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Romer G, Bracco LA, Ricci AD, Balouz V, Berná L, Villar JC, Ramsey JM, Nolan MS, Torrico F, Kesper N, Altcheh J, Robello C, Buscaglia CA, Agüero F. Deep serological profiling of the Trypanosoma cruzi TSSA antigen reveals different epitopes and modes of recognition by Chagas disease patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011542. [PMID: 37556493 PMCID: PMC10441789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, displays a highly structured population, with multiple strains that can be grouped into 6-7 evolutionary lineages showing variable eco-epidemiological traits and likely also distinct disease-associated features. Previous works have shown that antibody responses to 'isoforms' of the polymorphic parasite antigen TSSA enable robust and sensitive identification of the infecting strain with near lineage-level resolution. To optimize the serotyping performance of this molecule, we herein used a combination of immunosignaturing approaches based on peptide microarrays and serum samples from Chagas disease patients to establish a deep linear B-cell epitope profiling of TSSA. METHODS/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS Our assays revealed variations in the seroprevalence of TSSA isoforms among Chagas disease populations from different settings, hence strongly supporting the differential distribution of parasite lineages in domestic cycles across the Americas. Alanine scanning mutagenesis and the use of peptides of different lengths allowed us to identify key residues involved in antibody pairing and the presence of three discrete B-cell linear epitopes in TSSAII, the isoform with highest seroprevalence in human infections. Comprehensive screening of parasite genomic repositories led to the discovery of 9 novel T. cruzi TSSA variants and one TSSA sequence from the phylogenetically related bat parasite T. cruzi marinkellei. Further residue permutation analyses enabled the identification of diagnostically relevant or non-relevant substitutions among TSSA natural polymorphisms. Interestingly, T. cruzi marinkellei TSSA displayed specific serorecognition by one chronic Chagas disease patient from Colombia, which warrant further investigations on the diagnostic impact of such atypical TSSA. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Overall, our findings shed new light into TSSA evolution, epitope landscape and modes of recognition by Chagas disease patients; and have practical implications for the design and/or evaluation of T. cruzi serotyping strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Romer
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leonel A. Bracco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro D. Ricci
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Virginia Balouz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luisa Berná
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Hospedero-Patógeno, Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Sección Biomatemática-Unidad de Genómica Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Juan C. Villar
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga y Fundación Cardioinfantil—Instituto de Cardiología, Colombia
| | - Janine M. Ramsey
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, México
| | - Melissa S. Nolan
- Laboratory of Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
| | | | - Norival Kesper
- LIM-49, Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São 33 Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Hospital de Niños “Ricardo Gutierrez”, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP)–GCBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Robello
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Hospedero-Patógeno, Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carlos A. Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernán Agüero
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas (IIB)–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Rojas de Arias A, Messenger LA, Rolon M, Vega MC, Acosta N, Villalba C, Marcet PL. Dynamics of Triatoma infestans populations in the Paraguayan Chaco: Population genetic analysis of household reinfestation following vector control. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263465. [PMID: 35143523 PMCID: PMC8830694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although domestic infestations by Triatoma infestans have been successfully controlled across Latin America, in areas of the Gran Chaco region, recurrent post-spraying house colonization continues to be a significant challenge, jeopardizing Chagas disease vector control and maintaining active Trypanosoma cruzi transmission. Methodology/Principal findings To investigate the dynamics of triatomine reinfestation in a rural area of the Paraguayan Chaco, genetic characterization (based on 10 microsatellite loci and cytochrome B sequence polymorphisms) was performed on baseline and reinfestant T. infestans (n = 138) from four indigenous communities and adjacent sylvatic sites. House quality and basic economic activities were assessed across the four communities. Significant genetic differentiation was detected among all baseline triatomine populations. Faster reinfestation was observed in the communities with higher infestation rates pre-spraying. Baseline and reinfestant populations from the same communities were not genetically different, but two potentially distinct processes of reinfestation were evident. In Campo Largo, the reinfestant population was likely founded by domestic survivor foci, with reduced genetic diversity relative to the baseline population. However, in 12 de Junio, reinfestant bugs were likely derived from different sources, including survivors from the pre-spraying population and sympatric sylvatic bugs, indicative of gene-flow between these habitats, likely driven by high human mobility and economic activities in adjacent sylvatic areas. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that sylvatic T. infestans threatens vector control strategies, either as a reinfestation source or by providing a temporary refuge during insecticide spraying. Passive anthropogenic importation of T. infestans and active human interactions with neighboring forested areas also played a role in recolonization. Optimization of spraying, integrated community development and close monitoring of sylvatic areas should be considered when implementing vector control activities in the Gran Chaco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonieta Rojas de Arias
- Centro para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica (CEDIC/Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial /FMB), Asunción, Paraguay
- * E-mail:
| | - Louisa Alexandra Messenger
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM), Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), Entomology Branch, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- American Society for Microbiology, NW Washington, DC, United States of America
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miriam Rolon
- Centro para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica (CEDIC/Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial /FMB), Asunción, Paraguay
| | - María Celeste Vega
- Centro para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica (CEDIC/Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial /FMB), Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Nidia Acosta
- Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, UNA, Asuncion, Paraguay
| | - Cesia Villalba
- Programa Nacional de Control de la Enfermedad de Chagas (SENEPA), Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Paula L. Marcet
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM), Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), Entomology Branch, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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Diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi parasites infecting Triatoma dimidiata in Central Veracruz, Mexico, and their One Health ecological interactions. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:105050. [PMID: 34450293 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Triatoma dimidiata is the main vector of Trypanosoma cruzi parasites in Veracruz, Mexico, and its association with human housing appears variable. Also, in spite of a high seroprevalence of T. cruzi infection in humans, parasite transmission remains poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to identify T. dimidiata blood feeding sources and its parasite and microbial diversity to reconstruct T. cruzi parasite transmission ecology in central Veracruz, Mexico, within a One Health/Ecohealth framework. We used a metabarcoding and deep sequencing approach of specific markers for the simultaneous identification of T. dimidiata haplogroup (ITS-2), vertebrate blood meals (12 s gene), T. cruzi parasites (mini-exon gene), and gut microbiota (bacterial 16 s). Twelve species of domestic/synanthropic animals and humans were identified as blood sources, with multiple feeding on 4.2 ± 0.4 hosts per bug. The feeding/parasite transmission network was strongly centered on humans, emphasizing a significant risk of infection. We also unambiguously confirmed the presence of TcI, TcII, TcV and TcVI DTUs in T. dimidiata, and sequences from Veracruz tended to cluster apart from parasites from other regions, suggesting some level of local differentiation. Analysis of T. dimidiata microbiota suggested that several bacterial families may be associated with the presence/absence of T. cruzi, and some of these associations may also be parasite DTU-specific. Such integrative approaches within the EcoHealth/One Health framework provide key insights on T. cruzi transmission and potential novel strategies for disease control.
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Serological Approaches for Trypanosoma cruzi Strain Typing. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:214-225. [PMID: 33436314 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan agent of Chagas' disease, displays a complex population structure made up of multiple strains showing a diverse ecoepidemiological distribution. Parasite genetic variability may be associated with disease outcome, hence stressing the need to develop methods for T. cruzi typing in vivo. Serological typing methods that exploit the presence of host antibodies raised against polymorphic parasite antigens emerge as an appealing approach to address this issue. These techniques are robust, simple, cost-effective, and are not curtailed by methodological/biological limitations intrinsic to available genotyping methods. Here, we critically assess the progress towards T. cruzi serotyping and discuss the opportunity provided by high-throughput immunomics to improve this field.
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Dumonteil E, Pronovost H, Bierman EF, Sanford A, Majeau A, Moore R, Herrera C. Interactions among Triatoma sanguisuga blood feeding sources, gut microbiota and Trypanosoma cruzi diversity in southern Louisiana. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3747-3761. [PMID: 32749727 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Integrating how biodiversity and infectious disease dynamics are linked at multiple levels and scales is highly challenging. Chagas disease is a vector-borne disease, with specificities of the triatomine vectors and Trypanosoma cruzi parasite life histories resulting in a complex multihost and multistrain life cycle. Here, we tested the hypothesis that T. cruzi transmission cycles are shaped by triatomine host communities and gut microbiota composition by comparing the integrated interactions of Triatoma sanguisuga in southern Louisiana with feeding hosts, T. cruzi parasite and bacterial microbiota in two habitats. Bugs were collected from resident's houses and animal shelters and analysed for genetic structure, blood feeding sources, T. cruzi parasites, and bacterial diversity by PCR amplification of specific DNA markers followed by next-generation sequencing, in an integrative metabarcoding approach. T. sanguisuga feeding host communities appeared opportunistic and defined by host abundance in each habitat, yielding distinct parasite transmission networks among hosts. The circulation of a large diversity of T. cruzi DTUs was also detected, with TcII and TcV detected for the first time in triatomines in the US. The bacterial microbiota was highly diverse and varied significantly according to the DTU infecting the bugs, indicating specific interactions among them in the gut. Expanding such studies to multiple habitats and additional triatomine species would be key to further refine our understanding of the complex life cycles of multihost, multistrain parasites such as T. cruzi, and may lead to improved disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Henry Pronovost
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Eli F Bierman
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Anna Sanford
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Alicia Majeau
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ryan Moore
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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6
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Murphy N, Macchiaverna NP, Victoria Cardinal M, Bhattacharyya T, Mertens P, Zeippen N, Gustin Y, Gilleman Q, Gürtler RE, Miles MA. Lineage-specific rapid diagnostic tests can resolve Trypanosoma cruzi TcII/V/VI ecological and epidemiological associations in the Argentine Chaco. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:424. [PMID: 31522683 PMCID: PMC6746045 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3681-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan agent of Chagas disease, is comprised of at least 6 genetic lineages (TcI-TcVI). Their geographical distribution, clinical associations and reservoir hosts are not fully elucidated, as genotyping is hampered due to the difficulty in isolating representative populations of organisms. Lineage-specific serological techniques may address these issues. METHODS Trypanosoma cruzi lineage-specific serological assays were performed on human, canine, feline and armadillo sera from the Gran Chaco in northern Argentina, a region of ongoing transmission. Synthetic peptides representing lineage-specific epitopes of the trypomastigote small surface antigen (TSSA) were used in ELISA, and the TcII/V/VI shared epitope peptide (TSSApep-II/V/VI) was used in the Chagas Sero K-SeT rapid diagnostic test (RDT). RESULTS Chagas Sero K-SeT RDT, using Protein G to detect human and canine IgG, was at least as sensitive as TSSApep-II/V/VI ELISA using specific secondary antibodies. For sera from humans TSSApep-II/V/VI seroprevalence by Chagas Sero K-SeT was 273/393 (69.5%), for dogs 48/73 (65.8%) and for armadillos 1/7 (14.3%); by ELISA for cats 5/19 (26.3%). The seroprevalence for humans was similar to that for Bolivian patients, amongst whom we previously observed an association of TSSApep-II/V/VI seropositivity with severity of cardiomyopathy. In humans, prevalence of TSSApep-II/V/VI recognition was associated with locality, and with increasing and decreasing age within the Qom and Creole populations, respectively. For dogs TSSApep-II/V/VI recognition was associated with being born before community-wide insecticide spraying (P = 0.05) and with Qom household (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS We show here that Chagas Sero K-SeT RDT can replace ELISA for TSSApep-II/V/VI serology of humans and dogs; for humans there were statistically significant associations between a positive Chagas Sero K-SeT RDT and being resident in Area IV, and for dogs association with Qom household or with being born before the mass spraying campaign; we also show that with cats the TcII/V/VI epitope can be detected by ELISA. We assessed the lineage distribution in an unprecedented 83% of the human T. cruzi-seropositive population. These results form the basis for more detailed studies, enabling rapid in-the-field surveillance of the distribution and clustering of these lineages among humans and mammalian reservoirs of T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh Murphy
- Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Natalia P. Macchiaverna
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exacta y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M. Victoria Cardinal
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exacta y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tapan Bhattacharyya
- Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Ricardo E. Gürtler
- Laboratorio de Eco-Epidemiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exacta y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Michael A. Miles
- Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Villanueva-Lizama L, Teh-Poot C, Majeau A, Herrera C, Dumonteil E. Molecular Genotyping of Trypanosoma cruzi by Next-Generation Sequencing of the Mini-Exon Gene Reveals Infections With Multiple Parasite Discrete Typing Units in Chagasic Patients From Yucatan, Mexico. J Infect Dis 2019; 219:1980-1988. [DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Villanueva-Lizama
- Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Christian Teh-Poot
- Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi,” Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Mexico
| | - Alicia Majeau
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
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8
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Chevillard C, Nunes JPS, Frade AF, Almeida RR, Pandey RP, Nascimento MS, Kalil J, Cunha-Neto E. Disease Tolerance and Pathogen Resistance Genes May Underlie Trypanosoma cruzi Persistence and Differential Progression to Chagas Disease Cardiomyopathy. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2791. [PMID: 30559742 PMCID: PMC6286977 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and affects over 8 million people worldwide. In spite of a powerful innate and adaptive immune response in acute infection, the parasite evades eradication, leading to a chronic persistent infection with low parasitism. Chronically infected subjects display differential patterns of disease progression. While 30% develop chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC)—a severe inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy—decades after infection, 60% of the patients remain disease-free, in the asymptomatic/indeterminate (ASY) form, and 10% develop gastrointestinal disease. Infection of genetically deficient mice provided a map of genes relevant for resistance to T. cruzi infection, leading to the identification of multiple genes linked to survival to infection. These include pathogen resistance genes (PRG) needed for intracellular parasite destruction, and genes involved in disease tolerance (protection against tissue damage and acute phase death—DTG). All identified DTGs were found to directly or indirectly inhibit IFN-γ production or Th1 differentiation. We hypothesize that the absolute need for DTG to control potentially lethal IFN-γ PRG activity leads to T. cruzi persistence and establishment of chronic infection. IFN-γ production is higher in CCC than ASY patients, and is the most highly expressed cytokine in CCC hearts. Key DTGs that downmodulate IFN-γ, like IL-10, and Ebi3/IL27p28, are higher in ASY patients. Polymorphisms in PRG and DTG are associated with differential disease progression. We thus hypothesize that ASY patients are disease tolerant, while an imbalance of DTG and IFN-γ PRG activity leads to the inflammatory heart damage of CCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - João Paulo Silva Nunes
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda Farage Frade
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Bioengineering, Brazil University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Ribeiro Almeida
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ramendra Pati Pandey
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marilda Savóia Nascimento
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jorge Kalil
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edecio Cunha-Neto
- Laboratorio de Imunologia, Instituto do Coracao, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Disciplina de Imunologia Clínica e Alergia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute for Investigation in Immunology (iii), INCT, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Orantes LC, Monroy C, Dorn PL, Stevens L, Rizzo DM, Morrissey L, Hanley JP, Rodas AG, Richards B, Wallin KF, Helms Cahan S. Uncovering vector, parasite, blood meal and microbiome patterns from mixed-DNA specimens of the Chagas disease vector Triatoma dimidiata. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006730. [PMID: 30335763 PMCID: PMC6193617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, considered a neglected disease by the World Health Organization, is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and transmitted by >140 triatomine species across the Americas. In Central America, the main vector is Triatoma dimidiata, an opportunistic blood meal feeder inhabiting both domestic and sylvatic ecotopes. Given the diversity of interacting biological agents involved in the epidemiology of Chagas disease, having simultaneous information on the dynamics of the parasite, vector, the gut microbiome of the vector, and the blood meal source would facilitate identifying key biotic factors associated with the risk of T. cruzi transmission. In this study, we developed a RADseq-based analysis pipeline to study mixed-species DNA extracted from T. dimidiata abdomens. To evaluate the efficacy of the method across spatial scales, we used a nested spatial sampling design that spanned from individual villages within Guatemala to major biogeographic regions of Central America. Information from each biotic source was distinguished with bioinformatics tools and used to evaluate the prevalence of T. cruzi infection and predominant Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) in the region, the population genetic structure of T. dimidiata, gut microbial diversity, and the blood meal history. An average of 3.25 million reads per specimen were obtained, with approximately 1% assigned to the parasite, 20% to the vector, 11% to bacteria, and 4% to putative blood meals. Using a total of 6,405 T. cruzi SNPs, we detected nine infected vectors harboring two distinct DTUs: TcI and a second unidentified strain, possibly TcIV. Vector specimens were sufficiently variable for population genomic analyses, with a total of 25,710 T. dimidiata SNPs across all samples that were sufficient to detect geographic genetic structure at both local and regional scales. We observed a diverse microbiotic community, with significantly higher bacterial species richness in infected T. dimidiata abdomens than those that were not infected. Unifrac analysis suggests a common assemblage of bacteria associated with infection, which co-occurs with the typical gut microbial community derived from the local environment. We identified vertebrate blood meals from five T. dimidiata abdomens, including chicken, dog, duck and human; however, additional detection methods would be necessary to confidently identify blood meal sources from most specimens. Overall, our study shows this method is effective for simultaneously generating genetic data on vectors and their associated parasites, along with ecological information on feeding patterns and microbial interactions that may be followed up with complementary approaches such as PCR-based parasite detection, 18S eukaryotic and 16S bacterial barcoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia C. Orantes
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Carlota Monroy
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Patricia L. Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Donna M. Rizzo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Leslie Morrissey
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - John P. Hanley
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Antonieta Guadalupe Rodas
- Laboratorio de Entomología Aplicada y Parasitología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Bethany Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kimberly F. Wallin
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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10
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Detailed ecological associations of triatomines revealed by metabarcoding and next-generation sequencing: implications for triatomine behavior and Trypanosoma cruzi transmission cycles. Sci Rep 2018. [PMID: 29515202 PMCID: PMC5841364 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22455-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the agent of Chagas disease, transmitted by hematophagous triatomine vectors. Establishing transmission cycles is key to understand the epidemiology of the disease, but integrative assessments of ecological interactions shaping parasite transmission are still limited. Current approaches also lack sensitivity to assess the full extent of this ecological diversity. Here we developed a metabarcoding approach based on next-generation sequencing to identify triatomine gut microbiome, vertebrate feeding hosts, and parasite diversity and their potential interactions. We detected a dynamic microbiome in Triatoma dimidiata, including 23 bacterial orders, which differed according to blood sources. Fourteen vertebrate species served as blood sources, corresponding to domestic, synantropic and sylvatic species, although four (human, dog, cow and mice) accounted for over 50% of blood sources. Importantly, bugs fed on multiple hosts, with up to 11 hosts identified per bug, indicating very frequent host-switching. A high clonal diversity of T. cruzi was detected, with up to 20 haplotypes per bug. This analysis provided much greater sensitivity to detect multiple blood meals and multiclonal infections with T. cruzi, which should be taken into account to develop transmission networks, and characterize the risk for human infection, eventually leading to a better control of disease transmission.
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11
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Flores-Ferrer A, Marcou O, Waleckx E, Dumonteil E, Gourbière S. Evolutionary ecology of Chagas disease; what do we know and what do we need? Evol Appl 2017; 11:470-487. [PMID: 29636800 PMCID: PMC5891055 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The aetiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is a key human pathogen afflicting most populations of Latin America. This vectorborne parasite is transmitted by haematophageous triatomines, whose control by large‐scale insecticide spraying has been the main strategy to limit the impact of the disease for over 25 years. While those international initiatives have been successful in highly endemic areas, this systematic approach is now challenged by the emergence of insecticide resistance and by its low efficacy in controlling species that are only partially adapted to human habitat. In this contribution, we review evidences that Chagas disease control shall now be entering a second stage that will rely on a better understanding of triatomines adaptive potential, which requires promoting microevolutionary studies and –omic approaches. Concomitantly, we show that our knowledge of the determinants of the evolution of T. cruzi high diversity and low virulence remains too limiting to design evolution‐proof strategies, while such attributes may be part of the future of Chagas disease control after the 2020 WHO's target of regional elimination of intradomiciliary transmission has been reached. We should then aim at developing a theory of T. cruzi virulence evolution that we anticipate to provide an interesting enrichment of the general theory according to the specificities of transmission of this very generalist stercorarian trypanosome. We stress that many ecological data required to better understand selective pressures acting on vector and parasite populations are already available as they have been meticulously accumulated in the last century of field research. Although more specific information will surely be needed, an effective research strategy would be to integrate data into the conceptual and theoretical framework of evolutionary ecology and life‐history evolution that provide the quantitative backgrounds necessary to understand and possibly anticipate adaptive responses to public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alheli Flores-Ferrer
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Olivier Marcou
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Etienne Waleckx
- Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi" Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Mérida Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Tulane University New Orleans LA USA
| | - Sébastien Gourbière
- UMR 228, ESPACE-DEV-IMAGES, 'Institut de Modélisation et d'Analyses en Géo-Environnement et Santé'Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France.,UMR 5096 'Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes' Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
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12
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Buekens P, Cafferata ML, Alger J, Althabe F, Belizán JM, Bustamante N, Carlier Y, Ciganda A, Del Cid JH, Dumonteil E, Gamboa-León R, García JA, Gibbons L, Graiff O, Maldonado JG, Herrera C, Howard E, Lara LS, López B, Matute ML, Ramírez-Sierra MJ, Robles MC, Sosa-Estani S, Truyens C, Valladares C, Wesson DM, Zúniga C, For The Congenital Chagas Working Group. Congenital Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Argentina, Honduras, and Mexico: An Observational Prospective Study. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 98:478-485. [PMID: 29210352 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.17-0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Compared with South America, there is a lack of epidemiologic studies about the risk of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Central America and Mexico. It has been suggested that T. cruzi genotypes might differ by region and that congenital transmission might vary according to the parasite's genotype. Our objective was to compare T. cruzi congenital transmission rates in three countries. We performed an observational prospective study in 2011-2014 enrolling women at delivery in one hospital in Argentina, two hospitals in Honduras, and two hospitals in Mexico. Congenital T. cruzi infection was defined as the presence of one or more of the following criteria: presence of parasites in cord blood (direct parasitological microscopic examination) with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in cord blood, presence of parasites in infant's blood at 4-8 weeks (direct parasitological microscopic examination), and persistence of T. cruzi-specific antibodies at 10 months, as measured by at least two tests. Among 28,145 enrolled women, 347 had at least one antibody rapid test positive in cord blood and a positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in maternal blood. PCR in maternal blood was positive in 73.2% of the cases, and genotyping identified a majority of non-TcI in the three countries. We found no (0.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0, 2.0) confirmed congenital case in Honduras. Congenital transmission was 6.6% (95% CI: 3.1, 12.2) in Argentina and 6.3% (95% CI: 0.8, 20.8) in Mexico. Trypanosoma cruzi non-TcI predominated and risks of congenital transmission were similar in Argentina and Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Buekens
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - María Luisa Cafferata
- Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo (UNICEM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Jackeline Alger
- Hospital Escuela Universitario, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Fernando Althabe
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - José M Belizán
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Yves Carlier
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.,Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Alvaro Ciganda
- Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica Montevideo (UNICEM), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Eric Dumonteil
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | | | - Jorge A García
- Hospital Escuela Universitario, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Luz Gibbons
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Olga Graiff
- Instituto de Maternidad y Ginecología Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Jesús Gurubel Maldonado
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Elizabeth Howard
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Laura Susana Lara
- Instituto de Maternidad y Ginecología Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | - María Luisa Matute
- Laboratorio Nacional de Vigilancia de la Salud, Secretaría de Salud de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - María Jesús Ramírez-Sierra
- Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi," Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
| | - María Cecilia Robles
- Instituto de Maternidad y Ginecología Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben," CONICET, ANLIS, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carine Truyens
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christian Valladares
- Laboratorio Nacional de Vigilancia de la Salud, Secretaría de Salud de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Dawn M Wesson
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Concepción Zúniga
- Hospital Escuela Universitario, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
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13
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ACOSTA NIDIA, LÓPEZ ELSA, LEWIS MICHAELD, LLEWELLYN MARTINS, GÓMEZ ANA, ROMÁN FABIOLA, MILES MICHAELA, YEO MATTHEW. Hosts and vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units in the Chagas disease endemic region of the Paraguayan Chaco. Parasitology 2017; 144:884-898. [PMID: 28179034 PMCID: PMC5471830 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016002663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Active Trypanosoma cruzi transmission persists in the Gran Chaco region, which is considered hyperendemic for Chagas disease. Understanding domestic and sylvatic transmission cycles and therefore the relationship between vectors and mammalian hosts is crucial to designing and implementing improved effective control strategies. Here we describe the species of triatomine vectors and the sylvatic mammal reservoirs of T. cruzi, in different localities of the Paraguayan and Bolivian Chaco. We identify the T. cruzi genotypes discrete typing units (DTUs) and provide a map of their geographical distribution. A total of 1044 triatomines and 138 sylvatic mammals were captured. Five per cent of the triatomines were microscopically positive for T. cruzi (55 Triatoma infestans from Paraguay and one sylvatic Triatoma guasayana from Bolivia) and 17 animals (12·3%) comprising eight of 28 (28·5%) Dasypus novemcinctus, four of 27 (14·8%) Euphractus sexcinctus, three of 64 (4·7%) Chaetophractus spp. and two of 14 (14·3%) Didelphis albiventris. The most common DTU infecting domestic triatomine bugs was TcV (64%), followed by TcVI (28%), TcII (6·5%) and TcIII (1·5%). TcIII was overwhelmingly associated with armadillo species. We confirm the primary role of T. infestans in domestic transmission, armadillo species as the principal sylvatic hosts of TcIII, and consider the potential risk of TcIII as an agent of Chagas disease in the Chaco.
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Affiliation(s)
- NIDIA ACOSTA
- Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción – UNA, San Lorenzo CP 2160, Paraguay
| | - ELSA LÓPEZ
- Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción – UNA, San Lorenzo CP 2160, Paraguay
| | - MICHAEL D. LEWIS
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - MARTIN S. LLEWELLYN
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - ANA GÓMEZ
- Centro para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica (CEDIC)/Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial/Fundación Moisés Bertoni, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - FABIOLA ROMÁN
- Centro para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica (CEDIC)/Díaz Gill Medicina Laboratorial/Fundación Moisés Bertoni, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - MICHAEL A. MILES
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - MATTHEW YEO
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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14
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Balouz V, Agüero F, Buscaglia CA. Chagas Disease Diagnostic Applications: Present Knowledge and Future Steps. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2016; 97:1-45. [PMID: 28325368 PMCID: PMC5363286 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a lifelong and debilitating illness of major significance throughout Latin America and an emergent threat to global public health. Being a neglected disease, the vast majority of Chagasic patients have limited access to proper diagnosis and treatment, and there is only a marginal investment into R&D for drug and vaccine development. In this context, identification of novel biomarkers able to transcend the current limits of diagnostic methods surfaces as a main priority in Chagas disease applied research. The expectation is that these novel biomarkers will provide reliable, reproducible and accurate results irrespective of the genetic background, infecting parasite strain, stage of disease, and clinical-associated features of Chagasic populations. In addition, they should be able to address other still unmet diagnostic needs, including early detection of congenital T. cruzi transmission, rapid assessment of treatment efficiency or failure, indication/prediction of disease progression and direct parasite typification in clinical samples. The lack of access of poor and neglected populations to essential diagnostics also stresses the necessity of developing new methods operational in point-of-care settings. In summary, emergent diagnostic tests integrating these novel and tailored tools should provide a significant impact on the effectiveness of current intervention schemes and on the clinical management of Chagasic patients. In this chapter, we discuss the present knowledge and possible future steps in Chagas disease diagnostic applications, as well as the opportunity provided by recent advances in high-throughput methods for biomarker discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Balouz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Martín, B 1650 HMP, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernán Agüero
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Martín, B 1650 HMP, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos A. Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Martín, B 1650 HMP, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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15
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Bhattacharyya T, Mills EA, Jansen AM, Miles MA. Prospects for T. cruzi lineage-specific serological surveillance of wild mammals. Acta Trop 2015; 151:182-6. [PMID: 26116784 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Sequence diversity in the Trypanosoma cruzi small surface molecule TSSA has yielded antigens for serology to investigate the T. cruzi lineage-specific infection history of patients with Chagas disease. Synthetic peptides can be used as the lineage-specific antigens. Here we consider the rationale, feasibility and potential of applying peptide-based lineage-specific serology to naturally infected wild mammals. The commercial availability of appropriate secondary antibodies encourages this further development, for discovery of new reservoir host species and to reveal the wider ecological distribution of T. cruzi lineages, currently hindered by the need to recover live isolates or to attempt genotyping of DNA extracted from blood samples.
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16
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Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Post-Genomic Era. Trends Genet 2015; 31:539-555. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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17
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Messenger LA, Miles MA, Bern C. Between a bug and a hard place: Trypanosoma cruzi genetic diversity and the clinical outcomes of Chagas disease. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2015; 13:995-1029. [PMID: 26162928 PMCID: PMC4784490 DOI: 10.1586/14787210.2015.1056158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, concomitant with successful transnational disease control programs across Latin America, Chagas disease has expanded from a neglected, endemic parasitic infection of the rural poor to an urbanized chronic disease, and now a potentially emergent global health problem. Trypanosoma cruzi infection has a highly variable clinical course, ranging from complete absence of symptoms to severe and often fatal cardiovascular and/or gastrointestinal manifestations. To date, few correlates of clinical disease progression have been identified. Elucidating a putative role for T. cruzi strain diversity in Chagas disease pathogenesis is complicated by the scarcity of parasites in clinical specimens and the limitations of our contemporary genotyping techniques. This article systematically reviews the historical literature, given our current understanding of parasite genetic diversity, to evaluate the evidence for any association between T. cruzi genotype and chronic clinical outcome, risk of congenital transmission or reactivation and orally transmitted outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa A Messenger
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Michael A Miles
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Caryn Bern
- Global Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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18
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Carmona SJ, Nielsen M, Schafer-Nielsen C, Mucci J, Altcheh J, Balouz V, Tekiel V, Frasch AC, Campetella O, Buscaglia CA, Agüero F. Towards High-throughput Immunomics for Infectious Diseases: Use of Next-generation Peptide Microarrays for Rapid Discovery and Mapping of Antigenic Determinants. Mol Cell Proteomics 2015; 14:1871-84. [PMID: 25922409 PMCID: PMC4587317 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m114.045906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Complete characterization of antibody specificities associated to natural infections is expected to provide a rich source of serologic biomarkers with potential applications in molecular diagnosis, follow-up of chemotherapeutic treatments, and prioritization of targets for vaccine development. Here, we developed a highly-multiplexed platform based on next-generation high-density peptide microarrays to map these specificities in Chagas Disease, an exemplar of a human infectious disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. We designed a high-density peptide microarray containing more than 175,000 overlapping 15mer peptides derived from T. cruzi proteins. Peptides were synthesized in situ on microarray slides, spanning the complete length of 457 parasite proteins with fully overlapped 15mers (1 residue shift). Screening of these slides with antibodies purified from infected patients and healthy donors demonstrated both a high technical reproducibility as well as epitope mapping consistency when compared with earlier low-throughput technologies. Using a conservative signal threshold to classify positive (reactive) peptides we identified 2,031 disease-specific peptides and 97 novel parasite antigens, effectively doubling the number of known antigens and providing a 10-fold increase in the number of fine mapped antigenic determinants for this disease. Finally, further analysis of the chip data showed that optimizing the amount of sequence overlap of displayed peptides can increase the protein space covered in a single chip by at least ∼threefold without sacrificing sensitivity. In conclusion, we show the power of high-density peptide chips for the discovery of pathogen-specific linear B-cell epitopes from clinical samples, thus setting the stage for high-throughput biomarker discovery screenings and proteome-wide studies of immune responses against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago J Carmona
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Morten Nielsen
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina; §Center for Biological Sequence Analysis, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Juan Mucci
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- ‖Servicio de Parasitología y Chagas, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Virginia Balouz
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria Tekiel
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto C Frasch
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Oscar Campetella
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos A Buscaglia
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernán Agüero
- From the ‡Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús, Universidad de San Martín - CONICET, Sede San Martín, B 1650 HMP, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
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19
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Floridia-Yapur N, Vega-Benedetti AF, Rumi MM, Ragone P, Lauthier JJ, Tomasini N, d'Amato AMA, Lopez-Quiroga I, Diosque P, Marcipar I, Nasser JR, Cimino RO. Evaluation of recombinant antigens of Trypanosoma cruzi to diagnose infection in naturally infected dogs from Chaco region, Argentina. Parasite Immunol 2015; 36:694-9. [PMID: 25201522 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are considered the main mammal reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi in domiciliary environments. Consequently, accurate detection of T. cruzi infection in canine populations is epidemiologically relevant. Here, we analysed the utility of the T. cruzi recombinant antigens FRA, SAPA, CP1, Ag1 and a SAPA/TSSA VI mixture, in an ELISA format. We used a positive control group of sera obtained from 38 dogs from the Chaco region in Argentina with positive homogenate-ELISA reaction, all of them also positive by xenodiagnosis and/or PCR. The negative group included 19 dogs from a nonendemic area. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating charactheristic (ROC) curve and Kappa index were obtained to compare the diagnostic efficiency of the tests. The SAPA/TSSA VI had the highest performance, with a sensitivity of 94.7% and an AUC ROC of 0.99 that indicates high accuracy. Among individual antigens, SAPA-ELISA yielded the highest sensitivity (86.8%) and AUC ROC (0.96), whereas FRA-ELISA was the least efficient test (sensitivity = 36.8%; AUC ROC = 0.53). Our results showed that the use of SAPA/TSSA VI in ELISAs could be a useful tool to study dogs naturally infected with T. cruzi in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Floridia-Yapur
- Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina; Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta (IIET), Salta, Argentina
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20
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Mapping antigenic motifs in the trypomastigote small surface antigen from Trypanosoma cruzi. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2015; 22:304-12. [PMID: 25589551 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00684-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The trypomastigote small surface antigen (TSSA) is a mucin-like molecule from Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, which displays amino acid polymorphisms in parasite isolates. TSSA expression is restricted to the surface of infective cell-derived trypomastigotes, where it functions as an adhesin and engages surface receptors on the host cell as a prerequisite for parasite internalization. Previous results have established TSSA-CL, the isoform encoded by the CL Brener clone, as an appealing candidate for use in serology-based diagnostics for Chagas disease. Here, we used a combination of peptide- and recombinant protein-based tools to map the antigenic structure of TSSA-CL at maximal resolution. Our results indicate the presence of different partially overlapping B-cell epitopes clustering in the central portion of TSSA-CL, which contains most of the polymorphisms found in parasite isolates. Based on these results, we assessed the serodiagnostic performance of a 21-amino-acid-long peptide that spans TSSA-CL major antigenic determinants, which was similar to the performance of the previously validated glutathione S-transferase (GST)-TSSA-CL fusion molecule. Furthermore, the tools developed for the antigenic characterization of the TSSA antigen were also used to explore other potential diagnostic applications of the anti-TSSA humoral response in Chagasic patients. Overall, our present results provide additional insights into the antigenic structure of TSSA-CL and support this molecule as an excellent target for molecular intervention in Chagas disease.
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21
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Monteón V, Triana-Chávez O, Mejía-Jaramillo A, Pennignton P, Ramos-Ligonio Á, Acosta K, Lopez R. Circulation of Tc Ia discrete type unit Trypanosoma cruzi in Yucatan Mexico. J Parasit Dis 2014; 40:550-4. [PMID: 27413339 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-014-0499-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiologic agent Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) has been grouped into six discrete type units (DTU I-VI); within DTU-I exists four subgroups defined Ia-Id. In Colombia, the genotype Ia is associated with human infection and domiciliated Rhodnius vector. In the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the main vector involved in T. cruzi transmission is Triatoma dimidiata predominantly via sylvatic and peridomiciliated cycles. In this study, multiple sequence analysis of mini-exon intergenic regions of T. cruzi isolates obtained from T. dimidiata in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico revealed they belonged to Tc Ia DTU along with two additional Mexican strains located 1,570 km away from Yucatan. In conclusion Tc Ia circulates in the Yucatan peninsula in T. dimidiata vector and likewise in the northwest region of Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Monteón
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campus de la Salud, Col Linda Vista Campeche, 24090 Campeche, Mexico
| | - Omar Triana-Chávez
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas (BCEI), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Ana Mejía-Jaramillo
- Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas (BCEI), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Pamela Pennignton
- Center for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Ángel Ramos-Ligonio
- Laboratorio de Investigación y Servicios (LADASIER) Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Universidad Veracruzana, Orizaba, Veracruz Mexico
| | - Karla Acosta
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Hideyo Noguchi", Mérida, Yucatán Mexico
| | - Ruth Lopez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campus de la Salud, Col Linda Vista Campeche, 24090 Campeche, Mexico
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22
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Bhattacharyya T, Falconar AK, Luquetti AO, Costales JA, Grijalva MJ, Lewis MD, Messenger LA, Tran TT, Ramirez JD, Guhl F, Carrasco HJ, Diosque P, Garcia L, Litvinov SV, Miles MA. Development of peptide-based lineage-specific serology for chronic Chagas disease: geographical and clinical distribution of epitope recognition. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2892. [PMID: 24852444 PMCID: PMC4031129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease, caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a serious public health issue in Latin America. Genetically diverse, the species is sub-divided into six lineages, known as TcI–TcVI, which have disparate geographical and ecological distributions. TcII, TcV, and TcVI are associated with severe human disease in the Southern Cone countries, whereas TcI is associated with cardiomyopathy north of the Amazon. T. cruzi persists as a chronic infection, with cardiac and/or gastrointestinal symptoms developing years or decades after initial infection. Identifying an individual's history of T. cruzi lineage infection directly by genotyping of the parasite is complicated by the low parasitaemia and sequestration in the host tissues. Methodology/Principal Findings We have applied here serology against lineage-specific epitopes of the T. cruzi surface antigen TSSA, as an indirect approach to allow identification of infecting lineage. Chagasic sera from chronic patients from a range of endemic countries were tested by ELISA against synthetic peptides representing lineage-specific TSSA epitopes bound to avidin-coated ELISA plates via a biotin labelled polyethylene glycol-glycine spacer to increase rotation and ensure each amino acid side chain could freely interact with their antibodies. 79/113 (70%) of samples from Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina recognised the TSSA epitope common to lineages TcII/TcV/TcVI. Comparison with clinical information showed that a higher proportion of Brazilian TSSApep-II/V/VI responders had ECG abnormalities than non-responders (38% vs 17%; p<0.0001). Among northern chagasic sera 4/20 (20%) from Ecuador reacted with this peptide; 1/12 Venezuelan and 1/34 Colombian samples reacted with TSSApep-IV. In addition, a proposed TcI-specific epitope, described elsewhere, was demonstrated here to be highly conserved across lineages and therefore not applicable to lineage-specific serology. Conclusions/Significance These results demonstrate the considerable potential for synthetic peptide serology to investigate the infection history of individuals, geographical and clinical associations of T. cruzi lineages. Chagas disease remains a significant public health issue in Latin America. Caused by the single-celled parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the main route of infection is via contact with contaminated faeces from blood-sucking triatomine bugs, but following successful insecticide spraying campaigns, congenital, food-borne, and transfusion/transplantation routes of infection have become more relevant. In the absence of successful chemotherapy, T. cruzi usually persists in the body for life, and in symptomatic cases may lead to death or debilitation by heart failure and/or gastrointestinal megasyndromes. As a species, T. cruzi displays great genetic diversity, and is subdivided into lineages called TcI - TcVI. Associating T. cruzi lineage with clinical symptoms is a key goal of Chagas disease research. Direct isolation and typing of T. cruzi from chronically infected patients is hampered by the sequestration of the parasite in host tissues. Identifying lineage-specific antibodies in serum provides an alternative approach to determining an individual's history of infection. Here, we performed lineage-specific serology using samples from a range of South American countries. We show that lineage-specific seropositivity is associated with geographical distributions and clinical outcome. These findings have wide implications for further diagnostics development and improved understanding of the epidemiology of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapan Bhattacharyya
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Alejandro O. Luquetti
- Laboratorio de Chagas, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goias, Brazil
| | - Jaime A. Costales
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mario J. Grijalva
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Tropical Disease Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louisa A. Messenger
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Trang T. Tran
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juan-David Ramirez
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Felipe Guhl
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernan J. Carrasco
- Universidad Central de Venezuela Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Patricio Diosque
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular, Instituto de Patología Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Lineth Garcia
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | | | - Michael A. Miles
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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23
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Vega Benedetti AF, Cimino RO, Cajal PS, Juarez MDV, Villalpando CA, Gil JF, Marcipar IS, Krolewiecki AJ, Nasser JR. Performance of different Trypanosoma cruzi antigens in the diagnosis of Chagas disease in patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis from a co-endemic region in Argentina. Trop Med Int Health 2013; 18:1103-1109. [PMID: 23837449 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the ability of recombinant antigens to detect cases of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi among cases of infection with Leishmania spp. by serological methods. METHODS Sera from 41 patients infected with Leishmania spp. were evaluated with ELISA using single (FRA, CP1 and TSSAVI) or pooled (commercial Rec-ELISA) recombinant proteins or homogenate antigens (commercial H-ELISA). As there is no gold standard antigen to discriminate Chagas disease from leishmaniasis, the correlation of results between defined antigens and the homogenate was made with Kappa Index (KI), the level of correlation considered being used as a criterion of specificity. RESULTS Single recombinant antigens and Rec-ELISA showed good correlation (KI > 0.8). A low correlation (KI < 0.66) was observed between the results from single recombinant antigens or the commercial recombinant kit and H-ELISA. CONCLUSIONS The highly correlated results between T. cruzi single or pooled recombinant proteins are indicative of the usefulness of recombinant antigens for Chagas diagnosis. Our results also indicate that in the city of Oran in Argentina, between 12% and 17% of patients with leishmaniasis are also infected with Chagas disease. The high KI values between TSSAVI and the other recombinant proteins suggest that in these patients, the infection may be caused by T. cruzi II and/or V and/or VI lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- A F Vega Benedetti
- Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Rubén O Cimino
- Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Pamela S Cajal
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Marisa Del Valle Juarez
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Carlos A Villalpando
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - José F Gil
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Iván S Marcipar
- Laboratorio de Tecnología Inmunológica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro J Krolewiecki
- Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julio R Nasser
- Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina.,Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
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24
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Burgos JM, Risso MG, Brenière SF, Barnabé C, Campetella O, Leguizamón MS. Differential distribution of genes encoding the virulence factor trans-sialidase along Trypanosoma cruzi Discrete typing units. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58967. [PMID: 23536842 PMCID: PMC3594200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi the agent of Chagas disease is a monophyletic but heterogeneous group conformed by several Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) named TcI to TcVI characterized by genetic markers. The trans-sialidase (TS) is a virulence factor involved in cell invasion and pathogenesis that is differentially expressed in aggressive and less virulent parasite stocks. Genes encoding TS-related proteins are included in a large family divided in several groups but only one of them contains TS genes. Two closely related genes differing in a T/C transition encode the enzymatically active TS (aTS) and a lectin-like TS (iTS). We quantified the aTS/iTS genes from TcII and TcVI aggressive and TcI low virulent strains and found variable aTS number (1-32) per haploid genome. In spite of being low TS enzyme-expressers, TcI strains carry 28-32 aTS gene copies. The intriguing absence of iTS genes in TcI strains together with the presence of aTS/iTS in TcII and TcVI strains (virulent) were observed. Moreover, after sequencing aTS/iTS from 38 isolates collected along the Americas encompassing all DTUs, the persistent absence of the iTS gene in TcI, TcIII and TcIV was found. In addition, the sequence clustering together with T/C transition analysis correlated to DTUs of T. cruzi. The consistence of TS results with both evolutionary genome models proposed for T. cruzi, namely the "Two Hybridization" and the "Three Ancestor" was discussed and reviewed to fit present findings. Parasite stocks to attempt genetic KO or to assay the involvement of iTS in parasite biology and virulence are finally available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M. Burgos
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marikena G. Risso
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Simone Frédérique Brenière
- Unité de Recherche MIVEGEC, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Représentation de l'IRD en Bolivie, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Christian Barnabé
- Unité de Recherche MIVEGEC, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Représentation de l'IRD en Bolivie, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Oscar Campetella
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Susana Leguizamón
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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25
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Martínez I, Nogueda B, Martínez-Hernández F, Espinoza B. Microsatellite and mini-exon analysis of Mexican human DTU I Trypanosoma cruzi strains and their susceptibility to nifurtimox and benznidazole. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:181-7. [PMID: 23421890 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and it affects as many as 10 million people in North and South America, where it represents a major public health problem. T. cruzi is a parasite with high genetic diversity, and it has been grouped into 6 discrete typing units (DTUs), designated as T. cruzi I (TcI) to T. cruzi VI (TcVI). Mexican isolates from humans and from vector insects have been primarily found to be TcI, and these isolates are likely to be the strains that cause the clinical manifestations observed in Mexico. However, genetic characterization and drug susceptibility assays are limited in Mexican TcI strains. In this work, 24 Mexican T. cruzi strains, obtained primarily from humans, were studied with 7 locus microsatellites and mini-exon gene by PCR. Also, drug susceptibility was evaluated by growth and mobility assays. All of the human strains belonged to TcI, and they could be further grouped through microsatellite analysis into 2 subgroups (microsatellite genotypes 1 and 2), which were not related to the host clinical status or biological origin of the strain. Two strains, both from wild mammals, belonged to the TcII-TcVI groups; these strains and the CL Brener strain constituted microsatellite genotype 3. The number of alleles in each locus was lower than reported for South American strains, and a departure from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. The susceptibility of these strains to nifurtimox and benznidazole was heterogeneous. T. cruzi strains characterized as microsatellite genotypes 2 and 3 were significantly more susceptible to benznidazole than strains of microsatellite genotype 1. Only 1 Mexican strain resistant to both drugs was found in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Martínez
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
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26
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Ramos-Ligonio A, Torres-Montero J, López-Monteon A, Dumonteil E. Extensive diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units circulating in Triatoma dimidiata from central Veracruz, Mexico. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2012; 12:1341-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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27
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Fernandes MC, Andrews NW. Host cell invasion by Trypanosoma cruzi: a unique strategy that promotes persistence. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2012; 36:734-47. [PMID: 22339763 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2012.00333.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2011] [Revised: 11/14/2011] [Accepted: 02/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease, a serious disorder that affects millions of people in Latin America. Despite the development of lifelong immunity following infections, the immune system fails to completely clear the parasites, which persist for decades within host tissues. Cardiomyopathy is one of the most serious clinical manifestations of the disease, and a major cause of sudden death in endemic areas. Despite decades of study, there is still debate about the apparent preferential tropism of the parasites for cardiac muscle, and its role in the pathology of the disease. In this review, we discuss these issues in light of recent observations, which indicate that T. cruzi invades host cells by subverting a highly conserved cellular pathway for the repair of plasma membrane lesions. Plasma membrane injury and repair is particularly prevalent in muscle cells, suggesting that the mechanism used by the parasites for cell invasion may be a primary determinant of tissue tropism, intracellular persistence, and Chagas' disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cecilia Fernandes
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-5815, USA
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28
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Zingales B, Miles MA, Campbell DA, Tibayrenc M, Macedo AM, Teixeira MMG, Schijman AG, Llewellyn MS, Lages-Silva E, Machado CR, Andrade SG, Sturm NR. The revised Trypanosoma cruzi subspecific nomenclature: rationale, epidemiological relevance and research applications. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 12:240-53. [PMID: 22226704 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 602] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Accepted: 12/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, its mammalian reservoirs, and vectors have existed in nature for millions of years. The human infection, named Chagas disease, is a major public health problem for Latin America. T. cruzi is genetically highly diverse and the understanding of the population structure of this parasite is critical because of the links to transmission cycles and disease. At present, T. cruzi is partitioned into six discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI-TcVI. Here we focus on the current status of taxonomy-related areas such as population structure, phylogeographical and eco-epidemiological features, and the correlation of DTU with natural and experimental infection. We also summarize methods for DTU genotyping, available for widespread use in endemic areas. For the immediate future multilocus sequence typing is likely to be the gold standard for population studies. We conclude that greater advances in our knowledge on pathogenic and epidemiological features of these parasites are expected in the coming decade through the comparative analysis of the genomes from isolates of various DTUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Zingales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Bisio M, Seidenstein ME, Burgos JM, Ballering G, Risso M, Pontoriero R, Moreau M, Altcheh J, Leguizamón MS, Freilij H, Marceillac M, Schijman AG. Urbanization of congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi: prospective polymerase chain reaction study in pregnancy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2011; 105:543-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2011.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2010] [Revised: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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30
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Evaluation of a recombinant Trypanosoma cruzi mucin-like antigen for serodiagnosis of Chagas' disease. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2011; 18:1850-5. [PMID: 21880857 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.05289-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chagas' disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is one of the most important endemic problems in Latin America. Lately, it has also become a health concern in the United States and Europe. Currently, a diagnosis of Chagas' disease and the screening of blood supplies for antiparasite antibodies are achieved by conventional serological tests that show substantial variation in the reproducibility and reliability of their results. In addition, the specificity of these assays is curtailed by antigenic cross-reactivity with sera from patients affected by other endemic diseases, such as leishmaniasis. Here we used a highly sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CL-ELISA) to evaluate a recombinant protein core of a mucin-like molecule (termed trypomastigote small surface antigen [TSSA]) for the detection of specific serum antibodies in a broad panel of human sera. The same samples were evaluated by CL-ELISA using as the antigen either a mixture of native T. cruzi trypomastigote mucins or an epimastigote extract and, for further comparison, by conventional serologic tests, such as an indirect hemagglutination assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay. TSSA showed ∼87% sensitivity among the seropositive Chagasic panel, a value which was increased up to >98% when only parasitologically positive samples were considered. More importantly, TSSA showed a significant increase in specificity (97.4%) compared to those of currently used assays, which averaged 80 to 90%. Overall, our data demonstrate that recombinant TSSA may be a useful antigen for the immunodiagnosis of Chagas' disease.
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