Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans a... more Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. Central to its dissemination and pathogenicity is the ability to rapidly divide in the tachyzoite stage and infect any type of nucleated cell. Adaptation to different cell contexts requires high plasticity in which heat shock proteins (Hsps) could play a fundamental role. Tgj1 is a type I Hsp40 of T. gondii, an ortholog of the DNAJA1 group, which is essential during the tachyzoite lytic cycle. Tgj1 consists of a J-domain, ZFD, and DNAJ_C domains with a CRQQ C-terminal motif, which is usually prone to lipidation. Tgj1 presented a mostly cytosolic subcellular localization overlapping partially with endoplasmic reticulum. Protein–protein Interaction (PPI) analysis showed that Tgj1 could be implicated in various biological pathways, mainly translation, protein folding, energy metabolism, membrane transport and protein translocation, invasion/pathogenesis, cell signaling, chromati...
Through regulation of DNA packaging, histone proteins are fundamental to a wide array of biologic... more Through regulation of DNA packaging, histone proteins are fundamental to a wide array of biological processes. A variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs), including acetylation, constitute a proposed histone code that is interpreted by “reader” proteins to modulate chromatin structure. Canonical histones can be replaced with variant versions that add an additional layer of regulatory complexity. The protozoan parasiteToxoplasma gondiiis unique among eukaryotes in possessing a novel variant of H2B designated H2B.Z. The combination of PTMs and the use of histone variants is important for gene regulation inT. gondii,offering new targets for drug development. In this work,T. gondiiparasites were generated in which the 5 N-terminal acetylatable lysines in H2B.Z were mutated to either alanine (c-Myc-A) or arginine (c-Myc-R). c-Myc-A mutant only displayed a mild effect in its ability to kill mice. c-Myc-R mutant presented an impaired ability to grow and an increase in differentia...
Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that differentiates from acute tachyzoite st... more Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that differentiates from acute tachyzoite stages to latent bradyzoite forms in response to environmental cues that modify the epigenome. We studied the distribution of the histone variants CenH3, H3.3, H2A.X, H2A.Z and H2B.Z, by genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation to understand the role of variant histones in developmental transitions of T. gondii parasites. Results H3.3 and H2A.X were detected in telomere and telomere associated sequences, whereas H3.3, H2A.X and CenH3 were enriched in centromeres. Histones H2A.Z and H2B.Z colocalize with the transcriptional activation mark H3K4me3 in promoter regions surrounding the nucleosome-free region upstream of the transcription start site. The H2B.Z/H2A.Z histone pair also localizes to the gene bodies of genes that are silent but poised for activation, including bradyzoite stage-specific genes. The majority of H2A.X and H2A.Z/H2B.Z loci do not overlap, consistent with variant histon...
Protein palmitoylation is the reversible covalent attachment of palmitic acid onto proteins. This... more Protein palmitoylation is the reversible covalent attachment of palmitic acid onto proteins. This post-translational modification has been shown to play a part in diverse processes such as signal transduction, cellular localization and regulation of protein activity. Although many aspects of protein palmitoylation have been identified in mammalian and yeast cells, little is known of this modification in Toxoplasma gondii. In order to determine the functional role of protein palmitoylation in T. gondii, tachyzoites were treated with the palmitoylation inhibitor 2bromopalmitate (2-BP). Parasites treated with 2-BP displayed a significant increase in noncircular trails which were longer than those trails left by non-treated parasites. Furthermore, 2-BP treatment reduced the invasion process to the host cells. Long-term treatment of intracellular tachyzoites resulted in major changes in parasite morphology and shape in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that palmitoylation could be modifying proteins that are key players in gliding, invasion and cytoskeletal proteins in T. gondii.
The HSP90 chaperone is a highly conserved protein from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. In eukaryot... more The HSP90 chaperone is a highly conserved protein from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, this chaperone participates in different large complexes, such as the HSP90 heterocomplex, which has important biological roles in cell homeostasis and differentiation. The HSP90-heterocomplex is also named the HSP90/HSP70 cycle because different co-chaperones (HIP, HSP40, HOP, p23, AHA1, immunophilins, PP5) participate in this complex by assembling sequentially, from the early to the mature complex. In this review, we analyze the conservation and relevance of HSP90 and the HSP90-heterocomplex in several protozoan parasites, with emphasis in Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma spp., Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. In the last years, there has been an outburst of studies based on yeast two-hybrid methodology, co-immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry and bioinformatics, which have generated a most comprehensive protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of HSP90 and its co-chaperones. This review analyzes the existing PPI networks of HSP90 and its co-chaperones of some protozoan parasites and discusses the usefulness of these powerful tools to analyze the biological role of the HSP90-heterocomplex in these parasites. The generation of a T. gondii HSP90 heterocomplex PPI network based on experimental data and a recent Plasmodium HSP90 heterocomplex PPI network are also included and discussed. As an example, the putative implication of nuclear transport and chromatin (histones and Sir2) as HSP90-heterocomplex interactors is here discussed.
The properties of Leishmania infantum hsp83 (LiHsp83) to elicit an immune response against a fuse... more The properties of Leishmania infantum hsp83 (LiHsp83) to elicit an immune response against a fused reporter antigen, maltose binding protein (MBP), was studied. CF1 mice were immunized with different purified recombinant proteins: MBP, LiHsp83 and MBP fused to LiHsp83 (MBP-LiHsp83). Serum samples were obtained at days 0, 21, 28, 60, 90, 120 and 150 post-immunization. MBP-LiHsp83 fusion protein elicited a strong humoral response against MBP, higher than that one obtained in mice immunized with MBP alone or MBP mixed with LiHsp83, showing the secretion of both anti-MBP IgG2a and IgG1 isotypes (IgG2a/IgG1 ratio: 2:1). This response was specific for recombinant proteins and was maintained for at least 150 days, whereas the reactivity in mice immunized with MBP alone dissapeared at day 90. After in vitro stimulation with MBP, spleen cells from MBP-LiHsp83 immunized mice showed higher proliferation indices and produced higher secretion of IFN-gamma than spleen cells from either control or MBP-immunized mice. In all groups of mice IL-4 was undetectable. Thus we consider that LiHsp83 may be a promising candidate to be used as carrier of fused antigens for adjuvant-free vaccination.
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 2003
The value of T. gondii recombinant antigens rRop2, rGra4, rGra7 and rSAG1m (mature version) or rS... more The value of T. gondii recombinant antigens rRop2, rGra4, rGra7 and rSAG1m (mature version) or rSAG1ct (C-terminal version) in differentiating recently acquired from chronic infections was determined by IgG-ELISA. The general highest sensitivity was observed with rRop2 whereas rSAG1m was not recognized by any of the serum samples, suggesting an incorrect folding. rGra4 and rGra7 showed significant higher sensitivity and absorbance values with serum samples from recently infected individuals compared to those with chronic infection. In contrast, rRop2 and rSAG1ct did not show differences in the reactivity pattern between both groups of serum samples.
By screening of a Leishmania infantum expression library with the serum from a dog affected with ... more By screening of a Leishmania infantum expression library with the serum from a dog affected with visceral leishmaniasis, a cDNA clone with sequence homology to the Hsp83 gene family was isolated. From analysis of the genomic distribution of the cDNA sequence, it was estimated that the L. infantum genome contains 7 Hsp83 genes tandemly organized. The full-length coding region of the Hsp83 gene located at the 5'-end of the cluster was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the L. infantum Hsp83 shows a high level of sequence identity with members of the Hsp83's protein family from other eukaryotic organisms. The complete protein (LiHsp83) and 4 subfragments (LiA1, LiB1, LiC1 and LiD1) were expressed in Escherichia coli as recombinant proteins and used as target antigens in FAST-ELISA assays against a collection of sera from dogs with visceral leishmaniasis. Ninety percent of the sera recognized the recombinant LiHsp83, indicating that L. infantum Hsp83 is a potent immunogen during canine leishmaniasis. Serological analysis of the recombinant subfragments identified the LiB1 subfragment, from amino acid 156 to 283, as the immunodominant region of the protein. This region, which is the less evolutionary conserved region of the protein, was recognized by 88% of the visceral leishmaniasis sera. The results suggest that L. infantum Hsp83 and particular protein subfragments may be useful in serodiagnostic assays for canine leishmaniasis.
Objective Resveratrol (RSV) is a multitarget drug that has demonstrated activity against Toxoplas... more Objective Resveratrol (RSV) is a multitarget drug that has demonstrated activity against Toxoplasma gondii in macrophage and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cell line infection models. However, the mechanism of action of RSV has not yet been determined. Thus, with the aim of identifying a possible mechanism of the anti-T. gondii activity of this compound, we analyzed the effects of RSV on histones H3 and H4 lysine 16 acetylation (H4K16). We also analyzed RSV-induced DNA damage to intracellular tachyzoites by using the DNA damage marker phosphorylated histone H2A.X (γH2AX). Results RSV inhibited intracellular T. gondii tachyzoite growth at concentrations below the toxic threshold for host cells. The IC50 value after 24 h of treatment was 53 μM. RSV induced a reduction in H4K16 acetylation (H4K16ac), a marker associated with transcription, DNA replication and homologous recombination repair. A similar deacetylation effect was observed on histone H3. RSV also increased T. gondii H2A.X ...
Central nervous system toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection with a mortality rate of hig... more Central nervous system toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection with a mortality rate of higher than 60%. An early and rapid diagnosis is important for effective treatment of the disease. A new approach for detection of cerebral toxoplasmosis is described here. DNAs extracted from cells in cerebrospinal fluid samples (0.3 to 0.8 ml) of patients suspected of having cerebral toxoplasmosis were analyzed by a dot blot hybridization technique. A highly repetitive DNA sequence of Toxoplasma gondii (ABGTg4) was nonisotopically labelled with digoxigenin-dUTP and used as a specific DNA probe. Four of six patients analyzed gave positive signals in our hybridization assay. Two of them recovered with pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine, a drug recommended for treatment of toxoplasmosis. The other two patients with positive signals died soon after diagnosis. Patients with negative signals were found to suffer from mycobacterial infection (patient 1) or varicella-zoster virus infection (patient 6).
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2019
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle composed of mul... more Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle composed of multiple stages that infect mammals and birds. Tachyzoites rapidly replicate within host cells to produce acute infection during which the parasite disseminates to tissues and organs. Highly replicative cells are subject to Double Strand Breaks (DSBs) by replication fork collapse and ATM, a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) family, is a key factor that initiates DNA repair and activates cell cycle checkpoints. Here we demonstrate that the treatment of intracellular tachyzoites with the PI3K inhibitor caffeine or ATM kinase-inhibitor KU-55933 affects parasite replication rate in a dose-dependent manner. KU-55933 affects intracellular tachyzoite growth and induces G1-phase arrest. Addition of KU-55933 to extracellular tachyzoites also leads to a significant reduction of tachyzoite replication upon infection of host cells. ATM kinase phosphorylates H2A.X (γH2AX) to promote DSB damage repair. The level of γH2AX increases in tachyzoites treated with camptothecin (CPT), a drug that generates fork collapse, but this increase was not observed when co-administered with KU-55933. These findings support that KU-55933 is affecting the Toxoplasma ATM-like kinase (TgATM). The combination of KU-55933 and other DNA damaging agents such as methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) and CPT produce a synergic effect, suggesting that TgATM kinase inhibition sensitizes the parasite to damaged DNA. By contrast, hydroxyurea (HU) did not further inhibit tachyzoite replication when combined with KU-55933.
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1992
Genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii was digested with the restriction endonuclease Hpa II and the re... more Genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii was digested with the restriction endonuclease Hpa II and the resulting repetitive DNA sequences were visualized after electrophoresis on agarose gels and staining with ethidium bromide. Three repetitive DNA sequences were isolated and cloned in the plasmid pUC19. The recombinant plasmids (pTg8, pTg4 and pTg1) had inserts of 840, 440, and 180 basepairs, respectively. The estimated copy number of these cloned sequences in the T. gondii genome was approximately 800-1,000 for pTg4, 150-200 for pTg8, and 30-40 for pTg1. In dot-blot hybridization tests, pTg4 was able to detect as little as 80 pg of purified T. gondii DNA or 1,000 parasites in the presence or absence of 1.5 x 10(6) human or mouse leukocytes. No cross-hybridization was detected with 10 micrograms of either human and mouse DNA or 100 ng of DNA from other parasites (Eimeria tenella, E. acervularia, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania donovani), or among the three DNA probes. Each probe identified T. gondii tachyzoites in tissue (liver and spleen) obtained from experimentally infected mice in which histologic damage was detected. In addition, early detection of T. gondii in brain tissue and blood samples was possible with the pTg4 probe.
Echinococcus granulosus antigen B (AgB) is encoded by a gene family and is involved in the evasio... more Echinococcus granulosus antigen B (AgB) is encoded by a gene family and is involved in the evasion of the host immune response. E. granulosus exists as a number of strains (G1-G10) that differ in biological characteristics. We used PCR-SSCP followed by DNA sequencing to evaluate sequence variation and transcription profile of AgB in 5 E. granulosus strains#. Twenty-four genomic sequences were isolated and clustered in 3 groups related to 2 of the 5 reported AgB genes. AgB4 genes were present in almost all strains, whereas AgB2 were present as functional genes exclusively in G1/G2 cluster, and as non-functional genes in G5 and the G6/G7 cluster, suggesting inter-strain variation. The AgB transcription patterns, analysed by RT-PCR, showed that AgB2 and AgB4 genes were transcribed in G1, while only the AgB4 gene was transcribed in G7 strain. Cysts from the same strain or cluster shared more genomic and cDNA variants than cysts from different strain or cluster. The level of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence variation observed is higher than that reported so far for coding genes of other helminths. Neutrality was rejected for AgB2 genes. These data show the genetic polymorphism of antigen-coding genes among genetically characterized strains of E. granulosus.
of this article were presented incorrectly in the print issue, in which the photographic segment ... more of this article were presented incorrectly in the print issue, in which the photographic segment of each figure was inadvertently omitted. The figures appear here correctly along with their captions.
An unusual case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in an HIV negative 11 year old child is reported. Centr... more An unusual case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in an HIV negative 11 year old child is reported. Central nervous system disease was assessed immunohistochemically in a brain biopsy specimen with TgP8-a specific monoclonal antibody against Toxoplasma gondii antigens-thus confirming IgG and IgM serology, technetium scan findings, and clinical data. In addition, an active parasitaemia was confirmed by DNA in situ hybridisation assay in white cells using an ABGTg4 probe. The child recovered after specific T gondii treatment. Follow up six months later showed that he was immunodeficient.
A histone 2b-YFP fusion protein stably expressed in Toxoplasma gondii has several advantages: it ... more A histone 2b-YFP fusion protein stably expressed in Toxoplasma gondii has several advantages: it reveals previously hidden details of nuclear morphology; it makes it possible to observe cell-cycle events; it provides a basis for quantitative measurements of DNA content in living cells; and it enables sorting of live cells according to cell-cycle phase or ploidy. With this cell line it was possible to recognize and directly clone individual progeny arising from different patterns of cell division that produce two, three or four daughter cells. These experiments established that the progeny produced by all cell division pathways are viable and infective. Furthermore, the number of progeny produced by a mature parasite during cell division is not correlated with the number of its siblings. The complete repertoire of cell division pathways is therefore inherited by a single cell produced through any one of the individual paths. The results expand the range of what must be considered nor...
The results of this study describe the identification and characterization of the Toxoplasma gond... more The results of this study describe the identification and characterization of the Toxoplasma gondii α-crystallin/small heat shock protein (sHsp) family. By database ( www.toxodb.org ) search, five parasite sHsps (Hsp20, Hsp21, Hsp28, Hsp29, and the previously characterized Hsp30/Bag1) were identified. As expected, they share the homologous α-crystallin domain, which is the key characteristic of sHsps. However, the N-terminal segment of each protein contains unique characteristics in size and sequence. Most T. gondii sHsps are constitutively expressed in tachyzoites and fully differentiated bradyzoites, with the exception of Hsp30/Bag1. Interestingly, by subcellular localization we observed that T. gondii sHsps are located in different compartments. Hsp20 is located at the apical end of the cell, Hsp28 is located inside the mitochondrion, Hsp29 showed a membrane-associated labeling, and Hsp21 appeared throughout the cytosol of the parasites. These particular differences in the immuno...
Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii present a conserved nucleosome composition based on canonic... more Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii present a conserved nucleosome composition based on canonical H3 and variants, H4, canonical H2A and variants, and H2B. One-off, the phylum has also a variant H2B, named H2B.Z, which was shown to form a double variant nucleosome H2A.Z/H2B.Z. These histones also present conserved and unique post-translational modifications (PTMs). Histone variants have shown particular genomic localization and PTMs along euchromatin and heterochromatin, including telomereassociated sequences (TAS), suggesting fine-grained chromatin structure modulation. Several other nonhistone proteins present remarkable participation in controlling chromatin state, especially at TAS. Based on that, we discuss the role of epigenetics (PTMs and histone variants) in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma gene expression, replication, and DNA repair. We also discuss TAS structures and chromatin composition and its impact on antigenic variant expression in Plasmodium.
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans a... more Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. Central to its dissemination and pathogenicity is the ability to rapidly divide in the tachyzoite stage and infect any type of nucleated cell. Adaptation to different cell contexts requires high plasticity in which heat shock proteins (Hsps) could play a fundamental role. Tgj1 is a type I Hsp40 of T. gondii, an ortholog of the DNAJA1 group, which is essential during the tachyzoite lytic cycle. Tgj1 consists of a J-domain, ZFD, and DNAJ_C domains with a CRQQ C-terminal motif, which is usually prone to lipidation. Tgj1 presented a mostly cytosolic subcellular localization overlapping partially with endoplasmic reticulum. Protein–protein Interaction (PPI) analysis showed that Tgj1 could be implicated in various biological pathways, mainly translation, protein folding, energy metabolism, membrane transport and protein translocation, invasion/pathogenesis, cell signaling, chromati...
Through regulation of DNA packaging, histone proteins are fundamental to a wide array of biologic... more Through regulation of DNA packaging, histone proteins are fundamental to a wide array of biological processes. A variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs), including acetylation, constitute a proposed histone code that is interpreted by “reader” proteins to modulate chromatin structure. Canonical histones can be replaced with variant versions that add an additional layer of regulatory complexity. The protozoan parasiteToxoplasma gondiiis unique among eukaryotes in possessing a novel variant of H2B designated H2B.Z. The combination of PTMs and the use of histone variants is important for gene regulation inT. gondii,offering new targets for drug development. In this work,T. gondiiparasites were generated in which the 5 N-terminal acetylatable lysines in H2B.Z were mutated to either alanine (c-Myc-A) or arginine (c-Myc-R). c-Myc-A mutant only displayed a mild effect in its ability to kill mice. c-Myc-R mutant presented an impaired ability to grow and an increase in differentia...
Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that differentiates from acute tachyzoite st... more Background Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that differentiates from acute tachyzoite stages to latent bradyzoite forms in response to environmental cues that modify the epigenome. We studied the distribution of the histone variants CenH3, H3.3, H2A.X, H2A.Z and H2B.Z, by genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation to understand the role of variant histones in developmental transitions of T. gondii parasites. Results H3.3 and H2A.X were detected in telomere and telomere associated sequences, whereas H3.3, H2A.X and CenH3 were enriched in centromeres. Histones H2A.Z and H2B.Z colocalize with the transcriptional activation mark H3K4me3 in promoter regions surrounding the nucleosome-free region upstream of the transcription start site. The H2B.Z/H2A.Z histone pair also localizes to the gene bodies of genes that are silent but poised for activation, including bradyzoite stage-specific genes. The majority of H2A.X and H2A.Z/H2B.Z loci do not overlap, consistent with variant histon...
Protein palmitoylation is the reversible covalent attachment of palmitic acid onto proteins. This... more Protein palmitoylation is the reversible covalent attachment of palmitic acid onto proteins. This post-translational modification has been shown to play a part in diverse processes such as signal transduction, cellular localization and regulation of protein activity. Although many aspects of protein palmitoylation have been identified in mammalian and yeast cells, little is known of this modification in Toxoplasma gondii. In order to determine the functional role of protein palmitoylation in T. gondii, tachyzoites were treated with the palmitoylation inhibitor 2bromopalmitate (2-BP). Parasites treated with 2-BP displayed a significant increase in noncircular trails which were longer than those trails left by non-treated parasites. Furthermore, 2-BP treatment reduced the invasion process to the host cells. Long-term treatment of intracellular tachyzoites resulted in major changes in parasite morphology and shape in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that palmitoylation could be modifying proteins that are key players in gliding, invasion and cytoskeletal proteins in T. gondii.
The HSP90 chaperone is a highly conserved protein from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. In eukaryot... more The HSP90 chaperone is a highly conserved protein from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, this chaperone participates in different large complexes, such as the HSP90 heterocomplex, which has important biological roles in cell homeostasis and differentiation. The HSP90-heterocomplex is also named the HSP90/HSP70 cycle because different co-chaperones (HIP, HSP40, HOP, p23, AHA1, immunophilins, PP5) participate in this complex by assembling sequentially, from the early to the mature complex. In this review, we analyze the conservation and relevance of HSP90 and the HSP90-heterocomplex in several protozoan parasites, with emphasis in Plasmodium spp., Toxoplasma spp., Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. In the last years, there has been an outburst of studies based on yeast two-hybrid methodology, co-immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry and bioinformatics, which have generated a most comprehensive protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of HSP90 and its co-chaperones. This review analyzes the existing PPI networks of HSP90 and its co-chaperones of some protozoan parasites and discusses the usefulness of these powerful tools to analyze the biological role of the HSP90-heterocomplex in these parasites. The generation of a T. gondii HSP90 heterocomplex PPI network based on experimental data and a recent Plasmodium HSP90 heterocomplex PPI network are also included and discussed. As an example, the putative implication of nuclear transport and chromatin (histones and Sir2) as HSP90-heterocomplex interactors is here discussed.
The properties of Leishmania infantum hsp83 (LiHsp83) to elicit an immune response against a fuse... more The properties of Leishmania infantum hsp83 (LiHsp83) to elicit an immune response against a fused reporter antigen, maltose binding protein (MBP), was studied. CF1 mice were immunized with different purified recombinant proteins: MBP, LiHsp83 and MBP fused to LiHsp83 (MBP-LiHsp83). Serum samples were obtained at days 0, 21, 28, 60, 90, 120 and 150 post-immunization. MBP-LiHsp83 fusion protein elicited a strong humoral response against MBP, higher than that one obtained in mice immunized with MBP alone or MBP mixed with LiHsp83, showing the secretion of both anti-MBP IgG2a and IgG1 isotypes (IgG2a/IgG1 ratio: 2:1). This response was specific for recombinant proteins and was maintained for at least 150 days, whereas the reactivity in mice immunized with MBP alone dissapeared at day 90. After in vitro stimulation with MBP, spleen cells from MBP-LiHsp83 immunized mice showed higher proliferation indices and produced higher secretion of IFN-gamma than spleen cells from either control or MBP-immunized mice. In all groups of mice IL-4 was undetectable. Thus we consider that LiHsp83 may be a promising candidate to be used as carrier of fused antigens for adjuvant-free vaccination.
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 2003
The value of T. gondii recombinant antigens rRop2, rGra4, rGra7 and rSAG1m (mature version) or rS... more The value of T. gondii recombinant antigens rRop2, rGra4, rGra7 and rSAG1m (mature version) or rSAG1ct (C-terminal version) in differentiating recently acquired from chronic infections was determined by IgG-ELISA. The general highest sensitivity was observed with rRop2 whereas rSAG1m was not recognized by any of the serum samples, suggesting an incorrect folding. rGra4 and rGra7 showed significant higher sensitivity and absorbance values with serum samples from recently infected individuals compared to those with chronic infection. In contrast, rRop2 and rSAG1ct did not show differences in the reactivity pattern between both groups of serum samples.
By screening of a Leishmania infantum expression library with the serum from a dog affected with ... more By screening of a Leishmania infantum expression library with the serum from a dog affected with visceral leishmaniasis, a cDNA clone with sequence homology to the Hsp83 gene family was isolated. From analysis of the genomic distribution of the cDNA sequence, it was estimated that the L. infantum genome contains 7 Hsp83 genes tandemly organized. The full-length coding region of the Hsp83 gene located at the 5'-end of the cluster was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the L. infantum Hsp83 shows a high level of sequence identity with members of the Hsp83's protein family from other eukaryotic organisms. The complete protein (LiHsp83) and 4 subfragments (LiA1, LiB1, LiC1 and LiD1) were expressed in Escherichia coli as recombinant proteins and used as target antigens in FAST-ELISA assays against a collection of sera from dogs with visceral leishmaniasis. Ninety percent of the sera recognized the recombinant LiHsp83, indicating that L. infantum Hsp83 is a potent immunogen during canine leishmaniasis. Serological analysis of the recombinant subfragments identified the LiB1 subfragment, from amino acid 156 to 283, as the immunodominant region of the protein. This region, which is the less evolutionary conserved region of the protein, was recognized by 88% of the visceral leishmaniasis sera. The results suggest that L. infantum Hsp83 and particular protein subfragments may be useful in serodiagnostic assays for canine leishmaniasis.
Objective Resveratrol (RSV) is a multitarget drug that has demonstrated activity against Toxoplas... more Objective Resveratrol (RSV) is a multitarget drug that has demonstrated activity against Toxoplasma gondii in macrophage and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cell line infection models. However, the mechanism of action of RSV has not yet been determined. Thus, with the aim of identifying a possible mechanism of the anti-T. gondii activity of this compound, we analyzed the effects of RSV on histones H3 and H4 lysine 16 acetylation (H4K16). We also analyzed RSV-induced DNA damage to intracellular tachyzoites by using the DNA damage marker phosphorylated histone H2A.X (γH2AX). Results RSV inhibited intracellular T. gondii tachyzoite growth at concentrations below the toxic threshold for host cells. The IC50 value after 24 h of treatment was 53 μM. RSV induced a reduction in H4K16 acetylation (H4K16ac), a marker associated with transcription, DNA replication and homologous recombination repair. A similar deacetylation effect was observed on histone H3. RSV also increased T. gondii H2A.X ...
Central nervous system toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection with a mortality rate of hig... more Central nervous system toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection with a mortality rate of higher than 60%. An early and rapid diagnosis is important for effective treatment of the disease. A new approach for detection of cerebral toxoplasmosis is described here. DNAs extracted from cells in cerebrospinal fluid samples (0.3 to 0.8 ml) of patients suspected of having cerebral toxoplasmosis were analyzed by a dot blot hybridization technique. A highly repetitive DNA sequence of Toxoplasma gondii (ABGTg4) was nonisotopically labelled with digoxigenin-dUTP and used as a specific DNA probe. Four of six patients analyzed gave positive signals in our hybridization assay. Two of them recovered with pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine, a drug recommended for treatment of toxoplasmosis. The other two patients with positive signals died soon after diagnosis. Patients with negative signals were found to suffer from mycobacterial infection (patient 1) or varicella-zoster virus infection (patient 6).
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2019
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle composed of mul... more Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle composed of multiple stages that infect mammals and birds. Tachyzoites rapidly replicate within host cells to produce acute infection during which the parasite disseminates to tissues and organs. Highly replicative cells are subject to Double Strand Breaks (DSBs) by replication fork collapse and ATM, a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) family, is a key factor that initiates DNA repair and activates cell cycle checkpoints. Here we demonstrate that the treatment of intracellular tachyzoites with the PI3K inhibitor caffeine or ATM kinase-inhibitor KU-55933 affects parasite replication rate in a dose-dependent manner. KU-55933 affects intracellular tachyzoite growth and induces G1-phase arrest. Addition of KU-55933 to extracellular tachyzoites also leads to a significant reduction of tachyzoite replication upon infection of host cells. ATM kinase phosphorylates H2A.X (γH2AX) to promote DSB damage repair. The level of γH2AX increases in tachyzoites treated with camptothecin (CPT), a drug that generates fork collapse, but this increase was not observed when co-administered with KU-55933. These findings support that KU-55933 is affecting the Toxoplasma ATM-like kinase (TgATM). The combination of KU-55933 and other DNA damaging agents such as methyl methane sulfonate (MMS) and CPT produce a synergic effect, suggesting that TgATM kinase inhibition sensitizes the parasite to damaged DNA. By contrast, hydroxyurea (HU) did not further inhibit tachyzoite replication when combined with KU-55933.
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1992
Genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii was digested with the restriction endonuclease Hpa II and the re... more Genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii was digested with the restriction endonuclease Hpa II and the resulting repetitive DNA sequences were visualized after electrophoresis on agarose gels and staining with ethidium bromide. Three repetitive DNA sequences were isolated and cloned in the plasmid pUC19. The recombinant plasmids (pTg8, pTg4 and pTg1) had inserts of 840, 440, and 180 basepairs, respectively. The estimated copy number of these cloned sequences in the T. gondii genome was approximately 800-1,000 for pTg4, 150-200 for pTg8, and 30-40 for pTg1. In dot-blot hybridization tests, pTg4 was able to detect as little as 80 pg of purified T. gondii DNA or 1,000 parasites in the presence or absence of 1.5 x 10(6) human or mouse leukocytes. No cross-hybridization was detected with 10 micrograms of either human and mouse DNA or 100 ng of DNA from other parasites (Eimeria tenella, E. acervularia, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania donovani), or among the three DNA probes. Each probe identified T. gondii tachyzoites in tissue (liver and spleen) obtained from experimentally infected mice in which histologic damage was detected. In addition, early detection of T. gondii in brain tissue and blood samples was possible with the pTg4 probe.
Echinococcus granulosus antigen B (AgB) is encoded by a gene family and is involved in the evasio... more Echinococcus granulosus antigen B (AgB) is encoded by a gene family and is involved in the evasion of the host immune response. E. granulosus exists as a number of strains (G1-G10) that differ in biological characteristics. We used PCR-SSCP followed by DNA sequencing to evaluate sequence variation and transcription profile of AgB in 5 E. granulosus strains#. Twenty-four genomic sequences were isolated and clustered in 3 groups related to 2 of the 5 reported AgB genes. AgB4 genes were present in almost all strains, whereas AgB2 were present as functional genes exclusively in G1/G2 cluster, and as non-functional genes in G5 and the G6/G7 cluster, suggesting inter-strain variation. The AgB transcription patterns, analysed by RT-PCR, showed that AgB2 and AgB4 genes were transcribed in G1, while only the AgB4 gene was transcribed in G7 strain. Cysts from the same strain or cluster shared more genomic and cDNA variants than cysts from different strain or cluster. The level of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence variation observed is higher than that reported so far for coding genes of other helminths. Neutrality was rejected for AgB2 genes. These data show the genetic polymorphism of antigen-coding genes among genetically characterized strains of E. granulosus.
of this article were presented incorrectly in the print issue, in which the photographic segment ... more of this article were presented incorrectly in the print issue, in which the photographic segment of each figure was inadvertently omitted. The figures appear here correctly along with their captions.
An unusual case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in an HIV negative 11 year old child is reported. Centr... more An unusual case of cerebral toxoplasmosis in an HIV negative 11 year old child is reported. Central nervous system disease was assessed immunohistochemically in a brain biopsy specimen with TgP8-a specific monoclonal antibody against Toxoplasma gondii antigens-thus confirming IgG and IgM serology, technetium scan findings, and clinical data. In addition, an active parasitaemia was confirmed by DNA in situ hybridisation assay in white cells using an ABGTg4 probe. The child recovered after specific T gondii treatment. Follow up six months later showed that he was immunodeficient.
A histone 2b-YFP fusion protein stably expressed in Toxoplasma gondii has several advantages: it ... more A histone 2b-YFP fusion protein stably expressed in Toxoplasma gondii has several advantages: it reveals previously hidden details of nuclear morphology; it makes it possible to observe cell-cycle events; it provides a basis for quantitative measurements of DNA content in living cells; and it enables sorting of live cells according to cell-cycle phase or ploidy. With this cell line it was possible to recognize and directly clone individual progeny arising from different patterns of cell division that produce two, three or four daughter cells. These experiments established that the progeny produced by all cell division pathways are viable and infective. Furthermore, the number of progeny produced by a mature parasite during cell division is not correlated with the number of its siblings. The complete repertoire of cell division pathways is therefore inherited by a single cell produced through any one of the individual paths. The results expand the range of what must be considered nor...
The results of this study describe the identification and characterization of the Toxoplasma gond... more The results of this study describe the identification and characterization of the Toxoplasma gondii α-crystallin/small heat shock protein (sHsp) family. By database ( www.toxodb.org ) search, five parasite sHsps (Hsp20, Hsp21, Hsp28, Hsp29, and the previously characterized Hsp30/Bag1) were identified. As expected, they share the homologous α-crystallin domain, which is the key characteristic of sHsps. However, the N-terminal segment of each protein contains unique characteristics in size and sequence. Most T. gondii sHsps are constitutively expressed in tachyzoites and fully differentiated bradyzoites, with the exception of Hsp30/Bag1. Interestingly, by subcellular localization we observed that T. gondii sHsps are located in different compartments. Hsp20 is located at the apical end of the cell, Hsp28 is located inside the mitochondrion, Hsp29 showed a membrane-associated labeling, and Hsp21 appeared throughout the cytosol of the parasites. These particular differences in the immuno...
Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii present a conserved nucleosome composition based on canonic... more Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii present a conserved nucleosome composition based on canonical H3 and variants, H4, canonical H2A and variants, and H2B. One-off, the phylum has also a variant H2B, named H2B.Z, which was shown to form a double variant nucleosome H2A.Z/H2B.Z. These histones also present conserved and unique post-translational modifications (PTMs). Histone variants have shown particular genomic localization and PTMs along euchromatin and heterochromatin, including telomereassociated sequences (TAS), suggesting fine-grained chromatin structure modulation. Several other nonhistone proteins present remarkable participation in controlling chromatin state, especially at TAS. Based on that, we discuss the role of epigenetics (PTMs and histone variants) in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma gene expression, replication, and DNA repair. We also discuss TAS structures and chromatin composition and its impact on antigenic variant expression in Plasmodium.
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