recruited T cells to activate their IFN-γ production. CD8+ T cells also have the activity to remove T. gondii cysts from the brains of infected hosts. Of interest, the anti-cyst activity of CD8+ T cells does not require their IFN-γ but does require perforin. Notably, we discovered that CD8+ cytotoxic T cells penetrate in the cysts in a perforin-mediated manner, which induces morphological deterioration and destruction of the cysts and an accumulation of microglia and macrophages for their elimination. Thus, the immune system employs two distinct effector mechanisms mediated by IFN-γ or perforin depending on two different life cycle stages of a single pathogen, T. gondii, to control its cerebral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA.
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19
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Figarella K, Wolburg H, Garaschuk O, Duszenko M. Microglia in neuropathology caused by protozoan parasites. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 95:333-349. [PMID: 31682077 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is the most severe consequence of some parasitic infections. Protozoal infections comprise a group of diseases that together affect billions of people worldwide and, according to the World Health Organization, are responsible for more than 500000 deaths annually. They include African and American trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, and amoebiasis. Mechanisms underlying invasion of the brain parenchyma by protozoa are not well understood and may depend on parasite nature: a vascular invasion route is most common. Immunosuppression favors parasite invasion into the CNS and therefore the host immune response plays a pivotal role in the development of a neuropathology in these infectious diseases. In the brain, microglia are the resident immune cells active in defense against pathogens that target the CNS. Beside their direct role in innate immunity, they also play a principal role in coordinating the trafficking and recruitment of other immune cells from the periphery to the CNS. Despite their evident involvement in the neuropathology of protozoan infections, little attention has given to microglia-parasite interactions. This review describes the most prominent features of microglial cells and protozoan parasites and summarizes the most recent information regarding the reaction of microglial cells to parasitic infections. We highlight the involvement of the periphery-brain axis and emphasize possible scenarios for microglia-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Figarella
- Institute of Physiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hartwig Wolburg
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Olga Garaschuk
- Institute of Physiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Duszenko
- Institute of Physiology, Department of Neurophysiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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20
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Tuladhar S, Kochanowsky JA, Bhaskara A, Ghotmi Y, Chandrasekaran S, Koshy AA. The ROP16III-dependent early immune response determines the subacute CNS immune response and type III Toxoplasma gondii survival. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007856. [PMID: 31648279 PMCID: PMC6812932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that persistently infects the CNS and that has genetically distinct strains which provoke different acute immune responses. How differences in the acute immune response affect the CNS immune response is unknown. To address this question, we used two persistent Toxoplasma strains (type II and type III) and examined the CNS immune response at 21 days post infection (dpi). Contrary to acute infection studies, type III-infected mice had higher numbers of total CNS T cells and macrophages/microglia but fewer alternatively activated macrophages (M2s) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) than type II-infected mice. By profiling splenocytes at 5, 10, and 21 dpi, we determined that at 5 dpi type III-infected mice had more M2s while type II-infected mice had more pro-inflammatory macrophages and that these responses flipped over time. To test how these early differences influence the CNS immune response, we engineered the type III strain to lack ROP16 (IIIΔrop16), the polymorphic effector protein that drives the early type III-associated M2 response. IIIΔrop16-infected mice showed a type II-like neuroinflammatory response with fewer infiltrating T cells and macrophages/microglia and more M2s and an unexpectedly low CNS parasite burden. At 5 dpi, IIIΔrop16-infected mice showed a mixed inflammatory response with more pro-inflammatory macrophages, M2s, T effector cells, and Tregs, and decreased rates of infection of peritoneal exudative cells (PECs). These data suggested that type III parasites need the early ROP16-associated M2 response to avoid clearance, possibly by the Immunity-Related GTPases (IRGs), which are IFN-γ- dependent proteins essential for murine defenses against Toxoplasma. To test this possibility, we infected IRG-deficient mice and found that IIIΔrop16 parasites now maintained parental levels of PECs infection. Collectively, these studies suggest that, for the type III strain, rop16III plays a key role in parasite persistence and influences the subacute CNS immune response. Toxoplasma is a ubiquitous intracellular parasite that establishes an asymptomatic brain infection in immunocompetent individuals. However, in the immunocompromised and the developing fetus, Toxoplasma can cause problems ranging from fever to chorioretinitis to severe toxoplasmic encephalitis. Emerging evidence suggests that the genotype of the infecting Toxoplasma strain may influence these outcomes, possibly through the secretion of Toxoplasma strain-specific polymorphic effector proteins that trigger different host cell signaling pathways. While such strain-specific modulation of host cell signaling has been shown to affect acute immune responses, it is unclear how these differences influence the subacute or chronic responses in the CNS, the major organ affected in symptomatic disease. This study shows that genetically distinct strains of Toxoplasma provoke strain-specific CNS immune responses and that, for one strain (type III), acute and subacute immune responses and parasite survival are heavily influenced by a polymorphic parasite gene (rop16III).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shraddha Tuladhar
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Joshua A. Kochanowsky
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Apoorva Bhaskara
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Yarah Ghotmi
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | | | - Anita A. Koshy
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Tyebji S, Seizova S, Garnham AL, Hannan AJ, Tonkin CJ. Impaired social behaviour and molecular mediators of associated neural circuits during chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in female mice. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 80:88-108. [PMID: 30807837 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a neurotropic parasite that is associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Rodents infected with T. gondii display a plethora of behavioural alterations, and Toxoplasma infection in humans has been strongly associated with disorders such as schizophrenia, in which impaired social behaviour is an important feature. Elucidating changes at the cellular level relevant to neuropsychiatric conditions can lead to effective therapies. Here, we compare changes in behaviour during an acute and chronic T. gondii infection in female mice. Further, we notice that during chronic phase of infection, mice display impaired sociability when exposed to a novel conspecific. Also, we show that T. gondii infected mice display impaired short-term social recognition memory. However, object recognition memory remains intact. Using c-Fos as a marker of neuronal activity, we show that infection leads to an impairment in neuronal activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus as well as the amygdala when mice are exposed to a social environment and a change in functional connectivity between these regions. We found changes in synaptic proteins that play a role in the process of neuronal activation such as synaptophysin, PSD-95 and changes in downstream substrates of cell activity such as cyclic AMP, phospho-CREB and BDNF. Our results point towards an imbalance in neuronal activity that can lead to a wider range of neuropsychiatric problems upon T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiraz Tyebji
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Simona Seizova
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
| | - Alexandra L Garnham
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Christopher J Tonkin
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia.
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22
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Tiwari A, Hannah R, Lutshumba J, Ochiai E, Weiss LM, Suzuki Y. Penetration of CD8 + Cytotoxic T Cells into Large Target, Tissue Cysts of Toxoplasma gondii, Leads to Its Elimination. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2019; 189:1594-1607. [PMID: 31301754 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
CD8+ cytotoxic T cells kill target cells through direct cell-cell contact. However, it remains unclear how these T cells eliminate a target of large mass. We investigated how CD8+ T cells remove tissue cysts of Toxoplasma gondii, which can grow to the size of >50 μm in diameter within infected cells. Notably, immunohistologic analyses in the brains of infected mice visualized the presence of numbers of CD8+ immune T cells that had migrated halfway through the cyst wall as well as T cells located fully within the cysts. Perforin was required for their invasion and cyst elimination. Cysts invaded by the T cells displayed morphologic deterioration and destruction. Within these deteriorated cysts, granular structures intensely positive for granzyme B were detected in association with T. gondii bradyzoites. Furthermore, the bradyzoites within the destroyed cysts were located within accumulated ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1)-positive microglia and Ly6C+ macrophages, suggesting that these phagocytes had phagocytosed those organisms for their eradication. The present study uncovered a previously unappreciated capability of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells to penetrate into a large target, T. gondii cysts, for their elimination. This invasive capability of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in collaboration with phagocytes appears to be a powerful effector mechanism that functions against not only T. gondii cysts but also other large targets, including solid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Tiwari
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Rancie Hannah
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Jenny Lutshumba
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Eri Ochiai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Louis M Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.
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23
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Denver P, McClean PL. Distinguishing normal brain aging from the development of Alzheimer's disease: inflammation, insulin signaling and cognition. Neural Regen Res 2018; 13:1719-1730. [PMID: 30136683 PMCID: PMC6128051 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.238608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
As populations age, prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rising. Over 100 years of research has provided valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease, for which age is the principal risk factor. However, in recent years, a multitude of clinical trial failures has led to pharmaceutical corporations becoming more and more unwilling to support drug development in AD. It is possible that dependence on the amyloid cascade hypothesis as a guide for preclinical research and drug discovery is part of the problem. Accumulating evidence suggests that amyloid plaques and tau tangles are evident in non-demented individuals and that reducing or clearing these lesions does not always result in clinical improvement. Normal aging is associated with pathologies and cognitive decline that are similar to those observed in AD, making differentiation of AD-related cognitive decline and neuropathology challenging. In this mini-review, we discuss the difficulties with discerning normal, age-related cognitive decline with that related to AD. We also discuss some neuropathological features of AD and aging, including amyloid and tau pathology, synapse loss, inflammation and insulin signaling in the brain, with a view to highlighting cognitive or neuropathological markers that distinguish AD from normal aging. It is hoped that this review will help to bolster future preclinical research and support the development of clinical tools and therapeutics for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Denver
- Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Los Angeles Medical Center and Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Centre for Molecular Biosciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Paula L. McClean
- Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, Clinical, Translational and Research Innovation Centre (C-TRIC), University of Ulster, Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK
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24
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Organ-specific mechanisms linking innate and adaptive antifungal immunity. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 89:78-90. [PMID: 29366628 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Fungal infections remain a significant global health problem in humans. Fungi infect millions of people worldwide and cause from acute superficial infections to life-threatening systemic disease to chronic illnesses. Trying to decipher the complex innate and adaptive immune mechanisms that protect humans from pathogenic fungi is therefore a key research goal that may lead to immune-based therapeutic strategies and improved patient outcomes. In this review, we summarize how the cells and molecules of the innate immune system activate the adaptive immune system to elicit long-term immunity to fungi. We present current knowledge and exciting new advances in the context of organ-specific immunity, outlining the tissue-specific tropisms for the major pathogenic fungi of humans, the antifungal functions of tissue-resident myeloid cells, and the adaptive immune responses required to protect specific organs from fungal challenge.
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25
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Souza AJ, Milhomem AC, Rezende HH, Matos-Silva H, Vinaud MC, Oliveira MA, Castro AM, Lino-Júnior RS. Taenia crassiceps antigens induce a Th2 immune response and attenuate injuries experimentally induced by neurotoxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice. Parasitol Int 2018; 67:16-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2017.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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26
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Sa Q, Tiwari A, Ochiai E, Mullins J, Suzuki Y. Inducible nitric oxide synthase in innate immune cells is important for restricting cyst formation of Toxoplasma gondii in the brain but not required for the protective immune process to remove the cysts. Microbes Infect 2017; 20:261-266. [PMID: 29287983 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Significantly larger numbers of Toxoplasma gondii cysts were detected in the brains of RAG1-/-NOS2-/- than RAG1-/- mice following infection. In contrast, the cyst numbers markedly decreased in a same manner in both strains of mice after receiving CD8+ immune T cells. Thus, NOS2-mediated innate immunity is important for inhibiting formation of cysts in the brain but not required for the T cell-initiated cyst removal, which is associated with phagocyte accumulation. Treatment with chloroquine, an inhibitor of endolysosomal acidification, partially but significantly inhibited the T cell-mediated cyst removal, suggesting that phagosome-lysosome fusion could be involved in the T. gondii cyst elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qila Sa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Ashish Tiwari
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Eri Ochiai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jeremi Mullins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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27
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Biswas A, French T, Düsedau HP, Mueller N, Riek-Burchardt M, Dudeck A, Bank U, Schüler T, Dunay IR. Behavior of Neutrophil Granulocytes during Toxoplasma gondii Infection in the Central Nervous System. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:259. [PMID: 28680853 PMCID: PMC5478696 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral toxoplasmosis is characterized by activation of brain resident cells and recruitment of specific immune cell subsets from the periphery to the central nervous system (CNS). Our studies revealed that the rapidly invaded Ly6G+ neutrophil granulocytes are an early non-lymphoid source of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), the cytokine known to be the major mediator of host resistance to Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Upon selective depletion of Ly6G+ neutrophils, we detected reduced IFN-γ production and increased parasite burden in the CNS. Ablation of Ly6G+ cells resulted in diminished recruitment of Ly6Chi monocytes into the CNS, indicating a pronounced interplay. Additionally, we identified infiltrated Ly6G+ neutrophils to be a heterogeneous population. The Ly6G+CD62-LhiCXCR4+ subset released cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP), which can promote monocyte dynamics. On the other hand, the Ly6G+CD62-LloCXCR4+ subset produced IFN-γ to establish early inflammatory response. Collectively, our findings revealed that the recruited Ly6G+CXCR4+ neutrophil granulocytes display a heterogeneity in the CNS with a repertoire of effector functions crucial in parasite control and immune regulation upon experimental cerebral toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aindrila Biswas
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Timothy French
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Henning P Düsedau
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Nancy Mueller
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Monika Riek-Burchardt
- Institute for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Anne Dudeck
- Institute for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Ute Bank
- Institute for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schüler
- Institute for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Ildiko Rita Dunay
- Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburg, Germany
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28
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Sa Q, Ochiai E, Tiwari A, Mullins J, Shastri N, Mercier C, Cesbron-Delauw MF, Suzuki Y. Determination of a Key Antigen for Immunological Intervention To Target the Latent Stage of Toxoplasma gondii. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 198:4425-4434. [PMID: 28446567 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, establishes a chronic infection by forming cysts preferentially in the brain. Up to one third of the human population worldwide is estimated to be chronically infected with this parasite. However, there is currently no drug effective against the cyst form of the parasite. In addition, the protective immunity against the cysts remains largely unknown. We analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which the immune system detects host cells harboring the cysts to eliminate the latent stage of the parasite using mice with the H-2d haplotype, which are genetically resistant to the infection. Our study revealed that CD8+ immune T cells bearing TCR Vβ8.1, 8.2 chain have a potent activity to remove T. gondii cysts from the brain. Our studies also uncovered that H-2Ld is the major Ag-presenting molecule to CD8+ T cells for initiating cyst elimination, and that CD8+Vβ8.1, 8.2+ immune T cells recognize the N-terminal region (aa 41-152) of dense granule protein 6 (GRA6Nt) of the parasite presented by the H-2Ld molecule. Furthermore, CD8+ immune T cells induced by immunization with recombinant GRA6Nt were eventually capable of removing the cysts from the brain when transferred to infected immunodeficient mice lacking T cells. Thus, GRA6Nt is a novel and potent Ag to activate CD8+ T cells capable of removing T. gondii cysts. These observations offer a basis for immunological intervention to combat chronic infection with T. gondii by targeting the persistent cysts of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qila Sa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536
| | - Eri Ochiai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536
| | - Ashish Tiwari
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536
| | - Jeremi Mullins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536
| | - Nilabh Shastri
- Division of Immunology and Pathogenesis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720; and
| | - Corinne Mercier
- Techniques de l'Ingénierie Médicale et de la Complexité - Informatique, Mathématiques et Applications, Grenoble, CNRS-UMR5525, Université Grenoble Alpes, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Marie-France Cesbron-Delauw
- Techniques de l'Ingénierie Médicale et de la Complexité - Informatique, Mathématiques et Applications, Grenoble, CNRS-UMR5525, Université Grenoble Alpes, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536;
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29
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Landrith TA, Sureshchandra S, Rivera A, Jang JC, Rais M, Nair MG, Messaoudi I, Wilson EH. CD103 + CD8 T Cells in the Toxoplasma-Infected Brain Exhibit a Tissue-Resident Memory Transcriptional Profile. Front Immunol 2017; 8:335. [PMID: 28424687 PMCID: PMC5372813 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During chronic infection, memory T cells acquire a unique phenotype and become dependent on different survival signals than those needed for memory T cells generated during an acute infection. The distinction between the role of effector and memory T cells in an environment of persistent antigen remains unclear. Here, in the context of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection, we demonstrate that a population of CD8 T cells exhibiting a tissue-resident memory (TRM) phenotype accumulates within the brain. We show that this population is distributed throughout the brain in both parenchymal and extraparenchymal spaces. Furthermore, this population is transcriptionally distinct and exhibits a transcriptional signature consistent with the TRM observed in acute viral infections. Finally, we establish that the CD103+ TRM population has an intrinsic capacity to produce both IFN-γ and TNF-α, cytokines critical for parasite control within the central nervous system (CNS). The contribution of this population to pro-inflammatory cytokine production suggests an important role for TRM in protective and ongoing immune responses in the infected CNS. Accession number: GSE95105
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Landrith
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | | | - Andrea Rivera
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jessica C Jang
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Maham Rais
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Meera G Nair
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Emma H Wilson
- School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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30
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Yang Z, Hou Y, Hao T, Rho HS, Wan J, Luan Y, Gao X, Yao J, Pan A, Xie Z, Qian J, Liao W, Zhu H, Zhou X. A Human Proteome Array Approach to Identifying Key Host Proteins Targeted by Toxoplasma Kinase ROP18. Mol Cell Proteomics 2017; 16:469-484. [PMID: 28087594 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m116.063602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma kinase ROP18 is a key molecule responsible for the virulence of Toxoplasma gondii; however, the mechanisms by which ROP18 exerts parasite virulence via interaction with host proteins remain limited to a small number of identified substrates. To identify a broader array of ROP18 substrates, we successfully purified bioactive mature ROP18 and used it to probe a human proteome array. Sixty eight new putative host targets were identified. Functional annotation analysis suggested that these proteins have a variety of functions, including metabolic process, kinase activity and phosphorylation, cell growth, apoptosis and cell death, and immunity, indicating a pleiotropic role of ROP18 kinase. Among these proteins, four candidates, p53, p38, UBE2N, and Smad1, were further validated. We demonstrated that ROP18 targets p53, p38, UBE2N, and Smad1 for degradation. Importantly, we demonstrated that ROP18 phosphorylates Smad1 Ser-187 to trigger its proteasome-dependent degradation. Further functional characterization of the substrates of ROP18 may enhance understanding of the pathogenesis of Toxoplasma infection and provide new therapeutic targets. Similar strategies could be used to identify novel host targets for other microbial kinases functioning at the pathogen-host interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoshou Yang
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yongheng Hou
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Taofang Hao
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Hee-Sool Rho
- the §Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Jun Wan
- the ¶Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Yizhao Luan
- the ‖State Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.,the **School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xin Gao
- ‡‡The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China; and
| | - Jianping Yao
- §§The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Aihua Pan
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zhi Xie
- the ‖State Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jiang Qian
- the ¶Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Wanqin Liao
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China;
| | - Heng Zhu
- the §Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205;
| | - Xingwang Zhou
- From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China;
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31
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Lee J, Kang JM, Kim TI, Kim JH, Sohn HJ, Na BK, Shin HJ. Excretory and Secretory Proteins of Naegleria fowleri Induce Inflammatory Responses in BV-2 Microglial Cells. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2016; 64:183-192. [PMID: 27480446 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba that is found in diverse environmental habitats, can cause a type of fulminating hemorrhagic meningoencephalitis, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), in humans. The pathogenesis of PAM is not fully understood, but it is likely to be primarily caused by disruption of the host's nervous system via a direct phagocytic mechanism by the amoeba. Naegleria fowleri trophozoites are known to secrete diverse proteins that may indirectly contribute to the pathogenic function of the amoeba, but this factor is not clearly understood. In this study, we analyzed the inflammatory responses in BV-2 microglial cells induced by excretory and secretory proteins of N. fowleri (NfESP). Treatment of BV-2 cells with NfESP induced the expression of various cytokines and chemokines, including the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α and TNF-α. NfESP-induced IL-1α and TNF-α expression in BV-2 cells were regulated by p38, JNK, and ERK MAPKs. NfESP-induced IL-1α and TNF-α production in BV-2 cells were effectively downregulated by inhibition of NF-kB and AP-1. These results collectively suggest that NfESP stimulates BV-2 cells to release IL-1α and TNF-α via NF-kB- and AP-1-dependent MAPK signaling pathways. The released cytokines may contribute to inflammatory responses in microglia and other cell types in the brain during N. fowleri infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyoung Lee
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Tae Im Kim
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Jong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, Korea
| | - Hae-Jin Sohn
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, 52727, Korea.,BK21Plus Team for Anti-aging Biotechnology and Industry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52727, Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Science, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Korea
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