Role of phospholipids in the cytotoxic action of high density lipoprotein on trypanosomes

The trypanolytic factor-mechanism, impacts and applications

The Trypanosoma brucei subspecies T. brucei brucei is non-human infective due to susceptibility to lysis by trypanolytic factor (TLF) in human serum. Reviewed here are the advances which have revealed apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1), found in high density lipoprotein, as the lysis-inducing component of TLF, the means of uptake via haptoglobin-related protein receptor and the mechanism of resistance in T. b. rhodesiense via its serum resistance-associated (SRA) protein. The first practical steps to application of these discoveries are now in progress; transgenic animals expressing either baboon or minimally truncated human ApoL1 show resistance to both T. b. brucei and T. b. rhodesiense. This has major implications for treatment and prevention of human and animal African trypanosomiasis.

Immunobiology of African trypanosomes: need of alternative interventions

Trypanosomiasis is one of the major parasitic diseases for which control is still far from reality. The vaccination approaches by using dominant surface proteins have not been successful, mainly due to antigenic variation of the parasite surface coat. On the other hand, the chemotherapeutic drugs in current use for the treatment of this disease are toxic and problems of resistance are increasing (see Kennedy (2004) and Legros et al. (2002)). Therefore, alternative approaches in both treatment and vaccination against trypanosomiasis are needed at this time. To be able to design and develop such alternatives, the biology of this parasite and the host response against the pathogen need to be studied. These two aspects of this disease with few examples of alternative approaches are discussed here.

The trypanolytic factor of human serum

African trypanosomes (the prototype of which is Trypanosoma brucei brucei) are protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of mammals. Human blood, unlike the blood of other mammals, has efficient trypanolytic activity, and this needs to be counteracted by these parasites. Resistance to this activity has arisen in two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei - Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense - allowing these parasites to infect humans, and this results in sleeping sickness in East Africa and West Africa, respectively. Study of the mechanism by which T. b. rhodesiense escapes lysis by human serum led to the identification of an ionic-pore-forming apolipoprotein - known as apolipoprotein L1 - that is associated with high-density-lipoprotein particles in human blood. In this Opinion article, we argue that apolipoprotein L1 is the factor that is responsible for the trypanolytic activity of human serum.

Apolipoprotein L-I promotes trypanosome lysis by forming pores in lysosomal membranes

Apolipoprotein L-I is the trypanolytic factor of human serum. Here we show that this protein contains a membrane pore-forming domain functionally similar to that of bacterial colicins, flanked by a membrane-addressing domain. In lipid bilayer membranes, apolipoprotein L-I formed anion channels. In Trypanosoma brucei, apolipoprotein L-I was targeted to the lysosomal membrane and triggered depolarization of this membrane, continuous influx of chloride, and subsequent osmotic swelling of the lysosome until the trypanosome lysed.

Characterization of primate trypanosome lytic factors

Humans are one of the few species that resist infection by Trypanosoma brucei brucei because the parasites are killed by lytic factors found in human serum. Trypanosome lytic factors (TLFs) are protein/lipid complexes that contain apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), and are therefore a class of high density lipoproteins (HDLs). Haptoglobin-related protein (Hpr) is a unique protein component of TLFs, and its expression has only been demonstrated in humans. Trypanolytic activity has only been found in the sera of five primates: humans, gorillas, mandrills, baboons and sooty mangabeys. We describe here previously unidentified components of highly purified human TLF1: apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I), human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide 18 (hCAP18) and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD). However, we found that hCAP18 and GPI-PLD, along with apoA-I, are common components of both lytic and non-lytic primate HDLs. In contrast, Hpr, which has been previously implicated as the main lytic component of TLF1, was a unique component of all trypanolytic primate HDLs. Furthermore, a polyclonal antiserum to Hpr neutralized the lytic activity from humans and baboons. ApoL-I, a candidate lytic component of human serum, was not immunologically or genetically detectable in two primate species with lytic activity. Polyclonal antiserum to apoL-I also did not neutralize TLF activity in a total human HDL preparation. These findings suggest that apoL-I is not essential in all primate TLFs, and apoL-I alone is not sufficient for optimal trypanosome lytic activity in human TLF.

Evidence for a Trypanosoma brucei lipoprotein scavenger receptor

African trypanosomes are lipid auxotrophs that live in the bloodstream of their human and animal hosts. Trypanosomes require lipoproteins in addition to other serum components in order to multiply under axenic culture conditions. Delipidation of the lipoproteins abrogates their capacity to support trypanosome growth. Both major classes of serum lipoproteins, LDL and HDL, are primary sources of lipids, delivering cholesterol esters, cholesterol, and phospholipids to trypanosomes. We show evidence for the existence of a trypanosome lipoprotein scavenger receptor, which facilitates the endocytosis of both native and modified lipoproteins, including HDL and LDL. This lipoprotein scavenger receptor also exhibits selective lipid uptake, whereby the uptake of the lipid components of the lipoprotein exceeds that of the protein components. Trypanosome lytic factor (TLF1), an unusual HDL found in human serum that protects from infection by lysing Trypanosoma brucei brucei, is also bound and endocytosed by this lipoprotein scavenger receptor. HDL and LDL compete for the binding and uptake of TLF1 and thereby attenuate the trypanosome lysis mediated by TLF1. We also show that a mammalian scavenger receptor facilitates lipid uptake from TLF1 in a manner similar to the trypanosome scavenger receptor. Based on these results we propose that HDL, LDL, and TLF1 are all bound and taken up by a lipoprotein scavenger receptor, which may constitute the parasite's major pathway mediating the uptake of essential lipids.

Natural immunity to human African trypanosomiasis: trypanosome lytic factors and the blood incubation infectivity test

This review focuses on the epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis: why it occurs in humans, the current methods of surveillance, and the drugs available to treat it. Emphasis is placed on the identification of human-infective trypanosomes by the blood incubation infectivity test. This test distinguishes between trypanosomes that are non-infective for humans and those that are potentially infective. Currently the test requires incubation of parasites with human serum before injection into mice; any surviving parasites are considered human-infective. The factors in serum that kill all non-human-infective parasites are known as trypanosome lytic factors. The paper details the biochemistry of these factors and recommends standardization of the test based on current knowledge. This test can be used to screen animals with trypanosomiasis, in order to evaluate their role during endemic and epidemic human African trypanosomiasis.

Innate and acquired resistance to African trypanosomiasis

The review discusses the current field status of human and bovine trypanosomiases, and focuses on the molecular basis of innate and acquired control of African trypanosomes in people, cattle, and Cape buffalo.

Trypanosoma brucei brucei and high-density lipoproteins: Old and new thoughts on the identity and mechanism of the trypanocidal factor in human serum

Nature has provided humans with a surprising means of protection against the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei brucei There is consensus, in that this singular trypanocidal factor is serum high-density lipoproteins (HDL). which the trypanosomes engulf through a physiological, receptor-mediated pathway for delivery to acidic intracellular vesicles. There is also controversy, however, in that the active particles and their essential cytotoxic elements are disputed, in part reflecting the ill-defined mechanism by which the parasites are finally killed. Here Patrick Lorenz, Bruno Betschart and Jim Owen discuss the possibilities for resolving these discrepancies and speculate on the prospects of exploiting this unexpected property of human HDL for protecting livestock.

High-density-lipoprotein-independent killing of Trypanosoma brucei by human serum

The cattle pathogen Trypanosoma brucei brucei is morphologically indistinguishable from the human pathogens T.b. rhodesiense and T.b. gambiense. However, unlike the human pathogens, T.b. brucei is lysed by normal human serum (NHS). The trypanolytic factor in NHS co-purifies with high-density lipoproteins (HDL), but its precise nature is unknown. Using a new fluorescence-based viability assay to assess T.b. brucei killing, we find that the HDL-deficient sera from two patients with Tangier disease are as trypanolytic as NHS. Fractionation of the Tangier sera by density ultracentrifugation revealed that the activity resides only in lipoprotein-depleted fractions. Tangier and NHS were also subjected to molecular sieving chromatography, and the activity profiles were identical. Lytic fractions to T. brucei (but not to T. rhodesiense) appeared under two distinct peaks of 100-600 kDa and > 1000 kDa. Neither peak coincided with the position of the major serum lipoproteins, as determined by cholesterol titrations. The high-molecular-mass peak did not contain the HDL-associated apolipoprotein-A1. Further, we did not find that purified apolipoproteins A1 or J are lytic for the trypanosomes. We conclude that the killing of T. brucei by human serum can be independent of HDL.

Reconstitution of the trypanolytic factor from components of a subspecies of human high-density lipoproteins

Trypanosoma brucei brucei is non-infectious to man due to the sensitivity of these parasites to the lytic activity of normal human serum. Apolipoproteins (apo) have been purified, under non-denaturing conditions, from the subclass of human high-density lipoprotein (HDL), termed trypanosome lytic factor (TLF), which is responsible for the cytotoxicity of human serum to T. b. brucei. The TLF apolipoproteins were purified by anion exchange chromatography in the presence of the nonionic detergent octylglucoside and a reconstitution method was developed which allowed the role of the individual apolipoproteins and different lipids to be assessed. The results suggest that the TLF lipids do not have a direct role in lysis but are necessary for the correct assembly of the lytic HDL particle. Apo A-I, apo L-III and apo L-I contribute to lysis in reconstituted particles but individually they are not cytotoxic. Apo A-II was not required in the reconstituted TLF particle for trypanosome lysis. Formation of a lytic HDL particle required apo L-III suggesting its potential role as a toxin. Thermal inactivation of TLF activity correlated with the amount of denatured apo L-I, indicating that apo L-I was involved in lysis of T. b. brucei by native TLF.

Heterogeneity in the properties of the trypanolytic factor in normal human serum

Although it seems clear that the trypanolytic factor in human serum capable of killing Trypanosoma brucei brucei is high density lipoprotein (HDL), it nevertheless remains controversial as to whether the trypanolytic properties of HDL are confined to a specific subclass or whether all particles have activity. In the present study, we have compared the lytic activities of serum fractions from six normal individuals prepared by gradient ultracentrifugation and also, to avoid ultracentrifugally-induced loss of HDL apolipoproteins, by gel filtration using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). All sera displayed trypanolytic activity in fractions corresponding to the general density (rho = 1.06-1.20 g ml-1) and size (59-440 kDa) limits conventionally used to describe bulk human HDL, the particles between rho = 1.18-1.20 g ml-1 and between 214-440 kDa being particularly lytic. But some sera additionally contained fractions with powerful activity outside these density (rho > 1.24 g ml-1) and size (> 1000 kDa) ranges. Nevertheless, such fractions were considered to contain material with HDL characteristics; apolipoprotein A-I, the major protein of HDL, was always present and the lytic activity of the sera could be completely neutralized by absorption with HDL antiserum. We conclude that all of the trypanolytic activity in human sera is associated with HDL particles and that it is a property of several HDL subpopulations with very different density and size characteristics. Presumably the well-recognized wide variation in trypanocidal activity of normal human sera reflects differences in the quantities of these HDL subpopulations rather than in the total amount of a single, uniquely lytic particle.

Antimicrobial activity of lipoprotein particles containing apolipoprotein Al

Human plasma in vitro inhibits the growth of coagulase negative staphylococci, S. epidermidis, which may be pathogenic in the immunocompromised host. To determine the antimicrobial components, serum was fractionated by column chromatography, which revealed that elution areas where lipoproteins can be yielded had high antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis. Therefore, lipoprotein fractions, including very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL), were separated by ultracentrifugation and incubated with S. epidermidis. All 3 lipoprotein fractions suppressed bacterial growth within the first 3 h but VLDL enhanced bacterial growth after 9 h of incubation compared with the control. HDL, however, inhibited bacterial growth throughout 21 h of incubation. To confirm these results, serum from healthy volunteers was separated by ion exchange column chromatography and again by HPLC to purify the antimicrobial fraction. In the protein analysis with gradient polyacrylamide-SDS gel, apolipoprotein Al (apo Al), which is a major apolipoprotein of HDL, was detected in the antimicrobial fraction. Therefore, this fraction was loaded onto an immunoaffinity column coupled with the anti-apo Al monoclonal antibody (Mab). Unbound fraction had no antimicrobial activity, but anti-S. epidermidis activity was recovered from the bound fraction which consisted mainly of apo Al, All and apo C in protein composition. These results indicated that the antimicrobial activity was associated with the apo Al-containing lipoprotein particles (HDL). This property of HDL may directly affect bacterial growth and promote the self-defense mechanisms of normal and immunocompromised individuals.