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Arndts K, Wiszniewsky A, Neumann AL, Wiszniewsky K, Katawa G, Hoerauf A, Layland-Heni LE, Ritter M, Hübner MP. Differences of in vitro immune responses between patent and pre-patent Litomosoides sigmodontis-infected mice are independent of the filarial antigenic stimulus used. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:358. [PMID: 39436444 PMCID: PMC11496330 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08365-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 10/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/23/2024]
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis are neglected tropical diseases and cause significant public health problems in endemic countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the human parasites are not viable in immune-competent mice, animal models have been developed, among them Litomosoides sigmodontis which permits a complete life cycle in BALB/c mice, including the development of patent infections with circulating microfilariae (Mf, the worm's offspring). To investigate the immunomodulatory properties of helminths in vitro, antigenic extracts can be prepared from different life cycle stages of the L. sigmodontis model, including adult worms, but the methods to prepare these antigens differ between research groups. This study analyzed whether different centrifugation methods during the preparation of an antigenic extract, the gender of used worms, or the different fractions (soluble or pellet) altered filarial-specific CD4+ T cell responses. These cells were isolated from pre-patent or patent/chronic infected mice, hence those without and those with Mf, respectively. Ex vivo immune responses were compared at these two different time points of the infection as well as the parasitic parameters. Worm burden and cell infiltration were elevated in the thoracic cavity (TC) and draining mediastinal lymph nodes at the pre-patent stage. Within the TC, eosinophils were significantly up-regulated at the earlier time point of infection which was further reflected by the eosinophil-related eotaxin-1 levels. Regarding the production of cytokines by re-stimulated CD4+ T cells in the presence of different antigen preparations, cytokine levels were comparable for all used extracts. Our data show that immune responses differ between pre-patent and patent filarial infection, but not in response to the different antigenic extracts themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Arndts
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
- German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC), Partner Site Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Anna Wiszniewsky
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Neumann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Wiszniewsky
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gnatoulma Katawa
- Unité de Recherche en Immunologie Et Immunomodulation (UR2IM), Université de Lomé, Ecole Supérieure Des Techniques Biologiques Et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Lomé, Togo
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC), Partner Site Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Laura E Layland-Heni
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
| | - Manuel Ritter
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC), Partner Site Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marc P Hübner
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
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Löckener I, Behrmann LV, Reuter J, Schiefer A, Klöckner A, Krannich S, Otten C, Mölleken K, Ichikawa S, Hoerauf A, Schneider T, Pfarr KM, Henrichfreise B. The MraY Inhibitor Muraymycin D2 and Its Derivatives Induce Enlarged Cells in Obligate Intracellular Chlamydia and Wolbachia and Break the Persistence Phenotype in Chlamydia. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:421. [PMID: 38786149 PMCID: PMC11117252 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chlamydial infections and diseases caused by filarial nematodes are global health concerns. However, treatment presents challenges due to treatment failures potentially caused by persisting Chlamydia and long regimens against filarial infections accompanied by low compliance. A new treatment strategy could be the targeting of the reduced peptidoglycan structures involved in cell division in the obligate intracellular bacteria Chlamydia and Wolbachia, the latter being obligate endosymbionts supporting filarial development, growth, and survival. Here, cell culture experiments with C. trachomatis and Wolbachia showed that the nucleoside antibiotics muraymycin and carbacaprazamycin interfere with bacterial cell division and induce enlarged, aberrant cells resembling the penicillin-induced persistence phenotype in Chlamydia. Enzymatic inhibition experiments with purified C. pneumoniae MraY revealed that muraymycin derivatives abolish the synthesis of the peptidoglycan precursor lipid I. Comparative in silico analyses of chlamydial and wolbachial MraY with the corresponding well-characterized enzyme in Aquifex aeolicus revealed a high degree of conservation, providing evidence for a similar mode of inhibition. Muraymycin D2 treatment eradicated persisting non-dividing C. trachomatis cells from an established penicillin-induced persistent infection. This finding indicates that nucleoside antibiotics may have additional properties that can break bacterial persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Löckener
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Lara Vanessa Behrmann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
| | - Jula Reuter
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Andrea Schiefer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Sebastian Krannich
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Christian Otten
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Katja Mölleken
- Institute for Functional Microbial Genomics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Satoshi Ichikawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kenneth M. Pfarr
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
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Chunda VC, Fombad FF, Kien CA, Ebai R, Esofi F, Ntuh AN, Ouam E, Gandjui NVT, Ekanya R, Nietcho F, Nchang LC, Magha C, Njouendou AJ, Enyong P, Hoerauf A, Wanji S, Ritter M. Comparative development of human filariae Loa loa, Onchocerca volvulus and Mansonella perstans in immunocompromised mouse strains. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2024; 5:1293632. [PMID: 38655273 PMCID: PMC7615855 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2024.1293632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mouse models of human filarial infections are not only urgently needed to investigate the biology of the nematodes and their modulation of the host's immunity, but will also provide a platform to screen and test novel anti-filarial drugs. Recently, murine Loa loa infection models have been stablished using immunocompromised mouse strains, whereas murine Mansonella perstans infections have not been implemented until now. Methods Therefore, we aim to establish experimental M. perstans infections using the immunocompromised mouse strains RAG2IL-2Rγ-/- (lack B, T and natural killer cells), IL-4Rα/IL-5-/- (impaired IL-4/5 signalling and eosinophil activation) and NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wj l/SzJ (NOD scid gamma, NSG) BALB/c mice (lack mature lymphocytes) through subcutaneous (s.c.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) inoculation of infective stage 3 larvae (L3) isolated from engorged vectors. Results In total, 145 immunocompromised mice have been inoculated with 3,250 M. perstans, 3,337 O. volvulus, and 2,720 Loa loa L3 to comparatively analyse which immunocompromised mouse strain is susceptible to human filarial infections. Whereas, no M. perstans and O. volvulus L3 could be recovered upon 2-63 days post-inoculation, a 62-66% Loa loa L3 recovery rate could be achieved in the different mouse strains. Gender of mice, type of inoculation (s.c. or i.p.) or time point of analysis (2-63 days post inoculation) did not interfere with the success of L3 recovery. In addition, administration of the immune suppressants hydrocortisone, prednisolone and cyclophosphamide did not restore M. perstans L3 recovery rates. Discussion These findings show that RAG2IL-2Rg-/-BALB/c and C57BL/6, IL-4Rα/IL-5-/- BALB/c and NSG mice were not susceptible to M. perstans and O. volvulus L3 inoculation using the applied methods, whereas Loa loa infection could be maintained. Further studies should investigate if humanized immunocompromised mice might be susceptible to M. perstans. and O. volvulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerine C. Chunda
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Fanny Fri Fombad
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Chi Anizette Kien
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Rene Ebai
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Frederick Esofi
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Anna Ning Ntuh
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Emmanuel Ouam
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Narcisse Victor Tchamatchoua Gandjui
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Relindis Ekanya
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Franck Nietcho
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Lucy Cho Nchang
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Chefor Magha
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Abdel Jelil Njouendou
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Peter Enyong
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany
- German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC), Partner Site Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Samuel Wanji
- Parasite and Vector Research Unit (PAVRU), Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
- Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment (REFOTDE), Buea, Cameroon
| | - Manuel Ritter
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany
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