1
|
Robertson A, Sall J, Venzon M, Olivas JJ, Zheng X, Cammer M, Antao N, Zhou C, Devlin JC, Saes Thur R, Bethony J, Nejsum P, Shopsin B, Torres VJ, Liang FX, Cadwell K. Bacterial contact induces polar plug disintegration to mediate whipworm egg hatching. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011647. [PMID: 37738244 PMCID: PMC10550136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial microbiota promotes the life cycle of the intestine-dwelling whipworm Trichuris by mediating hatching of parasite eggs ingested by the mammalian host. Despite the enormous disease burden associated with Trichuris colonization, the mechanisms underlying this transkingdom interaction have been obscure. Here, we used a multiscale microscopy approach to define the structural events associated with bacteria-mediated hatching of eggs for the murine model parasite Trichuris muris. Through the combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and serial block face SEM (SBFSEM), we visualized the outer surface morphology of the shell and generated 3D structures of the egg and larva during the hatching process. These images revealed that exposure to hatching-inducing bacteria catalyzed asymmetric degradation of the polar plugs prior to exit by the larva. Unrelated bacteria induced similar loss of electron density and dissolution of the structural integrity of the plugs. Egg hatching was most efficient when high densities of bacteria were bound to the poles. Consistent with the ability of taxonomically distant bacteria to induce hatching, additional results suggest chitinase released from larva within the eggs degrade the plugs from the inside instead of enzymes produced by bacteria in the external environment. These findings define at ultrastructure resolution the evolutionary adaptation of a parasite for the microbe-rich environment of the mammalian gut.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amicha Robertson
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joseph Sall
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York New York, United States of America
| | - Mericien Venzon
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Janet J. Olivas
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Xuhui Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Michael Cammer
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York New York, United States of America
| | - Noelle Antao
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York New York, United States of America
| | - Chunyi Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joseph C. Devlin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Rafaela Saes Thur
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Peter Nejsum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bo Shopsin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Victor J. Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Feng-Xia Liang
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York New York, United States of America
| | - Ken Cadwell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Robertson A, Sall J, Venzon M, Olivas JJ, Zheng X, Cammer M, Antao N, Thur RS, Bethony J, Nejsum P, Torres VJ, Liang FX, Cadwell K. Bacterial contact induces polar plug disintegration to mediate whipworm egg hatching. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.13.532458. [PMID: 36993552 PMCID: PMC10054943 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.13.532458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial microbiota promotes the life cycle of the intestine-dwelling whipworm Trichuris by mediating hatching of parasite eggs ingested by the mammalian host. Despite the enormous disease burden associated with Trichuris colonization, the mechanisms underlying this transkingdom interaction have been obscure. Here, we used a multiscale microscopy approach to define the structural events associated with bacteria-mediated hatching of eggs for the murine model parasite Trichuris muris . Through the combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and serial block face SEM (SBFSEM), we visualized the outer surface morphology of the shell and generated 3D structures of the egg and larva during the hatching process. These images revealed that exposure to hatching-inducing bacteria catalyzed asymmetric degradation of the polar plugs prior to exit by the larva. Although unrelated bacteria induced similar loss of electron density and dissolution of the structural integrity of the plugs, egg hatching was most efficient in the presence of bacteria that bound poles with high density such as Staphylococcus aureus . Consistent with the ability of taxonomically distant bacteria to induce hatching, additional results suggest chitinase released from larva within the eggs degrade the plugs from the inside instead of enzymes produced by bacteria in the external environment. These findings define at ultrastructure resolution the evolutionary adaptation of a parasite for the microbe-rich environment of the mammalian gut.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amicha Robertson
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joseph Sall
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mericien Venzon
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Janet J. Olivas
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Xuhui Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michael Cammer
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Noelle Antao
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Rafaela Saes Thur
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Jeffrey Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Peter Nejsum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Victor J. Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Feng-Xia Liang
- Microscopy Laboratory, Division of Advanced Research Technologies, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ken Cadwell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sargsian S, Chen Z, Lee SC, Robertson A, Thur RS, Sproch J, Devlin JC, Tee MZ, Er YX, Copin R, Heguy A, Pironti A, Torres VJ, Ruggles KV, Lim YA, Bethony J, Loke P, Cadwell K. Clostridia isolated from helminth-colonized humans promote the life cycle of Trichuris species. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111725. [PMID: 36450245 PMCID: PMC9790084 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil-transmitted intestinal worms known as helminths colonize over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Although helminth colonization has been associated with altered composition of the gut microbiota, such as increases in Clostridia, individual species have not been isolated and characterized. Here, we isolate and sequence the genome of 13 Clostridia from the Orang Asli, an indigenous population in Malaysia with a high prevalence of helminth infections. Metagenomic analysis of 650 fecal samples from urban and rural Malaysians confirm the prevalence of species corresponding to these isolates and reveal a specific association between Peptostreptococcaceae family members and helminth colonization. Remarkably, Peptostreptococcaceae isolated from the Orang Asli display superior capacity to promote the life cycle of whipworm species, including hatching of eggs from Trichuris muris and Trichuris trichiura. These findings support a model in which helminths select for gut colonization of microbes that support their life cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shushan Sargsian
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ze Chen
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Soo Ching Lee
- Type 2 Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Amicha Robertson
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Rafaela Saes Thur
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Julia Sproch
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joseph C. Devlin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mian Zi Tee
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yi Xian Er
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Richard Copin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Genome Technology Center, Office of Science and Research, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alejandro Pironti
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Microbial Computational Genomic Core Lab, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Victor J. Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kelly V. Ruggles
- Institute for System Genetics, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Division of Precision Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yvonne A.L. Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jeffrey Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - P’ng Loke
- Type 2 Immunity Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA,Correspondence: (P.L.), (K.C.)
| | - Ken Cadwell
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Lead contact,Correspondence: (P.L.), (K.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Venzon M, Das R, Luciano DJ, Burnett J, Park HS, Devlin JC, Kool ET, Belasco JG, Hubbard EJA, Cadwell K. Microbial byproducts determine reproductive fitness of free-living and parasitic nematodes. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:786-797.e8. [PMID: 35413267 PMCID: PMC9187612 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Trichuris nematodes reproduce within the microbiota-rich mammalian intestine and lay thousands of eggs daily, facilitating their sustained presence in the environment and hampering eradication efforts. Here, we show that bacterial byproducts facilitate the reproductive development of nematodes. First, we employed a pipeline using the well-characterized, free-living nematode C. elegans to identify microbial factors with conserved roles in nematode reproduction. A screen for E. coli mutants that impair C. elegans fertility identified genes in fatty acid biosynthesis and ethanolamine utilization pathways, including fabH and eutN. Additionally, Trichuris muris eggs displayed defective hatching in the presence of fabH- or eutN-deficient E. coli due to reduced arginine or elevated aldehydes, respectively. T. muris reared in gnotobiotic mice colonized with these E. coli mutants displayed morphological defects and failed to lay viable eggs. These findings indicate that microbial byproducts mediate evolutionarily conserved transkingdom interactions that impact the reproductive fitness of distantly related nematodes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mericien Venzon
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ritika Das
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Daniel J Luciano
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Julia Burnett
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Hyun Shin Park
- Seegene Inc., Ogeum-ro, Songpa-Gu, Seoul 05548, Republic of Korea
| | - Joseph Cooper Devlin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eric T Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford Cancer Institute, and ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joel G Belasco
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - E Jane Albert Hubbard
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Cell Biology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ken Cadwell
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Oyesola OO, Souza COS, Loke P. The Influence of Genetic and Environmental Factors and Their Interactions on Immune Response to Helminth Infections. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869163. [PMID: 35572520 PMCID: PMC9103684 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminth infection currently affect over 2 billion people worldwide, with those with the most pathologies and morbidities, living in regions with unequal and disproportionate access to effective healthcare solutions. Host genetics and environmental factors play critical roles in modulating and regulating immune responses following exposure to various pathogens and insults. However, the interplay of environment and genetic factors in influencing who gets infected and the establishment, persistence, and clearance of helminth parasites remains unclear. Inbred strains of mice have long been used to investigate the role of host genetic factors on pathogenesis and resistance to helminth infection in a laboratory setting. This review will discuss the use of ecological and environmental mouse models to study helminth infections and how this could be used in combination with host genetic variation to explore the relative contribution of these factors in influencing immune response to helminth infections. Improved understanding of interactions between genetics and the environment to helminth immune responses would be important for efforts to identify and develop new prophylactic and therapeutic options for the management of helminth infections and their pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
6
|
Overview of Immunological Responses and Immunomodulation Properties of Trichuris sp.: Prospects for Better Understanding Human Trichuriasis. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030188. [PMID: 33673676 PMCID: PMC7997218 DOI: 10.3390/life11030188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Trichuris sp. infection has appeared as a pathological burden in the population, but the immunomodulation features could result in an opportunity to discover novel treatments for diseases with prominent inflammatory responses. Regarding the immunological aspects, the innate immune responses against Trichuris sp. are also responsible for determining subsequent immune responses, including the activation of innate lymphoid cell type 2 (ILC2s), and encouraging the immune cell polarization of the resistant host phenotype. Nevertheless, this parasite can establish a supportive niche for worm survival and finally avoid host immune interference. Trichuris sp. could skew antigen recognition and immune cell activation and proliferation through the generation of specific substances, called excretory/secretory (ESPs) and soluble products (SPs), which mainly mediate its immunomodulation properties. Through this review, we elaborate and discuss innate–adaptive immune responses and immunomodulation aspects, as well as the clinical implications for managing inflammatory-based diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, allergic, sepsis, and other autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
|
7
|
Ribas A, Wells K, Morand S, Chaisiri K, Agatsuma T, Lakim MB, Yuh Tuh FY, Saijuntha W. Whipworms of south-east Asian rodents are distinct from Trichuris muris. Parasitol Int 2020; 77:102128. [PMID: 32330535 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The whipworm Trichuris muris is known to be associated with various rodent species in the northern hemisphere, but the species identity of whipworm infecting rodents in the Oriental region remains largely unknown. We collected Trichuris of Muridae rodents in mainland and insular Southeast Asia between 2008 and 2015 and used molecular and morphological approaches to identify the systematic position of new specimens. We discovered two new species that were clearly distinct from T. muris, both in terms of molecular phylogenetic clustering and morphological features, with one species found in Thailand and another one in Borneo. We named the new species from Thailand as Trichuris cossoni and the species from Borneo as Trichuris arrizabalagai. Molecular phylogeny using internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) showed a divergence between T. arrizabalagai n. sp., T. cossoni n. sp. and T. muris. Our findings of phylogeographically distinct Trichuris species despite some globally distributed host species requires further research into the distribution of different species, previously assumed to belong to T. muris, which has particular relevance for using these species as laboratory model organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Ribas
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Konstans Wells
- Swansea University, Department of Biosciences, Swansea SA2 8PP, United Kingdom
| | - Serge Morand
- CNRS-CIRAD, Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kittipong Chaisiri
- Department of Helminthology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Takeshi Agatsuma
- Division of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Oko, Nankoku 783-8505, Japan
| | - Maklarin B Lakim
- Sabah Parks, Lot 45 & 46 KK Times Square Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Fred Y Yuh Tuh
- Sabah Parks, Lot 45 & 46 KK Times Square Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Weerachai Saijuntha
- Walai Rukhavej Botanical Research Institute (WRBRI), Biodiversity and Conservation Research Unit, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Partridge FA, Forman R, Willis NJ, Bataille CJR, Murphy EA, Brown AE, Heyer-Chauhan N, Marinič B, Sowood DJC, Wynne GM, Else KJ, Russell AJ, Sattelle DB. 2,4-Diaminothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines, a new class of anthelmintic with activity against adult and egg stages of whipworm. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006487. [PMID: 29995893 PMCID: PMC6062138 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The human whipworm Trichuris trichiura is a parasite that infects around 500 million people globally, with consequences including damage to physical growth and educational performance. Current drugs such as mebendazole have a notable lack of efficacy against whipworm, compared to other soil-transmitted helminths. Mass drug administration programs are therefore unlikely to achieve eradication and new treatments for trichuriasis are desperately needed. All current drug control strategies focus on post-infection eradication, targeting the parasite in vivo. Here we propose developing novel anthelmintics which target the egg stage of the parasite in the soil as an adjunct environmental strategy. As evidence in support of such an approach we describe the actions of a new class of anthelmintic compounds, the 2,4-diaminothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines (DATPs). This compound class has found broad utility in medicinal chemistry, but has not previously been described as having anthelmintic activity. Importantly, these compounds show efficacy against not only the adult parasite, but also both the embryonated and unembryonated egg stages and thereby may enable a break in the parasite lifecycle. The human whipworm, Trichuris trichiura, infects around 500 million people globally, impacting on their physical growth and educational performance. There are currently huge mass drug administration (MDA) programs aiming to control whipworm, along with the other major soil transmitted helminths, Ascaris and hookworm. However single doses of albendazole and mebendazole, which are used in MDA, have particularly poor effectiveness against whipworm, with cure rates less than 40%. This means that MDA may not be able to control and eliminate whipworm infection, and risks the spread of resistance to albendazole and mebendazole in the parasite population. We are attempting to develop new treatments for parasitic worm infection, particularly focused on whipworm. We report the identification of a class of compounds, diaminothienopyrimidines (DATPs), which have not previously been described as anthelmintics. These compounds are effective against adult stages of whipworm, and also block the development of the model nematode C. elegans. Our DATP compounds reduce the ability of treated eggs to successfully establish infection in a mouse model of human whipworm. These results support a potential environmental spray to control whipworm by targeting the infectious egg stage in environmental hotspots.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A. Partridge
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Forman
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nicky J. Willis
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Carole J. R. Bataille
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emma A. Murphy
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Anwen E. Brown
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Narinder Heyer-Chauhan
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bruno Marinič
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J. C. Sowood
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Graham M. Wynne
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J. Else
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (DBS); (KJE); (AJR)
| | - Angela J. Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (DBS); (KJE); (AJR)
| | - David B. Sattelle
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (DBS); (KJE); (AJR)
| |
Collapse
|