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Xu M, Liu P, Huang Q, Xu S, Dumont HJ, Han BP. High-quality genome of Diaphanosoma dubium provides insights into molecular basis of its broad ecological adaptation. iScience 2023; 26:106006. [PMID: 36798432 PMCID: PMC9926121 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Diaphanosoma dubium Manuilova, 1964, is a widespread planktonic water flea in Asian freshwater. Although sharing similar ecological roles with species of Daphnia, studies on D. dubium and its congeners are still few and lacking a genome for the further studies. Here, we assembled a high quality and chromosome level genome of D. dubium by combining long reads sequencing and Hi-C technologies. The total length of assembled genome was 101.8 Mb, with 98.92 Mb (97.2%) anchored into 22 chromosomes. Through comparative genomic analysis, we found the genes, involved in anti-ROS, detoxification, protein digestion, germ cells regulation and protection, underwent expansion in D. dubium. These genes and their expansion helpfully explain its widespread geographical distribution and dominance in eutrophic waters. This study provides insight into the adaptive evolution of D. dubium at genomic perspectives, and the present high quality genomic resource will be a footstone for future omics studies of the species and its congeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China,College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
| | - Qi Huang
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shaolin Xu
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Henri J. Dumont
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China,Ghent University, Department of Biology, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bo-Ping Han
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China,Corresponding author
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2
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Safety and immunogenicity of the Na-APR-1 hookworm vaccine in infection-naïve adults. Vaccine 2022; 40:6084-6092. [PMID: 36114129 PMCID: PMC9549940 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background The Necator americanus hemoglobinase, aspartic protease-1 (Na-APR-1), facilitates the ability of adult hookworms to parasitize the intestine of their human hosts. A recombinant version of APR-1 protected laboratory animals against hookworm infection by inducing neutralizing antibodies that block the protein’s enzymatic activity and thereby impair blood feeding. A catalytically inactive version of the wild-type hemoglobinase (Na-APR-1(M74)) was expressed by infiltrating Nicotiana benthamiana tobacco plants with an Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain engineered to express the vaccine antigen, which was adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant (Alhydrogel). Methods An open-label dose-escalation Phase 1 clinical trial was conducted in 40 healthy, hookworm-naïve adult volunteers in the United States. Participants received 30 or 100 µg of recombinant Na-APR-1(M74) with Alhydrogel or with Alhydrogel co-administered with one of two doses (2.5 or 5.0 µg) of an aqueous formulation of Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (GLA-AF). Intramuscular injections of study vaccine were administered on days 0, 56, and 112. Results Na-APR-1(M74)/Alhydrogel was well-tolerated; the most frequent adverse events were mild or moderate injection site tenderness and pain, and mild or moderate nausea and headache. No serious adverse events or adverse events of special interest related to vaccination were observed. Significantly higher levels of antigen-specific IgG antibodies were induced in those who received 100 µg Na-APR-1(M74) than those who received 30 µg of antigen. Adding GLA-AF to Na-APR-1(M74)/Alhydrogel resulted in higher levels of IgG against Na-APR-1(M74) in both the 30 and 100 µg Na-APR-1(M74) groups in comparison to the non-GLA formulations at the same antigen dose. Conclusions Vaccination of hookworm-naïve adults with recombinant Na-APR-1(M74) was well-tolerated, safe, and induced significant IgG responses against the vaccine antigen Na-APR-1(M74). Given these favorable results, clinical trials of this product were initiated in hookworm-endemic areas of Gabon and Brazil.
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Trotter B, Wilde MV, Brehm J, Dafni E, Aliu A, Arnold GJ, Fröhlich T, Laforsch C. Long-term exposure of Daphnia magna to polystyrene microplastic (PS-MP) leads to alterations of the proteome, morphology and life-history. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148822. [PMID: 34328913 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the past years, the research focus on the effects of MP on aquatic organisms extended from marine systems towards freshwater systems. An important freshwater model organism in the MP field is the cladoceran Daphnia, which plays a central role in lacustrine ecosystems and has been established as a test organism in ecotoxicology. To investigate the effects of MP on Daphnia magna, we performed a chronic exposure experiment with polystyrene MP under strictly standardized conditions. Chronic exposure of D. magna to PS microparticles led to a significant reduction in body length and number of offspring. To shed light on underlying molecular mechanisms induced by microplastic ingestion in D. magna, we assessed the effects of PS-MP at the proteomic level, as proteins, e.g., enzymes, are especially relevant for an organism's physiology. Using a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry based approach, we were able to identify 28,696 different peptides, which could be assigned to 3784 different proteins. Using a customized bioinformatic workflow, we identified 41 proteins significantly altered in abundance (q-value <0.05) in the PS exposed D. magna. Among the proteins increased in the PS treated group were several sulfotransferases, involved in basic biochemical pathways, as well as GABA transaminase catalyzing the degradation of the neurotransmitter GABA. In the abundance decreased group, we found essential proteins such as the DNA-directed RNA polymerase subunit and other proteins connected to biotic and inorganic stress and reproduction. Strikingly, we further identified several digestive enzymes that are significantly downregulated in the PS treated animals, which could have interfered with the affected animal's nutrient supply. This may explain the altered morphological and life history traits of the PS exposed daphnids. Our results indicate that long-term exposure to PS microplastics, which are frequently detected in environmental samples, may affect the fitness of daphnids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Trotter
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Ecology 1, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; Gene Center Munich, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Magdalena V Wilde
- Gene Center Munich, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
| | - Julian Brehm
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Ecology 1, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Evdokia Dafni
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Ecology 1, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Arlinda Aliu
- Gene Center Munich, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
| | - Georg J Arnold
- Gene Center Munich, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
| | - Thomas Fröhlich
- Gene Center Munich, Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
| | - Christian Laforsch
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Ecology 1, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
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He L, Abuzeid AMI, Zhuang T, Zhao Q, Zhu S, Chen X, Liu J, Li X, Li G. Expression and biological functions of Ancylostoma ceylanicum saposin-like protein. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3805-3813. [PMID: 34546437 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07313-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Ancylostoma ceylanicum is a common zoonotic nematode that inhabits the small intestine of humans, dogs, and cats. Saposin-like proteins (SLPs) have hemolytic and antibacterial activities and could be used as diagnostic or vaccine candidates. To explore the biological functions of Ancylostoma ceylanicum SLP (Ace-SLP-1), cDNA-encoding Ace-SLP-1 mature peptide was cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) to induce expression. After incubation of canine red blood cell suspension with different concentrations of recombinant Ace-SLP-1, the supernatant was separated to measure OD value and calculate the hemolysis rate. The different concentrations of recombinant protein were co-cultured with E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis, and colony-forming units (CFU) were determined by the plate counting method. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy dogs were incubated with different concentrations of recombinant Ace-SLP-1, and the cytokine expression was evaluated by relative quantitative PCR. Our results showed that the hemolytic activity of Ace-SLP-1 increased with the increase in protein concentration from 25 to 100 μg/mL. The recombinant protein had no antibacterial activity against the two kinds of bacteria but could stimulate the secretion of cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-13) in canine PBMCs. These data suggest that Ace-SLP-1 is involved in hookworm blood-feeding and survival and has good immunogenicity, supporting its potential as a diagnostic and vaccine target molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Asmaa M I Abuzeid
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Tingting Zhuang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Shilan Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Jumei Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Xiu Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510542, China.
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Caña-Bozada V, Chapa-López M, Díaz-Martín RD, García-Gasca A, Huerta-Ocampo JÁ, de Anda-Jáuregui G, Morales-Serna FN. In silico identification of excretory/secretory proteins and drug targets in monogenean parasites. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 93:104931. [PMID: 34023509 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The Excretory/Secretory (ES) proteins of parasites are involved in invasion and colonization of their hosts. In addition, since ES proteins circulate in the extracellular space, they can be more accessible to drugs than other proteins, which makes ES proteins optimal targets for the development of new and better pharmacological strategies. Monogeneans are a group of parasitic Platyhelminthes that includes some pathogenic species problematic for finfish aquaculture. In the present study, 8297 putative ES proteins from four monogenean species which genomic resources are publicly available were identified and functionally annotated by bioinformatic tools. Additionally, for comparative purposes, ES proteins in other parasitic and free-living platyhelminths were identified. Based on data from the monogenean Gyrodactylus salaris, 15 ES proteins are considered potential drug targets. One of them showed homology to 10 cathepsins with known 3D structure. A docking molecular analysis uncovered that the anthelmintic emodepside shows good affinity to these cathepsins suggesting that emodepside can be experimentally tested as a monogenean's cathepsin inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Caña-Bozada
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Martha Chapa-López
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Rubén D Díaz-Martín
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | | | - José Ángel Huerta-Ocampo
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Guillermo de Anda-Jáuregui
- Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - F Neptalí Morales-Serna
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Mazatlán 82112, Sinaloa, Mexico; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT), Ciudad de México, Mexico; Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán 82040, Sinaloa, Mexico.
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Rosa BA, Choi YJ, McNulty SN, Jung H, Martin J, Agatsuma T, Sugiyama H, Le TH, Doanh PN, Maleewong W, Blair D, Brindley PJ, Fischer PU, Mitreva M. Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of 4 Paragonimus species provide insights into lung fluke parasitism and pathogenesis. Gigascience 2020; 9:giaa073. [PMID: 32687148 PMCID: PMC7370270 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giaa073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Paragonimus spp. (lung flukes) are among the most injurious foodborne helminths, infecting ∼23 million people and subjecting ∼292 million to infection risk. Paragonimiasis is acquired from infected undercooked crustaceans and primarily affects the lungs but often causes lesions elsewhere including the brain. The disease is easily mistaken for tuberculosis owing to similar pulmonary symptoms, and accordingly, diagnostics are in demand. RESULTS We assembled, annotated, and compared draft genomes of 4 prevalent and distinct Paragonimus species: Paragonimus miyazakii, Paragonimus westermani, Paragonimus kellicotti, and Paragonimus heterotremus. Genomes ranged from 697 to 923 Mb, included 12,072-12,853 genes, and were 71.6-90.1% complete according to BUSCO. Orthologous group analysis spanning 21 species (lung, liver, and blood flukes, additional platyhelminths, and hosts) provided insights into lung fluke biology. We identified 256 lung fluke-specific and conserved orthologous groups with consistent transcriptional adult-stage Paragonimus expression profiles and enriched for iron acquisition, immune modulation, and other parasite functions. Previously identified Paragonimus diagnostic antigens were matched to genes, providing an opportunity to optimize and ensure pan-Paragonimus reactivity for diagnostic assays. CONCLUSIONS This report provides advances in molecular understanding of Paragonimus and underpins future studies into the biology, evolution, and pathogenesis of Paragonimus and related foodborne flukes. We anticipate that these novel genomic and transcriptomic resources will be invaluable for future lung fluke research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce A Rosa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Young-Jun Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Samantha N McNulty
- The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Hyeim Jung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - John Martin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Takeshi Agatsuma
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho 185-1, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
| | - Hiromu Sugiyama
- Laboratory of Helminthology, Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Thanh Hoa Le
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biotechnology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cay Giay, Ha Noi 10307, Vietnam
| | - Pham Ngoc Doanh
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cay Giay, Ha Noi 10307, Vietnam
- Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cay Giay, Ha Noi 10307, Vietnam
| | - Wanchai Maleewong
- Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Khon Kaen University, 123 Moo 16 Mittraphap Rd., Nai-Muang, Muang District, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, 123 Moo 16 Mittraphap Rd., Nai-Muang, Muang District, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - David Blair
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, and Pathology School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Ross Hall 2300 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Peter U Fischer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
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7
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Logan J, Pearson MS, Manda SS, Choi YJ, Field M, Eichenberger RM, Mulvenna J, Nagaraj SH, Fujiwara RT, Gazzinelli-Guimaraes P, Bueno L, Mati V, Bethony JM, Mitreva M, Sotillo J, Loukas A. Comprehensive analysis of the secreted proteome of adult Necator americanus hookworms. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008237. [PMID: 32453752 PMCID: PMC7274458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The human hookworm Necator americanus infects more than 400 million people worldwide, contributing substantially to the poverty in these regions. Adult stage N. americanus live in the small intestine of the human host where they inject excretory/secretory (ES) products into the mucosa. ES products have been characterized at the proteome level for a number of animal hookworm species, but until now, the difficulty in obtaining sufficient live N. americanus has been an obstacle in characterizing the secretome of this important human pathogen. Herein we describe the ES proteome of N. americanus and utilize this information along with RNA Seq data to conduct the first proteogenomic analysis of a parasitic helminth, significantly improving the available genome and thereby generating a robust description of the parasite secretome. The genome annotation resulted in a revised prediction of 3,425 fewer genes than initially reported, accompanied by a significant increase in the number of exons and introns, total gene length and the percentage of the genome covered by genes. Almost 200 ES proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS with SCP/TAPS proteins, ‘hypothetical’ proteins and proteases among the most abundant families. These proteins were compared to commonly used model species of human parasitic infections, including Ancylostoma caninum, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Heligmosomoides polygyrus. SCP/TAPS proteins are immunogenic in nematode infections, so we expressed four of those identified in this study in recombinant form and showed that they are all recognized to varying degrees by serum antibodies from hookworm-infected subjects from a disease-endemic area of Brazil. Our findings provide valuable information on important families of proteins with both known and unknown functions that could be instrumental in host-parasite interactions, including protein families that might be key for parasite survival in the onslaught of robust immune responses, as well as vaccine and diagnostic targets. Hookworms infect hundreds of millions of people in tropical regions of the world. Adult worms reside in the small bowel where they feed on blood, causing iron-deficiency anemia when present in large numbers and contributing substantially to the poverty in these regions. Hookworms inject excretory/secretory (ES) products into the gut tissue when they feed, and while the protein constituents of ES products have been characterized for a number of animal hookworm species, difficulty in obtaining sufficient live human hookworms has thus far precluded characterization of the secreted proteome. Herein we describe the ES proteins of the major human hookworm, Necator americanus, and utilize this information to significantly improve the available genome sequence. Almost 200 ES proteins were identified and compared to the secreted proteomes of other parasitic roundworms to provide a molecular snapshot of the host-parasite interface. We produced recombinant forms of some of the identified proteins and showed that they are all recognized to varying degrees by antibodies from hookworm-infected subjects. Our work sheds light on important families of proteins that might be key for parasite survival in the human host, and presents a dataset that can now be mined in the search for vaccine, drug and diagnostic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayden Logan
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark S. Pearson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Srikanth S. Manda
- Cancer Data Science Group, ProCan, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- LifeBytes India Pvt Ltd, Whitefield, Bangalore, India
| | - Young-Jun Choi
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Matthew Field
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Ramon M. Eichenberger
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Jason Mulvenna
- QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shivashankar H. Nagaraj
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ricardo T. Fujiwara
- Department of Parasitology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Pedro Gazzinelli-Guimaraes
- Department of Parasitology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lilian Bueno
- Department of Parasitology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vitor Mati
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Brazil
| | - Jeffrey M. Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Javier Sotillo
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (JS); (AL)
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- * E-mail: (JS); (AL)
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8
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Abuzeid AMI, Zhou X, Huang Y, Li G. Twenty-five-year research progress in hookworm excretory/secretory products. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:136. [PMID: 32171305 PMCID: PMC7071665 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04010-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hookworm infection is a major public health problem that threatens about 500 million people throughout tropical areas of the world. Adult hookworms survive for many years in the host intestine, where they suck blood, causing iron deficiency anemia and malnutrition. Numerous molecules, named excretory/secretory (ES) products, are secreted by hookworm adults and/or larvae to aid in parasite survival and pathobiology. Although the molecular cloning and characterization of hookworm ES products began 25 years ago, the biological role and molecular nature of many of them are still unclear. Hookworm ES products, with distinct structures and functions, have been linked to many essential events in the disease pathogenesis. These events include host invasion and tissue migration, parasite nourishment and reproduction, and immune modulation. Several of these products represent promising vaccine targets for controlling hookworm disease and therapeutic targets for many inflammatory diseases. This review aims to summarize our present knowledge about hookworm ES products, including their role in parasite biology, host-parasite interactions, and as vaccine and pharmaceutical targets and to identify research gaps and future research directions in this field.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa M I Abuzeid
- Guangdong Provincial Zoonosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xue Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Zoonosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Zoonosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Zoonosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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9
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Schistosomiasis and hookworm infection in humans: Disease burden, pathobiology and anthelmintic vaccines. Parasitol Int 2020; 75:102051. [PMID: 31911156 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Helminth diseases are the ancient scourges of humans and their damages are 'silent and insidious'. Of the helminth infections, schistosomiasis and hookworm infection have a great impact. This review covers information regarding vaccine candidates against schistosomiasis and hookworms that reached at least up to the phase-1 trial and literatures regarding other vaccine candidates have been excluded. For clinical manifestations, all available literatures were included, and for epidemiology and global burden of the diseases (GBD), literatures only within 2000-2019 were included. Literatures were searched surfing various databases including PubMED, Google Scholar, and Science Direct and overall over 150 literatures were identified. Globally ~250 million people are suffering from schistosomiasis, resulting 1430 thousand DALY (disability adjusted life year) per year. On the other hand, about 1.3 billion people are infected with hookworm (HW), and according to WHO, ~878 million school-age children (SAC) are at risk. HW is estimated to cause 65,000 deaths annually, accounts for 845 thousand DALYs as well as to cause 6-35.3% loss in productivity. Despite tremendous efforts, very few anthelmintic vaccine candidates such as Na-GST-1, Na-APR-1 and Na-ASP-2 against HW, and Sm28GST/Sh28GST, Sm-p80, Sm14 and Sm-TSP-1/SmTSP-2 against schistosomiasis reached up to the clinical trials. More efforts are needed to achieve the WHO targets taken against the maladies.
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Bartlett S, Eichenberger RM, Nevagi RJ, Ghaffar KA, Marasini N, Dai Y, Loukas A, Toth I, Skwarczynski M. Lipopeptide-Based Oral Vaccine Against Hookworm Infection. J Infect Dis 2019; 221:934-942. [DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The human hookworm, Necator americanus, is a parasite that infects almost half a billion people worldwide. Although treatment is available, vaccination is favorable to combat the spread of this parasite due to its wide distribution and continuous reinfection cycle in endemic communities.
Methods
We have designed a lipopeptide oral delivery system using a B-cell epitope derived from the aspartic protease Na-APR-1 from N americanus, attached to a T-helper epitope. Lipopeptides were self-assembled into nanoparticles or entrapped in liposomes that were electrostatically coated with alginate and trimethyl chitosan polymer shields. The adjuvant-free vaccine candidates were orally administered to mice and generated a humoral immune response against both peptide antigen, and the parent protein in the hookworm gut.
Results
The vaccine candidates were evaluated in a rodent hookworm challenge model, resulting in up to 98% and 99% decreases in mean intestinal worm and egg burdens in immunized mice, respectively.
Conclusions
Lipopeptide survived the gastrointestinal conditions, induced humoral immune responses and drived protection against parasite challenge infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey Bartlett
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Ramon M Eichenberger
- James Cook University, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Cairns, Australia
| | - Reshma J Nevagi
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
| | | | - Nirmal Marasini
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Yang Dai
- James Cook University, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Cairns, Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- James Cook University, Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Cairns, Australia
| | - Istvan Toth
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
- The University of Queensland, School of Pharmacy, Woolloongabba, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Australia
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Noon JB, Schwarz EM, Ostroff GR, Aroian RV. A highly expressed intestinal cysteine protease of Ancylostoma ceylanicum protects vaccinated hamsters from hookworm infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007345. [PMID: 31009474 PMCID: PMC6497320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human hookworms (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale, and Ancylostoma ceylanicum) are intestinal blood-feeding parasites that infect ~500 million people worldwide and are among the leading causes of iron-deficiency anemia in the developing world. Drugs are useful against hookworm infections, but hookworms rapidly reinfect people, and the parasites can develop drug resistance. Therefore, having a hookworm vaccine would be of tremendous benefit. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We investigated the vaccine efficacy in outbred Syrian hamsters of three A. ceylanicum hookworm antigen candidates from two classes of proteins previously identified as promising vaccine candidates. These include two intestinally-enriched, putatively secreted cathepsin B cysteine proteases (AceyCP1, AceyCPL) and one small Kunitz-type protease inhibitor (AceySKPI3). Recombinant proteins were produced in Pichia pastoris, and adsorbed to Alhydrogel. Recombinant AceyCPL (rAceyCPL)/Alhydrogel and rAceySKPI3/Alhydrogel induced high serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers in 8/8 vaccinates, but were not protective. rAceyCP1/Alhydrogel induced intermediate serum IgG titers in ~60% of vaccinates in two different trials. rAceyCP1 serum IgG responders had highly significantly decreased hookworm burdens, fecal egg counts and clinical pathology compared to Alhydrogel controls and nonresponders. Protection was highly correlated with rAceyCP1 serum IgG titer. Antisera from rAceyCP1 serum IgG responders, but not nonresponders or rAceyCPL/Alhydrogel vaccinates, significantly reduced adult A. ceylanicum motility in vitro. Furthermore, rAceyCP1 serum IgG responders had canonical Th2-specific recall responses (IL4, IL5, IL13) in splenocytes stimulated ex vivo. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These findings indicate that rAceyCP1 is a promising vaccine candidate and validates a genomic/transcriptomic approach to human hookworm vaccine discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B. Noon
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erich M. Schwarz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Gary R. Ostroff
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Raffi V. Aroian
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
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12
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Chauhan VM, Pritchard DI. Haematophagic Caenorhabditis elegans. Parasitology 2019; 146:314-320. [PMID: 30355366 PMCID: PMC6485396 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018001518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans is a free-living nematode that resides in soil and typically feeds on bacteria. We postulate that haematophagic C. elegans could provide a model to evaluate vaccine responses to intestinal proteins from hematophagous nematode parasites, such as Necator americanus. Human erythrocytes, fluorescently labelled with tetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester, demonstrated a stable bright emission and facilitated visualization of feeding events with fluorescent microscopy. C. elegans were observed feeding on erythrocytes and were shown to rupture red blood cells upon capture to release and ingest their contents. In addition, C. elegans survived equally on a diet of erythrocytes. There was no statistically significant difference in survival when compared with a diet of Escherichia coli OP50. The enzymes responsible for the digestion and detoxification of haem and haemoglobin, which are key components of the hookworm vaccine, were found in the C. elegans intestine. These findings support our postulate that free-living nematodes could provide a model for the assessment of neutralizing antibodies to current and future hematophagous parasite vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veeren M Chauhan
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Boots Sciences Building, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - David I Pritchard
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Boots Sciences Building, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
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13
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Rebello KM, McKerrow JH, Mota EM, O´Donoghue AJ, Neves-Ferreira AGC. Activity profiling of peptidases in Angiostrongylus costaricensis first-stage larvae and adult worms. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006923. [PMID: 30379807 PMCID: PMC6231675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a relatively uncharacterized nematode that causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Latin America, a human parasitic disease. Currently, no effective pharmacological treatment for angiostrongyliasis exists. Peptidases are known to be druggable targets for a variety of diseases and are essential for several biological processes in parasites. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically characterize the peptidase activity of A. costaricensis in different developmental stages of this parasitic nematode. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A library of diverse tetradecapeptides was incubated with cellular lysates from adult worms and from first-stage larvae (L1) and cleaved peptide products were identified by mass spectrometry. Lysates were also treated with class specific peptidase inhibitors to determine which enzyme class was responsible for the proteolytic activity. Peptidase activity from the four major mechanistic classes (aspartic, metallo, serine and cysteine) were detected in adult worm lysate, whereas aspartic, metallo and serine-peptidases were found in the larval lysates. In addition, the substrate specificity profile was found to vary at different pH values. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The proteolytic activities in adult worm and L1 lysates were characterized using a highly diversified library of peptide substrates and the activity was validated using a selection of fluorescent substrates. Taken together, peptidase signatures for different developmental stages of this parasite has improved our understanding of the disease pathogenesis and may be useful as potential drug targets or vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina M. Rebello
- Laboratory of Toxinology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ester M. Mota
- Laboratory of Pathology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anthony J. O´Donoghue
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Ebner F, Kuhring M, Radonić A, Midha A, Renard BY, Hartmann S. Silent Witness: Dual-Species Transcriptomics Reveals Epithelial Immunological Quiescence to Helminth Larval Encounter and Fostered Larval Development. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1868. [PMID: 30158930 PMCID: PMC6104121 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal nematodes are among the most prevalent parasites infecting humans and livestock worldwide. Infective larvae of the soil-transmitted nematode Ascaris spp. enter the host and start tissue migration by crossing the intestinal epithelial barrier. The initial interaction of the intestinal epithelium with the parasite, however, has received little attention. In a time-resolved interaction model of porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) and infective Ascaris suum larvae, we addressed the early transcriptional changes occurring simultaneously in both organisms using dual-species RNA-Seq. Functional analysis of the host response revealed an overall induction of metabolic activity, without induction of immune responsive genes or immune signaling pathways and showing suppression of chemotactic genes like CXCL8/IL-8 or CHI3L1. Ascaris larvae, when getting in contact with the epithelium, showed induction of genes that orchestrate motor activity and larval development, such as myosin, troponin, myoglobin, and protein disulfide isomerase 2 (PDI-2). In addition, excretory-secretory products that likely facilitate parasite invasion were increased, among them, aspartic protease 6 or hyaluronidase. Integration of host and pathogen data in an interspecies gene co-expression network indicated links between nematode fatty acid biosynthesis and host ribosome assembly/protein synthesis. In summary, our study provides new molecular insights into the early factors of parasite invasion, while at the same time revealing host immunological unresponsiveness. Reproducible software for dual RNA-Seq analysis of non-model organisms is available at https://gitlab.com/mkuhring/project_asuum and can be applied to similar studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Ebner
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mathias Kuhring
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.,Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health Metabolomics Platform, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.,Max Delbrück Center (MDC) for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aleksandar Radonić
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens: Highly Pathogenic Viruses (ZBS 1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ankur Midha
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Y Renard
- Bioinformatics Unit (MF1), Department for Methods Development and Research Infrastructure, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Hartmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Immunology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Li P, Rios Coronado PE, Longstaff XRR, Tarashansky AJ, Wang B. Nanomedicine Approaches Against Parasitic Worm Infections. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1701494. [PMID: 29602254 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201701494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Nanomedicine approaches have the potential to transform the battle against parasitic worm (helminth) infections, a major global health scourge from which billions are currently suffering. It is anticipated that the intersection of two currently disparate fields, nanomedicine and helminth biology, will constitute a new frontier in science and technology. This progress report surveys current innovations in these research fields and discusses research opportunities. In particular, the focus is on: (1) major challenges that helminth infections impose on mankind; (2) key aspects of helminth biology that inform future research directions; (3) efforts to construct nanodelivery platforms to target drugs and genes to helminths hidden in their hosts; (4) attempts in applying nanotechnology to enable vaccination against helminth infections; (5) outlooks in utilizing nanoparticles to enhance immunomodulatory activities of worm-derived factors to cure allergy and autoimmune diseases. In each section, achievements are summarized, limitations are explored, and future directions are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyang Li
- Department of Bioengineering; Stanford University; Stanford CA 94305 USA
| | | | | | | | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering; Stanford University; Stanford CA 94305 USA
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Mancilla-Olea MI, Ortega-López J, Figueroa-Angulo EE, Avila-González L, Cárdenas-Guerra RE, Miranda-Ozuna JF, González-Robles A, Hernández-García MS, Sánchez-Ayala L, Arroyo R. Trichomonas vaginalis cathepsin D-like aspartic proteinase (Tv-CatD) is positively regulated by glucose and degrades human hemoglobin. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 97:1-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Suttiprapa S, Sotillo J, Smout M, Suyapoh W, Chaiyadet S, Tripathi T, Laha T, Loukas A. Opisthorchis viverrini Proteome and Host-Parasite Interactions. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2018; 102:45-72. [PMID: 30442310 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The omics technologies have improved our understanding of the molecular events that underpin host-parasite interactions and the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases. In the last decade, proteomics and genomics in particular have been used to characterize the surface and secreted products of the carcinogenic liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini and revealed important roles for proteins at the host-parasite interface to ensure that the flukes can migrate, feed and reproduce in a hostile environment. This review summarizes the advances made in this area, primarily focusing on discoveries enabled by the publication of the fluke secreted proteomes over the last decade. Protein families that will be covered include proteases, antioxidants, oncogenic proteins and the secretion of exosome-like extracellular vesicles. Roles of these proteins in host-parasite interactions and pathogenesis of fluke-induced hepatobiliary diseases, including cholangiocarcinogenesis, are discussed. Future directions for the application of this knowledge to control infection and disease will also be discussed.
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Diemert DJ, Freire J, Valente V, Fraga CG, Talles F, Grahek S, Campbell D, Jariwala A, Periago MV, Enk M, Gazzinelli MF, Bottazzi ME, Hamilton R, Brelsford J, Yakovleva A, Li G, Peng J, Correa-Oliveira R, Hotez P, Bethony J. Safety and immunogenicity of the Na-GST-1 hookworm vaccine in Brazilian and American adults. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005574. [PMID: 28464026 PMCID: PMC5441635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Necator americanus Glutathione-S-Transferase-1 (Na-GST-1) plays a role in the digestion of host hemoglobin by adult N. americanus hookworms. Vaccination of laboratory animals with recombinant Na-GST-1 is associated with significant protection from challenge infection. Recombinant Na-GST-1 was expressed in Pichia pastoris and adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide adjuvant (Alhydrogel) according to current Good Manufacturing Practice. Two Phase 1 trials were conducted in 142 healthy adult volunteers in the United States and Brazil, first in hookworm-naïve individuals and then in residents of a N. americanus endemic area in Brazil. Volunteers received one of three doses of recombinant Na-GST-1 (10, 30, or 100 μg) adjuvanted with Alhydrogel, adjuvanted with Alhydrogel and co-administered with an aqueous formulation of Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (GLA-AF), or the hepatitis B vaccine. Vaccinations were administered via intramuscular injection on days 0, 56, and 112. Na-GST-1/Alhydrogel was well tolerated in both hookworm-naïve and hookworm-exposed adults, with the most common adverse events being mild to moderate injection site pain and tenderness, and mild headache and nausea; no vaccine-related severe or serious adverse events were observed. Antigen-specific IgG antibodies were induced in a dose-dependent fashion, with increasing levels observed after each vaccination in both trials. The addition of GLA-AF to Na-GST-1/Alhydrogel did not result in significant increases in specific IgG responses. In both the US and Brazil studies, the predominant IgG subclass induced against Na-GST-1 was IgG1, with lesser amounts of IgG3. Vaccination of both hookworm-naïve and hookworm-exposed adults with recombinant Na-GST-1 was safe, well tolerated, and resulted in significant antigen-specific IgG responses. Based on these results, this vaccine will be advanced into clinical trials in children and eventual efficacy studies. Hookworm infection caused by Necator americanus is a major neglected tropical disease with significant associated morbidity. New tools, such as vaccines, are needed due to the inadequacy of current control strategies. Glutathione-S-Transferase-1 of N. americanus (Na-GST-1) is one of the lead hookworm vaccine candidates; antibodies induced by this vaccine are postulated to interfere with the digestion of host hemoglobin by adult N. americanus hookworms, thereby impairing their development and survival. We conducted two Phase 1 trials of recombinant Na-GST-1 adjuvanted with Alhydrogel in 142 healthy adults living in the United States and Brazil. Each participant received three vaccinations every 2 months by intramuscular injection of the vaccine administered with or without an aqueous solution of the Toll-like receptor-4 agonist, Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (GLA-AF). Na-GST-1/Alhydrogel was well tolerated in both hookworm-exposed and hookworm-naïve adults; no vaccine-related severe or serious adverse events were observed. Antigen-specific IgG antibodies were induced in a dose-dependent fashion with increasing levels observed after each vaccination. The addition of GLA-AF to the vaccine did not result in significantly higher antibody responses. Based on these results, the vaccine will be advanced into clinical trials in children and eventual efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Diemert
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Janaína Freire
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vanderson Valente
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Carlos Geraldo Fraga
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Frederico Talles
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Shannon Grahek
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Doreen Campbell
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Amar Jariwala
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Maria Victoria Periago
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Martin Enk
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Robert Hamilton
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Jill Brelsford
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Anna Yakovleva
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Guangzhao Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Jin Peng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Peter Hotez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine, Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Bethony
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
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The genome ofStrongyloidesspp. gives insights into protein families with a putative role in nematode parasitism. Parasitology 2016; 144:343-358. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016001554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARYParasitic nematodes are important and abundant parasites adapted to live a parasitic lifestyle, with these adaptations all aimed at facilitating their survival and reproduction in their hosts. The recently sequenced genomes of fourStrongyloidesspecies, gastrointestinal parasites of humans and other animals, alongside transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of free-living and parasitic stages of their life cycles have revealed a number of protein families with a putative role in their parasitism. Many of these protein families have also been associated with parasitism in other parasitic nematode species, suggesting that these proteins may play a fundamental role in nematode parasitism more generally. Here, we review key protein families that have a putative role inStrongyloides’ parasitism – acetylcholinesterases, astacins, aspartic proteases, prolyl oligopeptidases, proteinase inhibitors (trypsin inhibitors and cystatins), SCP/TAPS and transthyretin-like proteins – and the evidence for their key, yet diverse, roles in the parasitic lifestyle.
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20
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Goupil LS, Ivry SL, Hsieh I, Suzuki BM, Craik CS, O’Donoghue AJ, McKerrow JH. Cysteine and Aspartyl Proteases Contribute to Protein Digestion in the Gut of Freshwater Planaria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004893. [PMID: 27501047 PMCID: PMC4976874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteases perform numerous vital functions in flatworms, many of which are likely to be conserved throughout the phylum Platyhelminthes. Within this phylum are several parasitic worms that are often poorly characterized due to their complex life-cycles and lack of responsiveness to genetic manipulation. The flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea, or planaria, is an ideal model organism to study the complex role of protein digestion due to its simple life cycle and amenability to techniques like RNA interference (RNAi). In this study, we were interested in deconvoluting the digestive protease system that exists in the planarian gut. To do this, we developed an alcohol-induced regurgitation technique to enrich for the gut enzymes in S. mediterranea. Using a panel of fluorescent substrates, we show that this treatment produces a sharp increase in proteolytic activity. These enzymes have broad yet diverse substrate specificity profiles. Proteomic analysis of the gut contents revealed the presence of cysteine and metallo-proteases. However, treatment with class-specific inhibitors showed that aspartyl and cysteine proteases are responsible for the majority of protein digestion. Specific RNAi knockdown of the cathepsin B-like cysteine protease (SmedCB) reduced protein degradation in vivo. Immunohistochemistry and whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) confirmed that the full-length and active forms of SmedCB are found in secretory cells surrounding the planaria intestinal lumen. Finally, we show that the knockdown of SmedCB reduces the speed of tissue regeneration. Defining the roles of proteases in planaria can provide insight to functions of conserved proteases in parasitic flatworms, potentially uncovering drug targets in parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise S. Goupil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sam L. Ivry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ivy Hsieh
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Suzuki
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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21
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Sojka D, Hartmann D, Bartošová-Sojková P, Dvořák J. Parasite Cathepsin D-Like Peptidases and Their Relevance as Therapeutic Targets. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:708-723. [PMID: 27344362 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of aspartic cathepsin D-like peptidases (APDs) has been often discussed as an antiparasite intervention strategy. APDs have been considered as virulence factors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp., and have been demonstrated to have important roles in protein trafficking mechanisms of apicomplexan parasites. APDs also initiate blood digestion as components of multienzyme proteolytic complexes in malaria, platyhelminths, nematodes, and ticks. Increasing DNA and RNA sequencing data indicate that parasites express multiple APD isoenzymes of various functions that can now be specifically evaluated using new functional-genomic and biochemical tools, from which we can further assess the potential of APDs as targets for novel effective intervention strategies against parasitic diseases that still pose an alarming threat to mankind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sojka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 370 05, Czech Republic.
| | - David Hartmann
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Bartošová-Sojková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dvořák
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 14220, Czech Republic; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 16610, Czech Republic; School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
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22
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Hunt VL, Tsai IJ, Coghlan A, Reid AJ, Holroyd N, Foth BJ, Tracey A, Cotton JA, Stanley EJ, Beasley H, Bennett HM, Brooks K, Harsha B, Kajitani R, Kulkarni A, Harbecke D, Nagayasu E, Nichol S, Ogura Y, Quail MA, Randle N, Xia D, Brattig NW, Soblik H, Ribeiro DM, Sanchez-Flores A, Hayashi T, Itoh T, Denver DR, Grant W, Stoltzfus JD, Lok JB, Murayama H, Wastling J, Streit A, Kikuchi T, Viney M, Berriman M. The genomic basis of parasitism in the Strongyloides clade of nematodes. Nat Genet 2016; 48:299-307. [PMID: 26829753 PMCID: PMC4948059 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Soil-transmitted nematodes, including the Strongyloides genus, cause one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases. Here we compare the genomes of four Strongyloides species, including the human pathogen Strongyloides stercoralis, and their close relatives that are facultatively parasitic (Parastrongyloides trichosuri) and free-living (Rhabditophanes sp. KR3021). A significant paralogous expansion of key gene families--families encoding astacin-like and SCP/TAPS proteins--is associated with the evolution of parasitism in this clade. Exploiting the unique Strongyloides life cycle, we compare the transcriptomes of the parasitic and free-living stages and find that these same gene families are upregulated in the parasitic stages, underscoring their role in nematode parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky L. Hunt
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Isheng J. Tsai
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Avril Coghlan
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Adam J. Reid
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Bernardo J. Foth
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Alan Tracey
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - James A. Cotton
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Eleanor J. Stanley
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Helen Beasley
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Hayley M. Bennett
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Karen Brooks
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Bhavana Harsha
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Rei Kajitani
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arpita Kulkarni
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Eiji Nagayasu
- Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Sarah Nichol
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Yoshitoshi Ogura
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Michael A. Quail
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nadine Randle
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Dong Xia
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Norbert W. Brattig
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanns Soblik
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Diogo M. Ribeiro
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Alejandro Sanchez-Flores
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Unidad de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México, 62210
| | - Tetsuya Hayashi
- Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takehiko Itoh
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dee R. Denver
- Department of Intergrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Warwick Grant
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan D. Stoltzfus
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - James B. Lok
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia 19104, PA, USA
| | - Haruhiko Murayama
- Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Jonathan Wastling
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Adrian Streit
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Taisei Kikuchi
- Division of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Mark Viney
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
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23
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Biter AB, de la Peña AH, Thapar R, Lin JZ, Phillips KJ. DSF Guided Refolding As A Novel Method Of Protein Production. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18906. [PMID: 26783150 PMCID: PMC4726114 DOI: 10.1038/srep18906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Anfinsen hypothesis, the demonstration of which led to the Nobel prize in Chemistry, posits that all information required to determine a proteins’ three dimensional structure is contained within its amino acid sequence. This suggests that it should be possible, in theory, to fold any protein in vitro. In practice, however, protein production by refolding is challenging because suitable refolding conditions must be empirically determined for each protein and can be painstaking. Here we demonstrate, using a variety of proteins, that differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) can be used to determine and optimize conditions that favor proper protein folding in a rapid and high-throughput fashion. The resulting method, which we deem DSF guided refolding (DGR), thus enables the production of aggregation-prone and disulfide-containing proteins by refolding from E. coli inclusion bodies, which would not normally be amenable to production in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadeo B Biter
- Diabetes and Metabolic Disease Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Andres H de la Peña
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Roopa Thapar
- Department of BioSciences-Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jean Z Lin
- Diabetes and Metabolic Disease Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kevin J Phillips
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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24
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Diversity in the structures and ligand-binding sites of nematode fatty acid and retinol-binding proteins revealed by Na-FAR-1 from Necator americanus. Biochem J 2015; 471:403-14. [PMID: 26318523 PMCID: PMC4613501 DOI: 10.1042/bj20150068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acid and retinol-binding proteins (FARs) comprise a family of unusual α-helix rich lipid-binding proteins found exclusively in nematodes. They are secreted into host tissues by parasites of plants, animals and humans. The structure of a FAR protein from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is available, but this protein [C. elegans FAR-7 (Ce-FAR-7)] is from a subfamily of FARs that does not appear to be important at the host/parasite interface. We have therefore examined [Necator americanus FAR-1 (Na-FAR-1)] from the blood-feeding intestinal parasite of humans, N. americanus. The 3D structure of Na-FAR-1 in its ligand-free and ligand-bound forms, determined by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography respectively, reveals an α-helical fold similar to Ce-FAR-7, but Na-FAR-1 possesses a larger and more complex internal ligand-binding cavity and an additional C-terminal α-helix. Titration of apo-Na-FAR-1 with oleic acid, analysed by NMR chemical shift perturbation, reveals that at least four distinct protein-ligand complexes can be formed. Na-FAR-1 and possibly other FARs may have a wider repertoire for hydrophobic ligand binding, as confirmed in the present study by our finding that a range of neutral and polar lipids co-purify with the bacterially expressed recombinant protein. Finally, we show by immunohistochemistry that Na-FAR-1 is present in adult worms with a tissue distribution indicative of possible roles in nutrient acquisition by the parasite and in reproduction in the male.
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25
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Xiao R, Zhang Z, Wang H, Han Y, Gou M, Li B, Duan D, Wang J, Liu X, Li Q. Identification and characterization of a cathepsin D homologue from lampreys (Lampetra japonica). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 49:149-156. [PMID: 25450905 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2014.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5) is a lysosomal aspartic proteinase of the pepsin superfamily which participates in various digestive processes within the cell. In the present study, the full length cDNA of a novel cathepsin D homologue was cloned from the buccal glands of lampreys (Lampetra japonica) for the first time, including a 124-bp 5' terminal untranslated region (5'-UTR), a 1194-bp open reading frame encoding 397 amino acids, and a 472-bp 3'-UTR. Lamprey cathepsin D is composed of a signal peptide (Met 1-Ala 20), a propeptide domain (Leu 21-Ala 48) and a mature domain (Glu 76-Val 397), and has a conserved bilobal structure. Cathepsin D was widely distributed in the buccal glands, immune bodies, hearts, intestines, kidneys, livers, and gills of lampreys. After challenging with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus, the expression level of lamprey cathepsin D in the buccal gland was 8.5-fold or 6.5-fold higher than that in the PBS group. In addition, lamprey cathepsin D stimulated with Escherichia coli was also up-regulated in the hearts, kidneys, and intestines. As for the Staphylococcus aureus challenged group, the expression level of lamprey cathepsin D was found increased in the intestines. The above results revealed that lamprey cathepsin D may play key roles in immune response to exogenous pathogen and could serve as a potential antibacterial agent in the near future. In addition, lamprey cathepsin D was subcloned into pcDNA 3.1 vector and expressed in the human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The recombinant lamprey cathepsin D could degrade hemoglobin, fibrinogen, and serum albumin which are the major components in the blood, suggested that lamprey cathepsin D may also act as a digestive enzyme during the adaptation to a blood-feeding lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Xiao
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Zhilin Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Yinglun Han
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Meng Gou
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Bowen Li
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Dandan Duan
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Jihong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Xin Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Qingwei Li
- School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China; Lamprey Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China.
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26
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Pearson MS, Jariwala AR, Abbenante G, Plieskatt J, Wilson D, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ, Keegan B, Bethony JM, Loukas A. New tools for NTD vaccines: A case study of quality control assays for product development of the human hookworm vaccine Na-APR-1M74. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2015; 11:1251-7. [PMID: 26018444 PMCID: PMC4514234 DOI: 10.4161/21645515.2014.980199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Na-APR-1(M74) is an aspartic protease that is rendered enzymatically inactive by site-directed mutagenesis and is a candidate antigen component in the Human Hookworm Vaccine. The mutant protease exerts vaccine efficacy by inducing antibodies that neutralize the enzymatic activity of wild type enzyme (Na-APR-1wt) in the gut of the hookworm, thereby depriving the worm of its ability to digest its blood meal. Previously, canines immunized with Na-APR-1(M74) and challenged with Ancylostoma caninum were partially protected against hookworm challenge infection, especially from the loss in hemoglobin observed in control canines and canine immunoglobulin (Ig) G raised against Na-APR-1 was shown to inhibit the enzymatic activity of Na-APR-1 wt in vitro, thereby providing proof of concept of Na-APR-1(M74) as a vaccine antigen. The mutated version, Na-APR-1(M74), was then expressed at the cGMP level using a Nicotiana benthamiana expression system (Fraunhofer, CMB, Delaware, MD), formulated with Alhydrogel®, and used to immunize mice in a dose-ranging study to explore the enzyme-neutralizing capacity of the resulting anti- Na-APR-1(M74) IgG. As little as 0.99 μg of recombinant Na-APR-1(M74) could induce anti Na-APR-1(M74) IgG in mice that were capable of inhibiting Na-APR-1w t-mediated digestion of a peptide substrate by 89%. In the absence of enzymatic activity of Na-APR-1(M74) as a surrogate marker of protein functionality, we developed an assay based on the binding of a quenched fluorescence-labeled inhibitor of aspartic proteases, BODIPY-FL pepstatin A (BDP). Binding of BDP in the active site of Na-APR-1 wt was demonstrated by inhibition of enzymatic activity, and competitive binding with unlabelled pepstatin A. BDP also bound to Na-APR-1(M74) which was assessed by fluorescence polarization, but with an ∼ 50-fold reduction in the dissociation constant. Taken together, these assays comprise a "toolbox" that could be useful for the analyses of Na-APR-1(M74) as it proceeds through the clinical development as part of the Human Hookworm Vaccine pipeline.
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MESH Headings
- Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage
- Aluminum Hydroxide/administration & dosage
- Ancylostoma/enzymology
- Ancylostoma/immunology
- Ancylostomiasis/prevention & control
- Animals
- Antibodies, Helminth/blood
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antigens, Helminth/genetics
- Antigens, Helminth/immunology
- Aspartic Acid Proteases/genetics
- Aspartic Acid Proteases/immunology
- Drug Discovery/methods
- Female
- Hookworm Infections/prevention & control
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mutant Proteins/genetics
- Mutant Proteins/immunology
- Plants, Genetically Modified/genetics
- Plants, Genetically Modified/metabolism
- Quality Control
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
- Nicotiana/genetics
- Nicotiana/metabolism
- Vaccines, Synthetic/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, Synthetic/genetics
- Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Pearson
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; James Cook University; Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Amar R Jariwala
- Department of Microbiology; Immunology and Tropical Medicine; George Washington University; Washington, DC USA
| | | | - Jordan Plieskatt
- Department of Microbiology; Immunology and Tropical Medicine; George Washington University; Washington, DC USA
| | - David Wilson
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; James Cook University; Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX USA
| | - Brian Keegan
- Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development; Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX USA
| | - Jeffrey M Bethony
- Department of Microbiology; Immunology and Tropical Medicine; George Washington University; Washington, DC USA
- These authors equally contributed to this work.
| | - Alex Loukas
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; James Cook University; Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- These authors equally contributed to this work.
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27
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Yu C, Wang Y, Zhang J, Fang W, Luo D. Immunolocalization and developmental expression patterns of two cathepsin B proteases (AC-cathB-1, -2) of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Exp Parasitol 2014; 144:27-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2014.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Qiao Y, Pengsakul T. Cloning and expression of apyrase gene from Ancylostoma caninum in Escherechia coli. Acta Parasitol 2014. [PMID: 26204021 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2015-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Apyrase encoding metal-ions activated plasma membrane protease is present in animal and plant tissues. This enzyme can hydrolyze ADP and ATP pyrophosphate bond, resulting in AMP and free phosphate groups, and plays an important role for insects and parasites to evade host immune system. However localization and function of apyrase in the canine hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, remains unknown. To analyze apyrase gene in A. caninum (a eukaryotic parasitic hookworm), a pair of primers was designed according to the previous EST data. The full-length cDNA of apyrase gene was amplified from A. caninum by RT-PCR. The partial cDNA of apyrase encodes 249 amino acid protein was expressed in Escherechia coli. The recombinant protein was induced to express under proper conditions and the molecular size was as expected. The recombinant protein was purified. The transcripts of apyrase in different stages of A. caninum were analyzed by the Real-time PCR assay, and Immuno-localization assays were used to research the protein expression in different stages of A. caninum.
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29
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Venugopal A, Siva Kumar N. Biochemical characterization of cathepsin D from the mussel Lamellidens corrianus. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2014; 169:25-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2013.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Revised: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 12/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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30
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Dougall AM, Skwarczynski M, Khoshnejad M, Chandrudu S, Daly NL, Toth I, Loukas A. Lipid core peptide targeting the cathepsin D hemoglobinase of Schistosoma mansoni as a component of a schistosomiasis vaccine. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 10:399-409. [PMID: 24231271 DOI: 10.4161/hv.27057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The self-adjuvanting lipid core peptide (LCP) system offers a safe alternative vaccine delivery strategy, eliminating the need for additional adjuvants such as CpG Alum. In this study, we adopted the LCP as a scaffold for an epitope located on the surface of the cathepsin D hemoglobinase (Sm-CatD) of the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. Sm-CatD plays a pivotal role in digestion of the fluke's bloodmeal and has been shown to be efficacious as a subunit vaccine in a murine model of human schistosomiasis. Using molecular modeling we showed that S. mansoni cathepsin D possesses a predicted surface exposed α-helix (A₂₆₃K) that corresponds to an immunodominant helix and target of enzyme-neutralizing antibodies against Necator americanus APR-1 (Na-APR-1), the orthologous protease and vaccine antigen from blood-feeding hookworms. The A₂₆₃K epitope was engineered as two peptide variants, one of which was flanked at both termini with a coil maintaining sequence, thereby promoting the helical characteristics of the native A₂₆₃K epitope. Some of the peptides were fused to a self-adjuvanting lipid core scaffold to generate LCPs. Mice were vaccinated with unadjuvanted peptides, peptides formulated with Freund's adjuvants, or LCPs. Antibodies generated to LCPs recognized native Sm-CatD within a soluble adult schistosome extract, and almost completely abolished its enzymatic activity in vitro. Using immunohistochemistry we showed that anti-LCP antibodies bound to the native Sm-CatD protein in the esophagus and anterior regions of the gastrodermis of adult flukes. Vaccines offer an alternative control strategy in the fight against schistosomiasis, and further development of LCPs containing multiple epitopes from this and other vaccine antigens should become a research priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette M Dougall
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; James Cook University; Cairns, QLD Australia
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; James Cook University; Cairns, QLD Australia; The University of Queensland; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences; St. Lucia; QLD Australia; The University of Queensland; School of Pharmacy; Wooloongabba, QLD Australia
| | - Makan Khoshnejad
- The University of Queensland; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences; St. Lucia; QLD Australia
| | - Saranya Chandrudu
- The University of Queensland; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences; St. Lucia; QLD Australia
| | - Norelle L Daly
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; James Cook University; Cairns, QLD Australia
| | - Istvan Toth
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; James Cook University; Cairns, QLD Australia; The University of Queensland; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences; St. Lucia; QLD Australia; The University of Queensland; School of Pharmacy; Wooloongabba, QLD Australia
| | - Alex Loukas
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics; James Cook University; Cairns, QLD Australia
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31
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An aspartic protease of the scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei is involved in the digestion of host skin and blood macromolecules. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2525. [PMID: 24244770 PMCID: PMC3820722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scabies is a disease of worldwide significance, causing considerable morbidity in both humans and other animals. The scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei burrows into the skin of its host, obtaining nutrition from host skin and blood. Aspartic proteases mediate a range of diverse and essential physiological functions such as tissue invasion and migration, digestion, moulting and reproduction in a number of parasitic organisms. We investigated whether aspartic proteases may play role in scabies mite digestive processes. Methodology/Principle Findings We demonstrated the presence of aspartic protease activity in whole scabies mite extract. We then identified a scabies mite aspartic protease gene sequence and produced recombinant active enzyme. The recombinant scabies mite aspartic protease was capable of digesting human haemoglobin, serum albumin, fibrinogen and fibronectin, but not collagen III or laminin. This is consistent with the location of the scabies mites in the upper epidermis of human skin. Conclusions/Significance The development of novel therapeutics for scabies is of increasing importance given the evidence of emerging resistance to current treatments. We have shown that a scabies mite aspartic protease plays a role in the digestion of host skin and serum molecules, raising the possibility that interference with the function of the enzyme may impact on mite survival. Scabies is an infectious disease of the skin caused by infestation with the parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. It is a disease that has a considerable impact on humans and other animals, including livestock, wildlife and companion animals. Scabies mites burrow into the skin of their host, consuming host skin and blood molecules. Aspartic proteases play a key role in invasion and digestion processes in many parasitic organisms. We have identified a scabies mite aspartic protease and have shown that it is capable of digesting human haemoglobin, serum albumin, fibrinogen and fibronectin in vitro, indicating that it plays a role in mite digestive processes. This raises the possibility that interfering with the function of this digestive enzyme may impact on mite survival.
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Cloning and molecular analysis of the aspartic protease Sc-ASP110 gene transcript in Steinernema carpocapsae. Parasitology 2013; 140:1158-67. [PMID: 23731543 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182013000577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Many protease genes have previously been shown to be involved in parasitism and in the development of Steinernema carpocapsae, including a gene predicted to encode an aspartic protease, Sc-ASP110, which was cloned and was analysed in this study. A cDNA encoding Sc-ASP110 was cloned based on an expressed sequence tag (EST) fragment from our EST library. The full-length cDNA of Sc-ASP110 consists of 1112 nucleotides with a catalytic aspartic domain (aa18-337). The putative 341 amino acid residues have a calculated molecular mass of 37·1 kDa and a theoretical pI of 4·7. BLASTp analysis of the Sc-ASP110 amino acid sequence showed 45-77% amino acid sequence identity to parasitic and non-parasitic nematode aspartic proteases. An expression analysis showed that the sc-asp110 gene was upregulated during the late parasitic stage, L4, and 24 h after induction of in vitro nematodes. A sequence comparison revealed that Sc-ASP110 was a member of an aspartic protease family; additionally, a phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sc-ASP110 was clustered with the closely related nematode Steinernema feltiae. In situ hybridization showed that sc-asp110 was expressed in the body walls of dorsal cells. The upregulated Sc-ASP110 expression revealed that this protease could play a role in the late parasitic process. In this study, we have cloned and analysed the gene transcript of Sc-ASP110 in S. carpocapsae.
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Wasyl K, Zawistowska-Deniziak A, Bąska P, Wędrychowicz H, Wiśniewski M. Molecular cloning and expression of the cDNA sequence encoding a novel aspartic protease from Uncinaria stenocephala. Exp Parasitol 2013; 134:220-7. [PMID: 23541464 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Uncinaria stenocephala belongs to Ancylostomatidae family. Members of this family - hookworms - infect millions of people and animals worldwide. U. stenocephala is most pathogenic in dogs and other Canidae, which are the main hosts, and infection causes anemia or even death. So far no effective hookworm vaccine has been developed that is economically viable. Attempts to identify vaccine antigens have led to a group of aspartic proteases, which play a key role in parasite feeding, migration through host tissues and immune evasion. The cDNA of an aspartic protease from U. stenocephala was cloned using the RACE-PCR method. Computational analysis showed that the cDNA encodes a 447 amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 52kDa that shows high homology to aspartic proteases from related hookworms. Analysis identified 1 potential N-glycosylation site, 3 potential disulfide bonds and no O-glycosylation sites. The recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli followed by purification and mouse immunization. Using raised anti-Us-APR-1(2) (Uncinaria stenocephala Aspartic protease-1) serum the presence of Us-APR-1 in the adult stage of U. stenocephala and the expression of homologous protease in L3 and adult stages of A. ceylanicum was confirmed. This analysis is the first phase of work exploring the biological role of Us-APR-1 in parasite-host interactions and raises hope for successful vaccine development against Uncinaria sp. and possibly Ancylostoma sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Wasyl
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.
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Rojo L, García-Carreño F, de Los Angeles Navarrete del Toro M. Cold-adapted digestive aspartic protease of the clawed lobsters Homarus americanus and Homarus gammarus: biochemical characterization. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2013; 15:87-96. [PMID: 22648335 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-012-9461-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Aspartic proteinases in the gastric fluid of clawed lobsters Homarus americanus and Homarus gammarus were isolated to homogeneity by single-step pepstatin-A affinity chromatography; such enzymes have been previously identified as cathepsin D-like enzymes based on their deduced amino acid sequence. Here, we describe their biochemical characteristics; the properties of the lobster enzymes were compared with those of its homolog, bovine cathepsin D, and found to be unique in a number of ways. The lobster enzymes demonstrated hydrolytic activity against synthetic and natural substrates at a wider range of pH; they were more temperature-sensitive, showed no changes in the K(M) value at 4°C, 10°C, and 25°C, and had 20-fold higher k(cat)/K(M) values than bovine enzyme. The bovine enzyme was temperature-dependent. We propose that both properties arose from an increase in molecular flexibility required to compensate for the reduction of reaction rates at low habitat temperatures. This is supported by the fast denaturation rates induced by temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Rojo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste-CIBNOR, Mar Bermejo 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, La Paz, B.C.S. 23096, Mexico
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Pearson MS, Tribolet L, Cantacessi C, Periago MV, Valero MA, Valerio MA, Jariwala AR, Hotez P, Diemert D, Loukas A, Bethony J. Molecular mechanisms of hookworm disease: stealth, virulence, and vaccines. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2012; 130:13-21. [PMID: 22742835 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2012.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Revised: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 05/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hookworms produce a vast repertoire of structurally and functionally diverse molecules that mediate their long-term survival and pathogenesis within a human host. Many of these molecules are secreted by the parasite, after which they interact with critical components of host biology, including processes that are key to host survival. The most important of these interactions is the hookworm's interruption of nutrient acquisition by the host through its ingestion and digestion of host blood. This results in iron deficiency and eventually the microcytic hypochromic anemia or iron deficiency anemia that is the clinical hallmark of hookworm infection. Other molecular mechanisms of hookworm infection cause a systematic suppression of the host immune response to both the parasite and to bystander antigens (eg, vaccines or allergens). This is achieved by a series of molecules that assist the parasite in the stealthy evasion of the host immune response. This review will summarize the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms used by hookworms to survive for extended periods in the human host (up to 7 years or longer) and examine the pivotal contributions of these molecular mechanisms to chronic hookworm parasitism and host clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Pearson
- Center for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
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Park JN, Park SK, Cho MK, Park MK, Kang SA, Kim DH, Yu HS. Molecular characterization of 45 kDa aspartic protease of Trichinella spiralis. Vet Parasitol 2012; 190:510-8. [PMID: 22795939 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Revised: 06/18/2012] [Accepted: 06/25/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In a previous study, we identified an aspartic protease gene (Ts-Asp) from the Trichinella spiralis muscle stage larva cDNA library. The gene sequence of Ts-Asp was 1281 bp long and was found to encode a protein consisting of 405 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 45.248 kD and a pI of 5.95. The deduced Ts-Asp has a conserved catalytic motif with catalytic aspartic acid residues in the active site, a common characteristic of aspartic proteases. In addition, the deduced amino acid sequence of Ts-Asp was found to possess significant homology (above 50%) with aspartic proteases from nematode parasites. Results of phylogenetic analysis indicated a close relationship of Ts-Asp with cathepsin D aspartic proteases. For production of recombinant Ts-Asp (rTs-Asp), the pGEX4T expression system was used. Like other proteases, the purified rTs-Asp was able to digest collagen matrix in vitro. Abundant expression of Ts-Asp was observed in muscle stage larva. Ts-Asp was detected in ES proteins, and was able to elicit the production of specific antibodies. It is the first report of molecular characterization of aspartic protease isolated from T. spiralis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Nam Park
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 626-870, South Korea; Park Jong Nam Internal Medicine Clinic, Busan 604-030, South Korea
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Strube C, Buschbaum S, Schnieder T. Genes of the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus associated with transition from pasture to parasitism. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2012; 12:1178-88. [PMID: 22522003 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2012] [Revised: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Genes necessary to enable nematode parasitic life after free-living larval life are of substantial interest to understand parasitism. We investigated transcriptional changes during transition to parasitism in the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus, one of the most important parasites in cattle farming due to substantial economic losses. Upregulated transcripts in either free-living, developmentally arrested L3 or parasitic immature L5 were identified by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) followed by differential screening and subsequent virtual Northern blot verification. From 400 sequenced clones of parasitic L5, 372 (93.0%) upregulated high quality ESTs were obtained clustering into 30 contigs and 38 singletons. Most conceptual translated peptides were SCP/TAPS "family" members also known as pathogenesis-related protein (PRP) superfamily (28.5% of total ESTs), cysteine proteases (24.5%), and H-gal-GP orthologues (9.9%). These proteins are predicted to play key roles in fundamental biological processes such as nutrition and development but also parasite-host interactions and immune defense mechanisms. Increased energy requirement of the rapidly developing L5 lungworm stage was obvious in a proportion of 12.2% upregulated ESTs being components of the respiratory chain. From the developmentally arrested L3 stage sequencing of 200 clones resulted in 195 high quality ESTs (97.0%) clustering into 7 contigs and 3 singletons only. Besides a hypothetical protein (70.1% of total ESTs) most transcripts encoded the cleavage stimulation factor subunit 2 (17.5%), which is a component of the poly(A(+)) machinery and found to be involved in gene silencing. Obtained data provide the basis for future fundamental research into genes associated with parasitic lifestyle but also applied research like vaccine and/or drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
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Holt DC, Burgess STG, Reynolds SL, Mahmood W, Fischer K. Intestinal proteases of free-living and parasitic astigmatid mites. Cell Tissue Res 2012; 351:339-52. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-012-1369-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 02/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Fischer K, Holt D, Currie B, Kemp D. Scabies: important clinical consequences explained by new molecular studies. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2012; 79:339-73. [PMID: 22726646 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-398457-9.00005-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In 2004, we reviewed the status of disease caused by the scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei at the time and pointed out that very little basic research had ever been done. The reason for this was largely the lack of availability of mites for experimental purposes and, to a degree, a consequent lack of understanding of its importance, resulting in the trivial name 'itch mite'. Scabies is responsible for major morbidity in disadvantaged communities and immunocompromised patients worldwide. In addition to the physical discomfort caused by the disease, scabies infestations facilitate infection by bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus via skin lesions, resulting in severe downstream disease such as in a high prevalence of rheumatic fever/heart disease in affected communities. We now have further evidence that in disadvantaged populations living in tropical climates, scabies rather than 'Strep throat' is an important source of S. pyogenes causing rheumatic fever and eventually rheumatic heart disease. In addition, our work has resulted in two fundamental research tools that facilitate much of the current biomedical research efforts on scabies, namely a public database containing ~45,000 scabies mite expressed sequence tags and a porcine in vivo model. Here we will discuss novel and unexpected proteins encountered in the database that appear crucial to mite survival with regard to digestion and evasion of host defence. The mode(s) of action of some of these have been at least partially revealed. Further, newly discovered molecules that may well have a similar role, such as a family of inactivated cysteine proteases, are yet to be investigated. Hence, there are now whole families of potential targets for chemical inhibitors of S. scabiei. These efforts put today's scabies research in a unique position to design and test small molecules that may specifically interfere with mite-derived molecules, such as digestive proteases and mite complement inhibitors. The porcine scabies model will be available to trial in vivo treatment with potential inhibitors. New therapies for scabies may be developed from these studies and may contribute to reduce the spread of scabies and the subsequent prevalence of bacterial skin infections and their devastating sequelae in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Fischer
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, Austraria
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Loukas A, Gaze S, Mulvenna JP, Gasser RB, Brindley PJ, Doolan DL, Bethony JM, Jones MK, Gobert GN, Driguez P, McManus DP, Hotez PJ. Vaccinomics for the major blood feeding helminths of humans. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2011; 15:567-77. [PMID: 21679087 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2010.0150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Approximately one billion people are infected with hookworms and/or blood flukes (schistosomes) in developing countries. These two parasites are responsible for more disability adjusted life years lost than most other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and together, are second only to malaria. Although anthelmintic drugs are effective and widely available, they do not protect against reinfection, resistant parasites are likely to emerge, and mass drug administration programs are unsustainable. Therefore, there is a pressing need for the development of vaccines against these parasites. In recent years, there have been major advances in our understanding of hookworms and schistosomes at the molecular level through the use of "omics" technologies. The secretomes of these parasites have been characterized using transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics, and newly developed gene manipulation and silencing techniques, and the proteins of interest are now the target of novel antigen discovery approaches, notably immunomics. This research has resulted in the discovery, development, and early stage clinical trials of subunit vaccines against hookworms and schistosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Loukas
- Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia.
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Jiang D, Zhan B, Mayor RS, Gillespie P, Keegan B, Bottazzi ME, Hotez P. Ac-AP-12, a novel factor Xa anticoagulant peptide from the esophageal glands of adult Ancylostoma caninum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2011; 177:42-8. [PMID: 21251931 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2011.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Revised: 01/03/2011] [Accepted: 01/06/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Immunoscreening an Ancylostoma caninum cDNA library with canine hookworm-infected dog serum resulted in the isolation of a 461 bp cDNA encoding Ac-AP-12, a new 9.1 kDa anticoagulant peptide (100 amino acids) with 43-69% amino acid homology to other nematode anticoagulant peptides (NAPs) from Ancylostoma hookworms. Messenger RNA transcription and expression of Ac-AP-12 was unique to the adult stage of A. caninum. The yeast expressed recombinant Ac-AP-12 demonstrated potent anticoagulant activity on human blood plasma in a concentration dependent manner, and was shown to specifically inhibit human factor Xa activity. Immunolocalization with specific rabbit antiserum showed that Ac-AP-12 was exclusively located in the esophageal glands of adult hookworm. Ac-AP-12 is hypothesized to facilitate both parasite blood feeding and digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desheng Jiang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Washington, DC 20037, USA
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Knox D. Proteases in blood-feeding nematodes and their potential as vaccine candidates. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 712:155-76. [PMID: 21660664 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-8414-2_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes express and secrete a variety of proteases which they use for many purposes including the penetration of host tissues, digestion of host protein for nutrients, evasion of host immune responses and for internal processes such as tissue catabolism and apoptosis. For these broad reasons they have been examined as possible parasite control targets. Blood-feeding nematodes such as the barber-pole worm Haemonchus contortus that infect sheep and goats and the hookworms, Ancylostoma spp. and Necator americanus, affecting man, use an array of endo- and exopeptidases to digest the blood meal. Haemoglobin digestion occurs by an ordered and partly conserved proteolytic cascade. These proteases are accessible to host immune responses which can block enzyme function and lead to parasite expulsion and/or death. Thus they are receiving attention as components of vaccines against several parasitic nematodes of social and economic importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Knox
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, UK.
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Rojo L, Sotelo-Mundo R, García-Carreño F, Gráf L. Isolation, biochemical characterization, and molecular modeling of American lobster digestive cathepsin D1. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2010; 157:394-400. [PMID: 20817002 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2010.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Revised: 08/30/2010] [Accepted: 08/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
An aspartic proteinase was isolated from American lobster gastric fluid. The purified cathepsin D runs as a single band on native-PAGE displaying proteolytic activity on a zymogram at pH 3.0, with an isoelectric point of 4.7. Appearance of the protein in SDS-PAGE, depended on the conditions of the gel electrophoresis. SDS treatment by itself was not able to fully unfold the protein. Thus, in SDS-PAGE the protein appeared to be heterogeneous. A few minute of boiling the sample in the presence of SDS was necessary to fully denature the protein that then run in the gel as a single band of ~50 kDa. The protein sequence of lobster cathepsin D1, as deduced from its mRNA sequence, lacks a 'polyproline loop' and β-hairpin, which are characteristic of some of its structural homologues. A comparison of amino acid sequences of digestive and non-digestive cathepsin D-like enzymes from invertebrates showed that most cathepsin D enzymes involved in food digestion, lack the polyproline loop, whereas all non-digestive cathepsin Ds, including the American lobster cathepsin D2 paralog, contain the polyproline loop. We propose that the absence or presence of this loop may be characteristic of digestive and non-digestive aspartic proteinases, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Rojo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), La Paz, Mexico
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Pearson MS, Ranjit N, Loukas A. Blunting the knife: development of vaccines targeting digestive proteases of blood-feeding helminth parasites. Biol Chem 2010; 391:901-11. [DOI: 10.1515/bc.2010.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractProteases are pivotal to parasitism, mediating biological processes crucial to worm survival including larval migration through tissue, immune evasion/modulation and nutrient acquisition by the adult parasite. In haematophagous parasites, many of these proteolytic enzymes are secreted from the intestine (nematodes) or gastrodermis (trematodes) where they act to degrade host haemoglobin and serum proteins as part of the feeding process. These proteases are exposed to components of the immune system of the host when the worms ingest blood, and therefore present targets for the development of anti-helminth vaccines. The protective effects of current vaccine antigens against nematodes that infect humans (hookworm) and livestock (barber's pole worm) are based on haemoglobin-degrading intestinal proteases and act largely as a result of the neutralisation of these proteases by antibodies that are ingested with the blood-meal. In this review, we survey the current status of helminth proteases that show promise as vaccines and describe their vital contribution to a parasitic existence.
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EKOJA SE, SMITH WD. Antibodies from sheep immunized against Haemonchus contortus with H-gal-GP inhibit the haemoglobinase activity of this protease complex. Parasite Immunol 2010; 32:731-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2010.01242.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Wang Z, Abubucker S, Martin J, Wilson RK, Hawdon J, Mitreva M. Characterizing Ancylostoma caninum transcriptome and exploring nematode parasitic adaptation. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:307. [PMID: 20470405 PMCID: PMC2882930 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2009] [Accepted: 05/14/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hookworm infection is one of the most important neglected diseases in developing countries, with approximately 1 billion people infected worldwide. To better understand hookworm biology and nematode parasitism, the present study generated a near complete transcriptome of the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum to a very high coverage using high throughput technology, and compared it to those of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the parasite Brugia malayi. RESULTS The generated transcripts from four developmental stages, infective L3, serum stimulated L3, adult male and adult female, covered 93% of the A. caninum transcriptome. The broad diversity among nematode transcriptomes was confirmed, and an impact of parasitic adaptation on transcriptome diversity was inferred. Intra-population analysis showed that A. caninum has higher coding sequence diversity than humans. Examining the developmental expression profiles of A. caninum revealed major transitions in gene expression from larval stages to adult. Adult males expressed the highest number of selectively expressed genes, but adult female expressed the highest number of selective parasitism-related genes. Genes related to parasitism adaptation and A. caninum specific genes exhibited more expression selectivity while those conserved in nematodes tend to be consistently expressed. Parasitism related genes were expressed more selectively in adult male and female worms. The comprehensive analysis of digital expression profiles along with transcriptome comparisons enabled identification of a set of parasitism genes encoding secretory proteins in animal parasitic nematode. CONCLUSIONS This study validated the usage of deep sequencing for gene expression profiling. Parasitic adaptation of the canine hookworm is related to its diversity and developmental dynamics. This comprehensive comparative genomic and expression study substantially improves our understanding of the basic biology and parasitism of hookworms and, is expected, in the long run, to accelerate research toward development of vaccines and novel anthelmintics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyuan Wang
- The Genome Center, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Molecular cloning, biochemical characterization, and partial protective immunity of the heme-binding glutathione S-transferases from the human hookworm Necator americanus. Infect Immun 2010; 78:1552-63. [PMID: 20145100 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00848-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hookworm glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are critical for parasite blood feeding and survival and represent potential targets for vaccination. Three cDNAs, each encoding a full-length GST protein from the human hookworm Necator americanus (and designated Na-GST-1, Na-GST-2, and Na-GST-3, respectively) were isolated from cDNA based on their sequence similarity to Ac-GST-1, a GST from the dog hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. The open reading frames of the three N. americanus GSTs each contain 206 amino acids with 51% to 69% sequence identity between each other and Ac-GST-1. Sequence alignment with GSTs from other organisms shows that the three Na-GSTs belong to a nematode-specific nu-class GST family. All three Na-GSTs, when expressed in Pichia pastoris, exhibited low lipid peroxidase and glutathione-conjugating enzymatic activities but high heme-binding capacities, and they may be involved in the detoxification and/or transport of heme. In two separate vaccine trials, recombinant Na-GST-1 formulated with Alhydrogel elicited 32 and 39% reductions in adult hookworm burdens (P < 0.05) following N. americanus larval challenge relative to the results for a group immunized with Alhydrogel alone. In contrast, no protection was observed in vaccine trials with Na-GST-2 or Na-GST-3. On the basis of these and other preclinical data, Na-GST-1 is under possible consideration for further vaccine development.
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Mello LV, O'Meara H, Rigden DJ, Paterson S. Identification of novel aspartic proteases from Strongyloides ratti and characterisation of their evolutionary relationships, stage-specific expression and molecular structure. BMC Genomics 2009; 10:611. [PMID: 20015380 PMCID: PMC2805697 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-10-611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Accepted: 12/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aspartic proteases are known to play an important role in the biology of nematode parasitism. This role is best characterised in blood-feeding nematodes, where they digest haemoglobin, but they are also likely to play important roles in the biology of nematode parasites that do not feed on blood. In the present work, we investigate the evolution and expression of aspartic proteases in Strongyloides ratti, which permits a unique comparison between parasitic and free-living adult forms within its life-cycle. RESULTS We identified eight transcribed aspartic protease sequences and a further two genomic sequences and compared these to homologues in Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematode species. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a complex pattern of gene evolution, such that some S. ratti sequences had a one-to-one correspondence with orthologues of C. elegans but that lineage-specific expansions have occurred for other aspartic proteases in these two nematodes. These gene duplication events may have contributed to the adaptation of the two species to their different lifestyles. Among the set of S. ratti aspartic proteases were two closely-related isoforms that showed differential expression during different life stages: ASP-2A is highly expressed in parasitic females while ASP-2B is predominantly found in free-living adults. Molecular modelling of the ASP-2 isoforms reveals that their substrate specificities are likely to be very similar, but that ASP-2B is more electrostatically negative over its entire molecular surface than ASP-2A. This characteristic may be related to different pH values of the environments in which these two isoforms operate. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated that S. ratti provides a powerful model to explore the genetic adaptations associated with parasitic versus free-living life-styles. We have discovered gene duplication of aspartic protease genes in Strongyloides and identified a pair of paralogues differentially expressed in either the parasitic or the free-living phase of the nematode life-cycle, consistent with an adaptive role for aspartic proteases in the evolution of nematode parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciane V Mello
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Helen O'Meara
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Ashton Street, Liverpool, L69 3GE, UK
| | - Daniel J Rigden
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Steve Paterson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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Carrasco-Marín E, Madrazo-Toca F, de los Toyos JR, Cacho-Alonso E, Tobes R, Pareja E, Paradela A, Albar JP, Chen W, Gomez-Lopez MT, Alvarez-Dominguez C. The innate immunity role of cathepsin-D is linked to Trp-491 and Trp-492 residues of listeriolysin O. Mol Microbiol 2009; 72:668-82. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06673.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Suttiprapa S, Mulvenna J, Huong NT, Pearson MS, Brindley PJ, Laha T, Wongkham S, Kaewkes S, Sripa B, Loukas A. Ov-APR-1, an aspartic protease from the carcinogenic liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini: functional expression, immunolocalization and subsite specificity. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2009; 41:1148-56. [PMID: 18996218 PMCID: PMC2683748 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2008] [Revised: 10/13/2008] [Accepted: 10/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The human liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini is endemic in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia where long standing infection is associated with cancer of the bile ducts, cholangiocarcinoma. Here we describe a cathepsin D-like aspartic protease from the gut and other tissues in O. viverrini. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Ov-APR-1 is cathepsin D-like, conforming with Clan AA, Family A1 of the MEROPS classification. Ov-APR-1 is expressed in the gut of the mature hermaphroditic parasite, in the reproductive tissues including the testis and immature spermatids, and the developing miracidium within the eggshell. The enzyme was also detected in the excretory/secretory products of cultured adult flukes, indicating a role in host-parasite relationships. A recombinant form of the enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli and refolded from denatured inclusion bodies underwent autocatalytic activation and demonstrated hydrolytic activity against the peptide substrate 7-methoxycoumarin-4-acetyl-GKPILFFRLK(DNP)-D-Arg-amide with a k(cat)/K(m)=1.7 x 10(4)M(-1)s(-1) and a pH optimum around pH 2.5-3.0. The recombinant enzyme digested hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin. Forty-six serum albumin peptides were detected after digestion with recombinant Ov-APR-1 and sequenced. Like many other aspartic proteases, Ov-APR-1 displayed promiscuous preferences for residues accommodated at the key subsites of the binding pocket although hydrophobic (Leu, Ala, Ile), positively charged (Lys) and bulky aromatic (Phe) residues, in that order, were preferred at P1. Similar residues were accommodated at P1' although even less selectivity was exerted at this position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutas Suttiprapa
- Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Jason Mulvenna
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, QLD, Australia
| | - Ngo Thi Huong
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark S. Pearson
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Thewarach Laha
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sopit Wongkham
- Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Sasithorn Kaewkes
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Banchob Sripa
- Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Alex Loukas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, QLD, Australia
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