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Soprano LL, Ferrero MR, Landoni M, García GA, Esteva MI, Couto AS, Duschak VG. Cruzipain Sulfotopes-Specific Antibodies Generate Cardiac Tissue Abnormalities and Favor Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in the BALB/c Mice Model of Experimental Chagas Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:814276. [PMID: 35059328 PMCID: PMC8763857 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.814276] [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: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi cruzipain (Cz) bears a C-terminal domain (C-T) that contains sulfated epitopes “sulfotopes” (GlcNAc6S) on its unique N-glycosylation site. The effects of in vivo exposure to GlcNAc6S on heart tissue ultrastructure, immune responses, and along the outcome of infection by T. cruzi, were evaluated in a murine experimental model, BALB/c, using three independent strategies. First, mice were pre-exposed to C-T by immunization. C-T-immunized mice (C-TIM) showed IgG2a/IgG1 <1, induced the production of cytokines from Th2, Th17, and Th1 profiles with respect to those of dC-TIM, which only induced IL-10 respect to the control mice. Surprisingly, after sublethal challenge, both C-TIM and dC-TIM showed significantly higher parasitemia and mortality than the control group. Second, mice exposed to BSA-GlcNAc6S as immunogen (BSA-GlcNAc6SIM) showed: severe ultrastructural cardiac alterations while BSA-GlcNAcIM conserved the regular tissue architecture with slight myofibril changes; a strong highly specific humoral-immune-response reproducing the IgG-isotype-profile obtained with C-TIM; and a significant memory-T-cell-response demonstrating sulfotope-immunodominance with respect to BSA-GlcNAcIM. After sublethal challenge, BSA-GlcNAc6SIM showed exacerbated parasitemias, despite elevated IFN-γ levels were registered. In both cases, the abrogation of ultrastructural alterations when using desulfated immunogens supported the direct involvement of sulfotopes and/or indirect effect through their specific antibodies, in the induction of tissue damage. Finally, a third strategy using a passive transference of sulfotope-specific antibodies (IgG-GlcNAc6S) showed the detrimental activity of IgG-GlcNAc6S on mice cardiac tissue, and mice treated with IgG-GlcNAc6S after a sublethal dose of T. cruzi, surprisingly reached higher parasitemias than control groups. These findings confirmed the indirect role of the sulfotopes, via their IgG-GlcNAc6S, both in the immunopathogenicity as well as favoring T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana L Soprano
- Area of Biochemistry of Proteins and Glycobiology of Parasites, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbrán, Health Department, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA, 1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maximiliano R Ferrero
- Area of Biochemistry of Proteins and Glycobiology of Parasites, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbrán, Health Department, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA, 1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Malena Landoni
- Organic Chemistry Department, Natural and Exact Sciences Faculty; Research Center in Carbohydrates (CIHIDECAR), University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela A García
- Area of Biochemistry of Proteins and Glycobiology of Parasites, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbrán, Health Department, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA, 1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mónica I Esteva
- Area of Biochemistry of Proteins and Glycobiology of Parasites, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbrán, Health Department, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA, 1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alicia S Couto
- Organic Chemistry Department, Natural and Exact Sciences Faculty; Research Center in Carbohydrates (CIHIDECAR), University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vilma G Duschak
- Area of Biochemistry of Proteins and Glycobiology of Parasites, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbrán, Health Department, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA, 1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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2
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Pedra-Rezende Y, Barbosa JMC, Bombaça ACS, Dantas-Pereira L, Gibaldi D, Vilar-Pereira G, Dos Santos HAM, Ramos IP, Silva-Gomes NL, Moreira OC, Lannes-Vieira J, Menna-Barreto RFS. Physical Exercise Promotes a Reduction in Cardiac Fibrosis in the Chronic Indeterminate Form of Experimental Chagas Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:712034. [PMID: 34804007 PMCID: PMC8599157 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.712034] [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: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical disease and a health problem in Latin America. Etiological treatment has limited effectiveness in chronic CD; thus, new therapeutic strategies are required. The practice of physical exercises has been widely advocated to improve the quality of life of CD patients. The most frequent clinical CD manifestation is the chronic indeterminate form (CIF), and the effect of physical exercises on disease progression remains unknown. Here, in a CIF model, we aimed to evaluate the effect of physical exercises on cardiac histological, parasitological, mitochondrial, and oxidative metabolism, electro and echocardiographic profiles, and immunological features. To establish a CIF model, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were infected with 100 and 500 trypomastigotes of the Y T. cruzi strain. At 120 days postinfection (dpi), all mouse groups showed normal PR and corrected QT intervals and QRS complexes. Compared to BALB/c mice, C57BL/6 mice showed a lower parasitemia peak, mortality rate, and less intense myocarditis. Thus, C57BL/6 mice infected with 500 parasites were used for subsequent analyses. At 120 dpi, a decrease in cardiac mitochondrial oxygen consumption and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. When we increased the number of analyzed mice, a reduced heart rate and slightly prolonged corrected QT intervals were detected, at 120 and 150 dpi, which were then normalized at 180 dpi, thus characterizing the CIF. Y-infected mice were subjected to an exercise program on a treadmill for 4 weeks (from 150 to 180 dpi), five times per week in a 30–60-min daily training session. At 180 dpi, no alterations were detected in cardiac mitochondrial and oxidative metabolism, which were not affected by physical exercises, although ROS production increased. At 120 and 180 dpi, comparing infected and non-infected mice, no differences were observed in the levels of plasma cytokines, indicating that a crucial biomarker of the systemic inflammatory profile was absent and not affected by exercise. Compared with sedentary mice, trained Y-infected mice showed similar parasite loads and inflammatory cells but reduced cardiac fibrosis. Therefore, our data show that physical exercises promote beneficial changes that may prevent CD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Pedra-Rezende
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliana M C Barbosa
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina S Bombaça
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luiza Dantas-Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniel Gibaldi
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Glaucia Vilar-Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Brasileiro de Medicina de Reabilitação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hílton Antônio Mata Dos Santos
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Laboratório de Análise e Desenvolvimento de Inibidores Enzimáticos e Laboratório Multiusuário de Análises por RMN, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isalira Peroba Ramos
- Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Natália Lins Silva-Gomes
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacilio C Moreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Joseli Lannes-Vieira
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rubem F S Menna-Barreto
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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3
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Lin C, Ferreira de Almeida Fiuza L, Cardoso Santos C, Ferreira Nunes D, Cruz Moreira O, Bouton J, Karalic I, Maes L, Caljon G, Hulpia F, de Nazaré C Soeiro M, Van Calenbergh S. 6-Methyl-7-Aryl-7-Deazapurine Nucleosides as Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi Agents: Structure-Activity Relationship and in vivo Efficacy. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2231-2253. [PMID: 33856742 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a tropical infectious disease resulting in progressive organ-damage and currently lacks efficient treatment and vaccine options. The causative pathogen, Trypanosoma cruzi, requires uptake and processing of preformed purines from the host because it cannot synthesize these de novo, instigating the evaluation of modified purine nucleosides as potential trypanocides. By modifying the pyrimidine part of a previously identified 7-aryl-7-deazapurine nucleoside, we found that substitution of a 6-methyl for a 6-amino group allows retaining T. cruzi amastigote growth inhibitory activity but confers improved selectivity towards mammalian cells. By keeping the 6-methyl group unaltered, and introducing different 7-aryl groups, we identified several analogues with sub-micromolar antitrypanosomal activity. The 7-(4-chlorophenyl) analogue 14, which was stable in microsomes, was evaluated in an acute mouse model. Oral administration of 25 mg/kg b.i.d. suppressed peak parasitemia and protected mice from infection-related mortality, gave similar reductions as the reference drug of blood parasite loads determined by qPCR, but as benznidazole failed to induce sterile cure in the short time period of drug exposure (5 days).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai Lin
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Ludmila Ferreira de Almeida Fiuza
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Cardoso Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Daniela Ferreira Nunes
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A-Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacílio Cruz Moreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A-Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jakob Bouton
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Izet Karalic
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Fabian Hulpia
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Gent, Belgium.,Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Maria de Nazaré C Soeiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000, Gent, Belgium
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4
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Gulin JEN, Bisio M, García-Bournissen F. Refining drug administration in a murine model of acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. Lab Anim Res 2020; 36:37. [PMID: 33094096 PMCID: PMC7576763 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-020-00071-z] [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: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In animal research, “refinement” refers to modifications of husbandry or experimental procedures to enhance animal well-being and minimize or eliminate pain and distress. Evaluation of drug efficacy in mice models, such as those used to study Trypanosoma cruzi infection, require prolonged drug administration by the oral route (e.g. for 20 consecutive days). However, the orogastric gavage method can lead to significant discomfort, upper digestive or respiratory tract lesions, aspiration pneumonia and even accidental death. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of two administration methods (conventional oral gavage vs. a refined method using a disposable tip and automatic pipette) on the efficacy of benznidazole in a murine model of T. cruzi infection. Results Both administration methods led to a rapid and persistent reduction in parasitaemia. Absence of T. cruzi DNA (evaluated by real-time PCR) in blood, cardiac and skeletal muscle confirmed that treatment efficacy was not influenced by the administration method used. Conclusions The proposed refined method for long-term oral drug administration may be a suitable strategy for assessing drug efficacy in mice models of Chagas disease and can be applied to similar murine infection models to reduce animal discomfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Ernesto Nicolás Gulin
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez", CONICET- GCBA, Gallo 1330, 1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez". Ministerio de Salud. GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Margarita Bisio
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez", CONICET- GCBA, Gallo 1330, 1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez". Ministerio de Salud. GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García-Bournissen
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez", CONICET- GCBA, Gallo 1330, 1425 Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez". Ministerio de Salud. GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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5
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Lin S, Gao P, Li Q, Zhang Y, Hu J, Cai M, Qin W, Ma L, Ren Z, Zhang Z, Cai X, Yao L, Chen W, Zhou P. Aflatoxin influences achalasia symptomatology. Mol Med Rep 2020; 21:1276-1284. [PMID: 31922241 PMCID: PMC7002977 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.10914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Achalasia is characterized by impaired swallowing due to lower esophageal sphincter (LES) dysfunction and an increased risk of esophageal carcinoma. Aflatoxin is a known carcinogen. Esophageal retention is relieved by per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), which lowers the esophageal cancer risk. The present study determined whether aflatoxin is involved in the pathogenesis of achalasia or esophageal cancer. A total of 75 patients with achalasia were prospectively enrolled from a tertiary center. Aflatoxin levels in their esophageal contents were measured using ELISA, and esophageal mucosal specimens were immunohistochemically evaluated for Ki67 and p53 expression prior to and 3 months after POEM. The effect of aflatoxin on esophageal contractility was assessed using murine specimens. Aflatoxin was detected in 67 patients before POEM and only 2 patients after POEM. The number of Ki67- and p53-immunopositive cells in the esophageal mucosa significantly decreased after POEM: [Ki67: 27.8% (95% confidence interval (CI), 25.98–29.70) vs. 20.7% (95% CI, 19.78–24.03), P=0.04 and p53: 2.14% (95% CI, 1.85–2.41) vs. 1.45% (95% CI, 1.22–1.68), P=0.03]. In vitro experiments revealed that 500 ng/ml aflatoxin significantly increased the amplitude (P<0.05) and frequency (P<0.05) of spontaneous LES contractions compared with the control group. These increases were blocked by co-treatment with atropine sulfate (P<0.05), but not with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (P>0.05). Aflatoxin was found in most patients with achalasia and was eliminated following POEM. Reduced Ki67 and p53 expression after POEM indicated a decreased risk of carcinogenesis. Aflatoxin accumulation increased LES contractility via cholinergic signaling. Therefore, aflatoxin may maintain achalasia symptoms and increase esophageal cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengli Lin
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Pingting Gao
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Quanlin Li
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Yiqun Zhang
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Jianwei Hu
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Mingyan Cai
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Wenzheng Qin
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Lili Ma
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Zhong Ren
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Xianli Cai
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Liqing Yao
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Weifeng Chen
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Pinghong Zhou
- Endoscopy Center and Endoscopy Research Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
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6
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Lin C, Hulpia F, da Silva CF, Batista DDGJ, Van Hecke K, Maes L, Caljon G, Soeiro MDNC, Van Calenbergh S. Discovery of Pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine (1,7-Dideazapurine) Nucleoside Analogues as Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi Agents. J Med Chem 2019; 62:8847-8865. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cai Lin
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Fabian Hulpia
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Cristiane França da Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Denise da Gama Jaen Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kristof Van Hecke
- XStruct, Department of Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S3, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1 (S7), B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1 (S7), B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Maria de Nazaré C. Soeiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
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7
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Hulpia F, Van Hecke K, França da Silva C, da Gama Jaen Batista D, Maes L, Caljon G, de Nazaré C Soeiro M, Van Calenbergh S. Discovery of Novel 7-Aryl 7-Deazapurine 3'-Deoxy-ribofuranosyl Nucleosides with Potent Activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. J Med Chem 2018; 61:9287-9300. [PMID: 30234983 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease is the leading cause of cardiac-related mortality in Latin American countries where it is endemic. Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease-causing pathogen, is unable to synthesize purines de novo, necessitating salvage of preformed host purines. Therefore, purine and purine-nucleoside analogues might constitute an attractive source for identifying antitrypanosomal hits. In this study, structural elements of two purine-nucleoside analogues (i.e., cordycepin and a recently discovered 7-substituted 7-deazaadenosine) led to the identification of novel nucleoside analogues with potent in vitro activity. The structure-activity relationships of substituents at C-7 were investigated, ultimately leading to the selection of compound 5, with a C-7 para-chlorophenyl group, for in vivo evaluation. This derivative showed complete suppression of T. cruzi Y-strain blood parasitemia when orally administered twice daily for 5 days at 25 mg/kg and was able to protect infected mice from parasite-induced mortality. However, sterile cure by immunosuppression could not be demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Hulpia
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans) , Ghent University , Ottergemsesteenweg 460 , Gent B-9000 , Belgium
| | - Kristof Van Hecke
- XStruct, Department of Chemistry , Ghent University , Krijgslaan 281 S3 , Gent B-9000 , Belgium
| | - Cristiane França da Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Fundação Oswaldo Cruz , Avenida Brasil, 4365 , Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21040-900 , Brazil
| | - Denise da Gama Jaen Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Fundação Oswaldo Cruz , Avenida Brasil, 4365 , Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21040-900 , Brazil
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene , University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1 (S7) , Wilrijk B-2610 , Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene , University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1 (S7) , Wilrijk B-2610 , Belgium
| | - Maria de Nazaré C Soeiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Fundação Oswaldo Cruz , Avenida Brasil, 4365 , Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21040-900 , Brazil
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans) , Ghent University , Ottergemsesteenweg 460 , Gent B-9000 , Belgium
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8
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Bivona AE, Sánchez Alberti A, Matos MN, Cerny N, Cardoso AC, Morales C, González G, Cazorla SI, Malchiodi EL. Trypanosoma cruzi 80 kDa prolyl oligopeptidase (Tc80) as a novel immunogen for Chagas disease vaccine. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006384. [PMID: 29601585 PMCID: PMC5895069 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is a chronic parasitic disease caused by the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi that affects about 8 million people around the world where more than 25 million are at risk of contracting the infection. Despite of being endemic on 21 Latin-American countries, Chagas disease has become a global concern due to migratory movements. Unfortunately, available drugs for the treatment have several limitations and they are generally administered during the chronic phase of the infection, when its efficacy is considered controversial. Thus, prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccines are emerging as interesting control alternatives. In this work, we proposed Trypanosoma cruzi 80 kDa prolyl oligopeptidase (Tc80) as a new antigen for vaccine development against Chagas disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In a murine model, we analyzed the immune response triggered by different immunization protocols based on Tc80 and evaluated their ability to confer protection against a challenge with the parasite. Immunized mice developed Tc80-specific antibodies which were able to carry out different functions such as: enzymatic inhibition, neutralization of parasite infection and complement-mediated lysis of trypomastigotes. Furthermore, vaccinated mice elicited strong cell-mediated immunity. Spleen cells from immunized mice proliferated and secreted Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α) upon re-stimulation with rTc80. Moreover, we found Tc80-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against one Tc80 MHC-I peptide. Immunization protocols conferred protection against a T. cruzi lethal challenge. Immunized groups showed a decreased parasitemia and higher survival rate compared with non-immunized control mice. Moreover, during the chronic phase of the infection, immunized mice presented: lower levels of myopathy-linked enzymes, parasite burden, electrocardiographic disorders and inflammatory cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Considering that an early control of parasite burden and tissue damage might contribute to avoid the progression towards symptomatic forms of chronic Chagas disease, the efficacy of Tc80-based vaccines make this molecule a promising immunogen for a mono or multicomponent vaccine against T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto E. Bivona
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Sánchez Alberti
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina N. Matos
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natacha Cerny
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro C. Cardoso
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Celina Morales
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Patología, Instituto de Fisiopatología Cardiovascular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Germán González
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Patología, Instituto de Fisiopatología Cardiovascular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia I. Cazorla
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos (CERELA-CONICET). Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Emilio L. Malchiodi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Cátedra de Inmunología and Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Ricardo A. Margni (IDEHU), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología and Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), UBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Gutiérrez-Amézquita R, Morales-Montor J, Muñoz-Guzmán M, Nava-Castro K, Ramírez-Álvarez H, Cuenca-Verde C, Moreno-Mendoza N, Cuéllar-Ordaz J, Alba-Hurtado F. Progesterone inhibits the in vitro L3/L4 molting process in Haemonchus contortus. Vet Parasitol 2017. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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10
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Calvet CM, Choi JY, Thomas D, Suzuki B, Hirata K, Lostracco-Johnson S, de Mesquita LB, Nogueira A, Meuser-Batista M, Silva TA, Siqueira-Neto JL, Roush WR, de Souza Pereira MC, McKerrow JH, Podust LM. 4-aminopyridyl-based lead compounds targeting CYP51 prevent spontaneous parasite relapse in a chronic model and improve cardiac pathology in an acute model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006132. [PMID: 29281643 PMCID: PMC5744913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is the leading cause of heart failure in Latin America. The clinical treatment of Chagas disease is limited to two 60 year-old drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole, that have variable efficacy against different strains of the parasite and may lead to severe side effects. CYP51 is an enzyme in the sterol biosynthesis pathway that has been exploited for the development of therapeutics for fungal and parasitic infections. In a target-based drug discovery program guided by x-ray crystallography, we identified the 4-aminopyridyl-based series of CYP51 inhibitors as being efficacious versus T.cruzi in vitro; two of the most potent leads, 9 and 12, have now been evaluated for toxicity and efficacy in mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Both acute and chronic animal models infected with wild type or transgenic T. cruzi strains were evaluated. There was no evidence of toxicity in the 28-day dosing study of uninfected animals, as judged by the monitoring of multiple serum and histological parameters. In two acute models of Chagas disease, 9 and 12 drastically reduced parasitemia, increased survival of mice, and prevented liver and heart injury. None of the compounds produced long term sterile cure. In the less severe acute model using the transgenic CL-Brenner strain of T.cruzi, parasitemia relapsed upon drug withdrawal. In the chronic model, parasitemia fell to a background level and, as evidenced by the bioluminescence detection of T. cruzi expressing the red-shifted luciferase marker, mice remained negative for 4 weeks after drug withdrawal. Two immunosuppression cycles with cyclophosphamide were required to re-activate the parasites. Although no sterile cure was achieved, the suppression of parasitemia in acutely infected mice resulted in drastically reduced inflammation in the heart. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The positive outcomes achieved in the absence of sterile cure suggest that the target product profile in anti-Chagasic drug discovery should be revised in favor of safe re-administration of the medication during the lifespan of a Chagas disease patient. A medication that reduces parasite burden may halt or slow progression of cardiomyopathy and therefore improve both life expectancy and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Magalhaes Calvet
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jun Yong Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Diane Thomas
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Brian Suzuki
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ken Hirata
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon Lostracco-Johnson
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Liliane Batista de Mesquita
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alanderson Nogueira
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Department of Pathologic Anatomy, Fernandes Figueira Institute (IFF), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Araujo Silva
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jair Lage Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - William R. Roush
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | | | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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11
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Progesterone inhibits the in vitro L3/L4 molting process in Haemonchus contortus. Vet Parasitol 2017; 248:48-53. [PMID: 29173541 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the direct effects of progesterone on the morphology, maturation and behavior of Haemonchus contortus larvae in vitro. The presence and location of possible progesterone receptors in these larvae were also determined. The addition of 8ng/mL of progesterone to larval cultures over 10days reduced larval enlargement, while the addition of 160ng/mL of the hormone increased the enlargement. Up to 62% and 65% of the H. contortus larvae molted from third-stage larvae (L3) to fourth-stage larvae (L4) when cultured in RPMI-1640 media without hormone for 5 and 10days, respectively. The addition of different progesterone concentrations (1, 8, 16, 80 and 160ng/mL) to the larval cultures significantly inhibited the molting process within the same periods. The addition of 8ng/mL or higher progesterone concentrations to the cultures significantly increased larval motility (p<0.05) compared with unstimulated larvae. Flow cytometry showed the expression of progesterone receptors (P4-R) in 15% of the cells from newly isolated H. contortus larvae. When the larvae were cultured for 5days in the presence of the hormone, the percentage of P4-R+ cells remained the same. In contrast, unstimulated larvae showed a significant reduction in the number of P4-R+ cells. Using confocal microscopy, a greater concentration of P4-Rs was immunolocated in the anterior portion of the alimentary tract of the larvae, suggesting that the cells in this region are targeted by the hormone. The results of the present study show that H. contortus larvae have possible P4-Rs and respond to this hormone by inhibiting their molting process, thereby suggesting the participation of progesterone in the larval arrest phenomenon.
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12
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Campos JDS, Hoppe LY, Duque TLA, de Castro SL, Oliveira GM. Use of Noninvasive Parameters to Evaluate Swiss Webster Mice DuringTrypanosoma cruziExperimental Acute Infection. J Parasitol 2016; 102:280-5. [DOI: 10.1645/15-884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
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13
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Foo YZ, Nakagawa S, Rhodes G, Simmons LW. The effects of sex hormones on immune function: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:551-571. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhi Foo
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; 340 Great King Street Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales; UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Gillian Rhodes
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia; 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
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14
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Benatar AF, García GA, Bua J, Cerliani JP, Postan M, Tasso LM, Scaglione J, Stupirski JC, Toscano MA, Rabinovich GA, Gómez KA. Galectin-1 Prevents Infection and Damage Induced by Trypanosoma cruzi on Cardiac Cells. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0004148. [PMID: 26451839 PMCID: PMC4599936 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is the result of a pathologic process starting during the acute phase of parasite infection. Among different factors, the specific recognition of glycan structures by glycan-binding proteins from the parasite or from the mammalian host cells may play a critical role in the evolution of the infection. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here we investigated the contribution of galectin-1 (Gal-1), an endogenous glycan-binding protein abundantly expressed in human and mouse heart, to the pathophysiology of T. cruzi infection, particularly in the context of cardiac pathology. We found that exposure of HL-1 cardiac cells to Gal-1 reduced the percentage of infection by two different T. cruzi strains, Tulahuén (TcVI) and Brazil (TcI). In addition, Gal-1 prevented exposure of phosphatidylserine and early events in the apoptotic program by parasite infection on HL-1 cells. These effects were not mediated by direct interaction with the parasite surface, suggesting that Gal-1 may act through binding to host cells. Moreover, we also observed that T. cruzi infection altered the glycophenotype of cardiac cells, reducing binding of exogenous Gal-1 to the cell surface. Consistent with these data, Gal-1 deficient (Lgals1-/-) mice showed increased parasitemia, reduced signs of inflammation in heart and skeletal muscle tissues, and lower survival rates as compared to wild-type (WT) mice in response to intraperitoneal infection with T. cruzi Tulahuén strain. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE Our results indicate that Gal-1 modulates T. cruzi infection of cardiac cells, highlighting the relevance of galectins and their ligands as regulators of host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro F. Benatar
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas (LabMECh), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela A. García
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben”, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jacqeline Bua
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben”, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan P. Cerliani
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Miriam Postan
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben”, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura M. Tasso
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas (LabMECh), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge Scaglione
- Hospital Pedro de Elizalde, Servicio de Cardiología, Sección Electrofisiología, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan C. Stupirski
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta A. Toscano
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriel A. Rabinovich
- Laboratorio de Inmunopatología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina A. Gómez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas (LabMECh), Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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Different Therapeutic Outcomes of Benznidazole and VNI Treatments in Different Genders in Mouse Experimental Models of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:7564-70. [PMID: 26416857 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01294-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of translation between preclinical assays and clinical trials for novel therapies for Chagas disease (CD) indicates a need for more feasible and standardized protocols and experimental models. Here, we investigated the effects of treatment with benznidazole (Bz) and with the potent experimental T. cruzi CYP51 inhibitor VNI in mouse models of Chagas disease by using different animal genders and parasite strains and employing distinct types of therapeutic schemes. Our findings confirm that female mice are less vulnerable to the infection than males, show that male models are less susceptible to treatment with both Bz and VNI, and thus suggest that male models are much more suitable for selection of the most promising antichagasic agents. Additionally, we have found that preventive protocols (compound given at 1 dpi) result in higher treatment success rates, which also should be avoided during advanced steps of in vivo trials of novel anti-T. cruzi drug candidates. Another consideration is the relevance of immunosuppression methods in order to verify the therapeutic profile of novel compounds, besides the usefulness of molecular diagnostic tools (quantitative PCR) to ascertain compound efficacy in experimental animals. Our study aims to contribute to the development of more reliable methods and decision gates for in vivo assays of novel antiparasitic compounds in order to move them from preclinical to clinical trials for CD.
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Chatelain E, Konar N. Translational challenges of animal models in Chagas disease drug development: a review. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2015; 9:4807-23. [PMID: 26316715 PMCID: PMC4548737 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s90208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasite infection is endemic in Latin America and presents an increasing clinical challenge due to migrating populations. Despite being first identified over a century ago, only two drugs are available for its treatment, and recent outcomes from the first clinical trials in 40 years were lackluster. There is a critical need to develop new drugs to treat Chagas disease. This requires a better understanding of the progression of parasite infection, and standardization of animal models designed for Chagas disease drug discovery. Such measures would improve comparison of generated data and the predictability of test hypotheses and models designed for translation to human disease. Existing animal models address both disease pathology and treatment efficacy. Available models have limited predictive value for the preclinical evaluation of novel therapies and need to more confidently predict the efficacy of new drug candidates in clinical trials. This review highlights the overall lack of standardized methodology and assessment tools, which has hampered the development of efficacious compounds to treat Chagas disease. We provide an overview of animal models for Chagas disease, and propose steps that could be undertaken to reduce variability and improve predictability of drug candidate efficacy. New technological developments and tools may contribute to a much needed boost in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DND i ), Geneva, Switzerland
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Franco PS, Ribeiro M, Lopes-Maria JB, Costa LF, Silva DAO, de Freitas Barbosa B, de Oliveira Gomes A, Mineo JR, Ferro EAV. Experimental infection of Calomys callosus with atypical strains of Toxoplasma gondii shows gender differences in severity of infection. Parasitol Res 2014; 113:2655-64. [PMID: 24781027 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-3920-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a significant genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in Brazil. Two parasite isolates were recently obtained from chickens in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, namely, TgChBrUD1 and TgChBrUD2. In this study, we investigated Calomys callosus susceptibility to these atypical T. gondii strains. Male and female animals were intraperitoneally infected with tachyzoites and monitored to evaluate body weight change, morbidity, and mortality. Immunohistochemical assay and qPCR were performed to determine the parasitism in liver, spleen, and brain. Our data showed that TgChBrUD2-infected males died earlier than TgChBrUD1-infected males and 100% of mortality was observed after 10 and 12 days of infection, respectively. Also, TgChBrUD1-infected females died earlier than TgChBrUD1-infected males and 100% of mortality was observed after 9 and 12 days of infection, respectively. Both strains were able to induce a decrease in body weight of males, but only the TgChBrUD1 strain induced an increase in body weight of females. TgChBrUD2-infected females had significantly higher parasite load in both liver and spleen in comparison to TgChBrUD1-infected females, but no significant difference was found between genders or strains when males were infected. There was higher parasitism in the liver than the brain from both males and females infected with either strain. In conclusion, C. callosus specimens are susceptible to both T. gondii atypical strains with differences between males and females in severity of infection. These findings open new prospects for understanding different aspects of T. gondii infection, including reinfection and vertical transmission with these atypical strains when utilizing this experimental model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Silva Franco
- Laboratory of Immunophysiology of Reproduction, Department of Histology and Embryology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, Uberlândia, 38400-902, Brazil
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Cardoni RL, Antunez MI. Outcome ofTrypanosoma cruziinfection in pregnant BALB/c mice. ANNALS OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND PARASITOLOGY 2013; 98:883-7. [PMID: 15667721 DOI: 10.1179/00034980x3234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R L Cardoni
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología Dr M. Fatala Chabén, ANLIS 'Dr C. G. Malbrán', Av. Paseo Colón 568, 1063 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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In vitro and in vivo studies of the antiparasitic activity of sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) inhibitor VNI against drug-resistant strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:4151-63. [PMID: 23774435 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00070-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide, and yet, as it has historically been known as a disease of the poor, it remains highly neglected. Two currently available drugs exhibit severe toxicity and low effectiveness, especially in the chronic phase, while new drug discovery has been halted for years as a result of a lack of interest from pharmaceutical companies. Although attempts to repurpose the antifungal drugs posaconazole and ravuconazole (inhibitors of fungal sterol 14α-demethylase [CYP51]) are finally in progress, development of cheaper and more efficient, preferably Trypanosoma cruzi-specific, chemotherapies would be highly advantageous. We have recently reported that the experimental T. cruzi CYP51 inhibitor VNI cures with 100% survival and 100% parasitological clearance both acute and chronic murine infections with the Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi. In this work, we further explored the potential of VNI by assaying nitro-derivative-resistant T. cruzi strains, Y and Colombiana, in highly stringent protocols of acute infection. The data show high antiparasitic efficacy of VNI and its derivative (VNI/VNF) against both forms of T. cruzi that are relevant for mammalian host infection (bloodstream and amastigotes), with the in vivo potency, at 25 mg/kg twice a day (b.i.d.), similar to that of benznidazole (100 mg/kg/day). Transmission electron microscopy and reverse mutation tests were performed to explore cellular ultrastructural and mutagenic aspects of VNI, respectively. No mutagenic potential could be seen by the Ames test at up to 3.5 μM, and the main ultrastructural damage induced by VNI in T. cruzi was related to Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum organization, with membrane blebs presenting an autophagic phenotype. Thus, these preliminary studies confirm VNI as a very promising trypanocidal drug candidate for Chagas disease therapy.
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Nava-Castro K, Hernández-Bello R, Muñiz-Hernández S, Camacho-Arroyo I, Morales-Montor J. Sex steroids, immune system, and parasitic infections: facts and hypotheses. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1262:16-26. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06632.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Jelicks LA, Tanowitz HB. Advances in imaging of animal models of Chagas disease. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2011; 75:193-208. [PMID: 21820557 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385863-4.00009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Since serial studies of patients are limited, researchers interested in Chagas disease have relied on animal models of Trypanosoma cruzi infection to explore many aspects of this important human disease. These studies have been important for evaluation of the immunology, pathology, physiology and other aspects of pathogenesis. While larger animals have been employed, mice have remained the most favoured animal model, as they recapitulate many aspects of the human disease, are easy to manipulate genetically and are amenable to study by small animal imaging technologies. Further, developments in non-invasive imaging technologies have permitted the study of the same animal over an extended period of time by multiple imaging modalities, thus permitting the study of the transition from acute infection through the chronic stage and during therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Jelicks
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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Sex steroids effects on the molting process of the helminth human parasite Trichinella spiralis. J Biomed Biotechnol 2011; 2011:625380. [PMID: 22162638 PMCID: PMC3228608 DOI: 10.1155/2011/625380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2011] [Revised: 08/18/2011] [Accepted: 08/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the in vitro effects of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone on the molting process, which is the initial and crucial step in the development of the muscular larvae (ML or L1) to adult worm. Testosterone had no significative effect on the molting rate of the parasite, however, progesterone decreased the molting rate about a 50% in a concentration- and time-independent pattern, while estradiol had a slight effect (10%). The gene expression of caveolin-1, a specific gene used as a marker of parasite development, showed that progesterone and estradiol downregulated its expression, while protein expression was unaffected. By using flow citometry, a possible protein that is recognized by a commercial antiprogesterone receptor antibody was detected. These findings may have strong implications in the host-parasite coevolution, in the sex-associated susceptibility to this infection and could point out to possibilities to use antihormones to inhibit parasite development.
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Miguel DC, Ferraz ML, Alves RDO, Yokoyama-Yasunaka JKU, Torrecilhas AC, Romanha AJ, Uliana SRB. The anticancer drug tamoxifen is active against Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro but ineffective in the treatment of the acute phase of Chagas disease in mice. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2011; 105:945-8. [PMID: 21120371 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762010000700021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2010] [Accepted: 09/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The activity of the antineoplastic drug tamoxifen was evaluated against Trypanosoma cruzi. In vitro activity was determined against epimastigote, trypomastigote and amastigote forms of CL14, Y and Y benznidazole resistant T. cruzi strains. Regardless of the strain used, the drug was active against all life-cycle stages of the parasite with a half maximal effective concentration ranging from 0.7-17.9 µM. Two experimental models of acute Chagas disease were used to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of treatment with tamoxifen. No differences in parasitemia and mortality were observed between control mock-treated and tamoxifen-treated mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Ciccone Miguel
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Blood parasitaemia in a high latitude flexible breeder, the white-winged crossbill,Loxia leucoptera: contribution of seasonal relapse versus new inoculations. Parasitology 2009; 137:261-73. [DOI: 10.1017/s003118200999134x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYWe measured seasonal changes in the prevalence of haematozoa (Leucocytozoon fringillinarum, Haemoproteus fringillae, andTrypanosoma avium) in free-ranging White-winged Crossbills,Loxia leucoptera, over 1·5 year in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. This prevalence was low during early winter.L. fringillinarumprevalence increased in late winter/early spring, in the absence of vectors, suggesting relapse of latent infection. By contrast, the prevalence ofT. aviumandH. fringillaedid not increase until mid-spring, coincident with the emergence of putative vectors and suggestive of new inoculations. The winter breeding period was not associated with lower body condition or elevated blood heterophil/lymphocyte ratios than the summer post-breeding period. Thus, birds unlikely perceived their breeding effort as particularly stressful. Adult males in May and June had low plasma testosterone and their blood prevalence ofL. fringillinarum, but not other haemoparasites, was higher than in adult females. This difference may have resulted from sex differences in behaviour and/or plumage colouration – bright red in males, dull green/yellow in females. Species in which reproduction and vector abundance are seasonally dissociated may constitute important models for investigating the respective contribution of reproductive hormones, breeding effort, and vector abundance to patent and latent hemoparasitic infections and to new inoculations.
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Schebeleski-Soares C, Occhi-Soares RC, Franzói-de-Moraes SM, de Oliveira Dalálio MM, Almeida FN, de Ornelas Toledo MJ, de Araújo SM. Preinfection aerobic treadmill training improves resistance against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2009; 34:659-65. [PMID: 19767801 DOI: 10.1139/h09-053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Exercise performed before infections has been linked to improvement of the immune response against infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of preinfection moderate-intensity treadmill training on acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Ninety-nine female BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups, as follows: training + infection (T+I) (n = 41); no training + infection (NT+I) (n = 38); training + no infection (T+NI) (n = 10); and no training + no infection (NT+NI) (n = 10). The exercise program for trained groups was carried out on a motorized treadmill for 8 weeks. Infected groups were inoculated with the Y strain of T. cruzi. Infectivity, prepatent period, patent period, parasitemia peak, mortality, survival time, weight, food intake, tumor necrosis factor-alpha serum levels, and peritoneal macrophage hydrogen peroxide production were evaluated. We found that preinfection training induced statistically significant reductions in parasitemia peak (p < 0.03) and weight loss (p < 0.04). However, no statistically significant differences were found for the other parameters evaluated when trained and nontrained infected groups were compared. We conclude that preinfection aerobic training induces some improvement in the immune response to T. cruzi infection in female BALB/c mice.
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Vacchina P, Valdéz RA, Gómez Y, Revelli S, Romano MC. Steroidogenic capacity of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2008; 111:282-6. [PMID: 18640275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2008.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2007] [Revised: 06/17/2008] [Accepted: 06/26/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
American Trypanosomiasis is caused by the hemoflagellate Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) and affects millions of persons causing variable degrees of digestive and heart disturbances. As far as we concerned, T. cruzi capacity to synthesize steroid hormones has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the capacity of T. cruzi trypomastigotes to transform tritiated steroid precursors into androgens and estrogens. The T. cruzi Tulahuén strain was obtained from mice blood. The trypomastigotes were cultured for 6 and 24h in Dulbbeco's modified Eagle's medium plus FCS and antibiotics. Tritiated dehydroepiandrosterone or androstendione were added to the culture media and parasites were incubated for 6 or 24h. The cultures were centrifuged and ether extracted. The steroids were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) in two solvent systems. After incubation with 3H-androstenedione, T. cruzi trypomastigotes synthesized 3H-testosterone (T), 3H-17beta-estradiol (E2) and 3H-estrone (E1). Metabolism of 3H-DHEA by the parasites yielded 3H-androstendione and 3H-androstendiol at 6h of incubation. The recrystallization procedure further demonstrated the 3H-androstendiol and 3H-17beta-estradiol syntheses. Results indicate for the first time that T. cruzi trypomastigotes produce androgens and estrogens when incubated in the presence of steroid precursors and suggest the presence of active parasite steroidogenic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vacchina
- Instituto de Inmunologia, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNR, Rosario, Argentina
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Brown AS, Davis JM, Murphy EA, Carmichael MD, Carson JA, Ghaffar A, Mayer EP. Susceptibility to HSV-1 infection and exercise stress in female mice: role of estrogen. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2007; 103:1592-7. [PMID: 17823297 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00677.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Exhaustive exercise has been associated with an increased risk for upper respiratory tract infections in mice and humans. We have previously shown (Brown AS, Davis JM, Murphy AE, Carmichael MD, Ghaffer A, Mayer EP. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36: 1290–1295, 2004) that female mice are better protected from the lethal effects of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, both at rest and following exercise stress, but little is known about possible mechanisms. This study tested the effects of estrogen on HSV-1 infection and macrophage antiviral resistance following repeated exhaustive exercise. Female mice were assigned to either exercise (Ex) or control (C): intact female (I-C or I-Ex), ovariectomized female (O-C or O-Ex), or ovariectomized estrogen-supplemented female (E-C or E-Ex). Exercise consisted of treadmill running to volitional fatigue (∼125 min) for 3 consecutive days. Intact female mice had a later time to death than O and E ( P < 0.05) and fewer deaths than both O and E ( P < 0.05). Exercise stress was associated with increased time to sickness ( P < 0.05) and symptom severity at days 6 and 12–21 postinfection ( P < 0.05) and decreased macrophage antiviral resistance ( P < 0.001) in all groups. E had increased symptom severity at days 6 and 13–21 postinfection ( P < 0.05). Results indicate that intact female mice are better protected from the lethal effects of HSV-1 infection and that exercise stress had a similar negative impact in all groups. This protective effect was lost in ovariectomized mice, but it was not reinstated by 17β-estradiol replacement. This indicates that other ovarian factors, alone or in combination with estrogen, are responsible for the protective effects in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Brown
- Division of Applied Physiology, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, SC 29208, USA
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Klein SL. Hormonal and immunological mechanisms mediating sex differences in parasite infection. Parasite Immunol 2004; 26:247-64. [PMID: 15541029 DOI: 10.1111/j.0141-9838.2004.00710.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 442] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence and intensity of infections caused by protozoa, nematodes, trematodes, cestodes, and arthropods is higher in males than females. The primary thesis of this review is that immunological differences exist between the sexes that may underlie increased parasitism in males compared to females. Several field and laboratory studies link sex differences in immune function with circulating steroid hormones; thus, the roles of sex steroids, including testosterone, oestradiol, and progesterone, as well as glucocorticoids will be discussed. Not only can host hormones affect responses to infection, but parasites can both produce and alter hormone concentrations in their hosts. The extent to which changes in endocrine-immune interactions following infection are mediated by the host or the parasite will be considered. Although males are more susceptible than females to many parasites, there are parasites for which males are more resistant than females and endocrine-immune interactions may underlie this sex reversal. Finally, although immunological differences exist between the sexes, genetic and behavioural differences may explain some variability in response to infection and will be explored as alternative hypotheses for how differences between the sexes contribute to dimorphic responses to parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Klein
- The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205-2179, USA.
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Galvão Da Silva AP, Jacysyn JF, De Almeida Abrahamsohn I. Resistant mice lacking interleukin-12 become susceptible to Trypanosoma cruzi infection but fail to mount a T helper type 2 response. Immunology 2003; 108:230-7. [PMID: 12562332 PMCID: PMC1782876 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2003.01571.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is essential to resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection because it stimulates the synthesis of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) that activates macrophages to a parasiticidal effect. Investigation of mice deprived of IL-12 genes (IL-12 knockout mice) has confirmed the important role of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in controlling parasitism in T. cruzi infection. However, it has not yet been addressed whether a shift towards a T helper type 2 (Th2) pattern of cytokine response occurred in these mice that might have contributed to the aggravation of the infection caused by IL-12 deprivation. We examined the course of T. cruzi (Y strain) infection and the regulation of cytokine responses and nitric oxide production in C57BL/6 IL-12 p40-knockout mice. The mutant mice were extremely susceptible to the infection as evidenced by increased parasitaemia, tissue parasitism and mortality in comparison with the control C57BL/6 mouse strain (wild-type) that is resistant to T. cruzi. A severe depletion of parasite-antigen-specific IFN-gamma response, without an increase in IL-4 or IL-10 production, accompanied by reduced levels of nitric oxide production was observed in IL-12 knockout mice. We found no evidence of a shift towards a Th2-type cytokine response. In IL-12 knockout mice, the residual IFN-gamma production is down-regulated by IL-10 but not by IL-4 and nitric oxide production is stimulated by tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Parasite-specific immunoglobulin G1 antibody levels were similar in IL-12 knockout and wild-type mice, whereas IL-12 knockout mice had much higher levels of immunoglobulin G2b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Galvão Da Silva
- Departamento de Patologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Morales J, Velasco T, Tovar V, Fragoso G, Fleury A, Beltrán C, Villalobos N, Aluja A, Rodarte LF, Sciutto E, Larralde C. Castration and pregnancy of rural pigs significantly increase the prevalence of naturally acquired Taenia solium cysticercosis. Vet Parasitol 2002; 108:41-8. [PMID: 12191898 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00168-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cuentepec is a rural village of central Mexico, where 1300 pigs were bred at the time of the study in conditions that favor Taenia solium transmission. The tongues of 1087 (84%) of these pigs were visually examined and 33% were found to be cysticercotic. Castration of male pigs increased prevalence from 23 to 50% (P < 0.001) and pregnancy in sows also increased their prevalence from 28 to 59% (P < 0.001). Thus, endocrinological conditions characterized by low levels of androgens or high levels of female hormones probably influence the susceptibility of pigs to T. solium cysticercosis as observed in mice infected with Taenia crassiceps. Delaying castration of male pigs and confinement of sows during pregnancy might significantly decrease the prevalence of pig-cysticercosis and help curb transmission without much cost or difficulty.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Morales
- Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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de Souza AP, Melo de Oliveira G, Nève J, Vanderpas J, Pirmez C, de Castro SL, Araújo-Jorge TC, Rivera MT. Trypanosoma cruzi: host selenium deficiency leads to higher mortality but similar parasitemia in mice. Exp Parasitol 2002; 101:193-9. [PMID: 12594959 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-4894(02)00134-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Selenium is an essential trace element and its deficiency was implicated in heart diseases. We recently showed low Se levels in chronic chagasic patients with cardiomyopathy. Herein, mice were depleted in Se by feeding the mothers with chow containing only 0.005 mg Se/kg and maintaining this diet for offspring, that were further infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Survival rate was significantly lower in Se deficient than in control mice. Parasitemia was similar in all groups. Necrotic heart lesions were found after infection (high CK-MB levels). No outbreaks of parasite growth were detected in chronic survivors submitted or not to a second Se depletion. The present results confirm our hypothesis that a nutritional deficiency in Se is associated to a higher mortality during T. cruzi infection. The potential beneficial effect of Se supplementation is a perspective. Hypothesis to explain the higher susceptibility of Se-depleted mice to T. cruzi infection are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andréa P de Souza
- Lab. de Biologia Celular, Dept. de Ultra-estrutura e Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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