chemical-cartography-approaches-to-study-trypanosomatid-infection

Chemical Cartography Approaches to Study Trypanosomatid Infection

Pathogen tropism and disease tropism refer to the tissue locations selectively colonized or damaged by pathogens, leading to localized disease symptoms. ...

University of Oklahoma, Norman

Today, more than a billion people-one-sixth of the world's population-are suffering from neglected tropical diseases. Human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis are neglected tropical diseases caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genera  and  About half a million people living in tropical and subtropical regions of the world are at risk of contracting one of these three infections. Kinetoplastids have complex life cycles with different morphologies and unique physiological requirements at each life cycle stage. This review covers the latest findings on metabolic pathways impacting disease pathogenesis of kinetoplastids within the mammalian host. Nutrient availability is a key factor shaping  parasite metabolism; thus, kinetoplastids display significant metabolic flexibility. Proteomic and transcriptomic profiles show that intracellular trypanosomatids are able to switch to an energy-efficient metabolism within the mammalian host system. Host metabolic changes can also favor parasite persistence, and contribute to symptom development, in a location-specific fashion. Ultimately, targeted and untargeted metabolomics studies have been a valuable approach to elucidate the specific biochemical pathways affected by infection within the host, leading to translational drug development and diagnostic insights.

Tryp-ing Up Metabolism: Role of Metabolic Adaptations in Kinetoplastid Disease Pathogenesis.

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites. During mammalian infection, T. cruzi alternates between an intracellular stage and extracellular stage. T. cruzi adapts its metabolism to this lifestyle, while also reshaping host metabolic pathways. Such host metabolic adaptations compensate for parasite-induced stress, but may promote parasite survival and proliferation. Recent work has demonstrated that metabolism controls parasite tropism and location of Chagas disease symptoms, and regulates whether infection is mild or severe. Such findings have important translational applications with regards to treatment and diagnostic test development, though further research is needed with regards to in vivo parasite metabolic gene expression, relationship between magnitude of local metabolic perturbation, parasite strain and disease location, and host-parasite-microbiota co-metabolism.

Laura-Isobel McCall

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research,
Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology

University of Oklahoma, Norman

Chemical Cartography Approaches to Study Trypanosomatid Infection

Laura-Isobel McCall

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research,Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology

University of Oklahoma, Norman

Chemical Cartography Approaches to Study Trypanosomatid Infection

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research,
Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology