Polyamine biosynthesis and inhibition in Trichomonas vaginalis

Polyomines - particularly putrescine, spermidine and spermine - are ubiquitous components of eukaryote and most prokaryote cells, and are essential for optimal cell proliferation. But since routes of polyamine synthesis may differ, for example between parasites and their hosts, selective inhibition of polyamine metabolism offers an attractive target for chemotherapy - as already shown with the success of difluoromethylomithine (DFMO) as an inhibitor of polyamine synthesis in African trypanosomes. Parasitology Today has featured a series of articles reviewing research on polyamine metabolism of various parasites (eg. vol. 3, pp 190-192, pp 312-315; vol. 4, pp 18-20) and here, Nigel Yorlett discusses these metabolic aspects of Trichomonas vaginalis (Fig. 1)-a common parasite of the urogenital tract.     

Metronidazole radical anion generation in vivo in Trichomonas vaginalis: oxygen quenching is enhanced in a drug-resistant strain

The nitro radical-anion of metronidazole has been detected in vivo in the sexually transmitted human parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis, under anaerobic conditions by electron spin resonance spectrometry. Exposure of organisms to oxygen decreased the intensity of the radical signal in both metronidazole-sensitive ATCC strain 30001 and in the metronidazole-resistant strain 85. The sensitive strain still gave radical signals at partial pressures of oxygen (greater than 6 kPa) sufficient to remove all detectable radicals from the resistant strain. This evidence suggests that the resistant strain has defective oxygen scavenging system(s).     

Bound amino acids in local strains of Trichomonas vaginalis

Amino acid composition of water-soluble and water-insoluble proteins of 8 strains of Tr. vaginalis is studied. 17 amino acids are found in both protein hydrolyzates. Despite the complete coincidence of their qualitative compositions there are reliable differences in the quantitative contents of some amino acids. Differences in the contents of main amino acids of water-soluble proteins of different strains reflect the belonging of the latter to different sero-groups. No reliable differences in the quantitative contents of amino acids of both water-soluble and water-insoluble proteins in strains belonging to one sero-group are recognised.     

阴道毛滴虫铁氧还蛋白与甲硝唑抵抗的研究进展

氢化酶体是阴道毛滴虫重要的代谢器官,该器官内存在的铁氧还蛋白不仅是虫体代谢过程中主要的电子传递介体,而且也在甲硝唑的激活中起关键作用。近年来阴道毛滴虫的甲硝唑抵抗株在临床和实验室都有报道,实验研究发现活化药物的铁氧还蛋白减少或缺失,因此对铁氧还蛋白与甲硝唑抵抗的相关性研究越来越受到医学及药学界的重视。本文总结近年来该领域的研究成果及发展动态,以期对滴虫药物抵抗的发生机制以及滴虫病防治的研究提供有价值的资料。     

Concordance between genetic relatedness and phenotypic similarities of Trichomonas vaginalis strains

Background  

Despite the medical importance of trichomoniasis, little is known about the genetic relatedness of Trichomonas vaginalis strains with similar biological characteristics. Furthermore, the distribution of endobionts such as mycoplasmas or Trichomonas vaginalis virus (TVV) in the T. vaginalis metapopulation is poorly characterised.     

A cytosolic ferredoxin-independent hydrogenase possibly mediates hydrogen uptake in Trichomonas vaginalis

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Cell surface saccharide differences in drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of Trichomonas vaginalis.

Surface carbohydrates of drug-resistant and drug-susceptible strains of Trichomonas vaginalis were analysed using lectins. The presence of D-GalNAc, D-Gal and mannose-like residues was detected in T. vaginalis. Marked differences in exposed surface carbohydrates were documented, e.g. wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) selectively agglutinated the drug-susceptible strain whereas drug-resistant parasites reacted preferentially with concanavalin A (Con A). In drug-resistant, but not in drug-susceptible strains, trypsinization induced the appearance of soybean agglutinin. Binding studies using fluorescein-labelled WGA and Con A essentially confirmed the agglutination experiments. Both the intense cell agglutination and the fluorescent WGA-binding displayed by a drug-susceptible strain, were completely nullified by neuraminidase treatment, suggesting the presence of an exposed sialic acid moiety on the T. vaginalis surface.     

On Glycolysis in Trichomonas vaginalis

SYNOPSIS. The mechanism of carbohydrate dissimilation was studied in cell-free extracts prepared from mass cultures of the trichomonads. Evidence for the presence of all the enzymes associated with the Embden-Meyerhof glycolytic scheme was obtained. Several enzyme systems directly associated with the glycolytic pathway were examined. Two of these, alcohol dehydrogenase and phosphorylase, were not demonstrated in the T. vaginalis extract. The absence of phosphorylase in the presence of a very high glycogen concentration in the cell (20.8%) suggests the possibility of an alternate route. A very active TPN-linked "malic enzyme" was also demonstrated, although no functional citric acid cycle is known for this trichomonad. Based on the experimental evidence and collateral data, a functional Embden-Meyerhof system was suggested for T. vaginalis.     

Further studies on the surface saccharides in Trichomonas vaginalis strains by fluorescein-conjugated lectins

Fluorescence emitted by individual cells of several Trichomonas vaginalis strains, nearly all of which were cloned, incubated with fluorescein-conjugated lectins in the absence (experimental) or presence (control) of inhibitory sugars, or else in phosphate-buffered saline alone (autofluorescence) was measured with a Leitz MPV Compact microfluorometer. Irrespective of whether the organisms were postfixed in formalin or glutaraldehyde, the relative fluorescence emitted by the cells was closely comparable, provided that appropriate neutral density filters were employed. However, autofluorescence was much higher for glutaraldehyde-fixed trichomonads. Therefore, although better preserved and more amenable to subsequent manipulations, such organisms were found unsuitable for use in "qualitative" titration of the fluorescence emitted by various strains. Provided that the necessary precautions were taken, comparable fluorescence readings were obtained with trichomonads affixed to glass slides by heat (41 degrees C, on a section spreader) or by a cytologic centrifuge (Cytospin 2). Large numbers of concanavalin A (Con A)-binding sites were present on organisms of all strains, irrespective of their virulence for human patients and as estimated by the subcutaneous mouse assay; these sites were shown with the aid of D-mannose to be mannose or mannose-related residues. More binding sites for soybean agglutinin (SBA) were found on the virulent than on avirulent strains. On the basis of inhibition experiments, the sugar residues mainly responsible for these differences appeared to be D-lactose residues. Similar differences were observed with Ricinus communis agglutinin Type I (RCA I), for which D-galactose was employed as the competing sugar. However, with two cloned strains the situation with regard to RCA I binding was reversed - more of the lectin bound to a mild than to a virulent strain. The results obtained with Ricinus communis Type II agglutinin (RCA II) were often similar to those noted for RCA I; however, in most instances the inhibition with N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) was lower. Furthermore, the results noted with the GalNAc-specific agglutinins from Dolichus biflorus and Helix pomatia suggested that only very few GalNAc residues were available for binding on the surfaces of all T. vaginalis strains examined in the course of this study. Statistical analyses of fluorescence emitted by four clones of each, Balt 42 (virulent) and JH31A (avirulent) T. vaginalis strain upon incubation with Con A and SBA revealed homogeneity of these strains with regard to the number of the specific surface saccharide residues, D-mannose and D-lactose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Freeze-fracture study of Trichomonas vaginalis

The freeze-fracture technique was used to analyse the organization of the plasma membrane, as well as membranes of cytoplasmic organelles, of the pathogenic protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Rosettes formed by 4 to 14 intramembranous particles were seen on the fracture faces of the membrane lining the anterior flagella as well as in fracture faces of the plasma membrane enclosing the anterior region of the protozoan and in cytoplasmic organelles. Special organization of the membrane particles were also seen in the region of association of the recurrent flagellum to the cell body.     

Trichomonas vaginalis inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in macrophages by suppressing NF-kappaB activation

Activation of NF-kappaB leads to the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 and TNF-alpha that are involved in innate and adaptive immunity. We determined whether T. vaginalis-induced inflammatory response in macrophages associated with NF-kappaB. T. vaginalis adhesion led to transient NF-kappaB activation at 6 h but activation declined dramatically by 8 h. Super-shift assays showed that the gel-shifted complexes consisted of p65 (Rel A) and p50 (NF-kappaB1). NF-kappaB activation was accompanied by IkappaB-alpha degradation, and was inhibited by blocking T. vaginalis adhesion, indicating that the early NF-kappaB activation by T. vaginalis depends on IkappaB-alpha degradation. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-12 mRNA in T. vaginalis-adhesive cells was rapidly suppressed in comparison with LPS stimulation. We also observed that the parasite inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB at 8 h, and diminished IL-12 and TNF-alpha production in response to LPS. In addition, inhibition of IkappaB-alpha degradation by MG-132 resulted in apoptosis. These results demonstrate that effects of T. vaginalis on NF-kappaB regulation are critical for cytokine production and the survival of macrophages. We suggest that there exist inhibitory mechanisms induced by T. vaginalis to evade host immunity.