Dataset Information

Infection rates of Triatoma protracta (Uhler) with Trypanosoma cruzi in Southern California and molecular identification of trypanosomes.

ABSTRACT: We report Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates of the native kissing bug Triatoma protracta in southern California. The rates are within the historically reported range, but differ significantly between the two sites (19% in Escondido and 36% in Glendora). Identification of T. cruzi in T. protracta was conducted for the first time by using partial 18S ribosomal RNA and 24S? ribosomal RNA sequences. Incongruence of 24S? ribosomal RNA phylogeny with current T. cruzi genotype classification supports non-clonality of some T. cruzi genotypes.

SUBMITTER: Hwang WS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2963962 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Infection rates of Triatoma protracta (Uhler) with Trypanosoma cruzi in Southern California and molecular identification of trypanosomes.

Hwang Wei Song WS Zhang Guanyang G Maslov Dmitri D Weirauch Christiane C

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 20101101 5

We report Trypanosoma cruzi infection rates of the native kissing bug Triatoma protracta in southern California. The rates are within the historically reported range, but differ significantly between the two sites (19% in Escondido and 36% in Glendora). Identification of T. cruzi in T. protracta was conducted for the first time by using partial 18S ribosomal RNA and 24Sα ribosomal RNA sequences. Incongruence of 24Sα ribosomal RNA phylogeny with current T. cruzi genotype classification supports n ...[more]

PMID: 21036830

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Project description:BackgroundTrypanosoma cruzi, causative agent of Chagas disease in humans and dogs, is a vector-borne zoonotic protozoan parasite that can cause fatal cardiac disease. While recognized as the most economically important parasitic infection in Latin America, the incidence of Chagas disease in the United States of America (US) may be underreported and even increasing. The extensive genetic diversity of T. cruzi in Latin America is well-documented and likely influences disease progression, severity and treatment efficacy; however, little is known regarding T. cruzi strains endemic to the US. It is therefore important to expand our knowledge on US T. cruzi strains, to improve upon the recognition of and response to locally acquired infections.Methodology/principle findingsWe conducted a study of T. cruzi molecular diversity in California, augmenting sparse genetic data from southern California and for the first time investigating genetic sequences from northern California. The vector Triatoma protracta was collected from southern (Escondido and Los Angeles) and northern (Vallecito) California regions. Samples were initially screened via sensitive nuclear repetitive DNA and kinetoplast minicircle DNA PCR assays, yielding an overall prevalence of approximately 28% and 55% for southern and northern California regions, respectively. Positive samples were further processed to identify discrete typing units (DTUs), revealing both TcI and TcIV lineages in southern California, but only TcI in northern California. Phylogenetic analyses (targeting COII-ND1, TR and RB19 genes) were performed on a subset of positive samples to compare Californian T. cruzi samples to strains from other US regions and Latin America. Results indicated that within the TcI DTU, California sequences were similar to those from the southeastern US, as well as to several isolates from Latin America responsible for causing Chagas disease in humans.Conclusions/significanceTriatoma protracta populations in California are frequently infected with T. cruzi. Our data extend the northern limits of the range of TcI and identify a novel genetic exchange event between TcI and TcIV. High similarity between sequences from California and specific Latin American strains indicates US strains may be equally capable of causing human disease. Additional genetic characterization of Californian and other US T. cruzi strains is recommended.

Project description:BackgroundTrypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is a protozoan parasite transmitted to humans by blood-sucking triatomine vectors. However, and despite its utmost biological and epidemiological relevance, T. cruzi development inside the digestive tract of the insect remains a poorly understood process.Methods/principle findingsHere we showed that Gp35/50 kDa mucins, the major surface glycoproteins from T. cruzi insect-dwelling forms, are involved in parasite attachment to the internal cuticle of the triatomine rectal ampoule, a critical step leading to its differentiation into mammal-infective forms. Experimental evidence supporting this conclusion could be summarized as follows: i) native and recombinant Gp35/50 kDa mucins directly interacted with hindgut tissues from Triatoma infestans, as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence assays; ii) transgenic epimastigotes over-expressing Gp35/50 kDa mucins on their surface coat exhibited improved attachment rates (~2-3 fold) to such tissues as compared to appropriate transgenic controls and/or wild-type counterparts; and iii) certain chemically synthesized compounds derived from Gp35/50 kDa mucins were able to specifically interfere with epimastigote attachment to the inner lining of T. infestans rectal ampoules in ex vivo binding assays, most likely by competing with or directly blocking insect receptor(s). A solvent-exposed peptide (smugS peptide) from the Gp35/50 kDa mucins protein scaffolds and a branched, Galf-containing trisaccharide (Galfβ1-4[Galpβ1-6]GlcNAcα) from their O-linked glycans were identified as main adhesion determinants for these molecules. Interestingly, exogenous addition of a synthetic Galfβ1-4[Galpβ1-6]GlcNAcα derivative or of oligosaccharides containing this structure impaired the attachment of Dm28c but not of CL Brener epimastigotes to triatomine hindgut tissues; which correlates with the presence of Galf residues on the Gp35/50 kDa mucins' O-glycans on the former but not the latter parasite clone.Conclusion/significanceThese results provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying T. cruzi-triatomine interplay, and indicate that inter-strain variations in the O-glycosylation of Gp35/50 kDa mucins may lead to differences in parasite differentiation and hence, in parasite transmissibility to the mammalian host. Most importantly, our findings point to Gp35/50 kDa mucins and/or the Galf biosynthetic pathway, which is absent in mammals and insects, as appealing targets for the development of T. cruzi transmission-blocking strategies.

Dataset Information

Infection rates of Triatoma protracta (Uhler) with Trypanosoma cruzi in Southern California and molecular identification of trypanosomes.

Publications

Infection rates of Triatoma protracta (Uhler) with Trypanosoma cruzi in Southern California and molecular identification of trypanosomes.

Similar Datasets

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