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Yadav K, Kuldeep J, Shabeer Ali H, Siddiqi MI, Tripathi R. Metacaspase (Pf MCA-1) as antimalarial drug target: An in silico approach and their biological validation. Life Sci 2023; 335:122271. [PMID: 37977356 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122271] [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] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Acquired drug resistance of Plasmodium is a global issue for the treatment of malaria. There are various proteases in the genome of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) including metacaspase-1 (PfMCA-1) that are essential and are being considered as an attractive drug target. It is aimed to identify novel therapeutics against malaria and their action on PfMCA-1 along with other apoptotic pathway events. MAIN METHODS High throughput virtual screening of 55,000 compounds derived from Maybridge library was performed against PfMCA-1. Based on the docking score, sixteen compounds were selected for in vitro antimalarial screening against drug sensitive and resistant strains of P. falciparum using SYBR green-based assay. Subsequently, three lead molecules were selected and subjected to the evaluation of cytotoxicity, caspase like protease activity, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS generation and DNA fragmentation via TUNEL assay. KEY FINDINGS The in silico and in vitro approaches have brought forward some Maybridge library compounds with antiplasmodial activity most likely by enhancing the metacaspase activity. The compound CD11095 has shown better antimalarial efficacy, and KM06591 depicted higher caspase mediated killing, elevated TUNEL positive cells and moderate ROS generation. Mitochondrial membrane depolarization was augmented by RJC0069. Exposure of P. falciparum to CD11095, KM06591 and RJC0069 has ended up in parasite growth arrest via multiple mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE It is proposed that the Maybridge molecules CD11095, KM06591 and RJC0069 have antimalarial activity. Their mechanism of action was found to be by enhancing the metacaspases-like protease activity, mitochondrial depolarization and DNA fragmentation which stipulates significant insights towards promising candidates for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanchan Yadav
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jitendra Kuldeep
- Division of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - H Shabeer Ali
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Mohammad Imran Siddiqi
- Division of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Renu Tripathi
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.
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2
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Dual role of an essential HtrA2/Omi protease in the human malaria parasite: Maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis and induction of apoptosis-like cell death under cellular stress. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010932. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the HtrA family of serine proteases are known to play roles in mitochondrial homeostasis as well as in programmed cell death. Mitochondrial homeostasis and metabolism are crucial for the survival and propagation of the malaria parasite within the host. Here we have functionally characterized a Plasmodium falciparum HtrA2 (PfHtrA2) protein, which harbours trypsin-like protease activity that can be inhibited by its specific inhibitor, ucf-101. A transgenic parasite line was generated, using the HA-glmS C-terminal tagging approach, for localization as well as for inducible knock-down of PfHtrA2. The PfHtrA2 was localized in the parasite mitochondrion during the asexual life cycle. Genetic ablation of PfHtrA2 caused significant parasite growth inhibition, decreased replication of mtDNA, increased mitochondrial ROS production, caused mitochondrial fission/fragmentation, and hindered parasite development. However, the ucf-101 treatment did not affect the parasite growth, suggesting the non-protease/chaperone role of PfHtrA2 in the parasite. Under cellular stress conditions, inhibition of PfHtrA2 by ucf-101 reduced activation of the caspase-like protease as well as parasite cell death, suggesting the involvement of protease activity of PfHtrA2 in apoptosis-like cell death in the parasite. Under these cellular stress conditions, the PfHtrA2 gets processed but remains localized in the mitochondrion, suggesting that it acts within the mitochondrion by cleaving intra-mitochondrial substrate(s). This was further supported by trans-expression of PfHtrA2 protease domain in the parasite cytosol, which was unable to induce any cell death in the parasite. Overall, we show the specific roles of PfHtrA2 in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis as well as in regulating stress-induced cell death.
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3
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Blastocystis hominis undergoing programmed cell death via cytotoxic gamma irradiation. Exp Parasitol 2022; 240:108341. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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4
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Kumari V, Prasad KM, Kalia I, Sindhu G, Dixit R, Rawat DS, Singh OP, Singh AP, Pandey KC. Dissecting The role of Plasmodium metacaspase-2 in malaria gametogenesis and sporogony. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:938-955. [PMID: 35264080 PMCID: PMC8973346 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2052357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The family of apicomplexan specific proteins contains caspases–like proteins called “metacaspases”. These enzymes are present in the malaria parasite but absent in human; therefore, these can be explored as potential drug targets. We deleted the MCA-2 gene from Plasmodium berghei genome using a gene knockout strategy to decipher its precise function. This study has identified that MCA-2 plays an important role in parasite transmission since it is critical for the formation of gametocytes and for maintaining an appropriate number of infectious sporozoites required for sporogony. It is noticeable that a significant reduction in gametocyte, oocysts, ookinete and sporozoites load along with a delay in hepatocytes invasion were observed in the MCA-2 knockout parasite. Furthermore, a study found the two MCA-2 inhibitory molecules known as C-532 and C-533, which remarkably inhibited the MCA-2 activity, abolished the in vitro parasite growth, and also impaired the transmission cycle of P. falciparum and P. berghei in An. stephensi. Our findings indicate that the deletion of MCA-2 hampers the Plasmodium development during erythrocytic and exo-erythrocytic stages, and its inhibition by C-532 and C-533 critically affects the malaria transmission biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandana Kumari
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Rajnikant Dixit
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Diwan S Rawat
- Depatment of Chemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - O P Singh
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Agam P Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh, UP, India
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5
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Mohapatra AD, Zuromski J, Kurtis J. Assessing PfGARP-Mediated Apoptosis of Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum Parasites. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2470:659-672. [PMID: 35881381 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2189-9_49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Apoptosis is conventionally regarded as an evolutionarily conserved and genetically controlled process of programmed cell death confined to metazoan organisms. However, recently, conserved features of apoptosis have also been demonstrated in unicellular eukaryotes (Holzmuller et al. Parasitology 132:S19-S32, 2006; Le Chat et al. Mol Biochem Parasitol 153:41-47, 2007; Madeo et al. Curr Opin Microbiol 7:655-660, 2004; Welburn et al. Parasitology 132:S7-S18, 2006; Jensen et al. Science 216:1230-1233, 1982) including malaria parasites (Al-Olayan et al. Int J Parasitol 32:1133-1143, 2002; Ch'ng et al. Cell Death Dis 1:e26, 2010; Meslin et al. J Infect Dis 195:1852-1859, 2007; Picot et al. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 91:590-591, 1997; Raj et al. Nature 582:104-108, 2020). P. falciparum glutamic-acid-rich protein (PfGARP) is an antigen of 80 kDa that is uniquely expressed on the exofacial surface of red blood cells (RBCs) infected by early-to-late-trophozoite-stage P. falciparum parasites (Raj et al. Nature 582:104-108, 2020). We have recently demonstrated that antibodies against PfGARP bind to the PfGARP displayed on the surface of P. falciparum trophozoite-infected RBCs and trigger apoptosis in the intracellular parasites (Raj et al. Nature 582:104-108, 2020). This is the first demonstration of antibody-induced apoptosis in blood-stage malaria parasites and is characterized by several conserved features such as crisis form morphology, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, loss of integrity of food vacuole, activation of caspase-like cysteine proteases, and fragmentation of chromosomal DNA. Here we describe the assays used to detect these features of apoptosis in the mature blood stage of malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Das Mohapatra
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jenna Zuromski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jonathan Kurtis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA.
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6
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Walvekar S, Anwar A, Anwar A, Sridewi N, Khalid M, Yow YY, Khan NA. Anti-amoebic potential of azole scaffolds and nanoparticles against pathogenic Acanthamoeba. Acta Trop 2020; 211:105618. [PMID: 32628912 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. are free living amoeba (FLA) which are widely distributed in nature. They are opportunistic parasites and can cause severe infections to the eye, skin and central nervous system. The advances in drug discovery and modifications in the chemotherapeutic agents have shown little improvement in morbidity and mortality rates associated with Acanthamoeba infections. The mechanism-based process of drug discovery depends on the molecular drug targets present in the signaling pathways in the genome. Synthetic libraries provide a platform for broad spectrum of activities due to their desired structural modifications. Azoles, originally a class of synthetic anti-fungal drugs, disrupt the fungal cell membrane by inhibiting the biosynthesis of ergosterol through the inhibition of cytochrome P450 dependent 14α-lanosterol, a key step of the sterol pathway. Acanthamoeba and fungi share the presence of similar sterol intermediate, as ergosterol is also the major end-product in the sterol biosynthesis in Acanthamoeba. Sterols present in the eukaryotic cell membrane are one of the most essential lipids and exhibit important structural and signaling functions. Therefore, in this review we highlight the importance of specific targeting of ergosterol present in Acanthamoebic membrane by azole compounds for amoebicidal activity. Previously, azoles have also been repurposed to report antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antibacterial properties. Moreover, by loading the azoles into nanoparticles through advanced techniques in nanotechnology, such as physical encapsulation, adsorption, or chemical conjugation, the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index of the drugs can be significantly improved. The current review proposes an important strategy to target Acanthamoeba using synthetic libraries of azoles and their conjugated nanoparticles for the first time.
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7
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Anwar A, Siddiqui R, Khan NA. Whole Organism Model to Study Molecular Mechanisms of Differentiation and Dedifferentiation. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:E79. [PMID: 32316619 PMCID: PMC7235994 DOI: 10.3390/biology9040079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cancer recurrence has remained a significant challenge, despite advances in therapeutic approaches. In part, this is due to our incomplete understanding of the biology of cancer stem cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The phenomenon of differentiation and dedifferentiation (phenotypic switching) is not only unique to stem cells but it is also observed in several other organisms, as well as evolutionary-related microbes. Here, we propose the use of a primitive eukaryotic unicellular organism, Acanthamoeba castellanii, as a model to study the molecular mechanisms of cellular differentiation and dedifferentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areeba Anwar
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia;
| | - Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City 26666, UAE;
| | - Naveed Ahmed Khan
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, University City 26666, UAE;
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8
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Correa R, Caballero Z, De León LF, Spadafora C. Extracellular Vesicles Could Carry an Evolutionary Footprint in Interkingdom Communication. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:76. [PMID: 32195195 PMCID: PMC7063102 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are minute particles secreted by the cells of living organisms. Although the functional role of EVs is not yet clear, recent work has highlighted their role in intercellular communication. Here, we expand on this view by suggesting that EVs can also mediate communication among interacting organisms such as hosts, pathogens and vectors. This inter-kingdom communication via EVs is likely to have important evolutionary consequences ranging from adaptation of parasites to specialized niches in the host, to host resistance and evolution and maintenance of parasite virulence and transmissibility. A potential system to explore these consequences is the interaction among the human host, the mosquito vector and Plasmodium parasite involved in the malaria disease. Indeed, recent studies have found that EVs derived from Plasmodium infected red blood cells in humans are likely mediating the parasite's transition from the asexual to sexual stage, which might facilitate transmission to the mosquito vector. However, more work is needed to establish the adaptive consequences of this EV signaling among different taxa. We suggest that an integrative molecular approach, including a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the molecules (e.g., proteins and nucleic acids) derived from the EVs of interacting organisms (and their closely-related species) in the malaria system will prove useful for understanding interkingdom communication. Such analyses will also shed light on the evolution and persistence of host, parasite and vector interactions, with implications for the control of vector borne infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Correa
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Cientificas y Servicios de Alta Tecnologia (INDICASAT AIP), Panama, Panama.,Department of Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, India
| | - Zuleima Caballero
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Cientificas y Servicios de Alta Tecnologia (INDICASAT AIP), Panama, Panama
| | - Luis F De León
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Carmenza Spadafora
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Cientificas y Servicios de Alta Tecnologia (INDICASAT AIP), Panama, Panama
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9
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Vandana, Dixit R, Tiwari R, Katyal A, Pandey KC. Metacaspases: Potential Drug Target Against Protozoan Parasites. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:790. [PMID: 31379569 PMCID: PMC6657590 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the numerous strategies/targets for controlling infectious diseases, parasites-derived proteases receive prime attention due to their essential contribution to parasite growth and development. Parasites produce a broad array of proteases, which are required for parasite entry/invasion, modification/degradation of host proteins for their nourishment, and activation of inflammation that ensures their survival to maintain infection. Presently, extensive research is focused on unique proteases termed as "metacaspases" (MCAs) in relation to their versatile functions in plants and non-metazoans. Such unique MCAs proteases could be considered as a potential drug target against parasites due to their absence in the human host. MCAs are cysteine proteases, having Cys-His catalytic dyad present in fungi, protozoa, and plants. Studies so far indicated that MCAs are broadly associated with apoptosis-like cell death, growth, and stress regulation in different protozoa. The present review comprises the important research outcomes from our group and published literature, showing the variable properties and function of MCAs for therapeutic purpose against infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandana
- Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.,Dr Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, Delhi University, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajnarayan Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, India
| | - Anju Katyal
- Dr Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, Delhi University, New Delhi, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- Host-Parasite Interaction Biology Group, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.,Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, India
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10
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Kumar B, Verma S, Kashif M, Sharma R, Atul, Dixit R, Singh AP, Pande V, Saxena AK, Abid M, Pandey KC. Metacaspase-3 of Plasmodium falciparum: An atypical trypsin-like serine protease. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 138:309-320. [PMID: 31301397 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.07.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Metacaspases are clan CD cysteine peptidases found in plants, fungi and protozoa that possess a conserved Peptidase_C14 domain, homologous to the human caspases and a catalytic His/Cys dyad. Earlier reports have indicated the role of metacaspases in cell death; however, metacaspases of human malaria parasite remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to functionally characterize a novel malarial protease, P. falciparum metacaspase-3 (PfMCA3). Unlike other clan CD peptidases, PfMCA3 has an atypical active site serine (Ser1865) residue in place of canonical cysteine and it phylogenetically forms a distinct branch across the species. To investigate whether this domain retains catalytic activity, we expressed, purified and refolded the Peptidase_C14 domain of PfMCA3 which was found to express in all asexual stages. PfMCA3 exhibited trypsin-like serine protease activity with ser1865 acting as catalytic residue to cleave trypsin oligopeptide substrate. PfMCA3 is inhibited by trypsin-like serine protease inhibitors. Our study found that PfMCA3 enzymatic activity was abrogated when catalytic serine1865 (S1865A) was mutated. Moreover, PfMCA3 was found to be inactive against caspase substrate. Overall, our study characterizes a novel metacaspase of P. falciparum, different from human caspases and not responsible for the caspase-like activity, therefore, could be considered as a potential chemotherapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhumika Kumar
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India; Department of Bioscience, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Sonia Verma
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | | | - Ruby Sharma
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Atul
- Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263001, India
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Agam P Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263001, India
| | - Ajay K Saxena
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Mohammad Abid
- Department of Bioscience, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India; National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, 462001, India.
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11
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Correa R, Coronado L, Caballero Z, Faral-Tello P, Robello C, Spadafora C. Extracellular vesicles carrying lactate dehydrogenase induce suicide in increased population density of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5042. [PMID: 30911042 PMCID: PMC6434017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41697-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Even with access to sufficient nutrients and atmosphere, Plasmodium falciparum can barely be cultured at maximum growth capacity in vitro conditions. Because of this behavior, it has been suggested that P. falciparum has self-regulatory mechanisms in response to density stress. Only recently has this process begun to be acknowledged and characteristics of a programmed cell death been assigned to the parasite at high parasitaemia in vitro cultures. In searching for death signals within the parasite community, we have found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) of P. falciparum from high parasitaemia cultures are able to induce programmed cell death processes in the population. A comparative proteomic analysis of EVs from low (EVL) and high (EVH) parasitaemia cultures was conducted, pointing to lactate dehydrogenase from P. falciparum (PfLDH) as the only parasite protein overexpressed in the later. Although the major function of P. falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) is the conversion of pyruvate to lactate, a key process in the production of energy in most living organisms, we investigated its possible role in the mechanism of parasite density control by intercellular signaling, given that PfLDH had already been listed as a component of extracellular vesicles of P. falciparum. In this study we present evidence of the EV-associated PfLDH regulation of parasite population by inducing apoptosis in highly parasitized cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Correa
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP). City of Knowledge, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
- Department of Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, 522 510, A.P., India
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación, Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
| | - Lorena Coronado
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP). City of Knowledge, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación, Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
| | - Zuleima Caballero
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP). City of Knowledge, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación, Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama
| | | | | | - Carmenza Spadafora
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP). City of Knowledge, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama.
- Sistema Nacional de Investigación, Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Panama City, 0843-01103, Panama.
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12
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Tixeira R, Poon IKH. Disassembly of dying cells in diverse organisms. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:245-257. [PMID: 30317529 PMCID: PMC11105331 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2932-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Programmed cell death (PCD) is a conserved phenomenon in multicellular organisms required to maintain homeostasis. Among the regulated cell death pathways, apoptosis is a well-described form of PCD in mammalian cells. One of the characteristic features of apoptosis is the change in cellular morphology, often leading to the fragmentation of the cell into smaller membrane-bound vesicles through a process called apoptotic cell disassembly. Interestingly, some of these morphological changes and cell disassembly are also noted in cells of other organisms including plants, fungi and protists while undergoing 'apoptosis-like PCD'. This review will describe morphologic features leading to apoptotic cell disassembly, as well as its regulation and function in mammalian cells. The occurrence of cell disassembly during cell death in other organisms namely zebrafish, fly and worm, as well as in other eukaryotic cells will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle Tixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Ivan K H Poon
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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13
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Pumilacidins from the Octocoral-Associated Bacillus sp. DT001 Display Anti-Proliferative Effects in Plasmodium falciparum. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23092179. [PMID: 30158478 PMCID: PMC6225264 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23092179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical examination of the octocoral-associated Bacillus species (sp.) DT001 led to the isolation of pumilacidins A (1) and C (2). We investigated the effect of these compounds on the viability of Plasmodium falciparum and the mechanism of pumilacidin-induced death. The use of inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) was able to prevent the effects of pumilacidins A and C. The results indicated also that pumilacidins inhibit parasite growth via mitochondrial dysfunction and decreased cytosolic Ca2+.
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14
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Gunjan S, Sharma T, Yadav K, Chauhan BS, Singh SK, Siddiqi MI, Tripathi R. Artemisinin Derivatives and Synthetic Trioxane Trigger Apoptotic Cell Death in Asexual Stages of Plasmodium. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:256. [PMID: 30094226 PMCID: PMC6070741 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although over the last 15 years, prevalence of malaria became reduced by over half but developing resistance against artemisinin derivatives and its combinations, which are only ray of hope to treat resistant malaria set back the control efforts and the key hinderence to achieve the goal of malaria elimination till 2030. In spite these artemisinins are precious antimalarials, their action mechanism is yet to be fully understood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produces by cleavage of endoperoxide bridge of artemisinin derivatives are known to be its antimalarial efficacy. Since ROS could induce apoptosis, here we had explored the effect of artemisinin derivatives on apoptotic machinery of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum and its survival. We have studied the effect of a/β arteether, artesunate and a synthetic 1, 2, 4 trioxane on mitochondria, caspase activity and DNA during asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. Results have shown that cleavage of peroxide bridge of artemisinin derivatives and 1,2,4 trioxane generate reactive oxygen species which depolarize mitochondrial membrane potential and make it permeable which further followed by activation of caspase like enzyme and DNA fragmentation, which are hallmark of apoptotic cell death. These findings suggest that artemisinin derivatives and synthetic trioxane induce apoptosis like phenomena in erythrocytic stage of malaria parasite; Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarika Gunjan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India.,Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Tanuj Sharma
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India.,Division of Molecular & Structural Biology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Kanchan Yadav
- Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Bhavana S Chauhan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India.,Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Sunil K Singh
- Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Mohammad I Siddiqi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India.,Division of Molecular & Structural Biology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
| | - Renu Tripathi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi, India.,Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Lucknow, India
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15
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Lema Asqui S, Vercammen D, Serrano I, Valls M, Rivas S, Van Breusegem F, Conlon FL, Dangl JL, Coll NS. AtSERPIN1 is an inhibitor of the metacaspase AtMC1-mediated cell death and autocatalytic processing in planta. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 218:1156-1166. [PMID: 28157265 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The hypersensitive response (HR) is a localized programmed cell death phenomenon that occurs in response to pathogen recognition at the site of attempted invasion. Despite more than a century of research on HR, little is known about how it is so tightly regulated and how it can be contained spatially to a few cells. AtMC1 is an Arabidopsis thaliana plant metacaspase that positively regulates the HR. Here, we used an unbiased approach to identify new AtMC1 regulators. Immunoaffinity purification of AtMC1-containing complexes led us to the identification of the protease inhibitor AtSerpin1. Our data clearly showed that coimmunoprecipitation between AtMC1 and AtSerpin1 and formation of a complex between them was lost upon mutation of the AtMC1 catalytic site, and that the AtMC1 prodomain was not required for the interaction. AtSerpin1 blocked AtMC1 self-processing and inhibited AtMC1-mediated cell death. Our results constitute an in vivo example of a Serpin acting as a suicide inhibitor in plants, reminiscent of the activity of animal or viral serpins on immune/cell death regulators, including caspase-1. These results indicate a conserved function of a protease inhibitor on cell death regulators from different kingdoms with unrelated modes of action (i.e. caspases vs metacaspases).
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Affiliation(s)
- Saul Lema Asqui
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Dominique Vercammen
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Irene Serrano
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Marc Valls
- Department of Genetics, Universitat de Barcelona and Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB) Edifici CRAG, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - Susana Rivas
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Frank Van Breusegem
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Medical Protein Research, VIB, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Frank L Conlon
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Lineberger Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jeffery L Dangl
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
- Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
| | - Núria S Coll
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
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16
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Chou ES, Abidi SZ, Teye M, Leliwa-Sytek A, Rask TS, Cobbold SA, Tonkin-Hill GQ, Subramaniam KS, Sexton AE, Creek DJ, Daily JP, Duffy MF, Day KP. A high parasite density environment induces transcriptional changes and cell death in Plasmodium falciparum blood stages. FEBS J 2018; 285:848-870. [PMID: 29281179 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Transient regulation of Plasmodium numbers below the density that induces fever has been observed in chronic malaria infections in humans. This species transcending control cannot be explained by immunity alone. Using an in vitro system we have observed density dependent regulation of malaria population size as a mechanism to possibly explain these in vivo observations. Specifically, Plasmodium falciparum blood stages from a high but not low-density environment exhibited unique phenotypic changes during the late trophozoite (LT) and schizont stages of the intraerythrocytic cycle. These included in order of appearance: failure of schizonts to mature and merozoites to replicate, apoptotic-like morphological changes including shrinking, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and blebbing with eventual release of aberrant parasites from infected erythrocytes. This unique death phenotype was triggered in a stage-specific manner by sensing of a high-density culture environment. Conditions of glucose starvation, nutrient depletion, and high lactate could not induce the phenotype. A high-density culture environment induced rapid global changes in the parasite transcriptome including differential expression of genes involved in cell remodeling, clonal antigenic variation, metabolism, and cell death pathways including an apoptosis-associated metacaspase gene. This transcriptional profile was also characterized by concomitant expression of asexual and sexual stage-specific genes. The data show strong evidence to support our hypothesis that density sensing exists in P. falciparum. They indicate that an apoptotic-like mechanism may play a role in P. falciparum density regulation, which, as in yeast, has features quite distinguishable from mammalian apoptosis. DATABASE Gene expression data are available in the GEO databases under the accession number GSE91188.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn S Chou
- Bio21 Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology and School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Sabia Z Abidi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marian Teye
- Department of Microbiology, Division of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Aleksandra Leliwa-Sytek
- Department of Microbiology, Division of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Thomas S Rask
- Department of Microbiology, Division of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, NY, USA
| | - Simon A Cobbold
- Bio21 Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology and School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Gerry Q Tonkin-Hill
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Krishanthi S Subramaniam
- Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anna E Sexton
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Darren J Creek
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Johanna P Daily
- Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Michael F Duffy
- Bio21 Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology and School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC., Australia
| | - Karen P Day
- Bio21 Institute for Molecular Science and Biotechnology and School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC., Australia
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17
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Vandana, Singh AP, Singh J, Sharma R, Akhter M, Mishra PK, Saxena AK, Dixit R, Rathi B, Katyal A, Pandey KC. Biochemical characterization of unusual cysteine protease of P. falciparum, metacaspase-2 (MCA-2). Mol Biochem Parasitol 2018; 220:28-41. [PMID: 29317266 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Earlier studies on Plasmodium apoptosis revealed the presence of proteases with caspases like- activity, which are known as "metacaspases". Although this family of cysteine proteases is structurally similar to caspases with Cys-His dyad but their evolutionary significance and functional relevance remains largely unknown. These proteases are considered to be an important target against malaria due to their absence in humans. In this report, we have biochemically characterized metacaspase-2 (PfMCA-2) of P.falciparum. Enzymatic assay showed that PfMCA-2 efficiently cleaved arginine/lysine specific peptide, but not caspase-specific substrate. Consistently, PfMCA-2 activity was sensitive to effector caspases inhibitor, Z-FA-FMK, and mildly inhibited by aprotinin and E-64. However, general caspase inhibitors such as Z-VAD-FMK and Z-DEVD-FMK had no effect on PfMCA-2 activity. Z-FA-FMK inhibits parasite growth with an IC50 value of 2.7 μM along with the notable morphological changes. PfMCA-2 specifically expressed in schizonts and gametocyte stages and there was a notable depletion of PfMCA-2 expression in Z-FA-FMK treated schizonts and gametocytes stages of parasite. Notably, PfMCA-2 cleaves a phylogenetically conserved protein, TSN (Tudor staphylococcal nuclease) and the proteolysis of PfTSN did not occur after treatment with the Z-FA-FMK. The production of large amount of reactive oxygen species in presence of Z-FA-FMK caused oxidative stress which in turn leads to loss of cell viability. The oxidative stress further generates positive feedback for the occurrence of cell death in term of phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA fragmentation in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandana
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India; Dr B. R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, Delhi University, New Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Agam P Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Jitendra Singh
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Ruby Sharma
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Mymoona Akhter
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Pradyumna K Mishra
- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal 462001, India
| | - Ajay K Saxena
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Dept of Chemistry, Hans Raj College, Delhi University, India
| | - Anju Katyal
- Dr B. R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, Delhi University, New Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal 462001, India.
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18
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Wu D, Qiao K, Feng M, Fu Y, Cai J, Deng Y, Tachibana H, Cheng X. Apoptosis of Acanthamoeba castellanii Trophozoites Induced by Oleic Acid. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2017; 65:191-199. [PMID: 28787535 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acanthamoeba spp. can be parasitic in certain situations and are responsible for serious human infections, including Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and cutaneous acanthamoebiasis. We analyzed the fatty acid composition of Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites and tested the inhibitory activity of the main fatty acids, oleic acid and arachidonic acid, in vitro. Oleic acid markedly inhibited the growth of A. castellanii, with trophozoite viability of 57.4% at a concentration of 200 μM. Caspase-3 staining and annexin V assays showed that apoptotic death occurred in A. castellanii trophozoites. Quantitative PCR and dot blot analysis showed increased levels of metacaspase and interleukin-1β converting enzyme, which is also an indication of apoptosis. In contrast, arachidonic acid showed negligible inhibition of growth of A. castellanii trophozoites. Stimulated expression of Atg3, Atg8 and LC3A/B genes and monodansylcadaverine labeling suggested that oleic acid induces apoptosis by triggering autophagy of trophozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Wu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ke Qiao
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Meng Feng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yongfeng Fu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Junlong Cai
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yihong Deng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hiroshi Tachibana
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Xunjia Cheng
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200032, China
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19
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Bochicchio A, Jordaan S, Losasso V, Chetty S, Perera RC, Ippoliti E, Barth S, Carloni P. Designing the Sniper: Improving Targeted Human Cytolytic Fusion Proteins for Anti-Cancer Therapy via Molecular Simulation. Biomedicines 2017; 5:E9. [PMID: 28536352 PMCID: PMC5423494 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) are humanized immunotoxins for selective treatment of different diseases including cancer. They are composed of a ligand specifically binding to target cells genetically linked to a human apoptosis-inducing enzyme. hCFPs target cancer cells via an antibody or derivative (scFv) specifically binding to e.g., tumor associated antigens (TAAs). After internalization and translocation of the enzyme from endocytosed endosomes, the human enzymes introduced into the cytosol are efficiently inducing apoptosis. Under in vivo conditions such enzymes are subject to tight regulation by native inhibitors in order to prevent inappropriate induction of cell death in healthy cells. Tumor cells are known to upregulate these inhibitors as a survival mechanism resulting in escape of malignant cells from elimination by immune effector cells. Cytosolic inhibitors of Granzyme B and Angiogenin (Serpin P9 and RNH1, respectively), reduce the efficacy of hCFPs with these enzymes as effector domains, requiring detrimentally high doses in order to saturate inhibitor binding and rescue cytolytic activity. Variants of Granzyme B and Angiogenin might feature reduced affinity for their respective inhibitors, while retaining or even enhancing their catalytic activity. A powerful tool to design hCFPs mutants with improved potency is given by in silico methods. These include molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and enhanced sampling methods (ESM). MD and ESM allow predicting the enzyme-protein inhibitor binding stability and the associated conformational changes, provided that structural information is available. Such "high-resolution" detailed description enables the elucidation of interaction domains and the identification of sites where particular point mutations may modify those interactions. This review discusses recent advances in the use of MD and ESM for hCFP development from the viewpoints of scientists involved in both fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bochicchio
- German Research School for Simulation Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen 52062, Germany.
| | - Sandra Jordaan
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Valeria Losasso
- Scientific Computing Department, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD, UK.
| | - Shivan Chetty
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Rodrigo Casasnovas Perera
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| | - Emiliano Ippoliti
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
| | - Stefan Barth
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Computational Biomedicine, Institute for Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany.
- Department of Physics, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen 52062, Germany.
- JARA-HPC, Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany.
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20
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Sow F, Bonnot G, Ahmed BR, Diagana SM, Kebe H, Koita M, Samba BM, Al-Mukhaini SK, Al-Zadjali M, Al-Abri SS, Ali OAM, Samy AM, Hamid MMA, Ali Albsheer MM, Simon B, Bienvenu AL, Petersen E, Picot S. Genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax metacaspase 1 and Plasmodium vivax multi-drug resistance 1 genes of field isolates from Mauritania, Sudan and Oman. Malar J 2017; 16:61. [PMID: 28153009 PMCID: PMC5288979 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1687-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium vivax is the second most important human malaria parasite, widely spread across the world. This parasite is associated with important issues in the process toward malaria elimination, including potential for relapse and increased resistance to chloroquine. Plasmodium vivax multi-drug resistant (pvmdr1) is suspected to be a marker of resistance although definitive evidence is lacking. Progress has been made in knowledge of biological factors affecting parasite growth, including mechanisms of regulated cell death and the suspected role of metacaspase. Plasmodium vivax metacaspase1 (PvMCA1-cd) has been described with a catalytic domain composed of histidine (H372) and cysteine (C428) residues. The aim of this study was to test for a link between the conserved histidine and cysteine residues in PvMCA1-cd, and the polymorphism of the P. vivax multi-drug resistant gene (pvmdr1). RESULTS Thirty P. vivax isolates were collected from Mauritania, Sudan, and Oman. Among the 28 P. vivax isolates successfully sequenced, only 4 samples showed the conserved His (372)-Cys (428) residues in PvMCA1-cd. Single nucleotide polymorphisms observed were H372T (46.4%), H372D (39.3%), and C428R (85.7%). A new polymorphic catalytic domain was observed at His (282)-Cys (305) residues. Sequences alignment analysis of pvmdr1 showed SNP in the three codons 958, 976 and 1076. A single SNP was identified at the codon M958Y (60%), 2 SNPs were found at the position 976: Y976F (13%) and Y976V (57%), and 3 SNPs were identified at the position 1076: F1076L (40%), F1076T (53%) and F1076I (3%). Only one isolate was wildtype in all three codons (MYF), 27% were single MYL mutants, and 10% were double MFL mutants. Three new haplotypes were also identified: the triple mutant YVT was most prevalent (53.3%) distributed in the three countries, while triple YFL and YVI mutants (3%), were only found in samples from Sudan and Mauritania. CONCLUSIONS Triple or quadruple mutants for metacaspase genes and double or triple mutants for Pvmdr1 were observed in 24/28 and 19/28 samples. There was no difference in the frequency of mutations between PvMCA1-cd and Pvmdr1 (P > 0.2). Histidine and cysteine residues in PvMCA1-cd are highly polymorphic and linkage disequilibrium with SNPs of Pvmdr1 gene may be expected from these three areas with different patterns of P. vivax transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatimata Sow
- Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires ICBMS-UMR5246, CNRS-INSA-CPE, Malaria Research Unit, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Lyon, 69622, Villeurbane, France.
| | - Guillaume Bonnot
- Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires ICBMS-UMR5246, CNRS-INSA-CPE, Malaria Research Unit, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Lyon, 69622, Villeurbane, France
| | - Bilal Rabah Ahmed
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie et Parasitologie de l'Hôpital Cheikh Zayed, BP-5720, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Sidi Mohamed Diagana
- Laboratoire de Bactériologie et Parasitologie de l'Hôpital Cheikh Zayed, BP-5720, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Hachim Kebe
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier National de Nouakchott, BP-612, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Mohamedou Koita
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et de Mycologie Médicale Institut National de Recherches en Santé Publique (INRSP), Avenue Jemal AbdeNasser, BP-695, Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Ba Malado Samba
- Laboratoire Analyse de Biologie Médicale du Centre hospitalier de Rosso Mauritanie, BP-41, Rosso, Mauritania
| | - Said K Al-Mukhaini
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.,Department of malaria, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman
| | - Majed Al-Zadjali
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.,Department of malaria, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman
| | - Seif S Al-Abri
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.,Department of malaria, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman
| | - Osama A M Ali
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.,Department of malaria, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman
| | - Abdallah M Samy
- Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt.,Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
| | - Muzamil Mahdi Abdel Hamid
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Institute of Endemic Diseases, Medical Campus, University of Khartoum, Qassr Street, P.O. BOX 102, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Musab M Ali Albsheer
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Institute of Endemic Diseases, Medical Campus, University of Khartoum, Qassr Street, P.O. BOX 102, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Bruno Simon
- Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires ICBMS-UMR5246, CNRS-INSA-CPE, Malaria Research Unit, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Lyon, 69622, Villeurbane, France.,Institut of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Anne-Lise Bienvenu
- Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires ICBMS-UMR5246, CNRS-INSA-CPE, Malaria Research Unit, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Lyon, 69622, Villeurbane, France.,Institut of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Eskild Petersen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.,Department of malaria, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Stéphane Picot
- Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires ICBMS-UMR5246, CNRS-INSA-CPE, Malaria Research Unit, University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Lyon, 69622, Villeurbane, France.,Institut of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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21
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Hazra S, Ghosh S, Hazra B. Phytochemicals With Antileishmanial Activity. STUDIES IN NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63931-8.00008-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Plasmodium falciparum exhibits markers of regulated cell death at high population density in vitro. Parasitol Int 2016; 65:715-727. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Gomes PS, Bhardwaj J, Rivera-Correa J, Freire-De-Lima CG, Morrot A. Immune Escape Strategies of Malaria Parasites. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1617. [PMID: 27799922 PMCID: PMC5066453 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most life-threatening infectious diseases worldwide. Immunity to malaria is slow and short-lived despite the repeated parasite exposure in endemic areas. Malaria parasites have evolved refined machinery to evade the immune system based on a range of genetic changes that include allelic variation, biomolecular exposure of proteins, and intracellular replication. All of these features increase the probability of survival in both mosquitoes and the vertebrate host. Plasmodium species escape from the first immunological trap in its invertebrate vector host, the Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites have to pass through various immunological barriers within the mosquito such as anti-microbial molecules and the mosquito microbiota in order to achieve successful transmission to the vertebrate host. Within these hosts, Plasmodium species employ various immune evasion strategies during different life cycle stages. Parasite persistence against the vertebrate immune response depends on the balance among virulence factors, pathology, metabolic cost of the host immune response, and the parasites ability to evade the immune response. In this review we discuss the strategies that Plasmodium parasites use to avoid the vertebrate host immune system and how they promote successful infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pollyanna S Gomes
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jyoti Bhardwaj
- Division of Parasitology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Drug Research InstituteLucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative ResearchAnusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi, India
| | - Juan Rivera-Correa
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine New York, NY, USA
| | - Celio G Freire-De-Lima
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Morrot
- Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Tuteja R. Emerging functions of helicases in regulation of stress survival in malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and their comparison with human host. Parasitol Int 2016; 65:645-664. [PMID: 27586396 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The cellular response to various stresses is a universal phenomenon and involves a common set of stress responses that are largely independent of the type of stress. The response to stress is complex and cells can activate multiple signaling pathways that act in concert to influence cell fate and results in a specific cellular outcome, including reduction in macromolecular synthesis by shared pathways, cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, senescence and/or apoptosis. Whether cells mount a protective response or die depends to a great degree on the nature and duration of the stress and the particular cell type. Helicases play essential roles in DNA replication, repair, recombination, transcription and translation, and also participate in RNA metabolic processes including pre-mRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, RNA turnover, export, translation, surveillance, storage and decay. In order to survive in the human host, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has to handle variety of stresses, which it encounters during the erythrocytic stages of its life cycle. In recent past the role of helicases in imparting various stress responses has emerged. Therefore in the present review an attempt has been made to highlight the emerging importance of helicases in stress responses in malaria parasite and their comparison with human host is also presented. It is noteworthy that PfDHX33 and PfDDX60 are larger in size and different in sequence as compared to the HsDHX33 and HsDDX60. The study suggests that helicases are multifunctional and play major role in helping the cells to combat various stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renu Tuteja
- Parasite Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, P. O. Box 10504, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India.
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Mefloquine induces ROS mediated programmed cell death in malaria parasite: Plasmodium. Apoptosis 2016; 21:955-64. [DOI: 10.1007/s10495-016-1265-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Li M, Wang H, Liu J, Hao P, Ma L, Liu Q. The Apoptotic Role of Metacaspase in Toxoplasma gondii. Front Microbiol 2016; 6:1560. [PMID: 26834715 PMCID: PMC4717298 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a major opportunistic pathogen that spreads in a range of animal species and human beings. Quite a few characterizations of apoptosis have been identified in T. gondii treated with apoptosis inducers, but the molecular mechanisms of the pathway are not clearly understood. Metacaspases are caspase-like cysteine proteases that can be found in plants, fungi, and protozoa in which caspases are absent. Metacaspases are multifunctional proteases involved in apoptosis-like cell death, insoluble protein aggregate clearance, and cell proliferation. To investigate whether T. gondii metacaspase (TgMCA) is involved in the apoptosis of the parasites, we generated TgMCA mutant strains. Western blot analysis indicated that the autoproteolytic processing of TgMCA was the same as that for metacaspases of some other species. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) showed that TgMCA was dispersed throughout the cytoplasm and relocated to the nucleus when the parasites were exposed to the extracellular environment, which indicated the execution of its function in the nucleus. The number of apoptosis parasites was significantly diminished in the TgMCA knockout strain and increased in the TgMCA overexpression strain after treatment with extracellular buffer, as determined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The lack of TgMCA did not affect the parasite propagation in vitro and virulence in vivo, suggesting that it is probably redundant in parasite propagation. But overexpression of TgMCA reduced the intracellular parasites growth in vitro. The TgMCA knockout strain showed more viability in extracellular buffer compared to the parental and overexpression lines. In this study, we demonstrated that TgMCA contributes to the apoptosis of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzi Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Pan Hao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Lei Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
| | - Qun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University Beijing, China
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Sharma N, Mohanakrishnan D, Shard A, Sharma A, Sinha AK, Sahal D. Hydroxylated di- and tri-styrylbenzenes, a new class of antiplasmodial agents: discovery and mechanism of action. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra06059e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The first systematic evaluation of the antiplasmodial activity of the hydroxystilbene family of natural products and di/tristyrylbenzenes is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naina Sharma
- Natural Plant Products Division
- CSIR-Institute of Himalaya Bioresource Technology
- Palampur
- India
- Department of Chemistry
| | - Dinesh Mohanakrishnan
- Malaria Drug Discovery Group
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- New Delhi 110067
- India
| | - Amit Shard
- Natural Plant Products Division
- CSIR-Institute of Himalaya Bioresource Technology
- Palampur
- India
| | - Abhishek Sharma
- Natural Plant Products Division
- CSIR-Institute of Himalaya Bioresource Technology
- Palampur
- India
- Department of Chemistry
| | - Arun K. Sinha
- Natural Plant Products Division
- CSIR-Institute of Himalaya Bioresource Technology
- Palampur
- India
| | - Dinkar Sahal
- Malaria Drug Discovery Group
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- New Delhi 110067
- India
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Genes CM, de Lucio H, González VM, Sánchez-Murcia PA, Rico E, Gago F, Fasel N, Jiménez-Ruiz A. A functional BH3 domain in an aquaporin from Leishmania infantum. Cell Death Discov 2016; 2:16043. [PMID: 27551533 PMCID: PMC4979448 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2016.43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the absence of sequences showing significant similarity to any of the members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins in protozoa, experiments carried out in yeast or trypanosomatids have demonstrated that ectopic expression of some of these members alters their response to different death stimuli. Because the BH3 domain is the smallest common signature in all the proteins of this family of apoptosis regulators and also because they are essential for molecular interactions between antagonistic members, we looked for sequences with significant similarity to the BH3 motif in the Leishmania infantum genome. Among the top scoring ones, we found the MYLALQNLGDEV amino-acid stretch at the C terminus of a previously described aquaporin, now renamed as Li-BH3AQP. This motif is highly conserved in homologous proteins from other species of the Leishmania genus. The association of Li-BH3AQP with human Bcl-XL was demonstrated by both co-immunoprecipitation and yeast two-hybrid experiments. Ectopic expression of Li-BH3AQP reduced viability of HeLa cells and this deleterious effect was abrogated by the simultaneous overexpression of Bcl-XL. Although we were not able to demonstrate a reduction in parasite viability when the protein was overexpressed in Leishmania promastigotes, a prodeath effect could be observed when the parasites overexpressing Li-BH3AQP were treated with staurosporine or antimycin A. Surprisingly, these parasites were more resistant, compared with wild-type parasites, to hypotonic stress or nutrient deprivation. The prodeath activity was abolished upon replacement of two highly conserved amino acids in this BH3 domain. Taken together, these results point to Li-BH3AQP as the first non-enzymatic protein ever described in trypanosomatids that is involved in cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Genes
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
| | - H de Lucio
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
| | - V M González
- Laboratory of aptamers, Departamento de Bioquímica-Investigación, IRYCIS-Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - P A Sánchez-Murcia
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Alcalá, Facultad de Medicina, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
| | - E Rico
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
| | - F Gago
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Alcalá, Facultad de Medicina, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
| | - N Fasel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, 155 Chemin des Boveresses, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | - A Jiménez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28805, Spain
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Kasuba KC, Vavilala SL, D'Souza JS. Apoptosis-like cell death in unicellular photosynthetic organisms — A review. ALGAL RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2015.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Engelbrecht D, Coetzer TL. Sunlight inhibits growth and induces markers of programmed cell death in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Malar J 2015; 14:378. [PMID: 26419629 PMCID: PMC4588498 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0867-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the majority of global malaria deaths. During the pathogenic blood stages of infection, a rapid increase in parasitaemia threatens the survival of the host before transmission of slow-maturing sexual parasites to the mosquito vector to continue the life cycle. Programmed cell death (PCD) may provide the parasite with the means to control its burden on the host and thereby ensure its own survival. Various environmental stress factors encountered during malaria may induce PCD in P. falciparum. This study is the first to characterize parasite cell death in response to natural sunlight. Methods The 3D7 strain of P. falciparum was cultured in vitro in donor erythrocytes. Synchronized and mixed-stage parasitized cultures were exposed to sunlight for 1 h and compared to cultures maintained in the dark, 24 h later. Mixed-stage parasites were also subjected to a second one-hour exposure at 24 h and assessed at 48 h. Parasitaemia was measured daily by flow cytometry. Biochemical markers of cell death were assessed, including DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane polarization and phosphatidylserine externalization. Results Sunlight inhibited P. falciparum growth in vitro. Late-stage parasites were more severely affected than early stages. However, some late-stage parasites survived exposure to sunlight to form new rings 24 h later, as would be expected during PCD whereby only a portion of the population dies. DNA fragmentation was observed at 24 and 48 h and preceded mitochondrial hyperpolarization in mixed-stage parasites at 48 h. Mitochondrial hyperpolarization likely resulted from increased oxidative stress. Although data suggested increased phosphatidylserine externalization in mixed-stage parasites, results were not statistically significant. Conclusion The combination of biochemical markers and the survival of some parasites, despite exposure to a lethal stimulus, support the occurrence of PCD in P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewaldt Engelbrecht
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, Wits Medical School, Wits Research Institute for Malaria, University of the Witwatersrand, 7th floor, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.
| | - Thérèsa Louise Coetzer
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pathology, Wits Medical School, Wits Research Institute for Malaria, University of the Witwatersrand, 7th floor, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa. .,National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Abstract
Mechanisms of cell death in unicellular parasites have been subjects of debate for the last decade, with studies demonstrating evidence of apoptosis or non-apoptosis like mechanisms, including necrosis, and autophagy. Recent clarifications on the definition of regulated or accidental cell death by The Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death provides an opportunity to reanalyze some data, re-evaluate conclusions in the light of parasite diversity, and to propose alternative arguments in the context of malaria drug resistance, considering lack of really new drugs in the pipeline. Deciphering the mechanisms of death may help in detection of new drug targets and the design of innovative drugs. However, classifications have been evolving rapidly since initial description of "programmed cell death", leading to some uncertainty as to whether Plasmodium cell death is accidental or regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatimata Sow
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Malaria Research Unit, SMITh, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-UCBL1, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France
| | - Mary Nyonda
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Malaria Research Unit, SMITh, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-UCBL1, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France
| | - Anne-Lise Bienvenu
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Malaria Research Unit, SMITh, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-UCBL1, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France. ; Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut de Parasitologie et de Mycologie Médicale (IP2M), Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 103 grande rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69317 Lyon cedex 04, France
| | - Stephane Picot
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Malaria Research Unit, SMITh, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-UCBL1, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France. ; Hospices Civils de Lyon, Institut de Parasitologie et de Mycologie Médicale (IP2M), Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, 103 grande rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69317 Lyon cedex 04, France
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Oxidative stress damage in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is inhibited by Cyclosporin A. Parasitology 2015; 142:1024-32. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015000232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARYCyclosporin A (CsA) specifically inhibits the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Opening of the mPTP, which is triggered by high levels of matrix [Ca2+] and/or oxidative stress, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and thus to cell death by either apoptosis or necrosis. In the present study, we analysed the response of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote parasites to oxidative stress with 5 mm H2O2, by studying several features related to programmed cell death and the effects of pre-incubation with 1 μm of CsA. We evaluated TcPARP cleavage, DNA integrity, cytochrome c translocation, Annexin V/propidium iodide staining, reactive oxygen species production. CsA prevented parasite oxidative stress damage as it significantly inhibited DNA degradation, cytochrome c translocation to cytosol and TcPARP cleavage. The calcein-AM/CoCl2 assay, used as a selective indicator of mPTP opening in mammals, was also performed in T. cruzi parasites. H2O2 treatment decreased calcein fluorescence, but this decline was partially inhibited by pre-incubation with CsA. Our results encourage further studies to investigate if there is a mPTP-like pore and a mitochondrial cyclophilin involved in this protozoan parasite.
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de Souza NB, Carmo AML, da Silva AD, França TCC, Krettli AU. Antiplasmodial activity of chloroquine analogs against chloroquine-resistant parasites, docking studies and mechanisms of drug action. Malar J 2014; 13:469. [PMID: 25440372 PMCID: PMC4265395 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the threat of resistance of human malaria parasites, including to artemisinin derivatives, new agents are needed. Chloroquine (CQ) has been the most widely used anti-malarial, and new analogs (CQAns) presenting alkynes and side chain variations with high antiplasmodial activity were evaluated. METHODS Six diaminealkyne and diaminedialkyne CQAns were evaluated against CQ-resistant (CQ-R) (W2) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-S) (3D7) Plasmodium falciparum parasites in culture. Drug cytotoxicity to a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) evaluated, allowed to calculate the drug selectivity index (SI), a ratio of drug toxicity to activity in vitro. The CQAns were re-evaluated against CQ-resistant and -sensitive P. berghei parasites in mice using the suppressive test. Docking studies with the CQAns and the human (HssLDH) or plasmodial lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) enzymes, and, a β-haematin formation assay were performed using a lipid as a catalyst to promote crystallization in vitro. RESULTS All tested CQAns were highly active against CQ-R P. falciparum parasites, exhibiting half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values below 1 μΜ. CQAn33 and CQAn37 had the highest SIs. Docking studies revealed the best conformation of CQAn33 inside the binding pocket of PfLDH; specificity between the residues involved in H-bonds of the PfLDH with CQAn37. CQAn33 and CQAn37 were also shown to be weak inhibitors of PfLDH. CQAn33 and CQAn37 inhibited β-haematin formation with either a similar or a 2-fold higher IC(50) value, respectively, compared with CQ. CQAn37 was active in mice with P. berghei, reducing parasitaemia by 100%. CQAn33, -39 and -45 also inhibited CQ-resistant P. berghei parasites in mice, whereas high doses of CQ were inactive. CONCLUSIONS The presence of an alkyne group and the size of the side chain affected anti-P. falciparum activity in vitro. Docking studies suggested a mechanism of action other than PfLDH inhibition. The β-haematin assay suggested the presence of an additional mechanism of action of CQAn33 and CQAn37. Tests with CQAn34, CQAn37, CQAn39 and CQAn45 confirmed previous results against P. berghei malaria in mice, and CQAn33, 39 and 45 were active against CQ-resistant parasites, but CQAn28 and CQAn34 were not. The result likely reflects structure-activity relationships related to the resistant phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolli B de Souza
- />Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ Minas, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, 30190-002 MG Brazil
| | - Arturene ML Carmo
- />Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Juiz de Fora, 36036-900 MG Brazil
| | - Adilson D da Silva
- />Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Rua José Lourenço Kelmer s/n, Juiz de Fora, 36036-900 MG Brazil
| | - Tanos CC França
- />Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular Aplicada à Defesa Química e Biológica, Instituto Militar de Engenharia, Praça General Tibúrcio 80, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-270 RJ Brazil
| | - Antoniana U Krettli
- />Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ Minas, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, Belo Horizonte, 30190-002 MG Brazil
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Caspase-like proteins: Acanthamoeba castellanii metacaspase and Dictyostelium discoideum paracaspase, what are their functions? J Biosci 2014; 39:909-16. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-014-9486-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Antimalarial activity of granzyme B and its targeted delivery by a granzyme B-single-chain Fv fusion protein. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 59:669-72. [PMID: 25313223 DOI: 10.1128/aac.04190-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We present here the first evidence that granzyme B acts against Plasmodium falciparum (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 1,590 nM; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1,197 to 2,112 nM). We created a novel antimalarial fusion protein consisting of granzyme B fused to a merozoite surface protein 4 (MSP4)-specific single-chain Fv protein (scFv), which targets the enzyme to infected erythrocytes, with up to an 8-fold reduction in the IC50 (176 nM; 95% CI, 154 to 202 nM). This study confirms the therapeutic efficacies of recombinant antibody-mediated antimalarial immunotherapeutics based on granzyme B.
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Balaña-Fouce R, Alvarez-Velilla R, Fernández-Prada C, García-Estrada C, Reguera RM. Trypanosomatids topoisomerase re-visited. New structural findings and role in drug discovery. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2014; 4:326-37. [PMID: 25516844 PMCID: PMC4266802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need of new treatments against trypanosomatids-borne diseases. DNA topoisomerases are pointed as potential drug targets against unicellular parasites. Trypanosomatids have a full set of DNA topoisomerases in both nucleus and kinetoplast. TopII and TopIII are located in the kinetoplast and fully involved in kDNA replication. Tritryps TopIB differ in structure from mammalian’s pointing to an attractive target.
The Trypanosomatidae family, composed of unicellular parasites, causes severe vector-borne diseases that afflict human populations worldwide. Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, as well as different sorts of leishmaniases are amongst the most important infectious diseases produced by Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp., respectively. All these infections are closely related to weak health care services in low-income populations of less developed and least economically developed countries. Search for new therapeutic targets in order to hit these pathogens is of paramount priority, as no effective vaccine is currently in use against any of these parasites. Furthermore, present-day chemotherapy comprises old-fashioned drugs full of important side effects. Besides, they are prone to produce tolerance and resistance as a consequence of their continuous use for decades. DNA topoisomerases (Top) are ubiquitous enzymes responsible for solving the torsional tensions caused during replication and transcription processes, as well as in maintaining genomic stability during DNA recombination. As the inhibition of these enzymes produces cell arrest and triggers cell death, Top inhibitors are among the most effective and most widely used drugs in both cancer and antibacterial therapies. Top relaxation and decatenation activities, which are based on a common nicking–closing cycle involving one or both DNA strands, have been pointed as a promising drug target. Specific inhibitors that bind to the interface of DNA-Top complexes can stabilize Top-mediated transient DNA breaks. In addition, important structural differences have been found between Tops from the Trypanosomatidae family members and Tops from the host. Such dissimilarities make these proteins very interesting for drug design and molecular intervention. The present review is a critical update of the last findings regarding trypanosomatid’s Tops, their new structural features, their involvement both in the physiology and virulence of these parasites, as well as their use as promising targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Raquel Alvarez-Velilla
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | | | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
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Paulo A, Figueiras M, Machado M, Charneira C, Lavrado J, Santos SA, Lopes D, Gut J, Rosenthal PJ, Nogueira F, Moreira R. Bis-alkylamine Indolo[3,2-b]quinolines as Hemozoin Ligands: Implications for Antimalarial Cytostatic and Cytocidal Activities. J Med Chem 2014; 57:3295-313. [DOI: 10.1021/jm500075d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Paulo
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Figueiras
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Machado
- UEI
Malaria, Centro da Malária e Doenças Tropicais, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Charneira
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Lavrado
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sofia A. Santos
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Dinora Lopes
- UEI
Malaria, Centro da Malária e Doenças Tropicais, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jiri Gut
- Department
of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0811, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Philip J. Rosenthal
- Department
of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0811, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Fátima Nogueira
- UEI
Malaria, Centro da Malária e Doenças Tropicais, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui Moreira
- Instituto
de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade
de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
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Cheema HS, Prakash O, Pal A, Khan F, Bawankule DU, Darokar MP. Glabridin induces oxidative stress mediated apoptosis like cell death of malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Parasitol Int 2014; 63:349-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Ni Nyoman AD, Lüder CGK. Apoptosis-like cell death pathways in the unicellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii following treatment with apoptosis inducers and chemotherapeutic agents: a proof-of-concept study. Apoptosis 2013; 18:664-80. [PMID: 23468121 PMCID: PMC3634991 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-013-0832-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Ancient pathways of an apoptosis-like cell death have been identified in unicellular eukaryotes including protozoan parasites. Here, we examined programmed cell death in the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii which is a common intracellular pathogen of humans and warm-blooded animals. Treatment of extracellular T. gondii with various pro-apoptotic stimuli significantly induced DNA strand breaks as revealed by TUNEL and flow cytometry. Using staurosporine or miltefosine as pro-apoptotic stimuli, parasites also presented a reduced cell size, i.e. pyknosis and externalized phosphatidylserine while the plasma membrane remained intact. Importantly, staurosporine also induced DNA strand breaks in intracellular T. gondii. Data mining of the Toxoplasma genome resource identified 17 putative cell death-associated genes encoding proteases, a nuclease and several apoptosis regulators. Staurosporine-treated parasites but not controls strongly up-regulated several of these genes in a time-dependent fashion with a putative PDCD2 protein being more than 100-fold up-regulated. However, the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) remained intact and caspase-like activity increased only slightly during staurosporine-triggered cell death. As compared to staurosporine, the transcriptional response of parasites to miltefosine was more restricted but PDCD2 was again strongly induced. Furthermore, T. gondii lost their ΔΨm and rapidly presented strong caspase-like activity during miltefosine treatment. Consequently, protease inhibitors abrogated miltefosine-induced but not staurosporine-induced Toxoplasma cell death. Finally, toxoplasmacidal drugs triggered DNA strand breaks in extracellular T. gondii. Interestingly, clindamycin also induced markers of an apoptosis-like cell death in intracellular parasites. Together, the data indicate that T. gondii possesses ancient apoptosis-like cell death machinery which can be triggered by chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayu Dewi Ni Nyoman
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University, Kreuzbergring 57, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Udayana University, Sudirman Denpasar, 80232 Bali, Indonesia
| | - Carsten G. K. Lüder
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center, Georg-August-University, Kreuzbergring 57, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
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40
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Saheb E, Biton I, Maringer K, Bush J. A functional connection of Dictyostelium paracaspase with the contractile vacuole and a possible partner of the vacuolar proton ATPase. J Biosci 2013; 38:509-21. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-013-9338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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41
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Taylor-Brown E, Hurd H. The first suicides: a legacy inherited by parasitic protozoans from prokaryote ancestors. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:108. [PMID: 23597031 PMCID: PMC3640913 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is more than 25 years since the first report that a protozoan parasite could die by a process resulting in a morphological phenotype akin to apoptosis. Since then these phenotypes have been observed in many unicellular parasites, including trypanosomatids and apicomplexans, and experimental evidence concerning the molecular pathways that are involved is growing. These observations support the view that this form of programmed cell death is an ancient one that predates the evolution of multicellularity. Here we review various hypotheses that attempt to explain the origin of apoptosis, and look for support for these hypotheses amongst the parasitic protists as, with the exception of yeast, most of the work on death mechanisms in unicellular organisms has focussed on them. We examine the role that addiction modules may have played in the original eukaryote cell and the part played by mitochondria in the execution of present day cells, looking for examples from Leishmania spp. Trypanosoma spp. and Plasmodium spp. In addition, the expanding knowledge of proteases, nucleases and other molecules acting in protist execution pathways has enabled comparisons to be made with extant Archaea and bacteria and with biochemical pathways that evolved in metazoans. These comparisons lend support to the original sin hypothesis but also suggest that present-day death pathways may have had multifaceted beginnings.
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Cai H, Zhou Z, Gu J, Wang Y. Comparative Genomics and Systems Biology of Malaria Parasites Plasmodium.. Curr Bioinform 2012; 7. [PMID: 24298232 DOI: 10.2174/157489312803900965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a serious infectious disease that causes over one million deaths yearly. It is caused by a group of protozoan parasites in the genus Plasmodium. No effective vaccine is currently available and the elevated levels of resistance to drugs in use underscore the pressing need for novel antimalarial targets. In this review, we survey omics centered developments in Plasmodium biology, which have set the stage for a quantum leap in our understanding of the fundamental processes of the parasite life cycle and mechanisms of drug resistance and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Cai
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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Ch'ng JH, Yeo SP, Shyong-Wei Tan K. Can a single "powerless" mitochondrion in the malaria parasite contribute to parasite programmed cell death in the asexual stages? Mitochondrion 2012; 13:254-6. [PMID: 23123916 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2012.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 10/23/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan pathogens responsible for malaria are from the Plasmodium genus, with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax accounting for almost all clinical infections. With recent estimates of mortality exceeding 800,000 annually, malaria continues to take a terrible toll on lives and the early promises of medicine to eradicate the disease have yet to approach realization, in part due to the spread of drug resistant parasites. Recent reports of artemisinin-resistance have prompted renewed efforts to identify novel therapeutic options, and one such pathway being considered for antimalarial exploit is the parasite's programmed cell death (PCD) pathway. In this mini-review, we will discuss the roles of the plasmodium mitochondria in cell death and as a target of antimalarial compounds, taking into account recent data suggesting that PCD pathways involving the mitochondria may be attractive antimalarial targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Hong Ch'ng
- Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Matthews H, Ali M, Carter V, Underhill A, Hunt J, Szor H, Hurd H. Variation in apoptosis mechanisms employed by malaria parasites: the roles of inducers, dose dependence and parasite stages. Malar J 2012; 11:297. [PMID: 22929459 PMCID: PMC3489549 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2012] [Accepted: 08/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium berghei ookinetes exhibit an apoptotic phenotype when developing within the mosquito midgut lumen or when cultured in vitro. Markers of apoptosis increase when they are exposed to nitric oxide or reactive oxygen species but high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide cause death without observable signs of apoptosis. Chloroquine and other drugs have been used to induce apoptosis in erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum and to formulate a putative pathway involving cysteine protease activation and mitochondrial membrane permeabilization; initiated, at least in the case of chloroquine, after its accumulation in the digestive vacuole causes leakage of the vacuole contents. The lack of a digestive vacuole in ookinetes prompted the investigation of the effect of chloroquine and staurosporine on this stage of the life cycle. Finally, the suggestion that apoptosis may have evolved as a strategy employed by ookinetes to increase the fitness of surviving parasites was explored by determining whether increasing the ecological triggers parasite density and nutrient depletion induced apoptosis. Methods Ookinetes were grown in culture then either exposed to hydrogen peroxide, chloroquine or staurosporine, or incubated at different densities and in different media. The proportion of ookinetes displaying positive markers for apoptosis in treated samples was compared with controls and results were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by a Turkey’s test, or a Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate. Results Hydrogen peroxide below 50 μM triggered apoptosis but cell membranes were rapidly compromised by higher concentrations, and the mode of death could not be defined. Both chloroquine and staurosporine cause a significant increase in ookinetes with condensed chromatin, caspase-like activity and, in the case of chloroquine, phosphatidylserine translocation and DNA fragmentation (not investigated for staurosporine). However, mitochondrial membrane potential remained intact. No relationship between ookinete density and apoptosis was detected but nutrient depletion significantly increased the proportion of ookinetes with chromatin condensation in four hours. Conclusions It is proposed that both a mitochondrial and an amitochondrial apoptotic pathway may be involved, dependent upon the trigger that induces apoptosis, and that pathways may differ between erythrocytic stages and ookinetes, or between rodent and human malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Matthews
- Centre for Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
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Cai H, Kuang R, Gu J, Wang Y. Proteases in malaria parasites - a phylogenomic perspective. Curr Genomics 2012; 12:417-27. [PMID: 22379395 PMCID: PMC3178910 DOI: 10.2174/138920211797248565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Revised: 07/17/2011] [Accepted: 07/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria continues to be one of the most devastating global health problems due to the high morbidity and mortality it causes in endemic regions. The search for new antimalarial targets is of high priority because of the increasing prevalence of drug resistance in malaria parasites. Malarial proteases constitute a class of promising therapeutic targets as they play important roles in the parasite life cycle and it is possible to design and screen for specific protease inhibitors. In this mini-review, we provide a phylogenomic overview of malarial proteases. An evolutionary perspective on the origin and divergence of these proteases will provide insights into the adaptive mechanisms of parasite growth, development, infection, and pathogenesis.B
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Cai
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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Sinai AP, Roepe PD. Autophagy in Apicomplexa: a life sustaining death mechanism? Trends Parasitol 2012; 28:358-64. [PMID: 22819059 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2012.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Programmed cell death (PCD) pathways remain understudied in parasitic protozoa in spite of the fact that they provide potential targets for the development of new therapy. The best understood PCD pathway in higher eukaryotes is apoptosis although emerging evidence also points to autophagy as a mediator of death in certain physiological contexts. Bioinformatic analyses coupled with biochemical and cell biological studies suggest that parasitic protozoa possess the capacity for PCD including a primordial form of apoptosis. Recent work in Toxoplasma and emerging data from Plasmodium suggest that autophagy-related processes may serve as an additional death promoting pathway in Apicomplexa. Detailed mechanistic studies into the molecular basis for PCD in parasitic protozoa represent a fertile area for investigation and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony P Sinai
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40526, USA.
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Gannavaram S, Debrabant A. Programmed cell death in Leishmania: biochemical evidence and role in parasite infectivity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2012; 2:95. [PMID: 22919685 PMCID: PMC3417670 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Demonstration of features of a programmed cell death (PCD) pathway in protozoan parasites initiated a great deal of interest and debate in the field of molecular parasitology. Several of the markers typical of mammalian apoptosis have been shown in Leishmania which suggested the existence of an apoptosis like death in these organisms. However, studies to elucidate the downstream events associated with phosphotidyl serine exposure, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release, and caspase-like activities in cells undergoing such cell death remain an ongoing challenge. Recent advances in genome sequencing, chemical biology should help to solve some of these challenges. Leishmania genetic mutants that lack putative regulators/effectors of PCD pathway should not only help to demonstrate the mechanisms of PCD but also provide tools to better understand the putative role for this pathway in population control and in the establishment of a successful infection of the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration Bethesda, MD, USA
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48
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Ch'ng JH, Renia L, Nosten F, Tan KSW. Can we teach an old drug new tricks? Trends Parasitol 2012; 28:220-4. [PMID: 22445323 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2012.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2011] [Revised: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although resistance to chloroquine (CQ) has relegated it from modern chemotherapeutic strategies to treat Plasmodium falciparum malaria, new evidence suggests that higher doses of the drug may exert a different killing mechanism and offers this drug a new lease of life. Whereas the established antimalarial mechanisms of CQ are usually associated with nanomolar levels of the drug, micromolar levels of CQ trigger a distinct cell death pathway involving the permeabilization of the digestive vacuole of the parasite and a release of hydrolytic enzymes. In this paper, we propose that this pathway is a promising antimalarial strategy and suggest that revising the CQ treatment regimen may elevate blood drug levels to trigger this pathway without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Hong Ch'ng
- Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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49
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On Programmed Cell Death in Plasmodium falciparum: Status Quo. J Trop Med 2012; 2012:646534. [PMID: 22287973 PMCID: PMC3263642 DOI: 10.1155/2012/646534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2010] [Accepted: 09/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflicting arguments and results exist regarding the occurrence and phenotype of programmed cell death (PCD) in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Inconsistencies relate mainly to the number and type of PCD markers assessed and the different methodologies used in the studies. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge and empirical evidence for PCD in the intraerythrocytic stages of P. falciparum. We consider possible reasons for discrepancies in the data and offer suggestions towards more standardised investigation methods in this field. Furthermore, we present genomic evidence for PCD machinery in P. falciparum. We discuss the potential adaptive or nonadaptive role of PCD in the parasite life cycle and its possible exploitation in the development of novel drug targets. Lastly, we pose pertinent unanswered questions concerning the PCD phenomenon in P. falciparum to provide future direction.
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50
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Reece SE, Pollitt LC, Colegrave N, Gardner A. The meaning of death: evolution and ecology of apoptosis in protozoan parasites. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002320. [PMID: 22174671 PMCID: PMC3234211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery that an apoptosis-like, programmed cell death (PCD) occurs in a broad range of protozoan parasites offers novel therapeutic tools to treat some of the most serious infectious diseases of humans, companion animals, wildlife, and livestock. Whilst apoptosis is an essential part of normal development, maintenance, and defence in multicellular organisms, its occurrence in unicellular parasites appears counter-intuitive and has proved highly controversial: according to the Darwinian notion of “survival of the fittest”, parasites are expected to evolve strategies to maximise their proliferation, not death. The prevailing, and untested, opinion in the literature is that parasites employ apoptosis to “altruistically” self-regulate the intensity of infection in the host/vector. However, evolutionary theory tells us that at most, this can only be part of the explanation, and other non-mutually exclusive hypotheses must also be tested. Here, we explain the evolutionary concepts that can explain apoptosis in unicellular parasites, highlight the key questions, and outline the approaches required to resolve the controversy over whether parasites “commit suicide”. We highlight the need for integration of proximate and functional approaches into an evolutionary framework to understand apoptosis in unicellular parasites. Understanding how, when, and why parasites employ apoptosis is central to targeting this process with interventions that are sustainable in the face of parasite evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Reece
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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