Nutrient acquisition by intracellular apicomplexan parasites: staying in for dinner

Iron depletion has different consequences on the growth and survival of Toxoplasma gondii strains

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite responsible for a pathology called toxoplasmosis, which primarily affects immunocompromised individuals and developing foetuses. The parasite can scavenge essential nutrients from its host to support its growth and survival. Among them, iron is one of the most important elements needed to sustain basic cellular functions as it is involved in a number of key metabolic processes, including oxygen transport, redox balance, and electron transport. We evaluated the effects of an iron chelator on the development of several parasite strains and found that they differed in their ability to tolerate iron depletion. The growth of parasites usually associated with a model of acute toxoplasmosis was strongly affected by iron depletion, whereas cystogenic strains were less sensitive as they were able to convert into persisting developmental forms that are associated with the chronic form of the disease. Ultrastructural and biochemical characterization of the impact of iron depletion on parasites also highlighted striking changes in both their metabolism and that of the host, with a marked accumulation of lipid droplets and perturbation of lipid homoeostasis. Overall, our study demonstrates that although acute iron depletion has an important effect on the growth of T. gondii, it has a more profound impact on actively dividing parasites, whereas less metabolically active parasite forms may be able to avoid some of the most detrimental consequences.

Host transcriptome response to heat stress and Eimeria maxima infection in meat-type chickens

Eimeria (E.) maxima parasite infects chickens' midgut disrupting the jejunal and ileal mucosa causing high morbidity and mortality. Heat stress (HS) is a seasonal stressor that impacts biological functions leading to poor performance. This study elucidates how HS, E. maxima infection, and their combination affect the ileum transcriptome. Two-hundred and forty 2-week-old males Ross708 chickens were randomly allocated into four treatment groups: thermoneutral-control (TNc), thermoneutral-infected (TNi), heat-stress control (HSc), and heat stress-infected (HSi), with 6 replicates each of 10 birds. Infected groups received 200x103 sporulated E. maxima oocysts/bird, and heat-treated groups were raised at 35°C. At 6-day post-treatment, ileums of five randomly selected chickens per group were sampled, RNA was extracted and sequenced. A total of 413, 3377, 1908, and 2304 DEGs were identified when applying the comparisons: TNc vs HSc, TNc vs TNi, HSi vs HSc, and TNi vs HSi, respectively, at cutoff ≥1.2-fold change (FDR: q<0.05). HSc vs TNc showed upregulation of lipid metabolic pathways and degradation/metabolism of multiple amino acids; and downregulation of most immune-related and protein synthesis pathways. TNc vs TNi displayed upregulation of most of immune-associated pathways and eukaryotic mRNA maturation pathways; and downregulation of fatty acid metabolism and multiple amino acid metabolism pathways including tryptophan. Comparing HSi versus HSc and TNi revealed that combining the two stressors restored the expression of some cellular functions, e.g., oxidative phosphorylation and protein synthesis; and downregulate immune response pathways associated with E. maxima infection. During E. maxima infection under HS the calcium signaling pathway was downregulated, including genes responsible for increasing the cytoplasmic calcium concentration; and tryptophan metabolism was upregulated, including genes that contribute to catabolizing tryptophan through serotonin and indole pathways; which might result in reducing the cytoplasmic pool of nutrients and calcium available for the parasite to scavenge and consequently might affect the parasite's reproductive ability.

Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the essential nature of Rab1B in Toxoplasma gondii

BACKGROUND

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii encodes a dozen Rab proteins, which are parts of the small GTPase superfamily and regulate intracellular membrane trafficking. Our previous study showed that depletion of Rab1B caused severe defects regarding parasite growth and morphological structure, yet early defects of endocytic trafficking and vesicle sorting to the rhoptry in T. gondii are not expected to have a strong effect. To understand this discrepancy, we performed an integrated analysis at the level of transcriptomics and metabolomics.

METHODS

In the study, tetracycline-inducible TATi/Ty-Rab1B parasite line treated with ATc at three different time points (0, 18 and 24 h) was used. We first observed the morphological changes caused by Rab1B depletion via transmission electron technology. Then, high-throughput transcriptome along with non-targeted metabolomics were performed to analyze the RNA expression and metabolite changes in the Rab1B-depleted parasite. The essential nature of Rab1B in the parasite was revealed by the integrated omics approach.

RESULTS

Transmission electron micrographs showed a strong disorganization of endo-membranes in the Rab1B-depleted parasites. Our deep analysis of transcriptome and metabolome identified 2181 and 2374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 30 and 83 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) at 18 and 24 h of induction in the tetracycline-inducible parasite line, respectively. These DEGs included key genes associated with crucial organelles that contain the rhoptry, microneme, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. The analysis of qRT-PCR verified some of the key DEGs identified by RNA-Seq, supporting that the key vesicular regulator Rab1B was involved in biogenesis of multiple parasite organelles. Functional enrichment analyses revealed pathways related to central carbon metabolisms and lipid metabolisms, such as the TCA cycle, glycerophospholipid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis and elongation. Further correlation analysis of the major DEMs and DEGs supported the role of Rab1B in biogenesis of fatty acids (e.g. myrisoleic acid and oleic acid) (R > 0.95 and P < 0.05), which was consistent with the scavenging role in biotin via the endocytic process.

CONCLUSIONS

Rab1B played an important role in parasite growth and morphology, which was supported by the replication assay and transmission electron microscopy observation. Our multi-omics analyses provided detailed insights into the overall impact on the parasite upon depletion of the protein. These analyses reinforced the role of Rab1B in the endocytic process, which has an impact on fatty acid biogenesis and the TCA cycle. Taken together, these findings contribute to our understanding of a key vesicular regulator, Rab1B, on parasite metabolism and morphological formation in T. gondii.

Examination of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis in Apicomplexa

Natural product discovery has traditionally relied on the isolation of small molecules from producing species, but genome-sequencing technology and advances in molecular biology techniques have expanded efforts to a wider array of organisms. Protists represent an underexplored kingdom for specialized metabolite searches despite bioinformatic analysis that suggests they harbor distinct biologically active small molecules. Specifically, pathogenic apicomplexan parasites, responsible for billions of global infections, have been found to possess multiple biosynthetic gene clusters, which hints at their capacity to produce polyketide metabolites. Biochemical studies have revealed unique features of apicomplexan polyketide synthases, but to date, the identity and function of the polyketides synthesized by these megaenzymes remains unknown. Herein, we discuss the potential for specialized metabolite production in protists and the possible evolution of polyketide biosynthetic gene clusters in apicomplexan parasites. We then focus on a polyketide synthase from the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii to discuss the unique domain architecture and properties of these proteins when compared to previously characterized systems, and further speculate on the possible functions for polyketides in these pathogenic parasites.

An Uninvited Seat at the Dinner Table: How Apicomplexan Parasites Scavenge Nutrients from the Host

Obligate intracellular parasites have evolved a remarkable assortment of strategies to scavenge nutrients from the host cells they parasitize. Most apicomplexans form a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) within the invaded cell, a replicative niche within which they survive and multiply. As well as providing a physical barrier against host cell defense mechanisms, the PV membrane (PVM) is also an important site of nutrient uptake that is essential for the parasites to sustain their metabolism. This means nutrients in the extracellular milieu are separated from parasite metabolic machinery by three different membranes, the host plasma membrane, the PVM, and the parasite plasma membrane (PPM). In order to facilitate nutrient transport from the extracellular environment into the parasite itself, transporters on the host cell membrane of invaded cells can be modified by secreted and exported parasite proteins to maximize uptake of key substrates to meet their metabolic demand. To overcome the second barrier, the PVM, apicomplexan parasites secrete proteins contained in the dense granules that remodel the vacuole and make the membrane permissive to important nutrients. This bulk flow of host nutrients is followed by a more selective uptake of substrates at the PPM that is operated by specific transporters of this third barrier. In this review, we recapitulate and compare the strategies developed by Apicomplexa to scavenge nutrients from their hosts, with particular emphasis on transporters at the parasite plasma membrane and vacuolar solute transporters on the parasite intracellular digestive organelle.

Characterisation of complexes formed by parasite proteins exported into the host cell compartment of Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells

During its intraerythrocytic life cycle, the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum supplements its nutritional requirements by scavenging substrates from the plasma through the new permeability pathways (NPPs) installed in the red blood cell (RBC) membrane. Parasite proteins of the RhopH complex: CLAG3, RhopH2, RhopH3, have been implicated in NPP activity. Here, we studied 13 exported proteins previously hypothesised to interact with RhopH2, to study their potential contribution to the function of NPPs. NPP activity assays revealed that the 13 proteins do not appear to be individually important for NPP function, as conditional knockdown of these proteins had no effect on sorbitol uptake. Intriguingly, reciprocal immunoprecipitation assays showed that five of the 13 proteins interact with all members of the RhopH complex, with PF3D7_1401200 showing the strongest association. Mass spectrometry‐based proteomics further identified new protein complexes; a cytoskeletal complex and a Maurer's clefts/J‐dot complex, which overall helps clarify protein–protein interactions within the infected RBC (iRBC) and is suggestive of the potential trafficking route of the RhopH complex itself to the RBC membrane.

A single Na+-Pi cotransporter in Toxoplasma plays key roles in phosphate import and control of parasite osmoregulation

Inorganic ions such as phosphate, are essential nutrients required for a broad spectrum of cellular functions and regulation. During infection, pathogens must obtain inorganic phosphate (P_i) from the host. Despite the essentiality of phosphate for all forms of life, how the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii acquires P_i from the host cell is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Toxoplasma actively internalizes exogenous P_i by exploiting a gradient of Na⁺ ions to drive P_i uptake across the plasma membrane. The Na⁺-dependent phosphate transport mechanism is electrogenic and functionally coupled to a cipargarmin sensitive Na⁺-H⁺-ATPase. Toxoplasma expresses one transmembrane P_i transporter harboring PHO4 binding domains that typify the PiT Family. This transporter named TgPiT, localizes to the plasma membrane, the inward buds of the endosomal organelles termed VAC, and many cytoplasmic vesicles. Upon P_i limitation in the medium, TgPiT is more abundant at the plasma membrane. We genetically ablated the PiT gene, and ΔTgPiT parasites are impaired in importing P_i and synthesizing polyphosphates. Interestingly, ΔTgPiT parasites accumulate 4-times more acidocalcisomes, storage organelles for phosphate molecules, as compared to parental parasites. In addition, these mutants have a reduced cell volume, enlarged VAC organelles, defects in calcium storage and a slightly alkaline pH. Overall, these mutants exhibit severe growth defects and have reduced acute virulence in mice. In survival mode, ΔTgPiT parasites upregulate several genes, including those encoding enzymes that cleave or transfer phosphate groups from phosphometabolites, transporters and ions exchangers localized to VAC or acidocalcisomes. Taken together, these findings point to a critical role of TgPiT for P_i supply for Toxoplasma and also for protection against osmotic stresses.

Inorganic phosphate (P_i) is indispensable for the biosynthesis of key cellular components, and is involved in many metabolic and signaling pathways. Transport across the plasma membrane is the first step in the utilization of P_i. The import mechanism of P_i by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma is unknown. We characterized a transmembrane, high-affinity Na⁺-P_i cotransporter, named TgPiT, expressed by the parasite at the plasma membrane for P_i uptake. Interestingly, TgPiT is also localized to inward buds of the endosomal VAC organelles and some cytoplasmic vesicles. Loss of TgPiT results in a severe reduction in P_i internalization and polyphosphate levels, but stimulation of the biogenesis of phosphate-enriched acidocalcisomes. ΔTgPiT parasites have a shrunken cell body, enlarged VAC organelles, poor release of stored calcium and a mildly alkaline pH, suggesting a role for TgPiT in the maintenance of overall ionic homeostasis. ΔTgPiT parasites are poorly infectious in vitro and in mice. The mutant appears to partially cope with the absence of TgPiT by up-regulating genes coding for ion transporters and enzymes catalyzing phosphate group transfer. Our data highlight a scenario in which the role of TgPiT in P_i and Na⁺ transport is functionally coupled with osmoregulation activities central to sustain Toxoplasma survival.

Ruminant Coccidiosis

Ruminant coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria species, is a significant and widespread enteric disease in young livestock worldwide. High morbidities and significant mortalities may be observed. For disease diagnosis, fecal samples from clinically ill animals should be analyzed for both, identity (ie, pathogenicity) of Eimeria species and excreted oocyst amount. To prevent coccidiosis-related economic losses, management measures to reduce infection pressure and improve general animal health are crucial. Anticoccidial drugs are widely used to control clinical and subclinical disease. Treatment is most efficient when applied prophylactically or metaphylactically. To avoid development of parasite drug resistance, drugs should be used sustainably.

Antiplasmodial Activity and In Vivo Bio-Distribution of Chloroquine Molecules Released with a 4-(4-Ethynylphenyl)-Triazole Moiety from Organometallo-Cobalamins

We have explored the possibility of using organometallic derivatives of cobalamin as a scaffold for the delivery of the same antimalarial drug to both erythro- and hepatocytes. This hybrid molecule approach, intended as a possible tool for the development of multi-stage antimalarial agents, pivots on the preparation of azide-functionalized drugs which, after coupling to the vitamin, are released with a 4-(4-ethynylphenyl)-triazole functionality. Three chloroquine and one imidazolopiperazine derivative (based on the KAF156 structure) were selected as model drugs. One hybrid chloroquine conjugate was extensively studied via fluorescent labelling for in vitro and in vivo bio-distribution studies and gave proof-of-concept for the design. It showed no toxicity in vivo (zebrafish model) as well as no hepatotoxicity, no cardiotoxicity or developmental toxicity of the embryos. All 4-(4-ethynylphenyl)-triazole derivatives of chloroquine were equally active against chloroquine-resistant (CQR) and chloroquine-sensitive (CQS) Plasmodium falciparum strains.

Regulation of arginine transport by GCN2 eIF2 kinase is important for replication of the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent protozoan parasite that can infect any nucleated cell but cannot replicate outside of its host cell. Toxoplasma is auxotrophic for several nutrients including arginine, tryptophan, and purines, which it must acquire from its host cell. The demands of parasite replication rapidly deplete the host cell of these essential nutrients, yet Toxoplasma successfully manages to proliferate until it lyses the host cell. In eukaryotic cells, nutrient starvation can induce the integrated stress response (ISR) through phosphorylation of an essential translation factor eIF2. Phosphorylation of eIF2 lowers global protein synthesis coincident with preferential translation of gene transcripts involved in stress adaptation, such as that encoding the transcription factor ATF4 (CREB2), which activates genes that modulate amino acid metabolism and uptake. Here, we discovered that the ISR is induced in host cells infected with Toxoplasma. Our results show that as Toxoplasma depletes host cell arginine, the host cell phosphorylates eIF2 via protein kinase GCN2 (EIF2AK4), leading to induced ATF4. Increased ATF4 then enhances expression of the cationic amino acid transporter CAT1 (SLC7A1), resulting in increased uptake of arginine in Toxoplasma-infected cells. Deletion of host GCN2, or its downstream effectors ATF4 and CAT1, lowers arginine levels in the host, impairing proliferation of the parasite. Our findings establish that Toxoplasma usurps the host cell ISR to help secure nutrients that it needs for parasite replication.

Parasites that live inside a host cell must develop strategies to ensure sufficient delivery of nutrients required for survival and replication. After invasion, Toxoplasma rapidly usurps the supply of its essential amino acid arginine from the host cell. Sensing low levels of arginine, the host cell initiates a nutrient starvation response designated the integrated stress response (ISR) that leads to enhanced expression of CAT1, a transporter that facilitates arginine uptake. Through activation of the host ISR and increased expression of this transporter, Toxoplasma secures a continued supply of arginine for its growth and reproduction. Inhibition of these pathways by therapeutic intervention could be a novel strategy to impair survival of the intracellular parasite.

Glycolysis is important for optimal asexual growth and formation of mature tissue cysts by Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii can grow and replicate using either glucose or glutamine as the major carbon source. Here, we have studied the essentiality of glycolysis in the tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages of T. gondii, using transgenic parasites that lack a functional hexokinase gene (Δhk) in RH (Type-1) and Prugniaud (Type-II) strain parasites. Tachyzoite stage Δhk parasites exhibit a fitness defect similar to that reported previously for the major glucose transporter mutant, and remain virulent in mice. However, although Prugniaud strain Δhk tachyzoites were capable of transforming into bradyzoites in vitro, they were severely compromised in their ability to make mature bradyzoite cysts in the brain tissue of mice. Isotopic labelling studies reveal that glucose-deprived tacyzoites utilise glutamine to replenish glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathway intermediates via gluconeogenesis. Interestingly, while glutamine-deprived intracellular Δhk tachyzoites continued to replicate, extracellular parasites were unable to efficiently invade host cells. Further, studies on mutant tachyzoites lacking a functional phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Δpepck1) revealed that glutaminolysis is the sole source of gluconeogenic flux in glucose-deprived parasites. In addition, glutaminolysis is essential for sustaining oxidative phosphorylation in Δhk parasites, while wild type (wt) and Δpepck1 parasites can obtain ATP from either glycolysis or oxidative phosphorylation. This study provides insights into the role of nutrient metabolism during asexual propagation and development of T. gondii, and validates the versatile nature of central carbon and energy metabolism in this parasite.

Bio-inspired artemether-loaded human serum albumin nanoparticles for effective control of malaria-infected erythrocytes

AIM

The intra-erythrocytic development of the malarial parasite is dependent on active uptake of nutrients, including human serum albumin (HSA), into parasitized red blood cells (pRBCs). We have designed HSA-based nanoparticles as a potential drug-delivery option for antimalarials.

METHODS

Artemether-loaded nanoparticles (AANs) were designed and antimalarial activity evaluated in vitro/in vivo using Plasmodium falciparum/Plasmodium berghei species, respectively.

RESULTS

Selective internalization of AAN into Plasmodium-infected RBCs in preference to healthy erythrocytes was observed using confocal imaging. In vitro studies showed 50% dose reduction for AAN as compared with drug-only controls to achieve IC₅₀ levels of inhibition. The nanoparticles exhibited twofold higher peak drug concentrations in RBCs with antimalarial activity at 50% of therapeutic doses in P. bergei infected mice.

CONCLUSION

Novel HSA-based nanoparticles offer safe and effective approach for selective targeting of antimalarial drugs.

Strategies of Intracellular Pathogens for Obtaining Iron from the Environment

Most microorganisms are destroyed by the host tissues through processes that usually involve phagocytosis and lysosomal disruption. However, some organisms, called intracellular pathogens, are capable of avoiding destruction by growing inside macrophages or other cells. During infection with intracellular pathogenic microorganisms, the element iron is required by both the host cell and the pathogen that inhabits the host cell. This minireview focuses on how intracellular pathogens use multiple strategies to obtain nutritional iron from the intracellular environment in order to use this element for replication. Additionally, the implications of these mechanisms for iron acquisition in the pathogen-host relationship are discussed.

Plasmodium yoelii vitamin B5 pantothenate transporter candidate is essential for parasite transmission to the mosquito

In nearly all non-photosynthetic cells, pantothenate (vitamin B₅) transport and utilization are prerequisites for the synthesis of the universal essential cofactor Coenzyme A (CoA). Early studies showed that human malaria parasites rely on the uptake of pantothenate across the parasite plasma membrane for survival within erythrocytes. Recently, a P. falciparum candidate pantothenate transporter (PAT) was characterized by functional complementation in yeast. These studies revealed that PfPAT mediated survival of yeast cells in low pantothenate concentrations and restored sensitivity of yeast cells lacking pantothenate uptake to fenpropimorph. In addition, PfPAT was refractory to deletion in P. falciparumin vitro, but nothing is known about the in vivo functions of PAT in Plasmodium life cycle stages. Herein, we used gene-targeting techniques to delete PAT in Plasmodium yoelii. Parasites lacking PAT displayed normal asexual and sexual blood stage development compared to wild-type (WT) and WT-like p230p(-) parasites. However, progression from the ookinete to the oocyst stage and sporozoite formation were completely abolished in pat(-) parasites. These studies provide the first evidence for an essential role of a candidate pantothenate transport in malaria transmission to Anopheles mosquitoes. This will set the stage for the development of PAT inhibitors against multiple parasite life cycle stages.

Chemical and genetic validation of thiamine utilization as an antimalarial drug target

Thiamine is metabolized into an essential cofactor for several enzymes. Here we show that oxythiamine, a thiamine analog, inhibits proliferation of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in vitro via a thiamine-related pathway and significantly reduces parasite growth in a mouse malaria model. Overexpression of thiamine pyrophosphokinase (the enzyme that converts thiamine into its active form, thiamine pyrophosphate) hypersensitizes parasites to oxythiamine by up to 1,700-fold, consistent with oxythiamine being a substrate for thiamine pyrophosphokinase and its conversion into an antimetabolite. We show that parasites overexpressing the thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzymes oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase are up to 15-fold more resistant to oxythiamine, consistent with the antimetabolite inactivating thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzymes. Our studies therefore validate thiamine utilization as an antimalarial drug target and demonstrate that a single antimalarial can simultaneously target several enzymes located within distinct organelles.

Epigenetic switches in clag3 genes mediate blasticidin S resistance in malaria parasites

Malaria parasites induce changes in the permeability of the infected erythrocyte membrane to numerous solutes, including toxic compounds. In Plasmodium falciparum, this is mainly mediated by PSAC, a broad-selectivity channel that requires the product of parasite clag3 genes for its activity. The two paralogous clag3 genes, clag3.1 and clag3.2, can be silenced by epigenetic mechanisms and show mutually exclusive expression. Here we show that resistance to the antibiotic blasticidin S (BSD) is associated with switches in the expression of these genes that result in altered solute uptake. Low concentrations of the drug selected parasites that switched from clag3.2 to clag3.1 expression, implying that expression of one or the other clag3 gene confers different transport efficiency to PSAC for some solutes. Selection with higher BSD concentrations resulted in simultaneous silencing of both clag3 genes, which severely compromises PSAC formation as demonstrated by blocked uptake of other PSAC substrates. Changes in the expression of clag3 genes were not accompanied by large genetic rearrangements or mutations at the clag3 loci or elsewhere in the genome. These results demonstrate that malaria parasites can become resistant to toxic compounds such as drugs by epigenetic switches in the expression of genes necessary for the formation of solute channels.

Identification and functional analysis of the primary pantothenate transporter, PfPAT, of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is absolutely dependent on the acquisition of host pantothenate for its development within human erythrocytes. Although the biochemical properties of this transport have been characterized, the molecular identity of the parasite-encoded pantothenate transporter remains unknown. Here we report the identification and functional characterization of the first protozoan pantothenate transporter, PfPAT, from P. falciparum. We show using cell biological, biochemical, and genetic analyses that this transporter is localized to the parasite plasma membrane and plays an essential role in parasite intraerythrocytic development. We have targeted PfPAT to the yeast plasma membrane and showed that the transporter complements the growth defect of the yeast fen2Δ pantothenate transporter-deficient mutant and mediates the entry of the fungicide drug, fenpropimorph. Our studies in P. falciparum revealed that fenpropimorph inhibits the intraerythrocytic development of both chloroquine- and pyrimethamine-resistant P. falciparum strains with potency equal or better than that of currently available pantothenate analogs. The essential function of PfPAT and its ability to deliver both pantothenate and fenpropimorph makes it an attractive target for the development and delivery of new classes of antimalarial drugs.

Mitochondrial metabolism of glucose and glutamine is required for intracellular growth of Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii proliferates within host cell vacuoles where the parasite relies on host carbon and nutrients for replication. To assess how T. gondii utilizes these resources, we mapped the carbon metabolism pathways in intracellular and egressed parasite stages. We determined that intracellular T. gondii stages actively catabolize host glucose via a canonical, oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, a mitochondrial pathway in which organic molecules are broken down to generate energy. These stages also catabolize glutamine via the TCA cycle and an unanticipated γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt, which generates GABA and additional molecules that enter the TCA cycle. Chemically inhibiting the TCA cycle completely prevents intracellular parasite replication. Parasites lacking the GABA shunt exhibit attenuated growth and are unable to sustain motility under nutrient-limited conditions, suggesting that GABA functions as a short-term energy reserve. Thus, T. gondii tachyzoites have metabolic flexibility that likely allows the parasite to infect diverse cell types.

A key role for lipoic acid synthesis during Plasmodium liver stage development

The successful navigation of malaria parasites through their life cycle, which alternates between vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors, requires a complex interplay of metabolite synthesis and salvage pathways. Using the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei, we have explored the synthesis and scavenging pathways for lipoic acid, a short-chain fatty acid derivative that regulates the activity of α-ketoacid dehydrogenases including pyruvate dehydrogenase. In Plasmodium, lipoic acid is either synthesized de novo in the apicoplast or is scavenged from the host into the mitochondrion. Our data show that sporozoites lacking the apicoplast lipoic acid protein ligase LipB are markedly attenuated in their infectivity for mice, and in vitro studies document a very late liver stage arrest shortly before the final phase of intra-hepaticparasite maturation. LipB-deficient asexual blood stage parasites show unimpaired rates of growth in normal in vitro or in vivo conditions. However, these parasites showed reduced growth in lipid-restricted conditions induced by treatment with the lipoic acid analogue 8-bromo-octanoate or with the lipid-reducing agent clofibrate. This finding has implications for understanding Plasmodium pathogenesis in malnourished children that bear the brunt of malarial disease. This study also highlights the potential of exploiting lipid metabolism pathways for the design of genetically attenuated sporozoite vaccines.

Gene selective mRNA cleavage inhibits the development of Plasmodium falciparum

Unique peptide-morpholino oligomer (PMO) conjugates have been designed to bind and promote the cleavage of specific mRNA as a tool to inhibit gene function and parasite growth. The new conjugates were validated using the P. falciparum gyrase mRNA as a target (PfGyrA). Assays in vitro demonstrated a selective degradation of the PfGyrA mRNA directed by the external guide sequences, which are morpholino oligomers in the conjugates. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that labeled conjugates are delivered into Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes during all intraerythrocytic stages of parasite development. Consistent with the expression of PfGyrA in all stages of parasite development, proliferation assays showed that these conjugates have potent antimalarial activity, blocking early development, maturation, and replication of the parasite. The conjugates were equally effective against drug sensitive and resistant P. falciparum strains. The potency, selectivity, and predicted safety of PMO conjugates make this approach attractive for the development of a unique class of target-specific antimalarials and for large-scale functional analysis of the malarial genome.

Mechanism of growth inhibition of intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR)

Purine nucleotide synthesis in Plasmodium falciparum takes place solely by the purine salvage pathway in which preformed purine base(s) are salvaged from the host and acted upon by a battery of enzymes to generate AMP and GMP. Inhibitors of this pathway have a potent effect on the in vitro growth of P. falciparum and are hence, implicated as promising leads for the development of new generation anti-malarials. Here, we describe the mechanism of inhibition of the intraerythrocytic growth of P. falciparum by the purine nucleoside precursor, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR). Our results show that AICAR toxicity is mediated through the erythrocyte in which AICAR is phosphorylated to its nucleotide, ZMP. Further, purine metabolite labeling of the parasitized erythrocytes by [(3)H]-hypoxanthine, in the presence of AICAR, showed a significant decrease in radioactive counts in adenylate fractions but not in guanylate fractions. The most dramatic effect on parasite growth was observed when erythrocytes pretreated with AICAR were used in culture. Pretreatment of erythrocytes with AICAR led to significant intracellular accumulation of ZMP and these erythrocytes were incapable of supporting parasite growth. These results implicate that in addition to the purine salvage pathway in P. falciparum, AICAR alters the metabolic status of the erythrocytes, which inhibits parasite growth. As AICAR and ZMP are metabolites in the human serum and erythrocytes, our studies reported here throw light on their possible role in disease susceptibility, and also suggests the possibility of AICAR being a potential prophylactic or chemotherapeutic anti-malarial compound.

Versatility in the acquisition of energy and carbon sources by the Apicomplexa

Members of the phylum Apicomplexa are motile and rapidly dividing intracellular parasites, able to occupy a large spectrum of niches by infecting diverse hosts and invading various cell types. As obligate intracellular parasites, most apicomplexans only survive for a short period extracellularly, and, during this time, have a high energy demand to power gliding motility and invasion into new host cells. Similarly, these fast-replicating intracellular parasites are critically dependent on host-cell nutrients as energy and carbon sources, noticeably for the extensive membrane biogenesis imposed during growth and division. To access host-cell metabolites, the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum have evolved strategies that exquisitely reflect adaptation to their respective niches. In the present review, we summarize and compare some recent findings regarding the energetic metabolism and carbon sources used by these two genetically tractable apicomplexans during host-cell invasion and intracellular growth and replication.

Electron microscopy and cytochemistry analysis of the endocytic pathway of pathogenic protozoa

Endocytosis is essential for eukaryotic cell survival and has been well characterized in mammal and yeast cells. Among protozoa it is also important for evading from host immune defenses and to support intense proliferation characteristic of some life cycle stages. Here we focused on the contribution of morphological and cytochemical studies to the understanding of endocytosis in Trichomonas, Giardia, Entamoeba, Plasmodium, and trypanosomatids, mainly Trypanosoma cruzi, and also Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania.

Four distinct pathways of hemoglobin uptake in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

During the bloodstage of malaria infection, the parasite internalizes and degrades massive amounts of hemoglobin from the host red blood cell. Using serial thin-section electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction, we demonstrate four independent, but partially overlapping, hemoglobin-uptake processes distinguishable temporally, morphologically, and pharmacologically. Early ring-stage parasites undergo a profound morphological transformation in which they fold, like a cup, onto themselves and in so doing take a large first gulp of host cell cytoplasm. This event, which we term the "Big Gulp," appears to be independent of actin polymerization and marks the first step in biogenesis of the parasite's lysosomal compartment-the food vacuole. A second, previously identified uptake process, uses the cytostome, a well characterized and morphologically distinct structure at the surface of the parasite. This process is more akin to classical endocytosis, giving rise to small (<0.004 fl) vesicles that are marked by the early endosomal regulatory protein Rab5a. A third process, also arising from cytostomes, creates long thin tubes previously termed cytostomal tubes in an actin-dependent manner. The fourth pathway, which we term phagotrophy, is similar to the Big Gulp in that it more closely resembles phagocytosis, except that phagotrophy does not require actin polymerization. Each of these four processes has aspects that are unique to Plasmodium, thus opening avenues to antimalarial therapy.

Identification of proteases that regulate erythrocyte rupture by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Newly replicated Plasmodium falciparum parasites escape from host erythrocytes through a tightly regulated process that is mediated by multiple classes of proteolytic enzymes. However, the identification of specific proteases has been challenging. We describe here a forward chemical genetic screen using a highly focused library of more than 1,200 covalent serine and cysteine protease inhibitors to identify compounds that block host cell rupture by P. falciparum. Using hits from the library screen, we identified the subtilisin-family serine protease PfSU B1 and the cysteine protease dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPAP3) as primary regulators of this process. Inhibition of both DPAP3 and PfSUB1 caused a block in proteolytic processing of the serine repeat antigen (SERA) protein SERA5 that correlated with the observed block in rupture. Furthermore, DPAP3 inhibition reduced the levels of mature PfSUB1. These results suggest that two mechanistically distinct proteases function to regulate processing of downstream substrates required for efficient release of parasites from host red blood cells.

Anionic sites on Toxoplasma gondii tissue cyst wall: Expression, uptake and characterization

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is an important parasitic disease worldwide, which causes widespread human and animal diseases. The need for new therapeutic agents along with the biology of these parasites has fueled a keen interest in the understanding of the nutrients acquisition by these parasites. Studies on the characterization of the T. gondii cyst wall as well as the contribution of the host cell to this formation have been little explored. The aim of this paper was to investigate the electric surface charge of the T. gondii tissue cysts by ultrastructural cytochemistry, through polycationic markers, employing ruthenium red (RR) and cationized ferritin (CF). Glycosaminoglycans revealed by RR were localized on the cyst wall as a homogeneous granular layer electrondense, all over its surface. The incubation of living tissue cysts with CF for 20 min at 4 degrees C followed by the increase of temperature to 37 degrees C indicated that T. gondii cyst wall is negatively charged and that occurs an incorporation of anionic sites by the cyst wall, through vesicles and tubules, and their posterior location in the cyst matrix. So, as to identify which group of molecules produces negative charge in the cyst wall, we used enzymes for cleavage on different types of molecules, demonstrating that the negative charge in the cyst wall is mainly produced by phospholipids. Our results, described in this work show, for the first time, the negativities of the cyst wall, the incorporation and the traffic of intracellular surface molecules by T. gondii cyst wall. Our model of study can give an important contribution to the knowledge of the biology and the processes involved in nutrients acquisition by bradyzoites living inside the cysts and, and also be applied as a target for the direct action of drugs against the cyst.

Naturally occurring cobalamins have antimalarial activity

The acquisition of resistance by malaria parasites towards existing antimalarials has necessitated the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. The effect of vitamin B(12) derivatives on the formation of beta-haematin (synthetic haemozoin) was determined under conditions similar to those in the parasitic food vacuole (using chloroquine, a known inhibitor of haemozoin formation for comparison). Adenosylcobalamin (Ado-cbl), methylcobalamin (CH(3)-cbl) and aquocobalamin (H(2)O-cbl) were approximately forty times more effective inhibitors of beta-haematin formation than chloroquine, cyanocobalamin (CN-cbl) was slightly more inhibitory than chloroquine, while dicyanocobinamide had no effect. It is proposed that the cobalamins exert their inhibitory effect on beta-haematin formation by pi-interactions of their corrin ring with the Fe(III)-protoporphyrin ring and by hydrogen-bonding using their 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole/ribose/sugar side-chain. The antimalarial activity for the cobalamins (Ado-cbl>CH(3)-cbl>H(2)O-cbl>CN-cbl) was found to be less than that for chloroquine or quinine. Ado-cbl, CH(3)-cbl and CN-cbl do not accumulate in the parasite food vacuole by pH trapping, but H(2)O-cbl does. Unlike humans, the malaria parasite has only one enzyme that uses cobalamin as a cofactor, namely methionine synthase, which is important for growth and metabolism. Thus cobalamins in very small amounts are necessary for Plasmodium falciparum growth but in larger amounts they display antimalarial properties.

Vitamin and cofactor biosynthesis pathways in Plasmodium and other apicomplexan parasites

Vitamins are essential components of the human diet. By contrast, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and related apicomplexan parasites synthesize certain vitamins de novo, either completely or in parts. The various biosynthesis pathways are specific to different apicomplexan parasites and emphasize the distinct requirements of these parasites for nutrients and growth factors. The absence of vitamin biosynthesis in humans implies that inhibition of the parasite pathways might be a way to interfere specifically with parasite development. However, the roles of biosynthesis and uptake of vitamins in the regulation of vitamin homeostasis in parasites needs to be established first. In this article, the procurement of vitamins B(1), B(5) and B(6) by Plasmodium and other apicomplexan parasites is discussed.

Scavenging of the cofactor lipoate is essential for the survival of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Lipoate is an essential cofactor for key enzymes of oxidative metabolism. Plasmodium falciparum possesses genes for lipoate biosynthesis and scavenging, but it is not known if these pathways are functional, nor what their relative contribution to the survival of intraerythrocytic parasites might be. We detected in parasite extracts four lipoylated proteins, one of which cross-reacted with antibodies against the E2 subunit of apicoplast-localized pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). Two highly divergent parasite lipoate ligase A homologues (LplA), LipL1 (previously identified as LplA) and LipL2, restored lipoate scavenging in lipoylation-deficient bacteria, indicating that Plasmodium has functional lipoate-scavenging enzymes. Accordingly, intraerythrocytic parasites scavenged radiolabelled lipoate and incorporated it into three proteins likely to be mitochondrial. Scavenged lipoate was not attached to the PDH E2 subunit, implying that lipoate scavenging drives mitochondrial lipoylation, while apicoplast lipoylation relies on biosynthesis. The lipoate analogue 8-bromo-octanoate inhibited LipL1 activity and arrested P. falciparum in vitro growth, decreasing the incorporation of radiolabelled lipoate into parasite proteins. Furthermore, growth inhibition was prevented by lipoate addition in the medium. These results are consistent with 8-bromo-octanoate specifically interfering with lipoate scavenging. Our study suggests that lipoate metabolic pathways are not redundant, and that lipoate scavenging is critical for Plasmodium intraerythrocytic survival.

Nanomolar cationic dendrimeric sulfadiazine as potential antitoxoplasmic agent

The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mainly responsible for severe side effects and discontinuation of toxoplasmosis treatments. In the search for new strategies that improve the efficacy of treatments with reduced doses of SDZ, we have determined the performance of cationic G4 (DG4) and anionic G4.5 (DG4.5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers to act as SDZ nanocarriers. Both dendrimers could efficiently load SDZ (SDZ-DG4 and SDZ-DG4.5) up to a ratio of 30 molecules SDZ per dendrimer molecule. The MTT assay on Vero and J774 cells showed no cytotoxicity for DG4.5 and its SDZ complex incubated between 0.03 and 33 microM of dendrimer concentration. On the other hand, DG4 and its SDZ complex resulted cytotoxic when incubated at dendrimer concentrations higher than 3.3 microM. Finally, complexes and empty dendrimers were in vitro tested against Vero cells infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii along 4h of treatment. For SDZ-DG4.5 and DG4.5 to cause an infection decrease between 25 and 40%, respectively, a dendrimer concentration of 33 microM was required; however, SDZ-DG4 produced the highest infection decrease of 60% at 0.03 microM. These preliminary results, achieved with nanomolar doses of SDZ-DG4 as unique active principle, point to this complex as a suitable potential candidate for antitoxoplasmic therapy.

Evidence for the involvement of Plasmodium falciparum proteins in the formation of new permeability pathways in the erythrocyte membrane

The intraerythrocytic developmental stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are responsible for the clinical symptoms associated with malaria tropica. The non-infected human erythrocyte is a terminally differentiated cell that is unable to synthesize proteins and lipids de novo, and it is incapable of importing a number of solutes that are essential for parasite proliferation. Approximately 12-15 h after invasion the parasitized cell undergoes a marked increase in its permeability to a variety of different solutes present in the extracellular milieu. The increase is due to the induction in the erythrocyte membrane of 'new permeability pathways' which have been characterized in some detail in terms of their transport and electrophysiological properties, but which are yet to be defined at a molecular level. Here we show that these pathways are resistant to trypsin but are abolished by treatment of intact infected erythrocytes with chymotrypsin. On resuspension of chymotrypsinized cells in chymotrypsin-free medium the pathways progressively reappear, a process that can be inhibited by cytotoxic agents, and by brefeldin A which inhibits protein secretion. Our results provide evidence for the involvement of parasite encoded proteins in the generation of the pathways, either as components of the pathways themselves or as auxiliary factors.

Delivery of the malaria virulence protein PfEMP1 to the erythrocyte surface requires cholesterol-rich domains

The particular virulence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum derives from export of parasite-encoded proteins to the surface of the mature erythrocytes in which it resides. The mechanisms and machinery for the export of proteins to the erythrocyte membrane are largely unknown. In other eukaryotic cells, cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains or "rafts" have been shown to play an important role in the export of proteins to the cell surface. Our data suggest that depletion of cholesterol from the erythrocyte membrane with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin significantly inhibits the delivery of the major virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). The trafficking defect appears to lie at the level of transfer of PfEMP1 from parasite-derived membranous structures within the infected erythrocyte cytoplasm, known as the Maurer's clefts, to the erythrocyte membrane. Thus our data suggest that delivery of this key cytoadherence-mediating protein to the host erythrocyte membrane involves insertion of PfEMP1 at cholesterol-rich microdomains. GTP-dependent vesicle budding and fusion events are also involved in many trafficking processes. To determine whether GTP-dependent events are involved in PfEMP1 trafficking, we have incorporated non-membrane-permeating GTP analogs inside resealed erythrocytes. Although these nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs reduced erythrocyte invasion efficiency and partially retarded growth of the intracellular parasite, they appeared to have little direct effect on PfEMP1 trafficking.

Selective lysis of erythrocytes infected with the trophozoite stage of Plasmodium falciparum by polyene macrolide antibiotics

The continuous increase in strains of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum resistant to most front-line antimalarial compounds is reason for grave clinical concern. The search for new drugs led us to investigate a number of membrane active polyene macrolide antibiotics, such as amphotericin B, nystatin, filipin and natamycin. The interaction of these compounds with sterols in bilayer cell membranes can lead to cell damage and ultimately cell lysis. The malaria parasite modifies the host erythrocyte membrane by changing the protein and lipid composition and thus the infected cell could be a selective target for membrane active compounds. We found that erythrocytes infected with the trophozoite stage of P. falciparum were particularly susceptible to lysis by amphotericin B (Fungizone) and, to a lesser extent, nystatin, as determined by ELISA and various microscopy assays. Liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) displayed a similar specificity for parasitised erythrocytes, but complete lysis required a longer incubation period. In contrast, filipin and natamycin did not distinguish between normal and parasite-infected erythrocytes, but lysed both at similar concentrations. In addition, when added to ring-stage cultures, the amphotericin B preparations and nystatin produced a marked disruption in parasite morphology in less than 2 h without an accompanying permeabilisation of the infected host cell, suggesting a second plasmodicidal mode of action. The results imply that selected polyene macrolide antibiotics or their derivatives could find application in the treatment of severe malaria caused by of P. falciparum.

Intravacuolar network may act as a mechanical support for Toxoplasma gondii inside the parasitophorous vacuole

The intravacuolar network inside the parasitophorous vacuole of Toxoplasma gondii consists of an intricate system of membrane-limited tubules of uncertain role in parasite development. We propose that it is an important structural support to the maintenance of the parasites in the characteristic rosette arrangement of parasites inside the vacuole, rather than being associated with the nutrient acquisition from the host cell, as previously suggested. We based our assumptions on observations made by field emission scanning electron microscopy of an epithelial cell line (LLCMK2) infected at various time intervals. Scraping the surface of infected monolayers with Scotch tape exposed the inner organization of the parasitophorous vacuole. Ultrathin sections and freeze-fracture replicas of analogous samples were correlated with field emission observations and added new data on tubular membranes and general organization of the parasitophorous vacuole.

Detection of a novel parasite kinase activity at the Toxoplasma gondii parasitophorous vacuole membrane capable of phosphorylating host IkappaBalpha

Toxoplasma gondii activates the NF-kappaB pathway in the infected host cell resulting in upregulation of pro-survival genes and prevention of apoptosis. Manipulation of the NF-kappaB cascade by T. gondii correlates with the localization of phosphorylated IkappaB at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). This suggests a parasite-mediated event, involving the recruitment and activation of the host IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex, as has been observed with the related protozoan Theileria parva. In contrast to Theileria, confocal microscopy studies showed no apparent hijacking of IKKalpha, IKKbeta, or their activated phosphorylated forms at the T. gondii PVM. Remarkably, phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha at Ser 32/36 was observed at the PVM of T. gondii-infected IKKalpha-/-, IKKbeta-/- and IKKalpha/beta double-knockout (IKKalpha/beta-/-) fibroblasts, suggesting the involvement of a parasite kinase activity independent of host IKK. The presence of a putative T. gondii IkappaB kinase was examined by in vitro kinase assays using GST-IkappaBalpha constructs and protein extracts from both extracellular parasites and PVM fractions. Interestingly, an activity capable of phosphorylating IkappaBalpha at the critical Ser 32/36 sites was identified in parasite extracts, a property restricted to the IKK signalosome. Taken together, our data support the role for a T. gondii kinase involved in phosphorylation of host cell IkappaBalpha and suggest an unusual mechanism utilized by an intracellular pathogen capable of manipulating the NF-kappaB pathway.

Interrelations between the parasitophorous vacuole of Toxoplasma gondii and host cell organelles

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is capable of actively penetrating and multiplying in any nucleated cell of warm-blooded animals. Its survival strategies include escape from fusion of the parasitophorous vacuole with host cell lysosomes and rearrangement of host cell organelles in relation to the parasitophorous vacuole. In this article we report the rearrangement of host cell organelles and elements of the cytoskeleton of LLCMK2 cells, a lineage derived from green monkey kidney epithelial cells, in response to infection by T. gondii tachyzoites. Transmission electron microscopy made on flat embedded monolayers cut horizontally to the apical side of the cells or field emission scanning electron microscopy of monolayers scraped with scotch tape before sputtering showed that association of mitochondria to the vacuole is much less frequent than previously described. On the other hand, all parasitophorous vacuoles were surrounded by elements of the endoplasmic reticulum. These data were complemented by observations by laser scanning microscopy using fluorescent probes from mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum and reinforced by three-dimensional reconstruction from serial sections observed by transmission electron microscopy and labeling of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum by fluorescent probes.

Microscopy and cytochemistry of the biogenesis of the parasitophorous vacuole

Some parasitic protozoa are able to penetrate into host cells where they multiply. The process of penetration involves steps such as attachment to the host cell surface, internalization of the protozoan through an endocytic process with the formation of a parasitophorous vacuole (PV), and the subsequent interaction of the protozoan with the membrane lining the PV. This review analyzes the biogenesis of the PV from a morphological and cytochemical perspective. Special emphasis is given to (a) the localization of plasma membrane-associated enzymes such as Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase, 5'-nucleotidase, and NAD(P)H-oxidase, (b) glycoconjugates, detected using labeled lectins, (c) anionic sites, detected using cationic particles, and (d) integral membrane proteins, using freeze-fracture replicas, and lipids during the formation of the PV containing Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania, Toxoplasma gondii, and Plasmodium.

Toxoplasma gondii: changes of transepithelial ion transport in infected HT29/B6 cell monolayers

An in vitro system was established to study the effect of coccidian parasites on ion transport systems in epithelial tissues using HT29/B6, a human colon carcinoma cell line, and Toxoplasma gondii as a model parasite. Ion transport was measured in perfusion chambers 5, 10 and 15 h post-infection using monolayers in which approximately 30% of the cells were parasitized. The infection had rapid effects on the conductance and unidirectional chloride fluxes of infected cell monolayers, which were two to three times higher than those of uninfected HT29/B6 cell monolayers throughout the observation period. However, the chloride net fluxes and short-circuit current were unaffected by the parasites, while the decrease of chloride seromucosal fluxes and conductance after addition of bumetanide were affected by the infection. The unidirectional mannitol fluxes, which correspond with water motion through paracellular pathways, were increased in infected HT29/B6 cell monolayers.

A biotin derivative blocks parasite induced novel permeation pathways in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum infects human erythrocytes, and it induces an increased rate of uptake into the infected cell of a range of solutes, including essential nutrients required for parasite development. Several models have been proposed for the mechanism(s) underlying parasite-induced solute uptake, each differing with respect to the site of entry into infected cells. We show that a biotin derivative that is excluded from non-infected erythrocytes gains access to infected erythrocytes via a pathway that is inhibited by compounds shown previously to block the pathways responsible for the increased uptake of solutes. The derivative was found to bind erythrocyte cytoskeletal proteins and to hemoglobin, providing evidence that the novel pathways are in the erythrocyte membrane and allow direct access of solutes to the erythrocyte cytosol. The derivative inhibited its own uptake and blocked the parasite-induced transport of other solutes. In whole-cell patch-clamp analyses, biotinylation of infected erythrocytes caused significant decrease in a parasite-induced outward rectifying conductance. In vitro, biotinylation of trophozoite-stage parasitized erythrocytes delayed parasite development. Treatment of infected cells in the final developmental stage abrogated the parasite's ability to complete development. The data are consistent with the novel pathways playing an important role in parasite growth.

Chemosensitization of Plasmodium falciparum by probenecid in vitro

Resistance to drugs can result from changes in drug transport, and this resistance can sometimes be overcome by a second drug that modifies the transport mechanisms of the cell. This strategy has been exploited to partly reverse resistance to chloroquine in Plasmodium falciparum. Studies with human tumor cells have shown that probenecid can reverse resistance to the antifolate methotrexate, but the potential for reversal of antifolate resistance has not been studied in P. falciparum. In the present study we tested the ability of probenecid to reverse antifolate resistance in P. falciparum in vitro. Probenecid, at concentrations that had no effect on parasite viability alone (50 microM), was shown to increase the sensitivity of a highly resistant parasite isolate to the antifolates pyrimethamine, sulfadoxine, chlorcycloguanil, and dapsone by seven-, five-, three-, and threefold, respectively. The equivalent effects against an antifolate-sensitive isolate were activity enhancements of approximately 3-, 6-, 1.2-, and 19-fold, respectively. Probenecid decreased the level of uptake of radiolabeled folic acid, suggesting a transport-based mechanism linked to folate salvage. When probenecid was tested with chloroquine, it chemosensitized the resistant isolate to chloroquine (i.e., enhanced the activity of chloroquine). This enhancement of activity was associated with increased levels of chloroquine accumulation. In conclusion, we have shown that probenecid can chemosensitize malaria parasites to antifolate compounds via a mechanism linked to reduced folate uptake. Notably, this effect is observed in both folate-sensitive and -resistant parasites. In contrast to the activities of antifolate compounds, the effect of probenecid on chloroquine sensitivity was selective for chloroquine-resistant parasites (patent P407595GB [W. P. Thompson & Co., Liverpool, United Kingdom] has been filed to protect this intellectual property).

Cyclospora cayetanensis: a review of an emerging parasitic coccidian

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a sporulating parasitic protozoan that infects the upper small intestinal tract. It has been identified as both a food and waterborne pathogen endemic in many developing countries. It is an important agent of Traveller's Diarrohea in developed countries and was responsible for numerous foodborne outbreaks in the United States and Canada in the late 1990s. Like Cryptosporidium, infection has been associated with a variety of sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, reactive arthritis syndrome (formally Reiter syndrome) and acalculous cholecystitis. There has been much debate as to where to place C. cayetanensis taxonomically due to its homology with Eimeria species. To date, the only genomic DNA sequences available are the ribosomal DNA of C. cayetanensis and three other species; within these a high degree of homology has been observed. This homology and the lack of sequence data from other Cyclospora species have hindered identification methods.

Intracellular parasitism: cell biological adaptations of parasitic protozoa to a life inside cells

Several protozoan parasites evade the host's immune defence because most of their development takes place inside specific host cells. Only a few of these protozoa live within the host cell cytosol. Most parasites are sequestered within membrane-bound compartments, collectively called 'vacuoles'. Recent advances in the cell biology of intracellular parasites have revealed fundamental differences in the strategies whereby such organisms gain entry into their respective host cells. These differences have important implications for host-parasite interaction and for nutrient acquisition by the parasite. Leishmania spp. take advantage of the phagocytic properties of their host cells and presumably contribute little to the uptake process. In contrast, apicomplexan parasites have developed highly specialised organelles, called micronemes and rhoptries, to actively invade a variety of nucleated cells and, in the case of Plasmodium falciparum, human erythrocytes. Following invasion, parasites use a multitude of strategies to protect themselves from the defence mechanisms of the parasitized cells. In addition, they induce novel pathways within the infected cell that allow a most efficient nutrient acquisition both from the host cell cytoplasm and from the extracellular environment. Parasite-induced changes of host cells are most apparent in erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium spp. Mammalian erythrocytes are deficient in de novo protein and lipid biosynthesis and, consequently, pathways which allow the transport of macromolecules and small solutes are established by metabolic activities of the parasite. Research into the cell biology of intracellular parasitism has identified fascinating phenomena some of which we are beginning to understand at a molecular level. They are fascinating because they allow insights into a very intimate interaction between two eukaryotic cells of entirely different phylogenetic origins.

A nonpermeant biotin derivative gains access to the parasitophorous vacuole in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes permeabilized with streptolysin O

In its host erythrocyte, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum resides within a parasitophorous vacuole, the membrane of which forms a barrier between the host cell cytosol and the parasite surface. The vacuole is a unique compartment because it contains specific proteins that are believed to be involved in cell biological functions essential for parasite survival. As a prerequisite for the characterization of the vacuolar proteome, we have developed an experimental approach that allows the selective biotinylation of soluble vacuolar proteins. This approach utilizes nonpermeant biotin derivatives that can be introduced into infected erythrocytes after selective permeabilization of the erythrocyte membrane with the pore-forming protein streptolysin O. The derivatives gain access to the vacuolar lumen but not to the parasite cytosol, thus providing supportive evidence for the existence of nonselective pores within the vacuolar membrane that have been postulated based on electrophysiological studies. Soluble vacuolar proteins that are biotin-labeled can be isolated by affinity chromatography using streptavidin-agarose.