Extracellular vesicles are thought to facilitate pathogen transmission from arthropods to humans and other animals. Here, we reveal that pathogen spreading from arthropods to the mammalian host is multifaceted. Extracellular vesicles from Ixodes scapularis enable tick feeding and promote infection of the mildly virulent rickettsial agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum through the SNARE proteins Vamp33 and Synaptobrevin 2 and dendritic epidermal T cells. However, extracellular vesicles from the tick Dermacentor andersoni mitigate microbial spreading caused by the lethal pathogen Francisella tularensis. Collectively, we establish that tick extracellular vesicles foster distinct outcomes of bacterial infection and assist in vector feeding by acting on skin immunity. Thus, the biology of arthropods should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to control vector-borne diseases.

• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum patogenita   MeSH
• bakteriální infekce imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• členovci metabolismus   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• Dermacentor metabolismus   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• extracelulární vezikuly metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• Francisella tularensis patogenita   MeSH
• genová ontologie MeSH
• intravitální mikroskopie MeSH
• klíšťata metabolismus   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• klíště metabolismus   mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• kůže imunologie   mikrobiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• membránový protein 2 asociovaný s vezikuly metabolismus   MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši knockoutované MeSH
• myši MeSH
• proteiny R-SNARE metabolismus   MeSH
• proteomika MeSH
• T-lymfocyty metabolismus   MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• transmisní elektronová mikroskopie MeSH
• zánět imunologie   metabolismus   parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

Microbial metabolite mimicry is a new concept that promises to deliver compounds that have minimal liabilities and enhanced therapeutic effects in a host. In a previous publication, we have shown that microbial metabolites of L-tryptophan, indoles, when chemically altered, yielded potent anti-inflammatory pregnane X Receptor (PXR)-targeting lead compounds, FKK5 and FKK6, targeting intestinal inflammation. Our aim in this study was to further define structure-activity relationships between indole analogs and PXR, we removed the phenyl-sulfonyl group or replaced the pyridyl residue with imidazolopyridyl of FKK6. Our results showed that while removal of the phenyl-sulfonyl group from FKK6 (now called CVK003) shifts agonist activity away from PXR towards the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), the imidazolopyridyl addition preserves PXR activity in vitro. However, when these compounds are administered to mice, that unlike the parent molecule, FKK6, they exhibit poor induction of PXR target genes in the intestines and the liver. These data suggest that modifications of FKK6 specifically in the pyridyl moiety can result in compounds with weak PXR activity in vivo. These observations are a significant step forward for understanding the structure-activity relationships (SAR) between indole mimics and receptors, PXR and AhR.

• MeSH
• adenokarcinom MeSH
• antiflogistika chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• hepatocyty MeSH
• indoly chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• játra MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• molekulární mimikry MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nádory tračníku MeSH
• pregnanový X receptor chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• racionální návrh léčiv MeSH
• střeva MeSH
• vztahy mezi strukturou a aktivitou MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

The human PXR (pregnane X receptor), a master regulator of drug metabolism, has essential roles in intestinal homeostasis and abrogating inflammation. Existing PXR ligands have substantial off-target toxicity. Based on prior work that established microbial (indole) metabolites as PXR ligands, we proposed microbial metabolite mimicry as a novel strategy for drug discovery that allows exploiting previously unexplored parts of chemical space. Here, we report functionalized indole derivatives as first-in-class non-cytotoxic PXR agonists as a proof of concept for microbial metabolite mimicry. The lead compound, FKK6 (Felix Kopp Kortagere 6), binds directly to PXR protein in solution, induces PXR-specific target gene expression in cells, human organoids, and mice. FKK6 significantly represses pro-inflammatory cytokine production cells and abrogates inflammation in mice expressing the human PXR gene. The development of FKK6 demonstrates for the first time that microbial metabolite mimicry is a viable strategy for drug discovery and opens the door to underexploited regions of chemical space.

• MeSH
• cytokiny MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• molekulární mimikry * MeSH
• myši MeSH
• organoidy MeSH
• pregnanový X receptor chemie   MeSH
• střeva MeSH
• zánět MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

In our previous work we established a T7 polymerase-driven Tetracycline-inducible protein expression system in Leishmania mexicana (Biagi, 1953). We used this system to analyse gene expression profiles during development of L. mexicana in procyclic and metacyclic promastigotes and amastigotes. The transcription of the gene of interest and the T7 polymerase genes was significantly reduced upon cell differentiation. This regulation is not locus-specific. It depends on untranslated regions flanking open reading frames of the genes analysed. In this paper, we report that the previously established conventional inducible protein expression system may not be suitable for studies on differentiation of species of Leishmania Ross, 1903 and protein expression systems might have certain limitations.

• MeSH
• DNA-dependentní DNA-polymerasy metabolismus   MeSH
• Leishmania mexicana enzymologie   genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese * MeSH
• stadia vývoje genetika   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, results in chronic infection that leads to cardiomyopathy with increased mortality and morbidity in endemic regions. In a companion study, our group found that a high-fat diet (HFD) protected mice from T. cruzi-induced myocardial damage and significantly reduced post-infection mortality during acute T. cruzi infection. METHODS: In the present study metabolic syndrome was induced prior to T. cruzi infection by feeding a high fat diet. Also, mice were treated with anti-diabetic drug metformin. RESULTS: In the present study, the lethality of T. cruzi (Brazil strain) infection in CD-1 mice was reduced from 55% to 20% by an 8-week pre-feeding of an HFD to induce obesity and metabolic syndrome. The addition of metformin reduced mortality to 3%. CONCLUSIONS: It is an interesting observation that both the high fat diet and the metformin, which are known to differentially attenuate host metabolism, effectively modified mortality in T. cruzi-infected mice. In humans, the metabolic syndrome, as presently construed, produces immune activation and metabolic alterations that promote complications of obesity and diseases of later life, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Using an evolutionary approach, we hypothesized that for millions of years, the channeling of host resources into immune defences starting early in life ameliorated the effects of infectious diseases, especially chronic infections, such as tuberculosis and Chagas disease. In economically developed countries in recent times, with control of the common devastating infections, epidemic obesity and lengthening of lifespan, the dwindling benefits of the immune activation in the first half of life have been overshadowed by the explosion of the syndrome's negative effects in later life.

• MeSH
• adipozita účinky léků   MeSH
• analýza přežití MeSH
• bílá tuková tkáň účinky léků   imunologie   metabolismus   parazitologie   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• Chagasova nemoc krev   imunologie   metabolismus   parazitologie   MeSH
• cytokiny krev   metabolismus   MeSH
• energetický metabolismus účinky léků   MeSH
• hypoglykemika farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• inbrední kmeny myší MeSH
• leptin krev   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• metabolický syndrom farmakoterapie   etiologie   imunologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• metformin farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• modely imunologické * MeSH
• náhodné rozdělení MeSH
• obezita krev   imunologie   metabolismus   patofyziologie   MeSH
• předkožka účinky léků   imunologie   metabolismus   parazitologie   MeSH
• srdeční komory účinky léků   imunologie   metabolismus   parazitologie   MeSH
• Trypanosoma cruzi účinky léků   imunologie   izolace a purifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH