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Sangenito LS, d'Avila-Levy CM, Branquinha MH, Santos ALSD. Repositioning drug strategy against Trypanosoma cruzi: lessons learned from HIV aspartyl peptidase inhibitors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e210386. [PMID: 35293428 PMCID: PMC8925306 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760210386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is an old neglected problem that affects more than 6 million people through 21 endemic countries in Latin America. Despite being responsible for more than 12 thousand deaths per year, the disease disposes basically of two drugs for its treatment, the nitroimidazole benznidazole and the nitrofuran nifurtimox. However, these drugs have innumerous limitations that greatly reduce the chances of cure. In Brazil, for example, only benznidazole is available to treat CD patients. Therefore, some proof-of-concept phase II clinical trials focused on improving the current treatment with benznidazole, also comparing it with repositioned drugs or combining them. Indeed, repositioning already marketed drugs in view of combating neglected tropical diseases is a very interesting approach in the context of decreased time for approval, better treatment options and low cost for development and implementation. After the introduction of human immunodeficiency virus aspartyl peptidase inhibitors (HIV-PIs) in the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the prevalence and incidence of parasitic, fungal and bacterial co-infections suffered a marked reduction, making these HIV-PIs attractive for drug repositioning. In this line, the present perspective presents the promising and beneficial data concerning the effects of HIV-PIs on the clinically relevant forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (i.e., trypomastigotes and amastigotes) and also highlights the ultrastructural and physiological targets for the HIV-PIs on this parasite. Therefore, we raise the possibility that HIV-PIs could be considered as alternative treatment options in the struggle against CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Stefano Sangenito
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - André Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Ennes-Vidal V, Pitaluga AN, Britto CFDPDC, Branquinha MH, Santos ALSD, Menna-Barreto RFS, d'Avila-Levy CM. Expression and cellular localisation of Trypanosoma cruzi calpains. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2020; 115:e200142. [PMID: 33053076 PMCID: PMC7552305 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calpains are present in almost all organisms and comprise a family of calcium-dependent cysteine peptidases implicated in crucial cellular functions. Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, presents an expansion on this gene family with unexplored biological properties. OBJECTIVES Here, we searched for calpains in the T. cruzi genome, evaluated the mRNA levels, calpain activity and the protein expression and determined the cellular localisation in all three parasite life cycle forms. METHODS/FINDINGS Sixty-three calpain sequences were identified in T. cruzi CL Brener genome, with fourteen domain arrangements. The comparison of calpain mRNA abundance by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed seven up-regulated sequences in amastigotes and/or bloodstream trypomastigotes and five in epimastigotes. Western Blotting analysis revealed seven different molecules in the three parasite forms, and one amastigote-specific, while no proteolytic activity could be detected. Flow cytometry assays revealed a higher amount of intracellular calpains in amastigotes and/or trypomastigotes in comparison to epimastigotes. Finally, ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of calpains in the cytoplasm, vesicular and plasma membranes of the three parasite forms, and in the paraflagellar rod in trypomastigotes. CONCLUSION Calpains are differentially expressed and localised in the T. cruzi life cycle forms. This study adds data on the calpain occurrence and expression pattern in T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vítor Ennes-Vidal
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - André Nóbrega Pitaluga
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - André Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Bombaça ACS, Brunoro GVF, Dias-Lopes G, Ennes-Vidal V, Carvalho PC, Perales J, d'Avila-Levy CM, Valente RH, Menna-Barreto RFS. Glycolytic profile shift and antioxidant triggering in symbiont-free and H 2O 2-resistant Strigomonas culicis. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 146:392-401. [PMID: 31760093 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
During their life cycle, trypanosomatids are exposed to stress conditions and adapt their energy and antioxidant metabolism to colonize their hosts. Strigomonas culicis is a monoxenous protist found in invertebrates with an endosymbiotic bacterium that completes essential biosynthetic pathways for the trypanosomatid. Our research group previously generated a wild-type H2O2-resistant (WTR) strain that showed improved mitochondrial metabolism and antioxidant defenses, which led to higher rates of Aedes aegypti infection. Here, we assess the biological contribution of the S. culicis endosymbiont and reactive oxygen species (ROS) resistance to oxidative and energy metabolism processes. Using high-throughput proteomics, several proteins involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione metabolism were identified. The results suggest that ROS resistance decreases glucose consumption and indicate that the metabolic products from gluconeogenesis are key to supplying the protist with high-energy and reducing intermediates. Our hypothesis was confirmed by biochemical assays showing opposite profiles for glucose uptake and hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activity levels in the WTR and aposymbiotic strains, while the enzyme glucose-6P 1-dehydrogenase was more active in both strains. Regarding the antioxidant system, ascorbate peroxidase has an important role in H2O2 resistance and may be responsible for the high infection rates previously described for A. aegypti. In conclusion, our data indicate that the energy-related and antioxidant metabolic processes of S. culicis are modulated in response to oxidative stress conditions, providing new perspectives on the biology of the trypanosomatid-insect interaction as well as on the possible impact of resistant parasites in accidental human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Geovane Dias-Lopes
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Endemic Diseases, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vitor Ennes-Vidal
- Laboratory of Integrated Studies in Protozoology, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo Costa Carvalho
- Laboratory for Structural and Computational Proteomics, ICC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Jonas Perales
- Laboratory of Toxinology, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratory of Integrated Studies in Protozoology, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Richard Hemmi Valente
- Laboratory of Toxinology, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Ennes-Vidal V, Vitório BDS, Menna-Barreto RFS, Pitaluga AN, Gonçalves-da-Silva SA, Branquinha MH, Santos ALS, d'Avila-Levy CM. Calpains of Leishmania braziliensis: genome analysis, differential expression, and functional analysis. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2019; 114:e190147. [PMID: 31553371 PMCID: PMC6759280 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760190147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calpains are proteins belonging to the multi-gene family of
calcium-dependent cysteine peptidases that undergo tight on/off regulation,
and uncontrolled proteolysis of calpains is associated with severe human
pathologies. Calpain orthologues are expanded and diversified in the
trypanosomatids genome. OBJECTIVES Here, we characterised calpains in Leishmania braziliensis,
the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil. METHODS/FINDINGS In total, 34 predicted calpain-like genes were identified. After domain
structure evaluation, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
reaction (RT-qPCR) during in vitro metacyclogenesis
revealed (i) five genes with enhanced expression in the procyclic stage,
(ii) one augmented gene in the metacyclic stage, and (iii) one
procyclic-exclusive transcript. Western blot analysis revealed that an
antibody against a consensus-conserved peptide reacted with multiple
calpain-like proteins, which is consistent with the multi-gene family
characteristic. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry analyses revealed the
presence of calpain-like molecules mainly in the cytoplasm, to a lesser
extent in the plasma membrane, and negligible levels in the nucleus, which
are all consistent with calpain localisation. Eventually, the calpain
inhibitor MDL28170 was used for functional studies revealing (i) a
leishmaniostatic effect, (ii) a reduction in the association index in mouse
macrophages, (iii) ultra-structural alterations conceivable with autophagy,
and (iv) an enhanced expression of the virulence factor GP63. CONCLUSION This report adds novel insights into the domain structure, expression, and
localisation of L. braziliensis calpain-like molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vítor Ennes-Vidal
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Bianca da Silva Vitório
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - André Nóbrega Pitaluga
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - André Luis Souza Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Sangenito LS, da Silva Santos V, d'Avila-Levy CM, Branquinha MH, Souza dos Santos AL, de Oliveira SS. Leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease – Neglected Tropical Diseases: Treatment Updates. Curr Top Med Chem 2019; 19:174-177. [DOI: 10.2174/156802661903190328155136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Stefano Sangenito
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa da Silva Santos
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratorio de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Luis Souza dos Santos
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Simone S.C. de Oliveira
- Laboratorio de Estudos Avancados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Bombaça ACS, Dias FDA, Ennes-Vidal V, Garcia-Gomes ADS, Sorgine MHF, d'Avila-Levy CM, Menna-Barreto RFS. Hydrogen peroxide resistance in Strigomonas culicis: Effects on mitochondrial functionality and Aedes aegypti interaction. Free Radic Biol Med 2017; 113:255-266. [PMID: 28993269 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic molecules involved in several biological processes such as cellular signaling, proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Adaptations to oxidative environments are crucial for the success of the colonization of insects by protozoa. Strigomonas culicis is a monoxenic trypanosomatid found in the midgut of mosquitoes and presenting a life cycle restricted to the epimastigote form. Among S. culicis peculiarities, there is an endosymbiotic bacterium in the cytoplasm, which completes essential biosynthetic routes of the host cell and may represent an intermediary evolutive step in organelle origin, thus constituting an interesting model for evolutive researches. In this work, we induced ROS resistance in wild type S. culicis epimastigotes by the incubation with increasing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and compared the oxidative and energetic metabolisms among wild type, wild type-H2O2 resistant and aposymbiotic strains. Resistant protozoa were less sensitive to the oxidative challenge and more dependent on oxidative phosphorylation, which was demonstrated by higher oxygen consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential, increased activity of complexes II-III and IV, increased complex II gene expression and higher ATP production. Furthermore, the wild type-H2O2 resistant strain produced reduced ROS levels and showed lower lipid peroxidation, as well as an increase in gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and thiol-dependent peroxidase activity. On the other hand, the aposymbiotic strain showed impaired mitochondrial function, higher H2O2 production and deficient antioxidant response. The induction of H2O2 resistance also led to a remarkable increase in Aedes aegypti midgut binding in vitro and colonization in vivo, indicating that both the pro-oxidant environment in the mosquito gut and the oxidative stress susceptibility regulate S. culicis population in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Felipe de Almeida Dias
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vitor Ennes-Vidal
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aline Dos Santos Garcia-Gomes
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratório de Microbiologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos Henrique Ferreira Sorgine
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Soares RP, Altoé ECF, Ennes-Vidal V, da Costa SM, Rangel EF, de Souza NA, da Silva VC, Volf P, d'Avila-Levy CM. In Vitro Inhibition of Leishmania Attachment to Sandfly Midguts and LL-5 Cells by Divalent Metal Chelators, Anti-gp63 and Phosphoglycans. Protist 2017; 168:326-334. [PMID: 28472733 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum are the causative agents of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, respectively. Several aspects of the vector-parasite interaction involving gp63 and phosphoglycans have been individually assayed in different studies. However, their role under the same experimental conditions was not studied yet. Here, the roles of divalent metal chelators, anti-gp63 antibodies and purified type I phosphoglycans (PGs) were evaluated during in vitro parasite attachment to the midgut of the vector. Parasites were treated with divalent metal chelators or anti-gp63 antibodies prior to the interaction with Lutzomyia longipalpis/Lutzomyia intermedia midguts or sand fly LL-5 cells. In vitro binding system was used to examine the role of PG and gp63 in parallel. Treatment with divalent metal chelators reduced Le. infantum adhesion to the Lu. longipalpis midguts. The most effective compound (Phen) inhibited the binding in both vectors. Similar results were observed in the interaction between both Leishmania species and the cell line LL-5. Finally, parallel experiments using anti-gp63-treated parasites and PG-incubated midguts demonstrated that both approaches substantially inhibited attachment in the natural parasite-vector pairs Le. infantum/Lu. longipalpis and Le. braziliensis/Lu. intermedia. Our results suggest that gp63 and/or PG are involved in parasite attachment to the midgut of these important vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Ellen Cristina Félix Altoé
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vítor Ennes-Vidal
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Simone M da Costa
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nataly Araújo de Souza
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanderlei Campos da Silva
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Vigilância Entomológica em Diptera e Hemiptera/LIVEDIH/IOC, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Branquinha MH, Oliveira SSC, Sangenito LS, Sodre CL, Kneipp LF, d'Avila-Levy CM, Santos ALS. Cruzipain: An Update on its Potential as Chemotherapy Target against the Human Pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. Curr Med Chem 2016; 22:2225-35. [PMID: 25994861 DOI: 10.2174/0929867322666150521091652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Chagas' disease is one of the most impactful and prevalent neglected tropical diseases in the Americas, specially affecting the poor and underdeveloped areas in Latin America. Aggravating this scenario, the medicines used in the current chemotherapy are old, toxic and present a low efficacy to treat the chronic stage of this disease. In addition, resistant strains of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent, are frequently reported. So, there is an imperative requirement for novel chemotherapeutic options to treat this debilitating disease. In this context, peptidases have emerged as potential targets and, consequently, proteolytic inhibitors have confirmed to be valuable drugs against several human pathologies. In this line of thinking, T. cruzi produces a major multifunctional cysteine peptidase, named cruzipain, which directly and/or indirectly orchestrates several physiological and pathological processes, which culminate in a successful parasitic infection. Taken together, these findings point out that cruzipain is one of the most important targets for driving a chemotherapy approach against the human pathogen T. cruzi. The present review summarizes some of the recent advances and failures in this area, with particular emphasis on recently published studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Branquinha
- Laboratorio de Investigacao de Peptidases (LIP), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Centro de Ciencias da Saude (CCS), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Bloco E-subsolo, Sala 05, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Laboratorio de Investigacao de Peptidases (LIP) Departamento de Microbiologia Geral Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Goes (IMPG) Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Brazil.
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d'Avila-Levy CM, Boucinha C, Kostygov A, Santos HLC, Morelli KA, Grybchuk-Ieremenko A, Duval L, Votýpka J, Yurchenko V, Grellier P, Lukeš J. Exploring the environmental diversity of kinetoplastid flagellates in the high-throughput DNA sequencing era. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:956-65. [PMID: 26602872 PMCID: PMC4708014 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The class Kinetoplastea encompasses both free-living and parasitic species from a wide range of hosts. Several representatives of this group are responsible for severe human diseases and for economic losses in agriculture and livestock. While this group encompasses over 30 genera, most of the available information has been derived from the vertebrate pathogenic genera Leishmaniaand Trypanosoma. Recent studies of the previously neglected groups of Kinetoplastea indicated that the actual diversity is much higher than previously thought. This article discusses the known segment of kinetoplastid diversity and how gene-directed Sanger sequencing and next-generation sequencing methods can help to deepen our knowledge of these interesting protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Carolina Boucinha
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Alexei Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Lúcia Carneiro Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Karina Alessandra Morelli
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Linda Duval
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Philippe Grellier
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budejovice, Czech Republic
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de Oliveira SSC, Garcia-Gomes ADS, d'Avila-Levy CM, dos Santos ALS, Branquinha MH. Expression of calpain-like proteins and effects of calpain inhibitors on the growth rate of Angomonas deanei wild type and aposymbiotic strains. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:188. [PMID: 26415499 PMCID: PMC4587752 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0519-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Angomonas deanei is a trypanosomatid parasite of insects that has a bacterial endosymbiont, which supplies amino acids and other nutrients to its host. Bacterium loss induced by antibiotic treatment of the protozoan leads to an aposymbiotic strain with increased need for amino acids and results in increased production of extracellular peptidases. In this work, a more detailed examination of A. deanei was conducted to determine the effects of endosymbiont loss on the host calpain-like proteins (CALPs), followed by testing of different calpain inhibitors on parasite proliferation. Results Western blotting showed the presence of different protein bands reactive to antibodies against calpain from Drosophila melanogaster (anti-Dm-calpain), lobster calpain (anti-CDPIIb) and cytoskeleton-associated calpain from Trypanosoma brucei (anti-CAP5.5), suggesting a possible modulation of CALPs influenced by the endosymbiont. In the cell-free culture supernatant of A. deanei wild type and aposymbiotic strains, a protein of 80 kDa cross-reacted with the anti-Dm-calpain antibody; however, no cross-reactivity was found with anti-CAP5.5 and anti-CDPIIb antibodies. A search in A. deanei genome for homologues of D. melanogaster calpain, T. brucei CAP5.5 and lobster CDPIIb calpain revealed the presence of hits with at least one calpain conserved domain and also with theoretical molecular mass consistent with the recognition by each antibody. No significant hit was observed in the endosymbiont genome, indicating that calpain molecules might be absent from the symbiont. Flow cytometry analysis of cells treated with the anti-calpain antibodies showed that a larger amount of reactive epitopes was located intracellularly. The reversible calpain inhibitor MDL28170 displayed a much higher efficacy in diminishing the growth of both strains compared to the non-competitive calpain inhibitor PD150606, while the irreversible calpain inhibitor V only marginally diminished the proliferation. Conclusions Altogether, these results indicate that distinct calpain-like molecules are expressed by A. deanei, with a possible modulation in the expression influenced by the endosymbiont. In addition, treatment with MDL28170 affects the growth rate of both strains, as previously determined in the human pathogenic species Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi, with whom A. deanei shares immunological and biochemical relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Santiago Carvalho de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigação de Peptidases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Aline dos Santos Garcia-Gomes
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Coleção de Protozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Laboratório de Microbiologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia - Campus Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Coleção de Protozoários, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - André Luis Souza dos Santos
- Laboratório de Investigação de Peptidases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Laboratório de Investigação de Peptidases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Ferrão PM, d'Avila-Levy CM, Araujo-Jorge TC, Degrave WM, Gonçalves ADS, Garzoni LR, Lima AP, Feige JJ, Bailly S, Mendonça-Lima L, Waghabi MC. Cruzipain Activates Latent TGF-β from Host Cells during T. cruzi Invasion. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124832. [PMID: 25938232 PMCID: PMC4418758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies indicate that the activity of cruzipain, the main lysosomal cysteine peptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi, contributes to parasite infectivity. In addition, the parasitic invasion process of mammalian host cells is described to be dependent on the activation of the host TGF-β signaling pathway by T. cruzi. Here, we tested the hypothesis that cruzipain could be an important activator of latent TGF-β and thereby trigger TGF-β-mediated events crucial for the development of Chagas disease. We found that live epimastigotes of T. cruzi, parasite lysates and purified cruzipain were able to activate latent TGF-β in vitro. This activation could be inhibited by the cysteine peptidase inhibitor Z-Phe-Ala-FMK. Moreover, transfected parasites overexpressing chagasin, a potent endogenous cruzipain inhibitor, prevented latent TGF-β activation. We also observed that T. cruzi invasion, as well as parasite intracellular growth, were inhibited by the administration of Z-Phe-Ala-FMK or anti-TGF-β neutralizing antibody to Vero cell cultures. We further demonstrated that addition of purified cruzipain enhanced the invasive activity of trypomastigotes and that this effect could be completely inhibited by addition of a neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibody. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the activities of cruzipain and TGF-β in the process of cell invasion are functionally linked. Our data suggest that cruzipain inhibition is an interesting chemotherapeutic approach for Chagas disease not only because of its trypanocidal activity, but also due to the inhibitory effect on TGF-β activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Mello Ferrão
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Investigação Cardiovascular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tania Cremonini Araujo-Jorge
- Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wim Maurits Degrave
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antônio da Silva Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia e Fisiologia de Infecções Virais, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciana Ribeiro Garzoni
- Laboratório de Investigação Cardiovascular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa Integrado de doença de Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Lima
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Peptidases, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jean Jacques Feige
- INSERM, Unité 1036, Grenoble, F-38054, France
- Université Grenoble-Alpes—Grenoble, F-38041, France
- CEA, DSV,iRTSV, Laboratory of Biology of Cancer and Infection, Grenoble, F-38054, France
| | - Sabine Bailly
- INSERM, Unité 1036, Grenoble, F-38054, France
- Université Grenoble-Alpes—Grenoble, F-38041, France
- CEA, DSV,iRTSV, Laboratory of Biology of Cancer and Infection, Grenoble, F-38054, France
| | - Leila Mendonça-Lima
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Caldas Waghabi
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa Integrado de doença de Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Santos LO, Garcia-Gomes AS, Catanho M, Sodre CL, Santos ALS, Branquinha MH, d'Avila-Levy CM. Aspartic peptidases of human pathogenic trypanosomatids: perspectives and trends for chemotherapy. Curr Med Chem 2014; 20:3116-33. [PMID: 23298141 PMCID: PMC3837538 DOI: 10.2174/0929867311320250007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 12/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aspartic peptidases are proteolytic enzymes present in many organisms like vertebrates, plants, fungi, protozoa and in some retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These enzymes are involved in important metabolic processes in microorganisms/virus and play major roles in infectious diseases. Although few studies have been performed in order to identify and characterize aspartic peptidase in trypanosomatids, which include the etiologic agents of leishmaniasis, Chagas’ disease and sleeping sickness, some beneficial properties of aspartic peptidase inhibitors have been described on fundamental biological events of these pathogenic agents. In this context, aspartic peptidase inhibitors (PIs) used in the current chemotherapy against HIV (e.g., amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir and saquinavir) were able to inhibit the aspartic peptidase activity produced by different species of Leishmania. Moreover, the treatment of Leishmania promastigotes with HIV PIs induced several perturbations on the parasite homeostasis, including loss of the motility and arrest of proliferation/growth. The HIV PIs also induced an increase in the level of reactive oxygen species and the appearance of irreversible morphological alterations, triggering parasite death pathways such as programed cell death (apoptosis) and uncontrolled autophagy. The blockage of physiological parasite events as well as the induction of death pathways culminated in its incapacity to adhere, survive and escape of phagocytic cells. Collectively, these results support the data showing that parasites treated with HIV PIs have a significant reduction in the ability to cause in vivo infection. Similarly, the treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi cells with pepstatin A showed a significant inhibition on both aspartic peptidase activity and growth as well as promoted several and irreversible morphological changes. These studies indicate that aspartic peptidases can be promising targets in trypanosomatid cells and aspartic proteolytic inhibitors can be benefic chemotherapeutic agents against these human pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- L O Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Branquinha MH, Marinho FA, Sangenito LS, Oliveira SSC, Goncalves KC, Ennes-Vidal V, d'Avila-Levy CM, Santos ALS. Calpains: potential targets for alternative chemotherapeutic intervention against human pathogenic trypanosomatids. Curr Med Chem 2013; 20:3174-85. [PMID: 23899207 PMCID: PMC4181241 DOI: 10.2174/0929867311320250010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Revised: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The treatment for both leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, which are severe human infections caused by trypanosomatids belonging to Leishmania and Trypanosoma genera, respectively, is extremely limited because of concerns of toxicity and efficacy with the available anti-protozoan drugs, as well as the emergence of drug resistance. Consequently, the urgency for the discovery of new trypanosomatid targets and novel bioactive compounds is particularly necessary. In this context, the investigation of changes in parasite gene expression between drug resistant/sensitive strains and in the up-regulation of virulence-related genes in infective forms has brought to the fore the involvement of calpain-like proteins in several crucial pathophysiological processes performed by trypanosomatids. These studies were encouraged by the publication of the complete genome sequences of three human pathogenic trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, which allowed in silico analyses that in turn directed the identification of numerous genes with interesting chemotherapeutic characteristics, including a large family of calpain-related proteins, in which to date 23 genes were assigned as calpains in T. brucei, 40 in T. cruzi and 33 in L. braziliensis. In the present review, we intend to add to these biochemical/biological reports the investigations performed upon the inhibitory capability of calpain inhibitors against human pathogenic trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Branquinha
- Laboratório de Investigação de Peptidases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes-IMPG, Centro de Ciências da Saúde-CCS, Bloco Esubsolo, Sala 05, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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15
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Uehara LA, Moreira OC, Oliveira AC, Azambuja P, Lima APCA, Britto C, dos Santos ALS, Branquinha MH, d'Avila-Levy CM. Cruzipain promotes Trypanosoma cruzi adhesion to Rhodnius prolixus midgut. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1958. [PMID: 23272264 PMCID: PMC3521651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas' disease. Cysteine peptidases are relevant to several aspects of the T. cruzi life cycle and are implicated in parasite-mammalian host relationships. However, little is known about the factors that contribute to the parasite-insect host interaction. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we have investigated whether cruzipain could be involved in the interaction of T. cruzi with the invertebrate host. We analyzed the effect of treatment of T. cruzi epimastigotes with anti-cruzipain antibodies or with a panel of cysteine peptidase inhibitors (cystatin, antipain, E-64, leupeptin, iodocetamide or CA-074-OMe) on parasite adhesion to Rhodnius prolixus posterior midgut ex vivo. All treatments, with the exception of CA074-OMe, significantly decreased parasite adhesion to R. prolixus midgut. Cystatin presented a dose-dependent reduction on the adhesion. Comparison of the adhesion rate among several T. cruzi isolates revealed that the G isolate, which naturally possesses low levels of active cruzipain, adhered to a lesser extent in comparison to Dm28c, Y and CL Brener isolates. Transgenic epimastigotes overexpressing an endogenous cruzipain inhibitor (pCHAG), chagasin, and that have reduced levels of active cruzipain adhered to the insect gut 73% less than the wild-type parasites. The adhesion of pCHAG parasites was partially restored by the addition of exogenous cruzipain. In vivo colonization experiments revealed low levels of pCHAG parasites in comparison to wild-type. Parasites isolated after passage in the insect presented a drastic enhancement in the expression of surface cruzipain. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These data highlight, for the first time, that cruzipain contributes to the interaction of T. cruzi with the insect host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Almeida Uehara
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacílio C. Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Oliveira
- Laboratório de Imunologia Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Azambuja
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Cabral Araujo Lima
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Constança Britto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Luis Souza dos Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marta Helena Branquinha
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Marinho FDA, Gonçalves KCDS, Oliveira SSD, Oliveira ACDSCD, Bellio M, d'Avila-Levy CM, Santos ALSD, Branquinha MH. Miltefosine induces programmed cell death in Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2011; 106:507-9. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762011000400021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2010] [Accepted: 05/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Telleria EL, de Araújo APO, Secundino NF, d'Avila-Levy CM, Traub-Csekö YM. Trypsin-like serine proteases in Lutzomyia longipalpis--expression, activity and possible modulation by Leishmania infantum chagasi. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10697. [PMID: 20502532 PMCID: PMC2872664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2009] [Accepted: 04/29/2010] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Midgut enzymatic activity is one of the obstacles that Leishmania must surpass to succeed in establishing infection. Trypsins are abundant digestive enzymes in most insects. We have previously described two trypsin cDNAs of L. longipalpis: one (Lltryp1) with a bloodmeal induced transcription pattern, the other (Lltryp2) with a constitutive transcription pattern. We have now characterized the expression and activity of trypsin-like proteases of Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. Methodology and Principal Findings In order to study trypsin expression profiles we produced antibodies against peptides specific for Lltryp1 and Lltryp2. The anti-Lltryp1-peptide antibody revealed a band of 28 kDa between 6 and 48 hours. The anti-Lltryp2 peptide antibody did not evidence any band. When proteinaceous substrates (gelatin, hemoglobin, casein or albumin) were co-polymerized in polyacrylamide gels, insect midguts obtained at 12 hours after feeding showed a unique proteolytic pattern for each substrate. All activity bands were strongly inhibited by TLCK, benzamidine and 4-amino-benzamidine, indicating that they are trypsin-like proteases. The trypsin-like activity was also measured in vitro at different time points after ingestion of blood or blood containing Leishmania infantum chagasi, using the chromogenic substrate BAρNA. L. longipalpis females fed on blood infected with L. i. chagasi had lower levels of trypsin activity after 12 and 48 hours than non-infected insects, suggesting that the parasite may have a role in this modulation. Conclusions and Significance Trypsins are important and abundant digestive enzymes in L. longipalpis. Protein production and enzymatic activity followed previously identified gene expression of a blood modulated trypsin gene. A decrease of enzymatic activity upon the parasite infection, previously detected mostly in Old World vectors, was detected for the first time in the natural vector-parasite pair L. longipalpis-L. i. chagasi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich Loza Telleria
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Nágila Francinete Secundino
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yara Maria Traub-Csekö
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Beatriz Vermelho A, Giovanni De Simone S, Masini d'Avila-Levy C, Luis Souza do Santos A, Cristina Nogueira de Melo A, Paes Silva F, Pinto da Silva Bon E, Helena Branquinha M. Trypanosomatidae Peptidases: A Target for Drugs Development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.2174/157340807779815468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Masini d'Avila-Levy C, de Almeida Dias F, Nogueira de Melo AC, Martins JL, De Carvalho Santos Lopes AH, Souza Dos Santos AL, Vermelho AB, Branquinha MH. Insights into the role of gp63-like proteins in lower trypanosomatids. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2006; 254:149-56. [PMID: 16451193 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2005.00022.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Any actual understanding of trypanosomatids in general requires a comprehensive analysis of the less-specialized species as thorough as our knowledge of the more specialized Leishmania and Trypanosoma. In this context, we have shown by antibody cross-reactivity that purified extracellular metallopeptidases from Phytomonas françai, Crithidia deanei (cured strain) and Crithidia guilhermei share common epitopes with the leishmanial gp63. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy analyses indicated the presence of gp63-like molecules on the cell surface of these lower trypanosomatids. Binding assays with explanted guts of Aedes aegypti incubated with purified gp63 and the pretreatment of trypanosomatids with anti-gp63 antibodies indicated that the gp63-like molecules are involved in the adhesive process of these trypanosomatids to the A. aegypti gut wall. In addition, our results indicate for the first time that the gp63-like molecule binds to a polypeptide of 50 kDa on the A. aegypti gut epithelium extract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Abstract
Actively motile cells from a cured strain of Crithidia deanei released proteins in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The molecular mass of the released polypeptides, which included some proteinases, ranged from 19 to 116 kDa. One of the major protein bands was purified to homogeneity by a combination of anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatographs. The apparent molecular mass of this protein was estimated to be 62 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The incorporation of gelatin into SDS-PAGE showed that the purified protein presented proteolytic activity in a position corresponding to a molecular mass of 60 kDa. The enzyme was optimally active at 37 degrees C and pH 6.0 and showed 25% of residual activity at 28 degrees C for 30 min. The proteinase was inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline and EDTA, showing that it belonged to the metalloproteinase class. A polyclonal antibody to the leishmanial gp63 reacted strongly with the released C. deanei protease. After Triton X-114 extraction, an enzyme similar to the purified metalloproteinase was detected in aqueous and detergent-rich phases. The detection of an extracellular metalloproteinase produced by C. deanei and some other Crithidia species suggests a potential role of this released enzyme in substrate degradation that may be relevant to the survival of trypanosomatids in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Dept. Microbiologica Geral, Inst. Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, CCS, Cidade Universitária, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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d'Avila-Levy CM, Araújo FM, Vermelho AB, Branquinha MH, Alviano CS, Soares RMDA, dos Santos ALS. Differential lectin recognition of glycoproteins in choanomastigote-shaped trypanosomatids: taxonomic implications. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2004; 231:171-6. [PMID: 14987761 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1097(03)00915-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2003] [Revised: 11/06/2003] [Accepted: 12/01/2003] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The glycoprotein profiles of seven choanomastigote-shaped trypanosomatids (six Crithidia spp. and one Herpetomonas sp.), which have been suggested to form three distinct taxonomic groups (Crithidia, Angomonas and Strigomonas), were analyzed by Western blotting using the lectins Limax flavus (LFA), Sambucus nigra (SNA) and Maackia amurensis (MAA), which specifically recognize sialic acid residues, and concanavalin A (Con A) that recognizes mannose-like residues in glycoconjugates. All lectins showed a sugar-inhibited recognition with the parasite extracts, with the exception of LFA, which did not show any reactivity with the studied species. The SNA agglutinin presented a characteristic and specific pattern for each taxonomic group. The MAA lectin showed an identical profile for all species analyzed, while Con A grouped the choanomastigote-shaped species in two different patterns, one specific for the Angomonas group, and the other comprehending both Strigomonas and Crithidia groups. These results illustrate the heterogeneity of the genus Crithidia. The possible taxonomic redistribution of the choanomastigote-shaped trypanosomatids is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes (IMPPG), Bloco I, Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-590, Brazil
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Abstract
The extracellular metalloproteinases of the insect trypanosomatid Crithidia guilhermei were characterized through the incorporation of different protein substrates (gelatin, casein, haemoglobin, and bovine serum albumin) into SDS-PAGE. Two gelatinases (60 and 80 kDa) showed ability to degrade casein as well and a 67-kDa enzyme presented the broadest specificity since it was also able to degrade casein and haemoglobin. Besides the 67-kDa extracellular proteinases detected on haemoglobin-SDS-PAGE, a 43-kDa haemoglobinase was only observed with this substrate. All C. guilhermei proteinases were incapable of using bovine serum albumin. C. guilhermei was also grown in four different culture media and the best proteinase production was reached using yeast extract-peptone medium containing glucose as the major carbon source. The results point to the importance of the use of distinct culture media and proteinaceous substrates on the characterization of extracellular proteolytic activities in trypanosomatids, since alterations in growth conditions and methods of detection could lead to distinct proteolytic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Nogueira de Melo
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Prof Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bl I, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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23
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Abstract
Crithidia oncopelti, Crithidia deanei and Crithidia desouzai are flagellates of the Trypanosomatidae family that present bacterium-like endosymbionts in their cytoplasm. Gelatin-SDS-PAGE analysis was used to characterize cell-associated and extracellular proteinases in these organisms. Our survey indicates that the proteolytic profiles of C. deanei and C. desouzai are identical; that C. oncopelti displays a distinct zymogram; and that species naturally lacking endosymbionts have a more complex extracellular proteolytic activity, which illustrates the heterogeneity of this genus. This is the first report on the presence of cysteine proteinases in the culture supernatant of monoxenic trypanosomatids, and by the use of wild and aposymbiotic strains from C. deanei we also demonstrated that the prokaryote endosymbiont somehow alters quantitatively the expression of extracellular proteinases in this trypanosomatid.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M d'Avila-Levy
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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