scholarly journals Higher expression of proline dehydrogenase altered mitochondrial function and increased Trypanosoma cruzi differentiation in vitro and in the insect vector

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian S Mantilla ◽  
Lisvane Paes-Vieira ◽  
Felipe Almeida Dias ◽  
Simone G. Caldeirano ◽  
Maria Carolina Elias ◽  
...  

The pathogenic protist Trypanosoma cruzi uses kissing bugs as intermediate hosts that vectorize the infection among mammals. This parasite oxidizes proline to glutamate through two enzymatic steps and one nonenzymatic step. In insect vectors, T. cruzi differentiates from a noninfective replicating form to nonproliferative infective forms. Proline sustains this differentiation, but to date, a link between proline metabolism and differentiation has not been established. In T. cruzi, the enzymatic steps of the proline-glutamate oxidation pathway are catalysed exclusively by the mitochondrial enzymes proline dehydrogenase [TcPRODH, EC: 1.5.5.2] and D1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase [TcP5CDH, EC: 1.2.1.88]. Both enzymatic steps produce reducing equivalents that are able to directly feed the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) and thus produce ATP. In this study, we demonstrate the contribution of each enzyme of the proline-glutamate pathway to ATP production. In addition, we show that parasites overexpressing these enzymes produce increased levels of H2O2, but only those overexpressing TcP5CDH produce increased levels of superoxide anion. We show that parasites overexpressing TcPRODH, but not parasites overexpressing TcP5CDH, exhibit a higher rate of differentiation into metacyclic trypomastigotes in vitro. Finally, insect hosts infected with parasites overexpressing TcPRODH showed a diminished parasitic load but a higher percent of metacyclic trypomastigotes, when compared with controls. Our data show that parasites overexpressing both, PRODH and P5CDH had increased mitochondrial functions that orchestrated different oxygen signalling, resulting in different outcomes in relation to the efficiency of parasitic differentiation in the invertebrate host.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 100703
Author(s):  
Jessica Rodríguez Durán ◽  
Arturo Muñoz-Calderón ◽  
Karina Andrea Gómez ◽  
Mariana Potenza

1984 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria P. Deane ◽  
Henrique L. Lenzi ◽  
Ana Jansen

Epimastigotes multiplying extracellularly and metacyclic trypomastigotes, stages that correspond to the cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi in the intestinal lumen of its insect vector, were consistently found in the lumen of the anal glands of opossums Didelphis marsupialis inoculated subcutaneously with infective feces of triatomid bugs.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Fargnoli ◽  
Esteban A. Panozzo-Zénere ◽  
Lucas Pagura ◽  
María Julia Barisón ◽  
Julia A. Cricco ◽  
...  

L-Proline is an important amino acid for the pathogenic protists belonging to <i>Trypanosoma</i> and <i>Leishmania </i>genera. In <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, this amino acid is involved in fundamental biological processes such as ATP production, differentiation of the insect and intracellular stages, the host cell infection and the resistance to a variety of stresses, including nutritional and osmotic as well as oxidative imbalance. In this study, we explore the L-Proline uptake as a chemotherapeutic target for <i>T. cruzi</i>. For this, we propose a novel rational to design inhibitors containing this amino acid as a recognizable motif. This rational consists of conjugating the amino acid (proline in this case) to a linker and a variable region able to block the transporter. We obtained a series of sixteen 1,2,3-triazolyl-proline derivatives through alkylation and copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry) for <i>in vitro</i> screening against <i>T. cruzi </i>epimastigotes, trypanocidal activity and proline uptake. We successfully obtained inhibitors that are able to interfere with the amino acid uptake, which validated the first example of a rationally designed chemotherapeutic agent targeting a metabolite's transport. Additionally, we designed and prepared fluorescent analogues of the inhibitors that were successfully taken up by <i>T. cruzi</i>, allowing following up their intracellular fate. In conclusion, we successfully designed and produced a series of metabolite uptake inhibitors. This is one of few examples of rationally designed amino acid transporter inhibitor, being the first case where the strategy is applied on the development of chemotherapy against Chagas disease. This unprecedented development is remarkable having in mind that only a small percent of the metabolite transporters has been studied at the structural and/or molecular level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Anastasia Agapouda ◽  
Veronika Butterweck ◽  
Matthias Hamburger ◽  
Dalene de Beer ◽  
Elizabeth Joubert ◽  
...  

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a major role not only in the pathogenesis of many oxidative stress or age-related diseases such as neurodegenerative as well as mental disorders but also in normal aging. There is evidence that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are the most upstream and common events in the pathomechanisms of neurodegeneration. Cyclopia species are endemic South African plants and some have a long tradition of use as herbal tea, known as honeybush tea. Extracts of the tea are gaining more scientific attention due to their phenolic composition. In the present study, we tested not only the in vitro mitochondria-enhancing properties of honeybush extracts under physiological conditions but also their ameliorative properties under oxidative stress situations. Hot water and ethanolic extracts of C. subternata, C. genistoides, and C. longifolia were investigated. Pretreatment of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with honeybush extracts, at a concentration range of 0.1-1 ng/ml, had a beneficial effect on bioenergetics as it increased ATP production, respiration, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) after 24 hours under physiological conditions. The aqueous extracts of C. subternata and C. genistoides, in particular, showed a protective effect by rescuing the bioenergetic and mitochondrial deficits under oxidative stress conditions (400 μM H2O2 for 3 hours). These findings indicate that honeybush extracts could constitute candidates for the prevention of oxidative stress with an impact on aging processes and age-related neurodegenerative disorders potentially leading to the development of a condition-specific nutraceutical.


Parasitology ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Roger ◽  
P. Viens

SUMMARYUric acid is the most important constituent in the urine of insects. Infective metacyclic forms of the stercorarian trypanosomes are produced in the rectum of their insect vector and are thus in contact with uric acid. Using a culture system which permitted the growth of the insect stages of Trypanosoma musculi, we studied the influence of uric acid on the metacyclogenesis of this parasite. When added to the culture, uric acid enhanced the production of metacyclic forms. Furthermore, it rendered these trypanosomes highly infective by the oral route. It is suggested that uric acid may play an important role on the metacyclogenesis of T. musculi.


2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 6184-6191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Cortez ◽  
Ivan Neira ◽  
Daniele Ferreira ◽  
Alejandro O. Luquetti ◽  
Anis Rassi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclic trypomastigotes invade and replicate in the gastric mucosal epithelium after oral infection. In this study we analyzed the process of infection by T. cruzi isolates deficient in the expression of gp82, the metacyclic stage-specific surface glycoprotein implicated in target cell entry in vitro and in promoting mucosal infection in mice after oral challenge. Mice infected by the oral route with metacyclic forms of gp82-deficient isolate 569 or 588 developed patent parasitemia but at greatly reduced levels compared to those infected with the gp82-expressing isolate CL. Metacyclic forms of both isolates expressed gp30, a surface glycoprotein detectable by monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3F6 directed to gp82. Otherwise, the gp82-deficient isolates displayed a surface profile similar to that of the CL isolate and also entered epithelial HeLa cells in a manner inhibitable by MAb 3F6 and dependent on the parasite signal transduction that involved the activation of protein tyrosine kinase and Ca2+ mobilization from thapsigargin-sensitive stores. Like gp82, gp30 triggered the host cell Ca2+ response required for parasite internalization. Purified gp30 and the recombinant gp82 inhibited HeLa cell invasion of metacyclic forms of isolates 569 and 588 by ∼90 and ∼70%, respectively. A cell invasion assay performed in the presence of gastric mucin, mimicking the in vivo infection, showed an inhibition of 70 to 75% in the internalization of gp82-deficient isolates but not of the CL isolate. The recombinant gp82 exhibited an adhesive capacity toward gastric mucin much higher than that of gp30. Taken together, our findings indicate that target cell entry of metacyclic trypomastigotes can be mediated either by gp82 or gp30 but that efficient mucosal infection depends on the expression of gp82.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 2235-2245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongyan Zhang ◽  
Nobunao Wakabayashi ◽  
Junko Wakabayashi ◽  
Yasushi Tamura ◽  
Woo-Jin Song ◽  
...  

Previous studies using in vitro cell culture systems have shown the role of the dynamin-related GTPase Opa1 in apoptosis prevention and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance. However, it remains to be tested whether these functions of Opa1 are physiologically important in vivo in mammals. Here, using the Cre-loxP system, we deleted mouse Opa1 in pancreatic beta cells, in which glucose-stimulated ATP production in mitochondria plays a key role in insulin secretion. Beta cells lacking Opa1 maintained normal copy numbers of mtDNA; however, the amount and activity of electron transport chain complex IV were significantly decreased, leading to impaired glucose-stimulated ATP production and insulin secretion. In addition, in Opa1-null beta cells, cell proliferation was impaired, whereas apoptosis was not promoted. Consequently, mice lacking Opa1 in beta cells develop hyperglycemia. The data suggest that the function of Opa1 in the maintenance of the electron transport chain is physiologically relevant in beta cells.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Fargnoli ◽  
Esteban A. Panozzo-Zénere ◽  
Lucas Pagura ◽  
María Julia Barisón ◽  
Julia A. Cricco ◽  
...  

L-Proline is an important amino acid for the pathogenic protists belonging to <i>Trypanosoma</i> and <i>Leishmania </i>genera. In <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, this amino acid is involved in fundamental biological processes such as ATP production, differentiation of the insect and intracellular stages, the host cell infection and the resistance to a variety of stresses, including nutritional and osmotic as well as oxidative imbalance. In this study, we explore the L-Proline uptake as a chemotherapeutic target for <i>T. cruzi</i>. For this, we propose a novel rational to design inhibitors containing this amino acid as a recognizable motif. This rational consists of conjugating the amino acid (proline in this case) to a linker and a variable region able to block the transporter. We obtained a series of sixteen 1,2,3-triazolyl-proline derivatives through alkylation and copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry) for <i>in vitro</i> screening against <i>T. cruzi </i>epimastigotes, trypanocidal activity and proline uptake. We successfully obtained inhibitors that are able to interfere with the amino acid uptake, which validated the first example of a rationally designed chemotherapeutic agent targeting a metabolite's transport. Additionally, we designed and prepared fluorescent analogues of the inhibitors that were successfully taken up by <i>T. cruzi</i>, allowing following up their intracellular fate. In conclusion, we successfully designed and produced a series of metabolite uptake inhibitors. This is one of few examples of rationally designed amino acid transporter inhibitor, being the first case where the strategy is applied on the development of chemotherapy against Chagas disease. This unprecedented development is remarkable having in mind that only a small percent of the metabolite transporters has been studied at the structural and/or molecular level.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 35-35
Author(s):  
Zhenghao Chen ◽  
Gaspard Cretenet ◽  
Valeria Carnazzo ◽  
Gerritje J. W. van der Windt ◽  
Arnon P. Kater ◽  
...  

Alterations in expression of specifically BCL-XL and MCL-1 dictate sensitivity of CLL cells to the Bcl-2 specific inhibitor venetoclax (VEN). We and others have shown upregulation of these anti-apoptotic proteins by interaction of CLL cells with CD4+ T helper cells within their lymph node microenvironment (LN-ME) mediated by CD40 signalling. We also reported significant metabolic changes of LN-ME activated CLL cells but whether metabolic alterations can be linked to VEN resistance remains unclear. As VEN is increasingly used in early stages of CLL, better understanding and tools to circumvent VEN resistance are highly needed. We aim to reveal the metabolic adaption of CLL to CD40 signalling in connection with VEN resistance. After in vitro CD40 signalling stimulation of peripheral blood (PB) CLL cells, mitochondrial mass and glucose uptake were measured by flow cytometry, oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) were measured on Seahorse XF Analyser. The result demonstrated that CD40 stimulation enhances both oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. This was also confirmed by microarray and metabolomics analyses, as genes and metabolites involved in these two metabolic pathways are significantly upregulated by CD40 stimulation. To find out whether these pathways are linked to VEN resistance, PB CLL cells were treated with OXPHOS or glycolysis inhibitors during CD40 stimulation. Remarkably, OXPHOS inhibition by electron transport chain (ETC) inhibitors (rotenone, antimycin A and oligomycin) counteracted strongly for VEN resistance, while glycolysis inhibition by 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) did not. The three ETC inhibitors also attenuated CLL activation, ATP production and NAD levels. Interestingly, complex II inhibition of the ETC (TTFA and DMM) did not affect VEN resistance. Regarding BCL-2 family members induced by CD40 ligation, both MCL-1 and BCL-XL were downregulated by these ETC inhibitors. In addition, OXPHOS inhibition strongly elevates glycolysis, and vice versa, which illustrates a strong metabolic plasticity of CLL cells. To further investigate the cross-talk between CD40 signalling, VEN resistance and mitochondrial metabolism, the three main fuels of the TCA cycle were inhibited: pyruvate (by UK5099), glutamine (by DON) and fatty acids (by etomoxir). Even though the OCR and ECAR were slightly decreased by (combinations of) these fuel inhibitors, neither CD40 signalling nor VEN sensitivity was affected. Next, we inhibited PI3K by idelalisib, BTK by ibrutinib and mTOR by rapamycin, which are three downstream targets of CD40 signalling. The results showed that only rapamycin inhibited CD40 activation and metabolic activities, and none of the three inhibitors counteracts VEN resistance. Lastly, we investigated CD40 splicing and overall expression. Interestingly, CD40 stimulation has a huge impact on CD40 expression itself, and these changes were blocked by ETC inhibition. These data indicate that ETC inhibition affects CD40 signals to counteract VEN resistance, by directly affecting the expression of CD40 protein on the cell membrane. In conclusion, after CD40 stimulation, CLL cells become metabolically activated and highly flexible in the use of mitochondrial fuels. The enhanced OXPHOS but not glycolysis contributes to VEN resistance, while ETC inhibition reverses CLL VEN resistance by directly suppressing CD40 expression on CLL. These findings link CLL metabolism directly to CD40 transcription and signalling, which may contribute to clinical VEN resistance. Disclosures van der Windt: genmab: Current Employment. Kater:Abbvie: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding. Eldering:Genentech: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Fargnoli ◽  
Esteban A. Panozzo-Zénere ◽  
Lucas Pagura ◽  
María Julia Barisón ◽  
Julia A. Cricco ◽  
...  

L-Proline is an important amino acid for the pathogenic protists belonging to <i>Trypanosoma</i> and <i>Leishmania </i>genera. In <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, this amino acid is involved in fundamental biological processes such as ATP production, differentiation of the insect and intracellular stages, the host cell infection and the resistance to a variety of stresses, including nutritional and osmotic as well as oxidative imbalance. In this study, we explore the L-Proline uptake as a chemotherapeutic target for <i>T. cruzi</i>. For this, we propose a novel rational to design inhibitors containing this amino acid as a recognizable motif. This rational consists of conjugating the amino acid (proline in this case) to a linker and a variable region able to block the transporter. We obtained a series of sixteen 1,2,3-triazolyl-proline derivatives through alkylation and copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry) for <i>in vitro</i> screening against <i>T. cruzi </i>epimastigotes, trypanocidal activity and proline uptake. We successfully obtained inhibitors that are able to interfere with the amino acid uptake, which validated the first example of a rationally designed chemotherapeutic agent targeting a metabolite's transport. Additionally, we designed and prepared fluorescent analogues of the inhibitors that were successfully taken up by <i>T. cruzi</i>, allowing following up their intracellular fate. In conclusion, we successfully designed and produced a series of metabolite uptake inhibitors. This is one of few examples of rationally designed amino acid transporter inhibitor, being the first case where the strategy is applied on the development of chemotherapy against Chagas disease. This unprecedented development is remarkable having in mind that only a small percent of the metabolite transporters has been studied at the structural and/or molecular level.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document