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Horcajo P, Ortega-Mora LM, Benavides J, Sánchez-Sánchez R, Amieva R, Collantes-Fernández E, Pastor-Fernández I. Ovine placental explants: A new ex vivo model to study host‒pathogen interactions in reproductive pathogens. Theriogenology 2023; 212:157-171. [PMID: 37729817 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive failure is one of the main performance constraints in ruminant livestock. Transmissible agents such as Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are commonly involved in the occurrence of abortion in ruminants, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. While in vivo models are optimal for the study of abortion pathogenesis, they have a high economic cost and come with ethical concerns. Unfortunately, alternative in vitro models fail to replicate the complex in vivo placental structure. To overcome the limitations of currently available models, we developed an ex vivo model based on the cultivation of fresh and cryopreserved sheep placental explants, enabling the biobanking of tissues. Reproducible and simple markers of tissue integrity (histology, RNA concentrations), viability (resazurin reduction), and functionality (synthesis of steroid hormones) were also investigated, allowing a clear quality assessment of the model. This work shows that, similar to fresh explants, tissues cryopreserved in ethylene glycol using slow freezing rates maintain not only their structure and function but also their receptivity to T. gondii and N. caninum infection. In addition, the findings demonstrate that explant lifespan is mainly limited by the culture method, with protocols requiring improvements to extend it beyond 2 days. These findings suggest that cryopreserved tissues can be exploited to study the initial host‒pathogen interactions taking place in the placenta, thus deepening the knowledge of the specific mechanisms that trigger reproductive failure in sheep. Importantly, this work paves the way for the development of similar models in related species and contributes to the reduction of experimental animal use in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Horcajo
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Julio Benavides
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Grulleros, León, 24346, Spain.
| | - Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Rafael Amieva
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Esther Collantes-Fernández
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
| | - Iván Pastor-Fernández
- SALUVET group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.
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Wheelhouse N, Hearn J, Livingstone M, Flockhart A, Dagleish M, Longbottom D. Identification of Parachlamydiaceae DNA in nasal and rectal passages of healthy dairy cattle. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 132:2642-2648. [PMID: 34932865 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The order Chlamydiales comprises a broad range of bacterial pathogens and endosymbionts, which infect a wide variety of host species. Within this order, members of the family Parachlamydiaceae, which includes Parachlamydia and Neochlamydia species, have been particularly associated with infections in both humans and cattle, including having a potential pathogenic role in cases of bovine abortion. While the route of transmission has yet to be defined, it has been hypothesised that asymptomatic carriage and contamination of the immediate environment may be a route of inter-animal transmission. We investigated the asymptomatic carriage of Chlamydia-related organisms in healthy cattle. METHODS & RESULTS DNA was isolated from nasal and rectal swabs obtained from 38 healthy dairy heifers. A Chlamydiales sp. 16S rRNA qPCR was performed on each sample. A total of 18/38 nasal samples and all 38/38 rectal samples were identified as positive for Chlamydiales sp. Each positive sample was sequenced confirming the presence of DNA belonging to the Parachlamydiaceae. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Parachlamydiaceae DNA in nasal and rectal swab samples of healthy cattle provides evidence for the asymptomatic carriage of parachlamydial organisms within cattle. SIGNIFICANCE & IMPACT OF THE STUDY The study provides evidence of potential routes of environmental contamination that could provide a route for inter-animal and animal transmission of Parachlamydiaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Wheelhouse
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jack Hearn
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Allen Flockhart
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
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Chowdhury UF, Saba AA, Sufi AS, Khan AM, Sharmin I, Sultana A, Islam MO. Subtractive proteomics approach to Unravel the druggable proteins of the emerging pathogen Waddlia chondrophila and drug repositioning on its MurB protein. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07320. [PMID: 34195427 PMCID: PMC8239728 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Waddlia chondrophila is an emerging pathogen that has been implicated in numerous unpropitious pregnancy events in humans and ruminants. Taking into account its association with abortigenic events, possible modes of transmission, and future risk, immediate clinical measures are required to prevent widespread damage caused by this organism and hence this study. Here, a subtractive proteomics approach was employed to identify druggable proteins of W. chondrophila. Considering the essential genes, antibiotic resistance proteins, and virulence factors, 676 unique important proteins were initially identified for this bacterium. Afterward, NCBI BLASTp performed against human proteome identified 223 proteins that were further pushed into KEGG Automatic Annotation Server (KAAS) for automatic annotation. Using the information from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database 14 Waddlia specific metabolic pathways were identified with respect to humans. Analyzing the data from KAAS and KEGG databases, forty-eight metabolic pathway-dependent, and seventy metabolic pathway independent proteins were identified. Standalone BLAST search against DrugBank FDA approved drug targets revealed eight proteins that are finally considered druggable proteins. Prediction of three-dimensional structures was done for the eight proteins through homology modeling and the Ramachandran plot model showed six models as a valid prediction. Finally, virtual screening against MurB protein was performed using FDA approved drugs to employ the drug repositioning strategy. Three drugs showed promising docking results that can be used for therapeutic purposes against W. chondrophila following the clinical validation of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdullah Al Saba
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Sufian Sufi
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Akib Mahmud Khan
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Ishrat Sharmin
- Sarkari Karmachari Hospital, Fulbaria, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Aziza Sultana
- Sarkari Karmachari Hospital, Fulbaria, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Ohedul Islam
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
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4
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Pastor-Fernández I, Collantes-Fernández E, Jiménez-Pelayo L, Ortega-Mora LM, Horcajo P. Modeling the Ruminant Placenta-Pathogen Interactions in Apicomplexan Parasites: Current and Future Perspectives. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:634458. [PMID: 33553293 PMCID: PMC7859336 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.634458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are one of the main concerns of the livestock sector as they cause important economic losses in ruminants due to the reproductive failure. It is well-known that the interaction of these parasites with the placenta determines the course of infection, leading to fetal death or parasite transmission to the offspring. However, to advance the development of effective vaccines and treatments, there are still important gaps on knowledge on the placental host-parasite interactions that need to be addressed. Ruminant animal models are still an indispensable tool for providing a global view of the pathogenesis, lesions, and immune responses, but their utilization embraces important economic and ethics restrictions. Alternative in vitro systems based on caruncular and trophoblast cells, the key cellular components of placentomes, have emerged in the last years, but their use can only offer a partial view of the processes triggered after infection as they cannot mimic the complex placental architecture and neglect the activity of resident immune cells. These drawbacks could be solved using placental explants, broadly employed in human medicine, and able to preserve its cellular architecture and function. Despite the availability of such materials is constrained by their short shelf-life, the development of adequate cryopreservation protocols could expand their use for research purposes. Herein, we review and discuss existing (and potential) in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo ruminant placental models that have proven useful to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms and the host immune responses responsible for fetal death (or protection) caused by neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pilar Horcajo
- Animal Health and Zoonoses (SALUVET) Group, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Regidor-Cerrillo J, Xia D, Jiménez-Pelayo L, García-Sánchez M, Collantes-Fernández E, Randle N, Wastling J, Ortega-Mora LM, Horcajo P. Proteomic Characterization of Host-Pathogen Interactions during Bovine Trophoblast Cell Line Infection by Neospora caninum. Pathogens 2020; 9:E749. [PMID: 32942559 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of bovine neosporosis, relevant knowledge gaps remain concerning the pathogenic mechanisms of Neospora caninum. Infection of the placenta is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of the disease; however, very little is known about the relation of the parasite with this target organ. Recent studies have shown that isolates with important variations in virulence also show different interactions with the bovine trophoblast cell line F3 in terms of proliferative capacity and transcriptome host cell modulation. Herein, we used the same model of infection to study the interaction of Neospora with these target cells at the proteomic level using LC-MS/MS over the course of the parasite lytic cycle. We also analysed the proteome differences between high- (Nc-Spain7) and low-virulence (Nc-Spain1H) isolates. The results showed that mitochondrial processes and metabolism were the main points of Neospora-host interactions. Interestingly, Nc-Spain1H infection showed a higher level of influence on the host cell proteome than Nc-Spain7 infection.
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van Dooremalen WTM, Verweij SP, den Hartog JE, Kebbi-Beghdadi C, Ouburg S, Greub G, Morré SA, Ammerdorffer A. Screening of Chlamydia trachomatis and Waddlia chondrophila Antibodies in Women with Tubal Factor Infertility. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E918. [PMID: 32560559 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Waddlia chondrophila is an emerging intracellular pathogen belonging to the order of Chlamydiales, and was previously associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, as well as tubal factor infertility (TFI). In this study, we investigate the link between both W. chondrophila and Chlamydia trachomatis IgG seropositivity and TFI. Antibodies against both bacteria were measured in 890 serum samples of women visiting a fertility clinic. After a hysterosalpingography and/or laparoscopy, they were classified as either TFI-negative (TFI−) or TFI-positive (TFI+). The total seroprevalence was 13.4% for C. trachomatis and 38.8% for W. chondrophila. C. trachomatis antibodies were present significantly more often in the TFI+ group than in the TFI− group, while for W. chondrophila no difference could be observed. In conclusion, our study confirms the association between C. trachomatis seropositivity and TFI, but no association was found between W. chondrophila seropositivity and TFI. The high percentage of W. chondrophila seropositivity in all women attending a fertility clinic does, however, demonstrate the need for further research on this Chlamydia-like bacterium and its possible role in infertility.
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Barkallah M, Jribi H, Ben Slima A, Gharbi Y, Mallek Z, Gautier M, Fendri I, Gdoura R. Molecular prevalence of Chlamydia and Chlamydia-like bacteria in Tunisian domestic ruminant farms and their influencing risk factors. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65:e329-e338. [PMID: 29120114 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia and Chlamydia-like bacteria are well known to infect several organisms and may cause a wide range of diseases, particularly in ruminants. To gain insight into the prevalence and diversity of these intracellular bacteria, we applied a pan-Chlamydiales real-time PCR to 1,134 veterinary samples taken from 130 Tunisian ruminant herds. The true adjusted animal population-level prevalence was 12.9% in cattle, against 8.7% in sheep. In addition, the true adjusted herd-level prevalence of Chlamydiae was 80% in cattle and 25.5% in sheep. Chlamydiales from three family-level lineages were detected indicating a high biodiversity of Chlamydiales in ruminant herds. Our results showed that Parachlamydia acanthamoebae could be responsible for bovine and ovine chlamydiosis in central-eastern Tunisia. Multivariable logistic regression analysis at the animal population level indicated that strata and digestive disorders variables were the important risk factors of bovine and ovine chlamydiosis. However, origin and age variables were found to be associated with bovine and ovine chlamydiosis, respectively. At the herd level, risk factors for Chlamydia positivity were as follows: abortion and herd size for cattle against breeding system, cleaning frequency, quarantine, use of disinfectant and floor type for sheep. Paying attention to these risk factors will help improvement of control programs against this harmful zoonotic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Barkallah
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - H Jribi
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - A Ben Slima
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Y Gharbi
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Z Mallek
- Veterinary Research Center of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - M Gautier
- Equipe Microbiologie de l'œuf et des Ovoproduits (MICOV), Agrocampus Ouest, INRA, (UMR1253) Science et Technologie du Lait et de l'Œuf, Rennes, France
| | - I Fendri
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - R Gdoura
- Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Toxicology-Microbiology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LR17ES06), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
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Wheelhouse N, Flockhart A, Aitchison K, Livingstone M, Finlayson J, Flachon V, Sellal E, Dagleish MP, Longbottom D. Experimental challenge of pregnant cattle with the putative abortifacient Waddlia chondrophila. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37150. [PMID: 27841350 DOI: 10.1038/srep37150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Waddlia chondrophila is a Gram-negative intracellular bacterial organism that is related to classical chlamydial species and has been implicated as a cause of abortion in cattle. Despite an increasing number of observational studies linking W. chondrophila infection to cattle abortion, little direct experimental evidence exists. Given this paucity of direct evidence the current study was carried out to investigate whether experimental challenge of pregnant cattle with W. chondrophila would result in infection and abortion. Nine pregnant Friesian-Holstein heifers received 2 × 108 inclusion forming units (IFU) W. chondrophila intravenously on day 105-110 of pregnancy, while four negative-control animals underwent mock challenge. Only one of the challenged animals showed pathogen-associated lesions, with the organism being detected in the diseased placenta. Importantly, the organism was re-isolated and its identity confirmed by whole genome sequencing, confirming Koch's third and fourth postulates. However, while infection of the placenta was observed, the experimental challenge in this study did not confirm the abortifacient potential of the organism.
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Coyle C, Wheelhouse N, Jacques M, Longbottom D, Svoboda P, Pohl J, Duncan WC, Rae MT, Barlow PG. Ovine trophoblasts express cathelicidin host defence peptide in response to infection. J Reprod Immunol 2016; 117:10-6. [PMID: 27348190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cationic host defence peptides (CHDP; also known as antimicrobial peptides) are key components of the immune response in the female reproductive tract. The role of the placental trophoblast in ovine host defence remains poorly understood. This study characterises expression of genes for cathelicidin and defensin peptides in primary ovine placental tissues, the ovine trophoblast cell line (AH-1) and in response to the TLR-4 ligand LPS, the abortifacient organism Waddlia chondrophila and 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Using RT-PCR, expression of the CHDP SMAP-29, sBD-1 and sBD-2 was assessed in the AH-1 cell line in response to LPS, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 exposure (a known stimulator of cathelicidin gene expression), or W. chondrophila infection. Expression of cathelicidin in the trophoblast compartment of the ovine placenta and in the ovine trophoblast cell line (AH-1) was also established. AH-1 cells did not upregulate expression of CHDP in response to LPS, but sBD-1 and sBD-2 expression was significantly increased in response to W. chondrophila infection. SMAP-29 expression was not altered by in vitro exposure to 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. This study demonstrates that the ovine trophoblast expresses cathelicidins, but does not upregulate expression of CHDP in response to LPS. Ovine trophoblasts are shown to differentially regulate expression of CHDP and lack a demonstrable vitamin D-mediated cathelicidin response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Coyle
- School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Wheelhouse
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maxime Jacques
- School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
| | - David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Pavel Svoboda
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30333, United States
| | - Jan Pohl
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30333, United States
| | - W Colin Duncan
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queens Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T Rae
- School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
| | - Peter G Barlow
- School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, United Kingdom.
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Storrie S, Longbottom D, Barlow PG, Wheelhouse N. MAPK Activation Is Essential for Waddlia chondrophila Induced CXCL8 Expression in Human Epithelial Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152193. [PMID: 27002636 PMCID: PMC4803198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Waddlia chondrophila (W. chondrophila) is an emerging agent of respiratory and reproductive disease in humans and cattle. The organism is a member of the order Chlamydiales, and shares many similarities at the genome level and in growth studies with other well-characterised zoonotic chlamydial agents, such as Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus). The current study investigated the growth characteristics and innate immune responses of human and ruminant epithelial cells in response to infection with W. chondrophila. Methods Human epithelial cells (HEp2) were infected with W. chondrophila for 24h. CXCL8 release was significantly elevated in each of the cell lines by active-infection with live W. chondrophila, but not by exposure to UV-killed organisms. Inhibition of either p38 or p42/44 MAPK significantly inhibited the stimulation of CXCL8 release in each of the cell lines. To determine the pattern recognition receptor through which CXCL8 release was stimulated, wild-type HEK293 cells which express no TLR2, TLR4, NOD2 and only negligible NOD1 were infected with live organisms. A significant increase in CXCL8 was observed. Conclusions/Significance W. chondrophila actively infects and replicates within both human and ruminant epithelial cells stimulating CXCL8 release. Release of CXCL8 is significantly inhibited by inhibition of either p38 or p42/44 MAPK indicating a role for this pathway in the innate immune response to W. chondrophila infection. W. chondrophila stimulation of CXCL8 secretion in HEK293 cells indicates that TLR2, TLR4, NOD2 and NOD1 receptors are not essential to the innate immune response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye Storrie
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
| | - David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Peter G. Barlow
- School of Life, Sport and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Wheelhouse
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Lamoth F, Pillonel T, Greub G. Waddlia: An emerging pathogen and a model organism to study the biology of chlamydiae. Microbes Infect 2015; 17:732-7. [PMID: 26432516 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2015.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Waddlia chondrophila is an emerging pathogen associated with abortion in cattle. In humans, a growing body of evidence supports its pathogenic role in miscarriage and in respiratory tract infection. The human pathogenicity of W. chondrophila is further supported by the presence of several virulence factors including a catalase, a functional T3SS and several adhesins. Despite this medical importance, no commercial tests are available and diagnostic of this strict intracellular bacterium mainly relies on serology, PCR and immunohistochemistry. So far, the epidemiology of W. chondrophila remains largely unexplored and zoonotic, waterborne or interhuman transmission has been considered. Apart from its pathogenic role, chlamydiologists are also interested in W. chondrophila in order to better understand biological mechanisms conserved and shared with Chlamydia spp. Indeed, W. chondrophila proved to be a useful model organism to study the pathobiology of chlamydiae thanks to its rapid replication, its large size allowing precise subcellular protein localization, as well as its growth in Dictyostelium amoebae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fréderic Lamoth
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Trestan Pillonel
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne and University Hospital Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Van Gils M, Aeby S, Vanrompay D, Greub G. Absence of Chlamydia-like organisms in pigs. New Microbes New Infect 2015; 7:31-2. [PMID: 26137311 PMCID: PMC4484541 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine reproductive failure, especially abortion, causes significant economic loss in the pig industry. Waddlia chondrophila and Parachlamydia acanthamoebae are potential abortigenic agents for pigs. Therefore, we investigated the presence of these two Chlamydia-like organisms in abortion-related samples originating from Belgian pig farms. All investigated samples remained negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Van Gils
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - S Aeby
- Center for Research on Intracellular Bacteria, Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - D Vanrompay
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - G Greub
- Center for Research on Intracellular Bacteria, Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Dille S, Kleinschnitz EM, Kontchou CW, Nölke T, Häcker G. In contrast to Chlamydia trachomatis, Waddlia chondrophila grows in human cells without inhibiting apoptosis, fragmenting the Golgi apparatus, or diverting post-Golgi sphingomyelin transport. Infect Immun 2015; 83:3268-80. [PMID: 26056386 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00322-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chlamydiales are an order of obligate intracellular bacteria sharing a developmental cycle inside a cytosolic vacuole, with very diverse natural hosts, from amoebae to mammals. The clinically most important species is Chlamydia trachomatis. Many uncertainties remain as to how Chlamydia organizes its intracellular development and replication. The discovery of new Chlamydiales species from other families permits the comparative analysis of cell-biological events and may indicate events that are common to all or peculiar to some species and more or less tightly linked to "chlamydial" development. We used this approach in the infection of human cells with Waddlia chondrophila, a species from the family Waddliaceae whose natural host is uncertain. Compared to C. trachomatis, W. chondrophila had slightly different growth characteristics, including faster cytotoxicity. The embedding in cytoskeletal structures was not as pronounced as for the C. trachomatis inclusion. C. trachomatis infection generates proteolytic activity by the protease Chlamydia protease-like activity factor (CPAF), which degrades host substrates upon extraction; these substrates were not cleaved in the case of W. chondrophila. Unlike Chlamydia, W. chondrophila did not protect against staurosporine-induced apoptosis. C. trachomatis infection causes Golgi apparatus fragmentation and redirects post-Golgi sphingomyelin transport to the inclusion; both were absent from W. chondrophila-infected cells. When host cells were infected with both species, growth of both species was reduced. This study highlights differences between bacterial species that both depend on obligate intracellular replication inside an inclusion. Some features seem principally dispensable for intracellular development of Chlamydiales in vitro but may be linked to host adaptation of Chlamydia and the higher virulence of C. trachomatis.
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Taylor-Brown A, Vaughan L, Greub G, Timms P, Polkinghorne A. Twenty years of research into Chlamydia-like organisms: a revolution in our understanding of the biology and pathogenicity of members of the phylum Chlamydiae. Pathog Dis 2014; 73:1-15. [PMID: 25854000 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftu009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that share a unique but remarkably conserved biphasic developmental cycle that relies on a eukaryotic host cell for survival. Although the phylum was originally thought to only contain one family, the Chlamydiaceae, a total of nine families are now recognized. These so-called Chlamydia-like organisms (CLOs) are also referred to as 'environmental chlamydiae', as many were initially isolated from environmental sources. However, these organisms are also emerging pathogens, as many, such as Parachlamydia sp., Simkania sp. and Waddlia sp., have been associated with human disease, and others, such as Piscichlamydia sp. and Parilichlamydia sp., have been documented in association with diseases in animals. Their strict intracellular nature and the requirement for cell culture have been a confounding factor in characterizing the biology and pathogenicity of CLOs. Nevertheless, the genomes of seven CLO species have now been sequenced, providing new information on their potential ability to adapt to a wide range of hosts. As new isolation and diagnostic methods advance, we are able to further explore the richness of this phylum with further research likely to help define the true pathogenic potential of the CLOs while also providing insight into the origins of the 'traditional' chlamydiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyce Taylor-Brown
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia
| | - Lloyd Vaughan
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne, CH-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Peter Timms
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia
| | - Adam Polkinghorne
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia
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