scholarly journals Cellular Localization of Babesia bovis Merozoite Rhoptry-Associated Protein 1 and Its Erythrocyte-Binding Activity

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 5822-5826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoaki Yokoyama ◽  
Boonchit Suthisak ◽  
Haruyuki Hirata ◽  
Tomohide Matsuo ◽  
Noboru Inoue ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The cellular localization of Babesia bovis rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) and its erythrocyte-binding affinity were examined with anti-RAP-1 antibodies. In an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test, RAP-1 was detectable in all developmental stages of merozoites and in extracellular merozoites. In the early stage of merozoite development, RAP-1 appears as a dense accumulation, which later thins out and blankets the host cell cytoplasm, but retains a denser mass around newly formed parasite nuclei. The preferential accumulations of RAP-1 on the inner surface of a host cell membrane and bordering the parasite's outer surface were demonstrable by immunoelectron microscopy. An erythrocyte-binding assay with the lysate of merozoites demonstrated RAP-1 binding to both bovine and equine erythrocytes. Anti-RAP-1 monoclonal antibody 1C1 prevented the interaction of RAP-1 with bovine erythrocytes and significantly inhibited parasite proliferation in vitro. With the recombinant RAP-1, the addition of increasing concentrations of Ca2+ accentuated its binding affinity with bovine erythrocytes. The present findings lend support to an earlier proposition of an erythrocytic binding role for RAP-1 expressed in B. bovis merozoites and, possibly, its involvement in the escape of newly formed merozoites from host cells.

Parasitology ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 113 (5) ◽  
pp. 439-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. P. J. Dunn ◽  
J. M. Bumstead ◽  
F. M. Tomley

SUMMARYWe have isolated and sequenced cDNA clones fromEimeria tenellaandEimeria maximawhich encode proteins that share homology with a recently described family of calmodulin-domain protein kinases. The primary sequence data show that each of the protein kinases can be divided into 2 main functional domains – an amino-terminal catalytic domain typical of serine/threonine protein kinases and a carboxy-terminal domain homologous to calmodulin, which is capable of binding calcium ions at 4 ‘EF-hand’ motifs. Expression of theE. tenellacalmodulin-domain protein kinase (EtCDPK) increased towards the end of oocyst sporulation, as judged by Northern and Western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescent antibody labelling showed that within a few minutes of adding sporozoites to target host cells inin vitroculture EtCDPK was found to be specifically associated with a filament-like structure that converges at the apical end of the parasite. Once the parasite entered the host cell EtCDPK appeared to be left on the host cell membrane at the point of entry, indicating a brief yet specific role for this molecule in the invasion of host cells byE. tenella.


Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Kyung-Hwa Baek ◽  
Laura Piel ◽  
Thibault Rosazza ◽  
Eric Prina ◽  
Gerald F. Späth ◽  
...  

Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania are the causative agents of leishmaniasis, a spectrum of a disease that threatens public health worldwide. Although next-generation therapeutics are urgently needed, the early stage of the drug discovery process is hampered by very low hit rates from intracellular Leishmania phenotypic high-throughput screenings. Designing and applying a physiologically relevant in vitro assay is therefore in high demand. In this study, we characterized the infectivity, morphology, and drug susceptibility of different Leishmania and host cell infection combinations. Primary bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMDM) and differentiated human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cells were infected with amastigote or promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania donovani. Regardless of host cell types, amastigotes were generally well phagocytosed and showed high infectivity, whereas promastigotes, especially those of L. donovani, had predominantly remained in the extracellular space. In the drug susceptibility test, miltefosine and sodium stibogluconate (SSG) showed varying ranges of activity with 14 and >10-fold differences in susceptibility, depending on the host-parasite pairs, indicating the importance of assay conditions for evaluating antileishmanial activity. Overall, our results suggest that combinations of Leishmania species, infection forms, and host cells must be carefully optimized to evaluate the activity of potential therapeutic compounds against Leishmania.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatmi Sofiane ◽  
Taouzinet Lamia ◽  
Skiba Mohamed ◽  
Iguer-Ouada Mokrane

: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread rapidly since its discovery in December 2019 in the Chinese province of Hubei, reaching this day, all the continents. This scourge is, unfortunately, in lineage with various dangerous outbreaks such as Ebola, Cholera, Spanish flu, American seasonal flu. Until today, the best solution for the moment remains prevention (Social distancing, hand disinfection, use of masks, partial or total sanitary containment, etc.), there is also the emergence of drug treatment (research and development, clinical trials, use on patients). Recent reviews emphasized the role of membrane lipids in the infectivity mechanism of SARS-COV-2. Cholesterol-rich parts of cell membranes serve as docking places of host cells for the viruses. Coronavirus 2 is a member of a virus family with lipid envelope that fuses with host cell through endocytosis, internalizing its components in the cell. In vitro cell models have shown that depletion of cholesterol by cyclodextrin, and particularly methyl beta cyclodextrin disturb the host cell membrane lipid composition this way reducing the attachment of the virus to the protein receptors. This review aims to summarize the state of the art of research concerning the use of cyclodextrin or its complexes as a potential treatment against this new virus and update work already published.


mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nat F. Brown ◽  
Lindsay D. Rogers ◽  
Kristy L. Sanderson ◽  
Joost W. Gouw ◽  
Elizabeth L. Hartland ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe transcription factors HilA and SsrB activate expression of two type III secretion systems (T3SSs) and cognate effectors that reprogram host cell functions to benefit infectingSalmonellain the host. These transcription factors, the secretion systems, and the effectors are all encoded by horizontally acquired genes. Using quantitative proteomics, we quantified the abundance of 2,149 proteins fromhilAorssrB Salmonella in vitro. Our results suggest that the HilA regulon does not extend significantly beyond proteins known to be involved in direct interactions with intestinal epithelium. On the other hand, SsrB influences the expression of a diverse range of proteins, many of which are ancestral to the acquisition ofssrB. In addition to the known regulon of T3SS-related proteins, we show that, through SodCI and bacterioferritin, SsrB controls resistance to reactive oxygen species and that SsrB down-regulates flagella and motility. This indicates that SsrB-controlled proteins not only redirect host cell membrane traffic to establish a supportive niche within host cells but also have adapted to the chemistry and physical constraints of that niche.IMPORTANCEExpression of T3SSs typically requires a transcription factor that is linked in a genomic island. Studies of the targets of HilA and SsrB have focused on almost exclusively on T3SS substrates that are either linked or encoded in distinct genomic islands. By broadening our focus, we found that the regulon of SsrB extended considerably beyond T3SS-2 and its substrates, while that of HilA did not. That at least two SsrB-regulated processes streamline existence in the intracellular niche afforded by T3SS-2 seems to be a predictable outcome of evolution and natural selection. However, and importantly, these are the first such functions to be implicated as being SsrB dependent. The concept of T3SS-associated transcription factors coordinating manipulations of host cells together with distinct bacterial processes for increased efficiency has unrealized implications for numerous host-pathogen systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1015
Author(s):  
Tianyu Zhang ◽  
Xin Gao ◽  
Dongqiang Wang ◽  
Jixue Zhao ◽  
Nan Zhang ◽  
...  

Cryptosporidium parvum is a globally recognized zoonotic parasite of medical and veterinary importance. This parasite mainly infects intestinal epithelial cells and causes mild to severe watery diarrhea that could be deadly in patients with weakened or defect immunity. However, its molecular interactions with hosts and pathogenesis, an important part in adaptation of parasitic lifestyle, remain poorly understood. Here we report the identification and characterization of a C. parvum T-cell immunomodulatory protein homolog (CpTIPH). CpTIPH is a 901-aa single-pass type I membrane protein encoded by cgd5_830 gene that also contains a short Vibrio, Colwellia, Bradyrhizobium and Shewanella (VCBS) repeat and relatively long integrin alpha (ITGA) N-terminus domain. Immunofluorescence assay confirmed the location of CpTIPH on the cell surface of C. parvum sporozoites. In congruence with the presence of VCBS repeat and ITGA domain, CpTIPH displayed high, nanomolar binding affinity to host cell surface (i.e., Kd(App) at 16.2 to 44.7 nM on fixed HCT-8 and CHO-K1 cells, respectively). The involvement of CpTIPH in the parasite invasion is partly supported by experiments showing that an anti-CpTIPH antibody could partially block the invasion of C. parvum sporozoites into host cells. These observations provide a strong basis for further investigation of the roles of CpTIPH in parasite-host cell interactions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1144
Author(s):  
Isabel Marcelino ◽  
Philippe Holzmuller ◽  
Ana Coelho ◽  
Gabriel Mazzucchelli ◽  
Bernard Fernandez ◽  
...  

The Rickettsiales Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causal agent of the fatal tick-borne disease Heartwater, induces severe damage to the vascular endothelium in ruminants. Nevertheless, E. ruminantium-induced pathobiology remains largely unknown. Our work paves the way for understanding this phenomenon by using quantitative proteomic analyses (2D-DIGE-MS/MS, 1DE-nanoLC-MS/MS and biotin-nanoUPLC-MS/MS) of host bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAE) during the in vitro bacterium intracellular replication cycle. We detect 265 bacterial proteins (including virulence factors), at all time-points of the E. ruminantium replication cycle, highlighting a dynamic bacterium–host interaction. We show that E. ruminantium infection modulates the expression of 433 host proteins: 98 being over-expressed, 161 under-expressed, 140 detected only in infected BAE cells and 34 exclusively detected in non-infected cells. Cystoscape integrated data analysis shows that these proteins lead to major changes in host cell immune responses, host cell metabolism and vesicle trafficking, with a clear involvement of inflammation-related proteins in this process. Our findings led to the first model of E. ruminantium infection in host cells in vitro, and we highlight potential biomarkers of E. ruminantium infection in endothelial cells (such as ROCK1, TMEM16K, Albumin and PTPN1), which may be important to further combat Heartwater, namely by developing non-antibiotic-based strategies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucio Ayres Caldas ◽  
Fabiana Avila Carneiro ◽  
Fabio Luis Monteiro ◽  
Ingrid Augusto ◽  
Luiza Mendonça Higa ◽  
...  

Parasitology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. HEMPHILL ◽  
N. VONLAUFEN ◽  
A. NAGULESWARAN

Neospora caninumis an apicomplexan parasite that is closely related toToxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis in humans and domestic animals. However, in contrast toT. gondii, N. caninumrepresents a major cause of abortion in cattle, pointing towards distinct differences in the biology of these two species. There are 3 distinct key features that represent potential targets for prevention of infection or intervention against disease caused byN. caninum. Firstly, tachyzoites are capable of infecting a large variety of host cellsin vitroandin vivo. Secondly, the parasite exploits its ability to respond to alterations in living conditions by converting into another stage (tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite orvice versa). Thirdly, by analogy withT. gondii, this parasite has evolved mechanisms that modulate its host cells according to its own requirements, and these must, especially in the case of the bradyzoite stage, involve mechanisms that ensure long-term survival of not only the parasite but also of the host cell. In order to elucidate the molecular and cellular bases of these important features ofN. caninum, cell culture-based approaches and laboratory animal models are being exploited. In this review, we will summarize the current achievements related to host cell and parasite cell biology, and will discuss potential applications for prevention of infection and/or disease by reviewing corresponding work performed in murine laboratory infection models and in cattle.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1053
Author(s):  
Lidia Węglińska ◽  
Adrian Bekier ◽  
Katarzyna Dzitko ◽  
Barbara Pacholczyk-Sienicka ◽  
Łukasz Albrecht ◽  
...  

Congenital and acquired toxoplasmosis caused by the food- and water-born parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is one of the most prevalent zoonotic infection of global importance. T. gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite with limited capacity for extracellular survival, thus a successful, efficient and robust host cell invasion process is crucial for its survival, proliferation and transmission. In this study, we screened a series of novel 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-halophenylamines functionalized at the C5 position with the imidazole ring (1b–12b) for their effects on T. gondii host cell invasion and proliferation. To achieve this goal, these compounds were initially subjected to in vitro assays to assess their cytotoxicity on human fibroblasts and then antiparasitic efficacy. Results showed that all of them compare favorably to control drugs sulfadiazine and trimethoprim in terms of T. gondii growth inhibition (IC50) and selectivity toward the parasite, expressed as selectivity index (SI). Subsequently, the most potent of them with meta-fluoro 2b, meta-chloro 5b, meta-bromo 8b, meta-iodo 11b and para-iodo 12b substitution were tested for their efficacy in inhibition of tachyzoites invasion and subsequent proliferation by direct action on established intracellular infection. All the compounds significantly inhibited the parasite invasion and intracellular proliferation via direct action on both tachyzoites and parasitophorous vacuoles formation. The most effective was para-iodo derivative 12b that caused reduction in the percentage of infected host cells by 44% and number of tachyzoites per vacuole by 93% compared to non-treated host cells. Collectively, these studies indicate that 1,3,4-thiadiazoles 1b–12b, especially 12b with IC50 of 4.70 µg/mL and SI of 20.89, could be considered as early hit compounds for future design and synthesis of anti-Toxoplasma agents that effectively and selectively block the invasion and subsequent proliferation of T. gondii into host cells.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
María A. Duque-Correa ◽  
David Goulding ◽  
Claire Cormie ◽  
Catherine Sharpe ◽  
Judit Gali Moya ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTHundreds of millions of people are infected with whipworms (Trichuris trichiura), large metazoan parasites that live in the caecum and proximal colon. Whipworms inhabit distinct multi-intracellular epithelial burrows that have been described as syncytial tunnels. However, the interactions between first-stage (L1) larvae and the host epithelia that determine parasite invasion and establishment in the syncytium remain unclear. In vivo experiments investigating these events have been severely hampered by the limited in situ accessibility to intracellular infective larvae at the bottom of the crypts of Lieberkühn, and the lack of genetic tools such as fluorescent organisms that are readily available for other pathogens but not parasitic nematodes. Moreover, cell lines, which do not mimic the complexity of the intestinal epithelium, have been unsuccessful in supporting infection by whipworm larvae. Here, we show that caecaloids grown in an open crypt-like conformation recapitulate the caecal epithelium. Using this system, we establish in vitro infections with T. muris L1 larvae for the first-time, and provide clear evidence that syncytial tunnels are formed at this early stage. We show that larval whipworms are completely intracellular but woven through multiple cells. Using the caecaloids, we are able to visualise the pathways taken by the larvae as they burrow through the epithelial cells. We also demonstrate that larvae degrade the mucus layers overlaying the epithelium, enabling them to access the cells below. We show that early syncytial tunnels are composed of enterocytes and goblet cells that are alive and actively interacting with the larvae during the first 24 h of the infection. Progression of infection results in damage to host cells and by 72 h post-infection, we show that desmosomes of cells from infected epithelium widen and some host cells appear to become liquified. Collectively, our work unravels processes mediating the intestinal epithelium invasion by whipworms and reveals new specific interactions between the host and the parasite that allow the whipworm to establish on its multi-intracellular niche. Our study demonstrates that caecaloids can be used as a relevant in vitro model to investigate the infection biology of T. muris during the early colonisation of its host.


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