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Stage-Specific De Novo Synthesis of Very-Long-Chain Dihydroceramides Confers Dormancy to Entamoeba Parasites. mSphere 2021; 6:6/2/e00174-21. [PMID: 33731470 PMCID: PMC8546694 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00174-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Entamoeba histolytica infection and is a serious public health problem worldwide due to ill-prepared preventive measures as well as its high morbidity and mortality rates. Amoebiasis transmission is solely mediated by cysts. Cysts are produced by the differentiation of proliferative trophozoites in a process termed "encystation." Entamoeba encystation is a fundamental cell differentiation process and proceeds with substantial changes in cell metabolites, components, and morphology, which occur sequentially in an orchestrated manner. Lipids are plausibly among these metabolites that function as key factors for encystation. However, a comprehensive lipid analysis has not been reported, and the involved lipid metabolic pathways remain largely unknown. Here, we exploited the state-of-the-art untargeted lipidomics and characterized 339 molecules of 17 lipid subclasses. Of these, dihydroceramide (Cer-NDS) was found to be among the most induced lipid species during encystation. Notably, in encysting cells, amounts of Cer-NDS containing very long N-acyl chains (≥26 carbon) were more than 30-fold induced as the terminal product of a de novo metabolic pathway. We also identified three ceramide synthase genes responsible for producing the very-long-chain Cer-NDS molecules. These genes were upregulated during encystation. Furthermore, these ceramide species were shown to be indispensable for generating membrane impermeability, a prerequisite for becoming dormant cyst that shows resistance to environmental assault inside and outside the host for transmission. Hence, the lipid subclass of Cer-NDS plays a crucial role for Entamoeba cell differentiation and morphogenesis by alternating the membrane properties.IMPORTANCE Entamoeba is a protozoan parasite that thrives in its niche by alternating its two forms between a proliferative trophozoite and dormant cyst. Cysts are the only form able to transmit to a new host and are differentiated from trophozoites in a process termed "encystation." During Entamoeba encystation, cell metabolites, components, and morphology drastically change, which occur sequentially in an orchestrated manner. Lipids are plausibly among these metabolites. However, the involved lipid species and their metabolic pathways remain largely unknown. Here, we identified dihydroceramides (Cer-NDSs) containing very long N-acyl chains (C26 to C30) as a key metabolite for Entamoeba encystation by our state-of-the-art untargeted lipidomics. We also showed that these Cer-NDSs are critical to generate the membrane impermeability, a prerequisite for this parasite to show dormancy as a cyst that repels substances and prevents water loss. Hence, ceramide metabolism is essential for Entamoeba to maintain the parasitic lifestyle.
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Urquieta-Ramírez L, Ramírez-Montiel F, Andrade-Guillén S, Páramo-Pérez I, Rangel-Serrano Á, Reyes-Cortes R, Franco B, Mendoza-Macías CL, Anaya-Velázquez F, Padilla-Vaca F. Contribution of neutral sphingomyelinases to in vitro virulence of Entamoeba histolytica. Exp Parasitol 2018; 194:38-44. [PMID: 30253133 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amoebiasis is a worldwide health problem caused by the pathogen Entamoeba histolytica. Several virulence factors have been implicated in host invasion, immune evasion, and tissue damage. There are still new factors that remain to be elucidated and characterized. In this work, we obtained amoebic transfectants overexpressing three of the neutral sphingomyelinase enzymes encoded in the E. histolytica genome. The EhnSM3 overexpression induced an increase in hemolytic and cytotoxic activities, besides an increase in gene expression of amoebapore A, B, and C. Meanwhile the EhnSM1 and EhnSM2 overexpression caused an increase in cytopathic activity. In all the neutral sphingomyelinases overexpressing strains, the gene expression levels for cysteine proteinase 5, adhesin 112 and, heavy and light Gal/GalNAc lectin subunits were not affected. We propose that the increase of cytotoxic and lytic effect of EhnSM3 overexpressed strain can be related to the sum of the effect of EhnSM3 plus amoebapores, in a process cell contact-dependent or as mediator by inducing the gene expression of amoebapores enabling a link between EhnSM3 with the virulence phenotype in E. histolytica. Our results suggest a differential role for neutral sphingomyelinases in E. histolytica virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Urquieta-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Fátima Ramírez-Montiel
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Sairy Andrade-Guillén
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Itzel Páramo-Pérez
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Ángeles Rangel-Serrano
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Ruth Reyes-Cortes
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Bernardo Franco
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Claudia Leticia Mendoza-Macías
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico
| | - Fernando Anaya-Velázquez
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico.
| | - Felipe Padilla-Vaca
- Departamento de Biología y Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato, Gto, 36050, Mexico.
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Rub A, Arish M, Husain SA, Ahmed N, Akhter Y. Host-lipidome as a potential target of protozoan parasites. Microbes Infect 2013; 15:649-60. [PMID: 23811020 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2013.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Host-lipidome caters parasite interaction by acting as first line of recognition, attachment on the cell surface, intracellular trafficking, and survival of the parasite inside the host cell. Here, we summarize how protozoan parasites exploit host-lipidome by suppressing, augmenting, engulfing, remodeling and metabolizing lipids to achieve successful parasitism inside the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdur Rub
- Infection and Immunity Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi 110025, India.
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