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Acherar A, Tannier X, Tantaoui I, Brossas JY, Thellier M, Piarroux R. Evaluating Plasmodium falciparum automatic detection and parasitemia estimation: A comparative study on thin blood smear images. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304789. [PMID: 38829858 PMCID: PMC11146722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a deadly disease that is transmitted through mosquito bites. Microscopists use a microscope to examine thin blood smears at high magnification (1000x) to identify parasites in red blood cells (RBCs). Estimating parasitemia is essential in determining the severity of the Plasmodium falciparum infection and guiding treatment. However, this process is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and subject to variation, which can directly affect patient outcomes. In this retrospective study, we compared three methods for measuring parasitemia from a collection of anonymized thin blood smears of patients with Plasmodium falciparum obtained from the Clinical Department of Parasitology-Mycology, National Reference Center (NRC) for Malaria in Paris, France. We first analyzed the impact of the number of field images on parasitemia count using our framework, MALARIS, which features a top-classifier convolutional neural network (CNN). Additionally, we studied the variation between different microscopists using two manual techniques to demonstrate the need for a reliable and reproducible automated system. Finally, we included thin blood smear images from an additional 102 patients to compare the performance and correlation of our system with manual microscopy and flow cytometry. Our results showed strong correlations between the three methods, with a coefficient of determination between 0.87 and 0.92.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniss Acherar
- Inserm, Institut Pierre-Louis d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, IPLESP, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- SCAI (Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Xavier Tannier
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Laboratoire d’Informatique Médicale et d’Ingénierie des Connaissances pour la e-Santé, LIMICS, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Paris, France
| | - Ilhame Tantaoui
- AP-HP, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CNR du Paludisme, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Brossas
- AP-HP, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CNR du Paludisme, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Marc Thellier
- Inserm, Institut Pierre-Louis d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, IPLESP, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CNR du Paludisme, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Renaud Piarroux
- Inserm, Institut Pierre-Louis d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, IPLESP, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CNR du Paludisme, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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2
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Johnson JT, Surette FA, Ausdahl GR, Shah M, Minns AM, Lindner SE, Zander RA, Butler NS. CD4 T Cell-Derived IL-21 Is Critical for Sustaining Plasmodium Infection-Induced Germinal Center Responses and Promoting the Selection of Memory B Cells with Recall Potential. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1467-1478. [PMID: 38477614 PMCID: PMC11018477 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Development of Plasmodium-specific humoral immunity is critically dependent on CD4 Th cell responses and germinal center (GC) reactions during blood-stage Plasmodium infection. IL-21, a cytokine primarily produced by CD4 T cells, is an essential regulator of affinity maturation, isotype class-switching, B cell differentiation, and maintenance of GC reactions in response to many infection and immunization models. In models of experimental malaria, mice deficient in IL-21 or its receptor IL-21R fail to develop memory B cell populations and are not protected against secondary infection. However, whether sustained IL-21 signaling in ongoing GCs is required for maintaining GC magnitude, organization, and output is unclear. In this study, we report that CD4+ Th cells maintain IL-21 expression after resolution of primary Plasmodium yoelii infection. We generated an inducible knockout mouse model that enabled cell type-specific and timed deletion of IL-21 in peripheral, mature CD4 T cells. We found that persistence of IL-21 signaling in active GCs had no impact on the magnitude of GC reactions or their capacity to produce memory B cell populations. However, the memory B cells generated in the absence of IL-21 exhibited reduced recall function upon challenge. Our data support that IL-21 prevents premature cellular dissolution within the GC and promotes stringency of selective pressures during B cell fate determination required to produce high-quality Plasmodium-specific memory B cells. These data are additionally consistent with a temporal requirement for IL-21 in fine-tuning humoral immune memory responses during experimental malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan T. Johnson
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Fionna A. Surette
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Graham R. Ausdahl
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
| | - Manan Shah
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
| | - Allen M. Minns
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania USA
| | - Scott E. Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania USA
| | - Ryan A. Zander
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
| | - Noah S. Butler
- Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa USA
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3
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Sabitzki R, Roßmann AL, Schmitt M, Flemming S, Guillén-Samander A, Behrens HM, Jonscher E, Höhn K, Fröhlke U, Spielmann T. Role of Rabenosyn-5 and Rab5b in host cell cytosol uptake reveals conservation of endosomal transport in malaria parasites. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002639. [PMID: 38820535 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Vesicular trafficking, including secretion and endocytosis, plays fundamental roles in the unique biology of Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage parasites. Endocytosis of host cell cytosol (HCC) provides nutrients and room for parasite growth and is critical for the action of antimalarial drugs and parasite drug resistance. Previous work showed that PfVPS45 functions in endosomal transport of HCC to the parasite's food vacuole, raising the possibility that malaria parasites possess a canonical endolysosomal system. However, the seeming absence of VPS45-typical functional interactors such as rabenosyn 5 (Rbsn5) and the repurposing of Rab5 isoforms and other endolysosomal proteins for secretion in apicomplexans question this idea. Here, we identified a parasite Rbsn5-like protein and show that it functions with VPS45 in the endosomal transport of HCC. We also show that PfRab5b but not PfRab5a is involved in the same process. Inactivation of PfRbsn5L resulted in PI3P and PfRab5b decorated HCC-filled vesicles, typical for endosomal compartments. Overall, this indicates that despite the low sequence conservation of PfRbsn5L and the unusual N-terminal modification of PfRab5b, principles of endosomal transport in malaria parasite are similar to that of model organisms. Using a conditional double protein inactivation system, we further provide evidence that the PfKelch13 compartment, an unusual apicomplexa-specific endocytosis structure at the parasite plasma membrane, is connected upstream of the Rbsn5L/VPS45/Rab5b-dependent endosomal route. Altogether, this work indicates that HCC uptake consists of a highly parasite-specific part that feeds endocytosed material into an endosomal system containing more canonical elements, leading to the delivery of HCC to the food vacuole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda Sabitzki
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Roßmann
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sven Flemming
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Ernst Jonscher
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Höhn
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Fröhlke
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Pathogen Section, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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4
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Pietsch E, Niedermüller K, Andrews M, Meyer BS, Lenz TL, Wilson DW, Gilberger TW, Burda PC. Disruption of a Plasmodium falciparum patatin-like phospholipase delays male gametocyte exflagellation. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:529-542. [PMID: 38131156 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
An essential process in transmission of the malaria parasite to the Anopheles vector is the conversion of mature gametocytes into gametes within the mosquito gut, where they egress from the red blood cell (RBC). During egress, male gametocytes undergo exflagellation, leading to the formation of eight haploid motile microgametes, while female gametes retain their spherical shape. Gametocyte egress depends on sequential disruption of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and the host cell membrane. In other life cycle stages of the malaria parasite, phospholipases have been implicated in membrane disruption processes during egress, however their importance for gametocyte egress is relatively unknown. Here, we performed comprehensive functional analyses of six putative phospholipases for their role during development and egress of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. We localize two of them, the prodrug activation and resistance esterase (PF3D7_0709700) and the lysophospholipase 1 (PF3D7_1476700), to the parasite plasma membrane. Subsequently, we show that disruption of most of the studied phospholipase genes does neither affect gametocyte development nor egress. The exception is the putative patatin-like phospholipase 3 (PF3D7_0924000), whose gene deletion leads to a delay in male gametocyte exflagellation, indicating an important, albeit not essential, role of this enzyme in male gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Korbinian Niedermüller
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mia Andrews
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Britta S Meyer
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias L Lenz
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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5
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Jiao H, James SJ, Png CW, Cui C, Li H, Li L, Chia WN, Min N, Li W, Claser C, Rénia L, Wang H, Chen MIC, Chu JJH, Tan KSW, Deng Y, Zhang Y. DUSP4 modulates RIG-I- and STING-mediated IRF3-type I IFN response. Cell Death Differ 2024; 31:280-291. [PMID: 38383887 PMCID: PMC10923883 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01269-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Detection of cytosolic nucleic acids by pattern recognition receptors, including STING and RIG-I, leads to the activation of multiple signalling pathways that culminate in the production of type I interferons (IFNs) which are vital for host survival during virus infection. In addition to protective immune modulatory functions, type I IFNs are also associated with autoimmune diseases. Hence, it is important to elucidate the mechanisms that govern their expression. In this study, we identified a critical regulatory function of the DUSP4 phosphatase in innate immune signalling. We found that DUSP4 regulates the activation of TBK1 and ERK1/2 in a signalling complex containing DUSP4, TBK1, ERK1/2 and IRF3 to regulate the production of type I IFNs. Mice deficient in DUSP4 were more resistant to infections by both RNA and DNA viruses but more susceptible to malaria parasites. Therefore, our study establishes DUSP4 as a regulator of nucleic acid sensor signalling and sheds light on an important facet of the type I IFN regulatory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huipeng Jiao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Sharmy J James
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Chin Wen Png
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Chaoyu Cui
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518100, China
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Liang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wan Ni Chia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Nyo Min
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Weiyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Carla Claser
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Hongyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Mark I-Cheng Chen
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Justin Jang Hann Chu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Kevin Shyong Wei Tan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Yinyue Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518100, China.
| | - Yongliang Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, TRP Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
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6
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Kobpornchai P, Imwong M, Kulkeaw K. Trio fluorophore-based phenotypic assay for the detection of artemisinin-induced growth-arrested Plasmodium falciparum in human erythrocytes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1802. [PMID: 38245618 PMCID: PMC10799909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52414-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin combination therapy remains effective for the treatment of falciparum malaria. However, Plasmodium falciparum can escape the effects of artemisinin by arresting their growth. The growth-arrested parasites cannot be distinguished from nonviable parasites with standard microscopy techniques due to their morphological similarities. Here, we demonstrated the efficacy of a new laboratory assay that is compatible with the artemisinin susceptibility test. As a result of the differential cell permeabilities of two DNA-binding fluorophores, growth-arrested P. falciparum can be distinguished from parasites killed by artemisinin, since the latter lose cell membrane permeability. This fluorescence-based assay increased the sensitivity and specificity of the ring survival assay in the assessment of artemisinin susceptibility. When combined with a third fluorophore-conjugated anti-human leukocyte antibody, this trio fluorophore assay became more useful in identifying growth-arrested parasites in mock human blood samples. This novel assay is a simple and rapid technique for monitoring artemisinin resistance with greater sensitivity and accuracy compared with morphology-based observations under a light microscope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Porntida Kobpornchai
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
- Siriraj-Long Read Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
| | - Kasem Kulkeaw
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.
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7
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Schmidt S, Wichers-Misterek JS, Behrens HM, Birnbaum J, Henshall IG, Dröge J, Jonscher E, Flemming S, Castro-Peña C, Mesén-Ramírez P, Spielmann T. The Kelch13 compartment contains highly divergent vesicle trafficking proteins in malaria parasites. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011814. [PMID: 38039338 PMCID: PMC10718435 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Single amino acid changes in the parasite protein Kelch13 (K13) result in reduced susceptibility of P. falciparum parasites to artemisinin and its derivatives (ART). Recent work indicated that K13 and other proteins co-localising with K13 (K13 compartment proteins) are involved in the endocytic uptake of host cell cytosol (HCCU) and that a reduction in HCCU results in reduced susceptibility to ART. HCCU is critical for parasite survival but is poorly understood, with the K13 compartment proteins among the few proteins so far functionally linked to this process. Here we further defined the composition of the K13 compartment by analysing more hits from a previous BioID, showing that MyoF and MCA2 as well as Kelch13 interaction candidate (KIC) 11 and 12 are found at this site. Functional analyses, tests for ART susceptibility as well as comparisons of structural similarities using AlphaFold2 predictions of these and previously identified proteins showed that vesicle trafficking and endocytosis domains were frequent in proteins involved in resistance or endocytosis (or both), comprising one group of K13 compartment proteins. While this strengthened the link of the K13 compartment to endocytosis, many proteins of this group showed unusual domain combinations and large parasite-specific regions, indicating a high level of taxon-specific adaptation of this process. Another group of K13 compartment proteins did not influence endocytosis or ART susceptibility and lacked detectable vesicle trafficking domains. We here identified the first protein of this group that is important for asexual blood stage development and showed that it likely is involved in invasion. Overall, this work identified novel proteins functioning in endocytosis and at the K13 compartment. Together with comparisons of structural predictions it provides a repertoire of functional domains at the K13 compartment that indicate a high level of adaption of endocytosis in malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schmidt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Jakob Birnbaum
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Jana Dröge
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ernst Jonscher
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sven Flemming
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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8
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O'Neal KA, Zeltner SL, Foscue CL, Stumhofer JS. Bhlhe40 limits early IL-10 production from CD4 + T cells during Plasmodium yoelii 17X infection. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0036723. [PMID: 37843306 PMCID: PMC10652903 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00367-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The cytokine IL-10 suppresses T-cell-mediated immunity, which is required to control infection with Plasmodium yoelii. Consequently, IL-10 can delay the time needed to resolve this infection, leading to a higher parasite burden. While the pathways that lead to IL-10 production by CD4+ T cells are well defined, much less is known about the mediators that suppress the expression of this potent anti-inflammatory cytokine. Here, we show that the transcription factor basic helix-loop-helix family member e40 (Bhlhe40) contributes to controlling parasite burden in response to P. yoelii infection in mice. Loss of Bhlhe40 expression in mice results in higher Il10 expression, higher peak parasitemia, and a delay in parasite clearance. The observed phenotype was not due to defects in T-cell activation and proliferation or the humoral response. Nor was it due to changes in regulatory T-cell numbers. However, blocking IL-10 signaling reversed the outcome in Bhlhe40-/ - mice, suggesting that excess IL-10 production limits their ability to control the infection properly. In addition to suppressing Il10 expression in CD4+ T cells, Bhlhe40 can promote Ifng expression. Indeed, IFN-γ production by CD4+ T cells isolated from the liver was significantly affected by the loss of Bhlhe40. Lastly, Bhlhe40 deletion in T cells resulted in a phenotype similar to that observed in the Bhlhe40-/ - mice, indicating that Bhlhe40 expression in T cells contributes to the ability of mice to control infection with P. yoelii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A. O'Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Sheldon L. Zeltner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Camille L. Foscue
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Jason S. Stumhofer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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9
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Pietsch E, Ramaprasad A, Bielfeld S, Wohlfarter Y, Maco B, Niedermüller K, Wilcke L, Kloehn J, Keller MA, Soldati-Favre D, Blackman MJ, Gilberger TW, Burda PC. A patatin-like phospholipase is important for mitochondrial function in malaria parasites. mBio 2023; 14:e0171823. [PMID: 37882543 PMCID: PMC10746288 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01718-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites rely on a functional electron transport chain (ETC) within their mitochondrion for proliferation, and compounds targeting mitochondrial functions are validated antimalarials. Here, we localize Plasmodium falciparum patatin-like phospholipase 2 (PfPNPLA2, PF3D7_1358000) to the mitochondrion and reveal that disruption of the PfPNPLA2 gene impairs asexual replication. PfPNPLA2-null parasites are hypersensitive to proguanil and inhibitors of the mitochondrial ETC, including atovaquone. In addition, PfPNPLA2-deficient parasites show reduced mitochondrial respiration and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating that disruption of PfPNPLA2 leads to a defect in the parasite ETC. Lipidomic analysis of the mitochondrial phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) reveals that loss of PfPNPLA2 is associated with a moderate shift toward shorter-chained and more saturated CL species, implying a contribution of PfPNPLA2 to CL remodeling. PfPNPLA2-deficient parasites display profound defects in gametocytogenesis, underlining the importance of a functional mitochondrial ETC during both the asexual and sexual development of the parasite. IMPORTANCE For their proliferation within red blood cells, malaria parasites depend on a functional electron transport chain (ETC) within their mitochondrion, which is the target of several antimalarial drugs. Here, we have used gene disruption to identify a patatin-like phospholipase, PfPNPLA2, as important for parasite replication and mitochondrial function in Plasmodium falciparum. Parasites lacking PfPNPLA2 show defects in their ETC and become hypersensitive to mitochondrion-targeting drugs. Furthermore, PfPNPLA2-deficient parasites show differences in the composition of their cardiolipins, a unique class of phospholipids with key roles in mitochondrial functions. Finally, we demonstrate that parasites devoid of PfPNPLA2 have a defect in gametocyte maturation, underlining the importance of a functional ETC for parasite transmission to the mosquito vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina Bielfeld
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yvonne Wohlfarter
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bohumil Maco
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Korbinian Niedermüller
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Kloehn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Markus A. Keller
- Institute of Human Genetics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michael J. Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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10
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Burda PC, Ramaprasad A, Bielfeld S, Pietsch E, Woitalla A, Söhnchen C, Singh MN, Strauss J, Sait A, Collinson LM, Schwudke D, Blackman MJ, Gilberger TW. Global analysis of putative phospholipases in Plasmodium falciparum reveals an essential role of the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite maturation. mBio 2023; 14:e0141323. [PMID: 37489900 PMCID: PMC10470789 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01413-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For its replication within red blood cells, the malaria parasite depends on a highly active and regulated lipid metabolism. Enzymes involved in lipid metabolic processes such as phospholipases are, therefore, potential drug targets. Here, using reverse genetics approaches, we show that only 1 out of the 19 putative phospholipases expressed in asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum is essential for proliferation in vitro, pointing toward a high level of redundancy among members of this enzyme family. Using conditional mislocalization and gene disruption techniques, we show that this essential phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC, PF3D7_1013500) has a previously unrecognized essential role during intracellular parasite maturation, long before its previously perceived role in parasite egress and invasion. Subsequent lipidomic analysis suggests that PI-PLC mediates cleavage of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) in schizont-stage parasites, underlining its critical role in regulating phosphoinositide levels in the parasite. IMPORTANCE The clinical symptoms of malaria arise due to repeated rounds of replication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells (RBCs). Central to this is an intense period of membrane biogenesis. Generation of membranes not only requires de novo synthesis and acquisition but also the degradation of phospholipids, a function that is performed by phospholipases. In this study, we investigate the essentiality of the 19 putative phospholipase enzymes that the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum expresses during its replication within RBCs. We not only show that a high level of functional redundancy exists among these enzymes but, at the same time, also identify an essential role for the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite development and cleavage of the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina Bielfeld
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Woitalla
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Christoph Söhnchen
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mehar Nihal Singh
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aaron Sait
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy M. Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominik Schwudke
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Thematic Translational Unit Tuberculosis, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Michael J. Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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11
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Cimperman CK, Pena M, Gokcek SM, Theall BP, Patel MV, Sharma A, Qi C, Sturdevant D, Miller LH, Collins PL, Pierce SK, Akkaya M. Cerebral Malaria Is Regulated by Host-Mediated Changes in Plasmodium Gene Expression. mBio 2023; 14:e0339122. [PMID: 36852995 PMCID: PMC10127683 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03391-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria (CM), the deadliest complication of Plasmodium infection, is a complex and unpredictable disease. However, our understanding of the host and parasite factors that cause CM is limited. Using a mouse model of CM, experimental CM (ECM), we performed a three-way comparison between ECM-susceptible C57BL/6 mice infected with ECM-causing Plasmodium ANKA parasites [ANKA(C57BL/6)], ECM-resistant BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium ANKA [ANKA(BALB/c)], and C57BL/6 mice infected with Plasmodium NK65 that does not cause ECM [NK65(C57BL/6)]. All ANKA(C57BL/6) mice developed CM. In contrast, in ANKA(BALB/c) and NK65(C57BL/6), infections do not result in CM and proceed similarly in terms of parasite growth, disease course, and host immune response. However, parasite gene expression in ANKA(BALB/c) was remarkably different than that in ANKA(C57BL/6) but similar to the gene expression in NK65(C57BL/6). Thus, Plasmodium ANKA has an ECM-specific gene expression profile that is activated only in susceptible hosts, providing evidence that the host has a critical influence on the outcome of infection. IMPORTANCE Hundreds of thousands of lives are lost each year due to the brain damage caused by malaria disease. The overwhelming majority of these deaths occur in young children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus far, there are no vaccines against this deadly disease, and we still do not know why fatal brain damage occurs in some children while others have milder, self-limiting disease progression. Our research provides an important clue to this problem. Here, we showed that the genetic background of the host has an important role in determining the course and the outcome of the disease. Our research also identified parasite molecules that can potentially be targeted in vaccination and therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare K. Cimperman
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Mirna Pena
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Sohret M. Gokcek
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Brandon P. Theall
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Meha V. Patel
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Anisha Sharma
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - ChenFeng Qi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Sturdevant
- Research Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Louis H. Miller
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Patrick L. Collins
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Susan K. Pierce
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Munir Akkaya
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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12
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Wichers-Misterek JS, Binder AM, Mesén-Ramírez P, Dorner LP, Safavi S, Fuchs G, Lenz TL, Bachmann A, Wilson D, Frischknecht F, Gilberger TW. A Microtubule-Associated Protein Is Essential for Malaria Parasite Transmission. mBio 2023; 14:e0331822. [PMID: 36625655 PMCID: PMC9973338 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03318-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum display a banana (falciform) shape conferred by a complex array of subpellicular microtubules (SPMT) associated with the inner membrane complex (IMC). Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) define MT populations and modulate interaction with pellicular components. Several MAPs have been identified in Toxoplasma gondii, and homologues can be found in the genomes of Plasmodium species, but the function of these proteins for asexual and sexual development of malaria parasites is still unknown. Here, we identified a novel subpellicular MAP, termed SPM3, that is conserved within the genus Plasmodium, especially within the subgenus Laverania, but absent in other Apicomplexa. Conditional knockdown and targeted gene disruption of Pfspm3 in Plasmodium falciparum cause severe morphological defects during gametocytogenesis, leading to round, nonfalciform gametocytes with an aberrant SPMT pattern. In contrast, Pbspm3 knockout in Plasmodium berghei, a species with round gametocytes, caused no defect in gametocytogenesis, but sporozoites displayed an aberrant motility and a dramatic defect in invasion of salivary glands, leading to a decreased efficiency in transmission. Electron microscopy revealed a dissociation of the SPMT from the IMC in Pbspm3 knockout parasites, suggesting a function of SPM3 in anchoring MTs to the IMC. Overall, our results highlight SPM3 as a pellicular component with essential functions for malaria parasite transmission. IMPORTANCE A key structural feature driving the transition between different life cycle stages of the malaria parasite is the unique three-membrane pellicle, consisting of the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) and a double membrane structure underlying the PPM termed the inner membrane complex (IMC). Additionally, there are numerous linearly arranged intramembranous particles (IMPs) linked to the IMC, which likely link the IMC to the subpellicular microtubule cytoskeleton. Here, we identified, localized, and characterized a novel subpellicular microtubule-associated protein unique to the genus Plasmodium. The knockout of this protein in the human-pathogenic species P. falciparum resulted in malformed gametocytes and aberrant microtubules. We confirmed the microtubule association in the P. berghei rodent malaria homologue and show that its knockout results in a perturbed microtubule architecture, aberrant sporozoite motility, and decreased transmission efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annika M. Binder
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lilian Patrick Dorner
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Soraya Safavi
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gwendolin Fuchs
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias L. Lenz
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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13
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Brown SL, Bauer JJ, Lee J, Ntirandekura E, Stumhofer JS. IgM + and IgM - memory B cells represent heterogeneous populations capable of producing class-switched antibodies and germinal center B cells upon rechallenge with P. yoelii. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 112:1115-1135. [PMID: 35657097 PMCID: PMC9613510 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.4a0921-523r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory B cells (MBCs) are essential for maintaining long-term humoral immunity to infectious organisms, including Plasmodium. MBCs are a heterogeneous population whose function can be dictated by isotype or expression of particular surface proteins. Here, aided by antigen-specific B-cell tetramers, MBC populations were evaluated to discern their phenotype and function in response to infection with a nonlethal strain of P. yoelii. Infection of mice with P. yoelii 17X resulted in 2 predominant MBC populations: somatically hypermutated isotype-switched (IgM- ) and IgM+ MBCs that coexpressed CD73 and CD80 that produced antigen-specific antibodies in response to secondary infection. Rechallenge experiments indicated that IgG-producing cells dominated the recall response over the induction of IgM-secreting cells, with both populations expanding with similar timing during the secondary response. Furthermore, using ZsGreen1 expression as a surrogate for activation-induced cytidine deaminase expression alongside CD73 and CD80 coexpression, ZsGreen1+ CD73+ CD80+ IgM+ , and IgM- MBCs gave rise to plasmablasts that secreted Ag-specific Abs after adoptive transfer and infection with P. yoelii. Moreover, ZsGreen1+ CD73+ CD80+ IgM+ and IgM- MBCs could differentiate into B cells with a germinal center phenotype after adoptive transfer. A third population of B cells (ZsGreen1- CD73- CD80- IgM- ) that is apparent after infection responded poorly to reactivation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that these cells do not represent a canonical population of MBCs. Together these data indicated that MBC function is not defined by immunoglobulin isotype, nor does coexpression of key surface markers limit the potential fate of MBCs after recall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susie L Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Jonathan J Bauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Juhyung Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Enatha Ntirandekura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Jason S Stumhofer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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14
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Leong YW, Russell B, Malleret B, Rénia L. Erythrocyte tropism of malarial parasites: The reticulocyte appeal. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1022828. [PMID: 36386653 PMCID: PMC9643692 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1022828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Erythrocytes are formed from the enucleation of erythroblasts in the bone marrow, and as erythrocytes develop from immature reticulocytes into mature normocytes, they undergo extensive cellular changes through their passage in the blood. During the blood stage of the malarial parasite life cycle, the parasite sense and invade susceptible erythrocytes. However, different parasite species display varying erythrocyte tropisms (i.e., preference for either reticulocytes or normocytes). In this review, we explore the erythrocyte tropism of malarial parasites, especially their predilection to invade reticulocytes, as shown from recent studies. We also discuss possible mechanisms mediating erythrocyte tropism and the implications of specific tropisms to disease pathophysiology. Understanding these allows better insight into the role of reticulocytes in malaria and provides opportunities for targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yew Wai Leong
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bruce Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Benoit Malleret
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Immunology Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Laurent Rénia
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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15
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Functional inactivation of Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase GSK3 modulates erythrocyte invasion and blocks gametocyte maturation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102360. [PMID: 35961464 PMCID: PMC9478393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102360] [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: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. The lack of an effective vaccine and the global spread of multidrug resistant parasites hampers the fight against the disease and underlines the need for new antimalarial drugs. Central to the pathogenesis of malaria is the proliferation of Plasmodium parasites within human erythrocytes. Parasites invade erythrocytes via a coordinated sequence of receptor–ligand interactions between the parasite and the host cell. Posttranslational modifications such as protein phosphorylation are known to be key regulators in this process and are mediated by protein kinases. For several parasite kinases, including the Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase 3 (PfGSK3), inhibitors have been shown to block erythrocyte invasion. Here, we provide an assessment of PfGSK3 function by reverse genetics. Using targeted gene disruption, we show the active gene copy, PfGSK3β, is not essential for asexual blood stage proliferation, although it modulates efficient erythrocyte invasion. We found functional inactivation leads to a 69% decreased growth rate and confirmed this growth defect by rescue experiments with wildtype and catalytically inactive mutants. Functional knockout of PfGSK3β does not lead to transcriptional upregulation of the second copy of PfGSK3. We further analyze expression, localization, and function of PfGSK3β during gametocytogenesis using a parasite line allowing conditional induction of sexual commitment. We demonstrate PfGSK3β-deficient gametocytes show a strikingly malformed morphology leading to the death of parasites in later stages of gametocyte development. Taken together, these findings are important for our understanding and the development of PfGSK3 as an antimalarial target.
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16
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PMRT1, a
Plasmodium
-Specific Parasite Plasma Membrane Transporter, Is Essential for Asexual and Sexual Blood Stage Development. mBio 2022; 13:e0062322. [PMID: 35404116 PMCID: PMC9040750 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00623-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum
-infected erythrocytes possess multiple compartments with designated membranes. Transporter proteins embedded in these membranes not only facilitate movement of nutrients, metabolites, and other molecules between these compartments, but also are common therapeutic targets and can confer antimalarial drug resistance.
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17
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Christensen P, Bozdech Z, Watthanaworawit W, Imwong M, Rénia L, Malleret B, Ling C, Nosten F. Reverse transcription PCR to detect low density malaria infections. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 6:39. [PMID: 35592834 PMCID: PMC9086519 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16564.3] [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] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Targeted malaria elimination strategies require highly sensitive tests to detect low density malaria infections (LDMI). Commonly used methods for malaria diagnosis such as light microscopy and antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are not sensitive enough for reliable identification of infections with parasitaemia below 200 parasites per milliliter of blood. While targeted malaria elimination efforts on the Thailand-Myanmar border have successfully used high sample volume ultrasensitive quantitative PCR (uPCR) to determine malaria prevalence, the necessity for venous collection and processing of large quantities of patient blood limits the widespread tractability of this method. Methods: Here we evaluated a real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) method that reduces the required sample volume compared to uPCR. To do this, 304 samples collected from an active case detection program in Kayin state, Myanmar were compared using uPCR and RT-qPCR. Results: Plasmodium spp. RT-qPCR confirmed 18 of 21 uPCR Plasmodium falciparum positives, while P. falciparum specific RT-qPCR confirmed 17 of the 21 uPCR P. falciparum positives. Combining both RT-qPCR results increased the sensitivity to 100% and specificity was 95.1%. Conclusion: Malaria detection in areas of low transmission and LDMI can benefit from the increased sensitivity of ribosomal RNA detection by RT-PCR, especially where sample volume is limited. Isolation of high quality RNA also allows for downstream analysis of malaria transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christensen
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- A*STAR ID Labs, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Benoît Malleret
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Singapore
| | - Clare Ling
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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18
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Torres-Ruesta A, Teo TH, Chan YH, Amrun SN, Yeo NKW, Lee CYP, Nguee SYT, Tay MZ, Nosten F, Fong SW, Lum FM, Carissimo G, Renia L, Ng LF. Malaria abrogates O'nyong-nyong virus pathologies by restricting virus infection in nonimmune cells. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202101272. [PMID: 35039441 PMCID: PMC8807878 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
O'nyongnyong virus (ONNV) is a re-emerging alphavirus previously known to be transmitted by main malaria vectors, thus suggesting the possibility of coinfections with arboviruses in co-endemic areas. However, the pathological outcomes of such infections remain unknown. Using murine coinfection models, we demonstrated that a preexisting blood-stage Plasmodium infection suppresses ONNV-induced pathologies. We further showed that suppression of viremia and virus dissemination are dependent on Plasmodium-induced IFNγ and are associated with reduced infection of CD45- cells at the site of virus inoculation. We further proved that treatment with IFNγ or plasma samples from Plasmodium vivax-infected patients containing IFNγ are able to restrict ONNV infection in human fibroblast, synoviocyte, skeletal muscle, and endothelial cell lines. Mechanistically, the role of IFNγ in restricting ONNV infection was confirmed in in vitro infection assays through the generation of an IFNγ receptor 1 α chain (IFNγR1)-deficient cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Torres-Ruesta
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Teck-Hui Teo
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yi-Hao Chan
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Siti Naqiah Amrun
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nicholas Kim-Wah Yeo
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cheryl Yi-Pin Lee
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Samantha Yee-Teng Nguee
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Matthew Zirui Tay
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Francois Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Siew-Wai Fong
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fok-Moon Lum
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Guillaume Carissimo
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Laurent Renia
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lisa Fp Ng
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- National Institute of Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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19
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Fitri LE, Widaningrum T, Endharti AT, Prabowo MH, Winaris N, Nugraha RYB. Malaria diagnostic update: From conventional to advanced method. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24314. [PMID: 35247002 PMCID: PMC8993657 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Update diagnostic methods play essential roles in dealing with the current global malaria situation and decreasing malaria incidence. AIM Global malaria control programs require the availability of adequate laboratory tests in the quick and convenient field. RESULTS There are several methods to find out the existence of parasites within the blood. The oldest one is by microscopy, which is still a gold standard, although rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have rapidly become a primary diagnostic test in many endemic areas. Because of microscopy and RDTs limitation, novel serological and molecular methods have been developed. Many kinds of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) provide rapid results and higher specificity and sensitivity. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and biosensing-based molecular techniques as point of care tests (POCT) will become a cost-effective approach to advance diagnostic testing. CONCLUSION Despite conventional techniques are still being used in the field, the exploration and field implementation of advanced techniques for the diagnosis of malaria are still being developed rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loeki Enggar Fitri
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia.,Malaria Research Group, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Tarina Widaningrum
- Malaria Research Group, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia.,Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Agustina Tri Endharti
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Hatta Prabowo
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science Universitas Islam Indonesia, Sleman, Indonesia
| | - Nuning Winaris
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia.,Malaria Research Group, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Rivo Yudhinata Brian Nugraha
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia.,Malaria Research Group, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
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20
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Liu M, Liao MJ, Fisher CJ, Vicetti Miguel RD, Cherpes TL. Methodology to streamline flow cytometric-based detection of early stage Plasmodium parasitemia in mice. J Microbiol Methods 2022; 195:106439. [PMID: 35248600 PMCID: PMC9007886 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2022.106439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Murine infection models are needed to develop therapeutics and vaccines to combat the Plasmodium parasites causing malaria. Herein, we describe an easy to perform flow cytometry-based methodology for detecting green fluorescent protein-expressing Plasmodium berghei in the peripheral red blood cells (RBC) of mice. This methodology uses one-step staining and simplified gating strategies to streamline the process of Plasmodium quantification and can detect parasitemia at an earlier time point after infection compared to traditional light microscopy-based techniques.
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21
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Quintana MDP, Ch'ng JH. Measuring Rosetting Inhibition in Plasmodium falciparum Parasites Using a Flow Cytometry-Based Assay. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2470:493-503. [PMID: 35881369 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2189-9_37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rosetting is the ability of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) to bind to host receptors on the surface of uninfected erythrocytes (uE) leading to the formation of a cluster of cells with a central IE surrounded by uE. It is a hallmark event during the pathogenesis of P. falciparum malaria, the most severe species causing malaria, which affects mostly young children in Africa. There are no current treatments effectively targeting and disrupting parasite rosette formation. Here, we detail a high-throughput, flow cytometry based assay that allows testing and identification of potential rosetting-inhibitory compounds that could be used in combination with anti-plasmodial drugs to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del Pilar Quintana
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Centre for Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jun-Hong Ch'ng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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22
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Ramaprasad A, Burda PC, Calvani E, Sait AJ, Palma-Duran SA, Withers-Martinez C, Hackett F, Macrae J, Collinson L, Gilberger TW, Blackman MJ. A choline-releasing glycerophosphodiesterase essential for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and blood stage development in the malaria parasite. eLife 2022; 11:82207. [PMID: 36576255 PMCID: PMC9886279 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum synthesizes significant amounts of phospholipids to meet the demands of replication within red blood cells. De novo phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis via the Kennedy pathway is essential, requiring choline that is primarily sourced from host serum lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC). LysoPC also acts as an environmental sensor to regulate parasite sexual differentiation. Despite these critical roles for host lysoPC, the enzyme(s) involved in its breakdown to free choline for PC synthesis are unknown. Here, we show that a parasite glycerophosphodiesterase (PfGDPD) is indispensable for blood stage parasite proliferation. Exogenous choline rescues growth of PfGDPD-null parasites, directly linking PfGDPD function to choline incorporation. Genetic ablation of PfGDPD reduces choline uptake from lysoPC, resulting in depletion of several PC species in the parasite, whilst purified PfGDPD releases choline from glycerophosphocholine in vitro. Our results identify PfGDPD as a choline-releasing glycerophosphodiesterase that mediates a critical step in PC biosynthesis and parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany,University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Enrica Calvani
- Metabolomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Aaron J Sait
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | - Fiona Hackett
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - James Macrae
- Metabolomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lucy Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Tim Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany,University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Michael J Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUnited Kingdom
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23
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Hedberg P, Sirel M, Moll K, Kiwuwa MS, Höglund P, Ribacke U, Wahlgren M. Red blood cell blood group A antigen level affects the ability of heparin and PfEMP1 antibodies to disrupt Plasmodium falciparum rosettes. Malar J 2021; 20:441. [PMID: 34794445 PMCID: PMC8600353 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03975-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The histo-blood group ABO system has been associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19, thromboembolic diseases and Plasmodium falciparum malaria. An integral part of the severe malaria pathogenesis is rosetting, the adherence of parasite infected red blood cells (RBCs) to uninfected RBCs. Rosetting is influenced by the host’s ABO blood group (Bg) and rosettes formed in BgA have previously been shown to be more resilient to disruption by heparin and shield the parasite derived surface antigens from antibodies. However, data on rosetting in weak BgA subgroups is scarce and based on investigations of relatively few donors. Methods An improved high-throughput flow cytometric assay was employed to investigate rosetting characteristics in an extensive panel of RBC donor samples of all four major ABO Bgs, as well as low BgA expressing samples. Results All non-O Bgs shield the parasite surface antigens from strain-specific antibodies towards P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). A positive correlation between A-antigen levels on RBCs and rosette tightness was observed, protecting the rosettes from heparin- and antibody-mediated disruption. Conclusions These results provide new insights into how the ABO Bg system affects the disease outcome and cautions against interpreting the results from the heterogeneous BgA phenotype as a single group in epidemiological and experimental studies. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-021-03975-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pontus Hedberg
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 65, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Madle Sirel
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kirsten Moll
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mpungu Steven Kiwuwa
- Department of Child Health and Development Centre, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Petter Höglund
- Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ribacke
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mats Wahlgren
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 65, Stockholm, Sweden.
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24
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Characterization of Apicomplexan Amino Acid Transporters (ApiATs) in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. mSphere 2021; 6:e0074321. [PMID: 34756057 PMCID: PMC8579892 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00743-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During the symptomatic human blood phase, malaria parasites replicate within red blood cells. Parasite proliferation relies on the uptake of nutrients, such as amino acids, from the host cell and blood plasma, requiring transport across multiple membranes. Amino acids are delivered to the parasite through the parasite-surrounding vacuolar compartment by specialized nutrient-permeable channels of the erythrocyte membrane and the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). However, further transport of amino acids across the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) is currently not well characterized. In this study, we focused on a family of Apicomplexan amino acid transporters (ApiATs) that comprises five members in Plasmodium falciparum. First, we localized four of the P. falciparum ApiATs (PfApiATs) at the PPM using endogenous green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagging. Next, we applied reverse genetic approaches to probe into their essentiality during asexual replication and gametocytogenesis. Upon inducible knockdown and targeted gene disruption, a reduced asexual parasite proliferation was detected for PfApiAT2 and PfApiAT4. Functional inactivation of individual PfApiATs targeted in this study had no effect on gametocyte development. Our data suggest that individual PfApiATs are partially redundant during asexual in vitro proliferation and fully redundant during gametocytogenesis of P. falciparum parasites. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites live and multiply inside cells. To facilitate their extremely fast intracellular proliferation, they hijack and transform their host cells. This also requires the active uptake of nutrients, such as amino acids, from the host cell and the surrounding environment through various membranes that are the consequence of the parasite’s intracellular lifestyle. In this paper, we focus on a family of putative amino acid transporters termed ApiAT. We show expression and localization of four transporters in the parasite plasma membrane of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes that represent one interface of the pathogen to its host cell. We probed into the impact of functional inactivation of individual transporters on parasite growth in asexual and sexual blood stages of P. falciparum and reveal that only two of them show a modest but significant reduction in parasite proliferation but no impact on gametocytogenesis, pointing toward dispensability within this transporter family.
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25
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Dembele L, Diallo N, Sogore F, Diarra B, Ballo FI, Daou A, Diakite O, Bare Y, Sangare CPO, Haidara AS, Diakite SAS, Niangaly A, Diakite M, Campo B, Awandare GA, Aniweh Y, Djimde AA. Ex Vivo Plasmodium malariae Culture Method for Antimalarial Drugs Screen in the Field. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:3025-3033. [PMID: 34711047 PMCID: PMC9974065 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In vitro and ex vivo cultivation of Plasmodium (P) falciparum has facilitated active research into the malaria parasite toward the quest for basic knowledge and the discovery of effective drug treatments. Such a drug discovery program is currently difficult for P. malariae simply because of the absence of in vitro and ex vivo cultivation system for its asexual blood stages supporting antimalarial evaluation. Despite availability of artemisinin combination therapies effective on P. falciparum, P. malariae is being increasingly detected in malaria endemic countries. P. malariae is responsible for chronic infections and is associated with a high burden of anemia and morbidity. Here, we optimized and adapted ex vivo conditions under which P. malariae can be cultured and used for screening antimalarial drugs. Subsequently, this enabled us to test compounds such as artemether, chloroquine, lumefantrine, and quinine for ex vivo antimalarial activity against P. malariae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Dembele
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali,
| | - Nouhoum Diallo
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Fanta Sogore
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Bintou Diarra
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Fatoumata I. Ballo
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Amadou Daou
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Ousmaila Diakite
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Yacouba Bare
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Cheick Papa Oumar Sangare
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Aboubecrin Sedhigh Haidara
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Seidina A. S. Diakite
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Amadou Niangaly
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mahamadou Diakite
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali
| | - Brice Campo
- Medicines
for Malaria Venture (MMV), ICC Building Entrance G Third Floor Route de Pré-Bois 20 Postal Box 1826 CH-1215 Geneva
15 Switzerland
| | - Gordon A. Awandare
- West
African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP),
Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of
Basic and Applied Sciences, University of
Ghana, LG 54 Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yaw Aniweh
- West
African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP),
Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of
Basic and Applied Sciences, University of
Ghana, LG 54 Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Abdoulaye A. Djimde
- Faculté
de Pharmacie, Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Université des Sciences des Techniques et des
Technologies de Bamako, Point G, Postal Box 1805, Bamako, Mali,
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26
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Alder A, Struck NS, Xu M, Johnson JW, Wang W, Pallant D, Cook MA, Rambow J, Lemcke S, Gilberger TW, Wright GD. A non-reactive natural product precursor of the duocarmycin family has potent and selective antimalarial activity. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 29:840-853.e6. [PMID: 34710358 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We identify a selective nanomolar inhibitor of blood-stage malarial proliferation from a screen of microbial natural product extracts. The responsible compound, PDE-I2, is a precursor of the anticancer duocarmycin family that preserves the class's sequence-specific DNA binding but lacks its signature DNA alkylating cyclopropyl warhead. While less active than duocarmycin, PDE-I2 retains comparable antimalarial potency to chloroquine. Importantly, PDE-I2 is >1,000-fold less toxic to human cell lines than duocarmycin, with mitigated impacts on eukaryotic chromosome stability. PDE-I2 treatment induces severe defects in parasite nuclear segregation leading to impaired daughter cell formation during schizogony. Time-of-addition studies implicate parasite DNA metabolism as the target of PDE-I2, with defects observed in DNA replication and chromosome integrity. We find the effect of duocarmycin and PDE-I2 on parasites is phenotypically indistinguishable, indicating that the DNA binding specificity of duocarmycins is sufficient and the genotoxic cyclopropyl warhead is dispensable for the parasite-specific selectivity of this compound class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Alder
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Cellular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, Department of Biology, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nicole S Struck
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Cellular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Min Xu
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Jarrod W Johnson
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Wenliang Wang
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Daniel Pallant
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Michael A Cook
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Janis Rambow
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Cellular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, Department of Biology, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Lemcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Cellular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, Department of Biology, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim W Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Cellular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, Department of Biology, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Gerard D Wright
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada.
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27
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Pack AD, Schwartzhoff PV, Zacharias ZR, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Heath WR, Gurung P, Legge KL, Janse CJ, Butler NS. Hemozoin-mediated inflammasome activation limits long-lived anti-malarial immunity. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109586. [PMID: 34433049 PMCID: PMC8432597 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
During acute malaria, most individuals mount robust inflammatory responses that limit parasite burden. However, long-lived sterilizing anti-malarial memory responses are not efficiently induced, even following repeated Plasmodium exposures. Using multiple Plasmodium species, genetically modified parasites, and combinations of host genetic and pharmacologic approaches, we find that the deposition of the malarial pigment hemozoin directly limits the abundance and capacity of conventional type 1 dendritic cells to prime helper T cell responses. Hemozoin-induced dendritic cell dysfunction results in aberrant Plasmodium-specific CD4 T follicular helper cell differentiation, which constrains memory B cell and long-lived plasma cell formation. Mechanistically, we identify that dendritic cell-intrinsic NLRP3 inflammasome activation reduces conventional type 1 dendritic cell abundance, phagocytosis, and T cell priming functions in vivo. These data identify biological consequences of hemozoin deposition during malaria and highlight the capacity of the malarial pigment to program immune evasion during the earliest events following an initial Plasmodium exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D Pack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Zeb R Zacharias
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Prajwal Gurung
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kevin L Legge
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Chris J Janse
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Centre of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden 233 ZA, the Netherlands
| | - Noah S Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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28
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Christensen P, Bozdech Z, Watthanaworawit W, Imwong M, Rénia L, Malleret B, Ling C, Nosten F. Reverse transcription PCR to detect low density malaria infections. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:39. [PMID: 35592834 PMCID: PMC9086519 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16564.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Targeted malaria elimination strategies require highly sensitive tests to detect low density malaria infections (LDMI). Commonly used methods for malaria diagnosis such as light microscopy and antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are not sensitive enough for reliable identification of infections with parasitaemia below 200 parasites per milliliter of blood. While targeted malaria elimination efforts on the Thailand-Myanmar border have successfully used high sample volume ultrasensitive quantitative PCR (uPCR) to determine malaria prevalence, the necessity for venous collection and processing of large quantities of patient blood limits the widespread tractability of this method. Methods: Here we evaluated a real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) method that reduces the required sample volume compared to uPCR. To do this, 304 samples collected from an active case detection program in Kayin state, Myanmar were compared using uPCR and RT-qPCR. Results: Plasmodium spp. RT-qPCR confirmed 18 of 21 uPCR Plasmodium falciparum positives, while P. falciparum specific RT-qPCR confirmed 17 of the 21 uPCR P. falciparum positives. Combining both RT-qPCR results increased the sensitivity to 100% and specificity was 95.1%. Conclusion: Malaria detection in areas of low transmission and LDMI can benefit from the increased sensitivity of ribosomal RNA detection by RT-PCR, especially where sample volume is limited. Isolation of high quality RNA also allows for downstream analysis of malaria transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christensen
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- A*STAR ID Labs, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Benoît Malleret
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Singapore
| | - Clare Ling
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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29
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PET Imaging of Translocator Protein as a Marker of Malaria-Associated Lung Inflammation. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0002421. [PMID: 34251290 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00024-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose. Malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (MA-ARDS) is a severe complication of malaria despite effective anti-malarial treatment. Currently, non-invasive imaging procedures such as chest X-rays are used to assess oedema in established MA-ARDS but earlier detection methods are needed to reduce morbidity and mortality. The early stages of MA-ARDS are characterized by the infiltration of leukocytes, in particular monocyte/macrophages, thus monitoring of immune infiltrates may provide a useful indicator of early pathology. Procedures. Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected C57BL/6 mice, a rodent malaria model of MA-ARDS, were longitudinally imaged using the TSPO imaging agent [18F]FEPPA as a marker of macrophage accumulation during the development of pathology and response to combined artesunate and chloroquine diphosphate therapy (ART+CQ). [18F]FEPPA uptake was compared to blood parasitemia levels and pulmonary immune cell infiltrates using flow cytometry. Results. Infected animals showed rapid increases lung retention of [18F]FEPPA, correlating well with increases in blood parasitemia and pulmonary accumulation of interstitial inflammatory macrophages and MHC II+ alveolar macrophages. Treatment with ART+CQ therapy abrogated this increase in parasitemia and significantly reduced both lung uptake of [18F]FEPPA and macrophage infiltrates. Conclusions. Retention of [18F]FEPPA in the lungs is well correlated with changes in blood parasitemia and lung associated macrophages during disease progression and in response to ART+CQ therapy. With further development TSPO biomarkers may have the potential to be able to accurately assess early onset of MA-ARDS.
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30
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Vijay R, Guthmiller JJ, Sturtz AJ, Crooks S, Johnson JT, Li L, Lan LYL, Pope RL, Chen Y, Rogers KJ, Dutta N, Toombs JE, Wilson ME, Wilson PC, Maury W, Brekken RA, Butler NS. Hemolysis-associated phosphatidylserine exposure promotes polyclonal plasmablast differentiation. J Exp Med 2021; 218:e20202359. [PMID: 33830176 PMCID: PMC8040514 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20202359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimalarial antibody responses are essential for mediating the clearance of Plasmodium parasite-infected RBCs from infected hosts. However, the rapid appearance of large numbers of plasmablasts in Plasmodium-infected hosts can suppress the development and function of durable humoral immunity. Here, we identify that the formation of plasmablast populations in Plasmodium-infected mice is mechanistically linked to both hemolysis-induced exposure of phosphatidylserine on damaged RBCs and inflammatory cues. We also show that virus and Trypanosoma infections known to trigger hemolytic anemia and high-grade inflammation also induce exuberant plasmablast responses. The induction of hemolysis or administration of RBC membrane ghosts increases plasmablast differentiation. The phosphatidylserine receptor Axl is critical for optimal plasmablast formation, and blocking phosphatidylserine limits plasmablast expansions and reduces Plasmodium parasite burden in vivo. Our findings support that strategies aimed at modulating polyclonal B cell activation and phosphatidylserine exposure may improve immune responses against Plasmodium parasites and potentially other infectious diseases that are associated with anemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Vijay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jenna J. Guthmiller
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Alexandria J. Sturtz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Sequoia Crooks
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jordan T. Johnson
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | | | - Yani Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Kai J. Rogers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Nirmal Dutta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jason E. Toombs
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Mary E. Wilson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA
| | - Patrick C. Wilson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Committee on Immunology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Wendy Maury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Rolf A. Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- Departments of Surgery and Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Noah S. Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
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31
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Restructured Mitochondrial-Nuclear Interaction in Plasmodium falciparum Dormancy and Persister Survival after Artemisinin Exposure. mBio 2021; 12:e0075321. [PMID: 34044591 PMCID: PMC8262848 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00753-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin and its semisynthetic derivatives (ART) are fast acting, potent antimalarials; however, their use in malaria treatment is frequently confounded by recrudescences from bloodstream Plasmodium parasites that enter into and later reactivate from a dormant persister state. Here, we provide evidence that the mitochondria of dihydroartemisinin (DHA)-exposed persisters are dramatically altered and enlarged relative to the mitochondria of young, actively replicating ring forms. Restructured mitochondrial-nuclear associations and an altered metabolic state are consistent with stress from reactive oxygen species. New contacts between the mitochondria and nuclei may support communication pathways of mitochondrial retrograde signaling, resulting in transcriptional changes in the nucleus as a survival response. Further characterization of the organelle communication and metabolic dependencies of persisters may suggest strategies to combat recrudescences of malaria after treatment.
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32
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Wichers JS, Wunderlich J, Heincke D, Pazicky S, Strauss J, Schmitt M, Kimmel J, Wilcke L, Scharf S, von Thien H, Burda PC, Spielmann T, Löw C, Filarsky M, Bachmann A, Gilberger TW. Identification of novel inner membrane complex and apical annuli proteins of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell Microbiol 2021; 23:e13341. [PMID: 33830607 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a defining feature of apicomplexan parasites, which confers stability and shape to the cell, functions as a scaffolding compartment during the formation of daughter cells and plays an important role in motility and invasion during different life cycle stages of these single-celled organisms. To explore the IMC proteome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum we applied a proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID)-based proteomics approach, using the established IMC marker protein Photosensitized INA-Labelled protein 1 (PhIL1) as bait in asexual blood-stage parasites. Subsequent mass spectrometry-based peptide identification revealed enrichment of 12 known IMC proteins and several uncharacterized candidate proteins. We validated nine of these previously uncharacterized proteins by endogenous GFP-tagging. Six of these represent new IMC proteins, while three proteins have a distinct apical localization that most likely represents structures described as apical annuli in Toxoplasma gondii. Additionally, various Kelch13 interacting candidates were identified, suggesting an association of the Kelch13 compartment and the IMC in schizont and merozoite stages. This work extends the number of validated IMC proteins in the malaria parasite and reveals for the first time the existence of apical annuli proteins in P. falciparum. Additionally, it provides evidence for a spatial association between the Kelch13 compartment and the IMC in late blood-stage parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Wunderlich
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Heincke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Samuel Pazicky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Kimmel
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Scharf
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Löw
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Filarsky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tim W Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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33
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Motshoge T, Haiyambo DH, Ayanful-Torgby R, Aleksenko L, Ntebela D, Malleret B, Rénia L, Peloewetse E, Paganotti GM, Quaye IK. Recent Molecular Assessment of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum Asymptomatic Infections in Botswana. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021; 104:2159-2164. [PMID: 33939635 PMCID: PMC8176517 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2016, we reported the presence of Plasmodium vivax in Botswana through active case detection. A real-time PCR was used during a similar study in 10 districts to assess changes in the P. vivax prevalence. We assessed 1,614 children (2–13 years of age) for hemoglobin (Hb; g/dL) and Plasmodium parasites. The median age of all participants was 5.0 years (25th percentile, 3 years; 75th percentile, 8 years). The median Hb (g/dL) level was 12.1, but 18.3% of the participants had anemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dL); these participants were clustered in the younger than 5 years age group in all districts (P < 0.001). The risk of anemia decreased with age 5 years or older (odds ratio [OR], 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.197–0.34; P < 0.001). The prevalence rates of Plasmodium parasites were as follows: P. vivax, 12.7%; P. falciparum, 12.7%; P. malariae, 0.74%; and P. ovale (P. ovale curtisi), 0.68%. Mixed infection rates were as follows: P. falciparum and P. vivax, 2.35%; P. falciparum and P. ovale curtisi, 0.56%; P. vivax and P. malariae, 0.06%; and P. falciparum and P. malariae, 0.68%. The infections were largely asymptomatic (99.6%). Using logistic regression, the risk of infection with P. vivax was highest in Kweneng East (OR, 6.2; 95% CI, 2.9–13.1), followed by South East (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 2.5–12.3) and Ngami (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.2–12.0). Compared to the risk of infection for children younger than 5 years, the risk of infection decreased for children 5 years or older in regions with high rates of P. vivax and P. falciparum infections. P. vivax and P. falciparum have expanded within the asymptomatic population in Botswana; therefore, careful attention is required for their elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thato Motshoge
- 1University of Botswana, Department of Biological Science, Gaborone, Botswana.,2University of Namibia School of Medicine, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Daniel H Haiyambo
- 3Regent University College of Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, Computing and Allied Health Sciences, Accra, Ghana.,4Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Water Research Institute, Council Close, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Larysa Aleksenko
- 6National Malaria Program Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Davies Ntebela
- 7Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Immunology Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Immunology Program, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,8Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Biopolis, Singapore
| | - Benoit Malleret
- 9A*STAR Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Biopolis, Singapore
| | - Laurent Rénia
- 1University of Botswana, Department of Biological Science, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Elias Peloewetse
- 10Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.,11Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,12Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Giacomo Maria Paganotti
- 3Regent University College of Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, Computing and Allied Health Sciences, Accra, Ghana
| | - Isaac K Quaye
- 3Regent University College of Science and Technology, Department of Engineering, Computing and Allied Health Sciences, Accra, Ghana
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34
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Jian JY, Inoue SI, Bayarsaikhan G, Miyakoda M, Kimura D, Kimura K, Nozaki E, Sakurai T, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Heath WR, Yui K. CD49d marks Th1 and Tfh-like antigen-specific CD4+ T cells during Plasmodium chabaudi infection. Int Immunol 2021; 33:409-422. [PMID: 33914894 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon activation, specific CD4+ T cells up-regulate the expression of CD11a and CD49d, surrogate markers of pathogen-specific CD4+ T cells. However, using T-cell receptor transgenic mice specific for a Plasmodium antigen, termed PbT-II, we found that activated CD4+ T cells develop not only to CD11ahiCD49dhi cells, but also to CD11ahiCD49dlo cells during acute Plasmodium infection. CD49dhi PbT-II cells, localized in the red pulp of spleens, expressed transcription factor T-bet and produced IFN-γ, indicating that they were type 1 helper T (Th1)-type cells. In contrast, CD49dlo PbT-II cells resided in the white pulp/marginal zones and were a heterogeneous population, with approximately half of them expressing CXCR5 and a third expressing Bcl-6, a master regulator of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells. In adoptive transfer experiments, both CD49dhi and CD49dlo PbT-II cells differentiated into CD49dhi Th1-type cells after stimulation with antigen-pulsed dendritic cells, while CD49dhi and CD49dlo phenotypes were generally maintained in mice infected with Plasmodium chabaudi. These results suggest that CD49d is expressed on Th1-type Plasmodium-specific CD4+ T cells, which are localized in the red pulp of the spleen, and can be used as a marker of antigen-specific Th1 CD4+ T cells, rather than that of all pathogen-specific CD4+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiun-Yu Jian
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Inoue
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Ganchimeg Bayarsaikhan
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Mana Miyakoda
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kimura
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kazumi Kimura
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Eriko Nozaki
- Core Laboratory for Proteomics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Kyorin University, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Sakurai
- Department of Molecular Predictive Medicine and Sport Science, School of Medicine, Kyorin University, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katsuyuki Yui
- Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.,Program for Nurturing Global Leaders in Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.,School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.,Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
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35
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Burda PC, Crosskey T, Lauk K, Zurborg A, Söhnchen C, Liffner B, Wilcke L, Pietsch E, Strauss J, Jeffries CM, Svergun DI, Wilson DW, Wilmanns M, Gilberger TW. Structure-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of a Lipocalin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107817. [PMID: 32579913 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins of the lipocalin family are known to bind small hydrophobic ligands and are involved in various physiological processes ranging from lipid transport to oxidative stress responses. The genome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a single protein PF3D7_0925900 with a lipocalin signature. Using crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering, we show that the protein has a tetrameric structure of typical lipocalin monomers; hence we name it P. falciparum lipocalin (PfLCN). We show that PfLCN is expressed in the intraerythrocytic stages of the parasite and localizes to the parasitophorous and food vacuoles. Conditional knockdown of PfLCN impairs parasite development, which can be rescued by treatment with the radical scavenger Trolox or by temporal inhibition of hemoglobin digestion. This suggests a key function of PfLCN in counteracting oxidative stress-induced cell damage during multiplication of parasites within erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Thomas Crosskey
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Lauk
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aimo Zurborg
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Söhnchen
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cy M Jeffries
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dmitri I Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Matthias Wilmanns
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
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36
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Peters MAE, Greischar MA, Mideo N. Challenges in forming inferences from limited data: a case study of malaria parasite maturation. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210065. [PMID: 33906391 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inferring biological processes from population dynamics is a common challenge in ecology, particularly when faced with incomplete data. This challenge extends to inferring parasite traits from within-host infection dynamics. We focus on rodent malaria infections (Plasmodium berghei), a system for which previous work inferred an immune-mediated extension in the length of the parasite development cycle within red blood cells. By developing a system of delay-differential equations to describe within-host infection dynamics and simulating data, we demonstrate the potential to obtain biased estimates of parasite (and host) traits when key biological processes are not considered. Despite generating infection dynamics using a fixed parasite developmental cycle length, we find that known sources of measurement bias in parasite stage and abundance data can affect estimates of parasite developmental duration, with stage misclassification driving inferences about extended cycle length. We discuss alternative protocols and statistical methods that can mitigate such misestimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline A E Peters
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan A Greischar
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nicole Mideo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario, Canada
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37
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Bang S, Donnelly CR, Luo X, Toro-Moreno M, Tao X, Wang Z, Chandra S, Bortsov AV, Derbyshire ER, Ji RR. Activation of GPR37 in macrophages confers protection against infection-induced sepsis and pain-like behaviour in mice. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1704. [PMID: 33731716 PMCID: PMC7969930 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21940-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
GPR37 was discovered more than two decades ago, but its biological functions remain poorly understood. Here we report a protective role of GPR37 in multiple models of infection and sepsis. Mice lacking Gpr37 exhibited increased death and/or hypothermia following challenge by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Listeria bacteria, and the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Sepsis induced by LPS and Listeria in wild-type mice is protected by artesunate (ARU) and neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), but the protective actions of these agents are lost in Gpr37−/− mice. Notably, we found that ARU binds to GPR37 in macrophages and promotes phagocytosis and clearance of pathogens. Moreover, ablation of macrophages potentiated infection, sepsis, and their sequelae, whereas adoptive transfer of NPD1- or ARU-primed macrophages reduced infection, sepsis, and pain-like behaviors. Our findings reveal physiological actions of ARU in host cells by activating macrophages and suggest that GPR37 agonists may help to treat sepsis, bacterial infections, and malaria. GPR37 is expressed in macrophages, and has been implicated in resolution of inflammatory pain. Here the authors show that GPR37 can modulate sepsis in several animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangsu Bang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christopher R Donnelly
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xin Luo
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Xueshu Tao
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Zilong Wang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sharat Chandra
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrey V Bortsov
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. .,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. .,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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38
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Christensen P, Bozdech Z, Watthanaworawit W, Imwong M, Rénia L, Malleret B, Ling C, Nosten F. Reverse transcription PCR to detect low density malaria infections. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:39. [PMID: 35592834 PMCID: PMC9086519 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16564.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Targeted malaria elimination strategies require highly sensitive tests to detect low density malaria infections (LDMI). Commonly used methods for malaria diagnosis such as light microscopy and antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are not sensitive enough for reliable identification of infections with parasitaemia below 200 parasites per milliliter of blood. While targeted malaria elimination efforts on the Thailand-Myanmar border have successfully used high sample volume ultrasensitive quantitative PCR (uPCR) to determine malaria prevalence, the necessity for venous collection and processing of large quantities of patient blood limits the widespread tractability of this method. Methods: Here we evaluated a real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method that reduces the required sample volume compared to uPCR. To do this, 304 samples collected from an active case detection program in Kayin state, Myanmar were compared using uPCR and RT-PCR. Results: Plasmodium spp. RT-PCR confirmed 18 of 21 uPCR Plasmodium falciparum positives, while P. falciparum specific RT-PCR confirmed 17 of the 21 uPCR P. falciparum positives. Combining both RT-PCR results increased the sensitivity to 100% and specificity was 95.1%. Conclusion: Malaria detection in areas of low transmission and LDMI can benefit from the increased sensitivity of ribosomal RNA detection by RT-PCR, especially where sample volume is limited. Isolation of high quality RNA also allows for downstream analysis of malaria transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Christensen
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- A*STAR ID Labs, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Benoît Malleret
- Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Singapore
| | - Clare Ling
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol University, Maesot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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39
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Surette FA, Guthmiller JJ, Li L, Sturtz AJ, Vijay R, Pope RL, McClellan BL, Pack AD, Zander RA, Shao P, Lan LYL, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Heath WR, Wilson PC, Butler NS. Extrafollicular CD4 T cell-derived IL-10 functions rapidly and transiently to support anti-Plasmodium humoral immunity. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009288. [PMID: 33529242 PMCID: PMC7880450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunity against malaria depends on germinal center (GC)-derived antibody responses that are orchestrated by T follicular helper (TFH) cells. Emerging data show that the regulatory cytokine IL-10 plays an essential role in promoting GC B cell responses during both experimental malaria and virus infections. Here we investigated the cellular source and temporal role of IL-10, and whether IL-10 additionally signals to CD4 T-cells to support anti-Plasmodium humoral immunity. Distinct from reports of virus infection, we found that IL-10 was expressed by conventional, Foxp3-negative effector CD4 T cells and functioned in a B cell-intrinsic manner only during the first 96 hours of Plasmodium infection to support humoral immunity. The critical functions of IL-10 manifested only before the orchestration of GC responses and were primarily localized outside of B cell follicles. Mechanistically, our studies showed that the rapid and transient provision of IL-10 promoted B cell expression of anti-apoptotic factors, MHC class II, CD83, and cell-cell adhesion proteins that are essential for B cell survival and interaction with CD4 T cells. Together, our data reveal temporal features and mechanisms by which IL-10 critically supports humoral immunity during blood-stage Plasmodium infection, information that may be useful for developing new strategies designed to lessen the burden of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fionna A. Surette
- Immunology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jenna J. Guthmiller
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Alexandria J. Sturtz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Rahul Vijay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Rosemary L. Pope
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Brandon L. McClellan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Angela D. Pack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Ryan A. Zander
- Blood Research Institute, Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Peng Shao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Linda Yu-Ling Lan
- Committee on Immunology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - William R. Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Patrick C. Wilson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, The Knapp Center for Lupus and Immunology Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Noah S. Butler
- Immunology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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40
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Kulkeaw K. Progress and challenges in the use of fluorescence-based flow cytometric assays for anti-malarial drug susceptibility tests. Malar J 2021; 20:57. [PMID: 33478496 PMCID: PMC7818911 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03591-8] [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: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug-resistant Plasmodium is a frequent global threat in malaria eradication programmes, highlighting the need for new anti-malarial drugs and efficient detection of treatment failure. Plasmodium falciparum culture is essential in drug discovery and resistance surveillance. Microscopy of Giemsa-stained erythrocytes is common for determining anti-malarial effects on the intraerythrocytic development of cultured Plasmodium parasites. Giemsa-based microscopy use is conventional but laborious, and its accuracy depends largely on examiner skill. Given the availability of nucleic acid-binding fluorescent dyes and advances in flow cytometry, the use of various fluorochromes has been frequently attempted for the enumeration of parasitaemia and discrimination of P. falciparum growth in drug susceptibility assays. However, fluorochromes do not meet the requirements of being fast, simple, reliable and sensitive. Thus, this review revisits the utility of fluorochromes, notes previously reported hindrances, and highlights the challenges and opportunities for using fluorochromes in flow cytometer-based drug susceptibility tests. It aims to improve drug discovery and support a resistance surveillance system, an essential feature in combatting malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasem Kulkeaw
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2, Wanglang Road, Bangkoknoi, 10700, Bangkok, Thailand.
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41
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Xu G, van Bruggen R, Gualtieri CO, Moradin N, Fois A, Vallerand D, De Sa Tavares Russo M, Bassenden A, Lu W, Tam M, Lesage S, Girouard H, Avizonis DZ, Deblois G, Prchal JT, Stevenson M, Berghuis A, Muir T, Rabinowitz J, Vidal SM, Fodil N, Gros P. Bisphosphoglycerate Mutase Deficiency Protects against Cerebral Malaria and Severe Malaria-Induced Anemia. Cell Rep 2020; 32:108170. [PMID: 32966787 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The replication cycle and pathogenesis of the Plasmodium malarial parasite involves rapid expansion in red blood cells (RBCs), and variants of certain RBC-specific proteins protect against malaria in humans. In RBCs, bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) acts as a key allosteric regulator of hemoglobin/oxyhemoglobin. We demonstrate here that a loss-of-function mutation in the murine Bpgm (BpgmL166P) gene confers protection against both Plasmodium-induced cerebral malaria and blood-stage malaria. The malaria protection seen in BpgmL166P mutant mice is associated with reduced blood parasitemia levels, milder clinical symptoms, and increased survival. The protective effect of BpgmL166P involves a dual mechanism that enhances the host's stress erythroid response to Plasmodium-driven RBC loss and simultaneously alters the intracellular milieu of the RBCs, including increased oxyhemoglobin and reduced energy metabolism, reducing Plasmodium maturation, and replication. Overall, our study highlights the importance of BPGM as a regulator of hemoglobin/oxyhemoglobin in malaria pathogenesis and suggests a new potential malaria therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyue Xu
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada; McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Rebekah van Bruggen
- McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Christian O Gualtieri
- McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Neda Moradin
- McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Adrien Fois
- Immunology-Oncology Unit, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Diane Vallerand
- Université de Montréal, Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Pav Roger-Gaudry, 2900 Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | | | - Angelia Bassenden
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Wenyun Lu
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Mifong Tam
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Sylvie Lesage
- Immunology-Oncology Unit, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center, Montréal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Hélène Girouard
- Université de Montréal, Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Pav Roger-Gaudry, 2900 Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Daina Zofija Avizonis
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, 1160 Pin Avenue West, Montréal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Geneviève Deblois
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada; Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Josef T Prchal
- Division of Hematology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Mary Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Albert Berghuis
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Tom Muir
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Joshua Rabinowitz
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Silvia M Vidal
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada; McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nassima Fodil
- McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada; Centre CERMO-FC Pavillon des Sciences Biologiques, 141 Avenue du Président Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 3Y7, Canada.
| | - Philippe Gros
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C7, Canada; McGill University Research Centre on Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 0B1, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada.
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42
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Arroyo EN, Pepper M. B cells are sufficient to prime the dominant CD4+ Tfh response to Plasmodium infection. J Exp Med 2020; 217:jem.20190849. [PMID: 31748243 PMCID: PMC7041722 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20190849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Arroyo and Pepper demonstrate that interactions with B cells, not dendritic cells, are required for the priming of the CD4+ T cell response during Plasmodium infection. This results in a Tfh-biased response as reported by others in both mice and humans. CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells dominate the acute response to a blood-stage Plasmodium infection and provide signals to direct B cell differentiation and protective antibody expression. We studied antigen-specific CD4+ Tfh cells responding to Plasmodium infection in order to understand the generation and maintenance of the Tfh response. We discovered that a dominant, phenotypically stable, CXCR5+ Tfh population emerges within the first 4 d of infection and results in a CXCR5+ CCR7+ Tfh/central memory T cell response that persists well after parasite clearance. We also found that CD4+ T cell priming by B cells was both necessary and sufficient to generate this Tfh-dominant response, whereas priming by conventional dendritic cells was dispensable. This study provides important insights into the development of CD4+ Tfh cells during Plasmodium infection and highlights the heterogeneity of antigen-presenting cells involved in CD4+ T cell priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Nicole Arroyo
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Marion Pepper
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
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43
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A modified two-color flow cytometry assay to quantify in-vitro reinvasion and determine invasion phenotypes at low Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia. Exp Parasitol 2020; 218:107969. [PMID: 32858043 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Invasion of human red blood cells (RBCs) by Plasmodium parasites is a crucial yet poorly characterised phenotype. Two-color flow cytometry (2cFCM) promises to be a very sensitive and high throughput method for phenotyping parasite invasion. However, current protocols require high (~1.0%) parasitemia for assay set-up and need to be adapted for low parasitemia samples, which are becoming increasingly common in low transmission settings. Background fluorescence from nuclei-containing uninfected RBCs and high autologous reinvasion rates (merozoite invasion of donor uninfected RBCs present at 50% assay volume) are some of the limitations to the method's sensitivity to enumerate low parasitemia (<0.5%) with nucleic acid-based stains. Here, we describe modifications for plating unlabeled donor to labeled target RBCs per assay well and for gating parasitemia, that produces accurate quantifications of low reinvasion parasitemia. Plasmodium falciparum 3D7, Dd2 and field isolates at various low and high parasitemia (0.05%-2.0%) were used to set-up SyBr Green 1-based 2cFCM invasion assays. Target RBCs were labeled with CTFR proliferation dye. We show that this dye combination allowed for efficient parasite invasion into target RBCs and that a 1:3 ratio of unlabeled to labeled RBCs per assay greatly skewed autologous reinvasion (p < 0.001). Accuracy of quantifying reinvasion was limited to an assay parasitemia of 0.02% with minimal background interference. Invasion inhibition by enzymatic treatments increased averagely by 10% (p<0.05) across the entire parasitemia range. The effect was greater for samples with <0.5% parasitemia. Overall, a more sensitive method for phenotyping invasion of low P. falciparum parasitemia is described.
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44
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Akkaya M, Bansal A, Sheehan PW, Pena M, Cimperman CK, Qi CF, Yazew T, Otto TD, Billker O, Miller LH, Pierce SK. Testing the impact of a single nucleotide polymorphism in a Plasmodium berghei ApiAP2 transcription factor on experimental cerebral malaria in mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13630. [PMID: 32788672 PMCID: PMC7424516 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70617-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria (CM) is the deadliest form of severe Plasmodium infections. Currently, we have limited understanding of the mechanisms by which Plasmodium parasites induce CM. The mouse model of CM, experimental CM (ECM), induced by infection with the rodent parasite, Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbANKA) has been extensively used to study the pathophysiology of CM. Recent genomic analyses revealed that the coding regions of PbANKA and the closely related Plasmodium berghei NK65 (PbNK65), that does not cause ECM, differ in only 21 single nucleotide polymorphysims (SNPs). Thus, the SNP-containing genes might contribute to the pathogenesis of ECM. Although the majority of these SNPs are located in genes of unknown function, one SNP is located in the DNA binding site of a member of the Plasmodium ApiAP2 transcription factor family, that we recently showed functions as a virulence factor alternating the host’s immune response to the parasite. Here, we investigated the impact of this SNP on the development of ECM. Our results using CRISPR-Cas9 engineered parasites indicate that despite its immune modulatory function, the SNP is neither necessary nor sufficient to induce ECM and thus cannot account for parasite strain-specific differences in ECM phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munir Akkaya
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Abhisheka Bansal
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.,School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Patrick W Sheehan
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mirna Pena
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Clare K Cimperman
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chen Feng Qi
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Takele Yazew
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Thomas D Otto
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Oliver Billker
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden and Molecular Biology Department, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Louis H Miller
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Susan K Pierce
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5625 Fishers Lane, Room 4S04, Rockville, MD, USA.
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45
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Schweda SI, Alder A, Gilberger T, Kunick C. 4-Arylthieno[2,3- b]pyridine-2-carboxamides Are a New Class of Antiplasmodial Agents. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25143187. [PMID: 32668631 PMCID: PMC7397174 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25143187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year, making it one of the most dangerous infectious diseases worldwide. Because the pathogens have developed resistance against most of the established anti-malarial drugs, new antiplasmodial agents are urgently needed. In analogy to similar antiplasmodial ketones, 4-arylthieno[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamides were synthesized by Thorpe-Ziegler reactions. In contrast to the related ketones, these carboxamides are only weak inhibitors of the plasmodial enzyme PfGSK-3 but the compounds nevertheless show strong antiparasitic activity. The most potent representatives inhibit the pathogens with IC50 values in the two-digit nanomolar range and exhibit high selectivity indices (>100).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra I. Schweda
- Institut für Medizinische und Pharmazeutische Chemie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Arne Alder
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (A.A.); (T.G.)
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (A.A.); (T.G.)
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Conrad Kunick
- Institut für Medizinische und Pharmazeutische Chemie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Zentrum für Pharmaverfahrenstechnik (PVZ), Technische Universität Braunschweig, Franz-Liszt-Straße 35A, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)53-1391-2754
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46
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Infection-induced plasmablasts are a nutrient sink that impairs humoral immunity to malaria. Nat Immunol 2020; 21:790-801. [PMID: 32424361 PMCID: PMC7316608 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-020-0678-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasite-specific antibodies are critical for
protection against malaria, yet the development of long-lived and effective
humoral immunity against Plasmodium takes many years and
multiple rounds of infection and cure. Here we report that the rapid development
of short-lived plasmablasts during experimental malaria unexpectedly hindered
parasite control by impeding germinal center (GC) responses. Metabolic
hyperactivity of plasmablasts resulted in nutrient deprivation of the GC
reaction limiting the generation of memory B cell and long-lived plasma cell
responses. Therapeutic administration of a single amino acid to experimentally
infected mice was sufficient to overcome the metabolic constraints imposed by
plasmablasts and enhanced parasite clearance and the formation of protective
humoral immune memory responses. Thus, our studies not only challenge the
current paradigm describing the role and function of blood-stage
Plasmodium-induced plasmablasts, but also reveal new
targets and strategies to improve anti-Plasmodium humoral
immunity.
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47
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ICOS signaling promotes a secondary humoral response after re-challenge with Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008527. [PMID: 32348365 PMCID: PMC7213745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The co-stimulatory molecule ICOS is associated with the induction and regulation of T helper cell responses, including the differentiation of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and the formation and maintenance of memory T cells. However, the role of ICOS signaling in secondary immune responses is largely unexplored. Here we show that memory T cell formation and maintenance are influenced by persistent infection with P. chabaudi chabaudi AS infection, as memory T cell numbers decline in wild-type and Icos-/- mice after drug-clearance. Following drug-clearance Icos-/- mice display a relapsing parasitemia that occurs more frequently and with higher peaks compared to wild-type mice after re-challenge. The secondary immune response in Icos-/- mice is characterized by significant impairment in the expansion of effector cells with a Tfh-like phenotype, which is associated with a diminished and delayed parasite-specific Ab response and the absence of germinal centers. Similarly, the administration of an anti-ICOSL antagonizing antibody to wild-type mice before and after reinfection with P. c. chabaudi AS leads to an early defect in Tfh cell expansion and parasite-specific antibody production, confirming a need for ICOS-ICOSL interactions to promote memory B cell responses. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of central memory T (TCM) cells from wild-type and Icos-/- mice into tcrb-/- mice to directly evaluate the ability of TCM cells to give rise to Tfh cells revealed that TCM cells from wild-type mice acquire a mixed Th1- and Tfh-like phenotype after P. c. chabaudi AS infection. While TCM cells from Icos-/- mice expand and display markers of activation to a similar degree as their WT counterparts, they displayed a reduced capacity to upregulate markers indicative of a Tfh cell phenotype, resulting in a diminished humoral response. Together these findings verify that ICOS signaling in memory T cells plays an integral role in promoting T cell effector responses during secondary infection with P. c. chabaudi AS. Malaria, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, remains a major global health problem, as over 400,000 people die from this disease every year. Further understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to protective immunity against this parasite will serve to promote the development of an effective vaccine. Here, we describe the importance of the co-stimulatory molecule ICOS during secondary infection with the rodent parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS. We show that ICOS promotes the expansion of memory T cells, their acquisition of a secondary follicular helper T (Tfh) cell phenotype, and their ability to provide help to MBCs after reinfection. While ICOS deficient mice control the initial parasite load after re-challenge, the absence of ICOS leads to higher relapsing parasitemia compared to wild-type mice. We establish that the lack of expansion of effector cells with a Tfh cell phenotype in Icos-/- mice prevents germinal center formation after secondary infection. Thus, we show that ICOS signaling in T cells promotes an effective memory T cell response and suggests that the enhancement of this co-stimulatory pathway during vaccination may enhance protective immunity to blood-stage Plasmodium infection.
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Rogers KJ, Shtanko O, Vijay R, Mallinger LN, Joyner CJ, Galinski MR, Butler NS, Maury W. Acute Plasmodium Infection Promotes Interferon-Gamma-Dependent Resistance to Ebola Virus Infection. Cell Rep 2020; 30:4041-4051.e4. [PMID: 32209467 PMCID: PMC7172281 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During the 2013-2016 Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic, a significant number of patients admitted to Ebola treatment units were co-infected with Plasmodium falciparum, a predominant agent of malaria. However, there is no consensus on how malaria impacts EBOV infection. The effect of acute Plasmodium infection on EBOV challenge was investigated using mouse-adapted EBOV and a biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) model virus. We demonstrate that acute Plasmodium infection protects from lethal viral challenge, dependent upon interferon gamma (IFN-γ) elicited as a result of parasite infection. Plasmodium-infected mice lacking the IFN-γ receptor are not protected. Ex vivo incubation of naive human or mouse macrophages with sera from acutely parasitemic rodents or macaques programs a proinflammatory phenotype dependent on IFN-γ and renders cells resistant to EBOV infection. We conclude that acute Plasmodium infection can safeguard against EBOV by the production of protective IFN-γ. These findings have implications for anti-malaria therapies administered during episodic EBOV outbreaks in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai J Rogers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Olena Shtanko
- Host-Pathogen Interactions, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Rahul Vijay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Laura N Mallinger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Chester J Joyner
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mary R Galinski
- Malaria Host-Pathogen Interaction Center, Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Noah S Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Wendy Maury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Poh CM, Zheng J, Channappanavar R, Chang ZW, Nguyen THO, Rénia L, Kedzierska K, Perlman S, Poon LLM. Multiplex Screening Assay for Identifying Cytotoxic CD8 + T Cell Epitopes. Front Immunol 2020; 11:400. [PMID: 32218786 PMCID: PMC7078160 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxicity of epitope-specific CD8+ T cells is usually measured indirectly through IFNγ production. Existing assays that directly measure this activity are limited mainly to measurements of up to two specificities in a single reaction. Here, we develop a multiplex cytotoxicity assay that allows direct, simultaneous measurement of up to 23 different specificities of CD8+ T cells in a single reaction. This can greatly reduce the amount of starting clinical materials for a systematic screening of CD8+ T cell epitopes. In addition, this greatly enhanced capacity enables the incorporation of irrelevant epitopes for determining the non-specific killing activity of CD8+ T cells, thereby allowing to measure the actual epitope-specific cytotoxicity activities. This technique is shown to be useful to study both human and mouse CD8+ T cells. Besides, our results from human PBMCs and three independent infectious animal models (MERS, influenza and malaria) further reveal that IFNγ expression by epitope-specific CD8+ T cells does not always correlate with their cell-killing potential, highlighting the need for using cytotoxicity assays in specific contexts (e.g., evaluating vaccine candidates). Overall, our approach opens up new possibilities for comprehensive analyses of CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity in a practical manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chek Meng Poh
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Rudragouda Channappanavar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Zi Wei Chang
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency of Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thi H. O. Nguyen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Laurent Rénia
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency of Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Katherine Kedzierska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Leo L. M. Poon
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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A Comparison Between Manual Count, Flow Cytometry and Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction as a Means of Determining Babesia rossi Parasitaemia in Naturally Infected Dogs. Acta Parasitol 2020; 65:128-135. [PMID: 31721056 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-019-00134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Light microscopic manual count is the current gold standard for parasite quantification. The ability to determine parasite density in whole blood is crucial to understanding disease pathogenesis and finding a suitable automated method of Babesia rossi parasite quantification would facilitate higher throughput and provide results that are more objective. This study investigated both peripheral capillary and central venous whole blood to estimate the correlations between light microscopy, flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). METHODS Peripheral capillary and central venous blood were sampled from 40 naturally B. rossi-infected dogs and 10 healthy control dogs. Samples were analysed by reverse line blot hybridization assay to confirm a mono-B. rossi infection. Capillary blood parasite density was detected using light microscopic manual counting and venous blood parasitaemia detected by manual counts, flow cytometry and qPCR. RESULTS A significant correlation was found between the venous manual counts and flow cytometry (rs = 0.465; P < 0.001), as well as qPCR (rs = - 0.500; P < 0.001). A significant correlation was also observed between the capillary manual counts compared to venous manual counts (rs = 0.793; P < 0.001), flow cytometry (rs = 0.399; P = 0.004), and qPCR (rs = - 0.526; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The study results suggest that qPCR is of value as an alternative to the gold standard manual count for detecting B. rossi parasitaemia in canine whole blood and that flow cytometry may be useful with further refinement of issues such as background fluorescence and the influence of reticulocytes.
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