The humoral response of humans, calves and horses to Cryptosporidium sporozoite antigens was evaluated using a western blot technique. Sera from calves, humans and horses were obtained at various times following the detection of infection. Sera were reacted with detergent-solubilized, sporozoite antigens form sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The number of antigens recognized by immune sera from humans and animals increased with time post infection (P.I.). A 20 kDa antigen appeared to be a major sporozoite surface determinant since it was labelled via membrane protein biotinylation and recognized by mouse monoclonal antibodies using indirect immunofluorescence and western blotting. Detectable recognition of the 20 kDa band occurred in 3 week post infection (P.I.) sera from all species tested. Sera reactivity to the 20 kDa band diminished significantly within 5 months P.I. when infected humans had no further recurrence of cryptosporidial diarrhea. In contrast, 12 month P.I. sera from an individual constantly exposed to oocysts under working conditions was as strongly reactive as the 3 week convalescent sera. Therefore, reactivity to the 20 kDa antigen appeared to be a good indicator of exposure to Cryptosporidium. Anti-sporozoite indirect immunofluorescent titers decrease in reactivity from convalescent to post convalescent sera which correlated with western blot results. Chromosomal DNA of five Cryptosporidium parvum isolates and one Cryptosporidium baileyi isolate were compared by field inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE). FIGE analyses of parasite DNA prepared from purified sporozoites versus intact oocysts showed no observable differences. Chromosomal DNA migration patterns of the five Cryptosporidium parvum isolates were indistinguishable. Distinct differences in chromosomal DNA were evident between the Cryptosporidium baileyi and Cryptosporidium parvum isolates, yet the overall pattern was similar. Five C. parvum isolates were also compared using two dimensional electrophoretic analyses. Silver stained patterns of sporozoite proteins showed a shift in a 106 kDa protein in three of the isolates. One isolate (Mexico) showed a complete absence of this protein (106 kDa) and the presence of an additional 40 kDa protein not found in any other isolate.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Medical Biology, 2003. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-194).

There is an abundance of information available on the molecular mechanisms of antigenic variation in Plasmodium falciparum. The variant antigen PfEMP1, which mediates antigenic variation as well as cytoadherence and rosetting, has been extensively characterised. Genes coding for the antigen belong to the gene family var, and several var genes have been cloned and characterised. The rodent malaria parasite P. chabaudi is a widely studied in vivo model for P. falciparum. The P. c. chabaudi AS parasite strain has been shown to exhibit antigenic variation and the variant antigen has been detected by surface fluorescence. As with P. falciparum, there is a link between antigenic variation and cytoadherence, however genes coding for the variant antigen in P. chabaudi have not been cloned to date. Therefore, potentially useful in vivo experiments on antigenic variation are restricted. In this thesis it is shown for the first time that the P. c. adami DS parasite strain also exhibits antigenic variation. / Chapter 3 describes efforts to locate genes coding for variant antigens in P. c. adami DS. The main strategy involved a genome survey, by sequencing and analysing randomly selected clones from a P. c. adami DS genomic library. DNA sequences were compared to Plasmodium spp. sequence databases to look for similarity to var genes or other genes encoding variant antigens. Of the 297 clones analysed none had significant sequence similarity to genes coding for variant antigens. However, in a small proportion of sequences some similarity to var genes was noted. Several genes of potential interest were identified, most importantly the gene coding for the vaccine candidate rhoptry associated protein 1 (RAP1), which was subsequently cloned and characterised. Further attempts to locate var gene homologues in P. c. adami involved amplification of P. c. adami genomic DNA using degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to conserved regions of var genes. This strategy proved to be unsuccessful, most likely due to lack of sequence similarity between P. falciparum and P. c. adami genes. In several vaccination studies with the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) of P. c. adami DS, mice were significantly protected against homologous parasite challenge. However, some mice developed late, low-level breakthrough parasitaemias. In Chapter 4, the characterisation of two such breakthrough parasitaemias is described. The ama1 genes of the breakthrough parasites were found to be identical to the ama1 gene of the parental parasites. Similarly, no alteration in AMA1 expression was observed. However, the breakthrough parasites were found to be more resistant than the parental parasites to the effects of passive immunisation with rabbit antisera to AMA1, RAP1 and possibly also MSP119. P. chabaudi infections in mice have been previously shown to consist of a primary parasitaemia followed by a short period of subpatency, and a recrudescent parasitaemia. In surface immunofluorescence studies with P. c. chabaudi, parasites of the recrudescence were shown to be distinct from parasites of the primary parasitaemia, with respect to antigens expressed on the surface of late trophozoite- and schizont-infected erythrocytes. / Chapter 4 describes similar surface immunofluorescence assays carried out with P. c. adami infected erythrocytes, and quantitation of fluorescence by flow cytometry. As with P. c. chabaudi, the recrudescent parasites were found to be antigenically distinct from the primary parasitaemia, indicating that antigenic variation had taken place. Because breakthrough parasites from the AMA1 vaccination trial were similar to recrudescences in peak and duration, we hypothesised that breakthrough parasitaemias, like recrudescent parasitaemias, occur as a result of antigenic variation. In Chapter 4 it was shown by surface immunofluorescence and flow cytometry using hyperimmune sera raised against different parasite populations, that breakthrough parasites express antigens on the surface of late trophozoite- and schizont infected erythrocytes that differ from those expressed by the parental and recrudescent parasites. These results support the hypothesis that switching of the variant antigen on the infected erythrocyte surface enables parasites to evade protective antibody responses directed against merozoite antigens. / Chapter 5 describes the cloning and characterisation of P. c. adami RAP1 which was identified in the process of the genomic survey described in Chapter 3, as well as P. berghei RAP1. Both rodent parasite orthologues of RAP1 were found to have 30% sequence similarity to P. falciparum RAP1, and 6 of 8 cysteines were conserved in the rodent parasite orthologues. However the three polypeptides vary significantly in size. P. c. adami RAP1 and P. berghei RAP1 consist of 691 aa and 604 aa respectively, whereas P. falciparum RAP1 consists of 783 aa residues. These size differences reflect very different N-terminal sequences prior to the first cysteine, whereas the cysteine-rich C-terminal regions are more conserved. Both P. falciparum RAP1 and P. c. adami RAP1 contain N-terminal repeats, however they bear no sequence similarity to each other. P. berghei RAP1 lacks N-terminal sequence repeats that are characteristic of P. falciparum and P. c. adami RAP1. The large cysteine-rich C-terminal region P. c. adami RAP1 (PcRAP1 C3) was expressed in E. coli as a hexa-his fusion protein. Rabbit antiserum to recombinant PcRAP1 C3 was used to characterise the expression and sub-cellular localisation of the RAP1 antigen. P. c. adami RAP1 was found to have a Mr of approximately 80,000 and was shown by immunofluorescence to localise to the merozoite rhoptries. Passive immunisation of mice with rabbit anti-RAP1 serum was shown to protect against fulminant parasitaemia and mortality. In a mouse vaccination trial using the recombinant PcRAP1 C3 polypeptide partial protection was conferred against homologous parasite challenge.

No description available.

Studies using Mongolian gerbils found that during a primary infection with Giardia lamblia trophozoites, disaccharidase activities were decreased from day 10 post-infection (p.i.) until well past elimination of the parasite. However, during a challenge infection, enzyme deficiencies were short-lived. A challenge with a soluble extract of G. lamblia trophozoites also resulted in reductions in disaccharidase activity. The degree of these reductions in enzyme activity was dependent on the extract dose. Gel filtration of the trophozoite crude extract resulted in fractions F1, F2, and F3. However, only a challenge with F1 led to disaccharidase deficiencies. Further separation of F1 resulted in fractions F1a and F1b. Impairments of enzyme activity were obtained only in gerbils challenged with F1b. Protein analysis of F1b revealed several high and low molecular weight bands. When gerbils previously exposed to G. lamblia were challenged with an extract of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites, disaccharidase activities remained comparable to controls. Moreover, enzyme levels in gerbils challenged with excretory/secretory G. lumblia products were affected in a manner which was inconsistent with the live parasitic challenge. Results suggest that the disaccharidase deficiencies in giardiasis are parasite-specific and are induced by a heat-stable constituent(s) of fraction F1b, possibly through an immune response to an antigenic component of this parasite fraction.

No description available.

No description available.

Babesia canis est un hémoparasite du phylum des Apicomplexes transmis par la morsure de tique et responsable de la piroplasmose canine en Europe. Dans la perspective de développer un vaccin recombinant, nous avons réalisé deux études visant à mieux comprendre les interactions hôte/parasite au cours du cycle érythrocytaire. Nous avons étudié d'une part le rôle des antigènes parasitaires solubles (APS) dans le déclenchement des signes cliniques et d'autre part celui de l'antigène Bc28.2 codé par la famille multigénique Bc28 dans les mécanismes d'échappement à l'hôte.Les APS de B. canis induisent une réponse protectrice anti-maladie chez les chiens vaccinés. Toutefois, leur rôle exact dans la pathogénèse reste à définir. Contrairement à ce qui est décrit dans la pathogenèse à B. bovis, nos analyses réfutent l'hypothèse qu'ils pourraient agir sur le système kallicréine-kinine plasmatique. Par contre elles suggèrent, pour la première fois chez le genre Babesia, un rôle direct des APS dans le déclenchement précoce de la réponse inflammatoire observée au cours de la pathogenèse.De part leur fonction essentielle dans la survie parasitaire, les antigènes localisés à la surface de l'érythrocyte (rôle dans l'agglutination des hématies parasitées) ou des mérozoïtes (rôle dans l'invasion) sont de bons candidats vaccins. Cependant et probablement dans une perspective d'échappement à l'hôte, ils sont codés par des familles multigéniques. Chez B. canis, la famille multigénique Bc28 contient le gène Bc28.1 qui code pour un antigène à ancrage GPI préalablement caractérisé à la surface du mérozoïte. Nous montrons qu'un autre gène, désigné Bc28.2 (plusieurs copies dans le génome) contient 2 cadres de lecture chevauchant et serait capable d'exprimer des antigènes polymorphes de 28 kDa et 50 kDa par un mécanisme de recodage traductionnel +1. De façon originale, ces protéines seraient localisées non pas à la surface des mérozoïtes mais à la surface des hématies parasitées. / Babesia canis is an apicomplexan haemoparasite transmitted by tick bite and responsible of canine babesiosis in Europe. Understanding host/parasite relationships during the erythrocytic cycle is crucial for further development of a recombinant vaccine. In that way, the role of soluble parasite antigens (SPA) in the onset of clinical signs and the role of Bc28.2 antigen (encoded by the B. canis Bc28 multigene family) in host evading process were investigated.B. canis-derived SPA induce a protective anti-disease immunity in vaccinated dogs but their precise role during the pathogenesis remains unknown. In contrast to B. bovis, our analysis disproved the hypothesis that B. canis SPA could act on the plasma kallikrein-kinin system. However they strongly suggest, for the first time in the genus Babesia, a direct role of these SPA in the onset of the inflammatory response which is early observed during pathogenesis. Because of their essential function in the parasite survival, antigens located on the surface of infected erythrocyte (role in agglutination of erythrocytes) or on the surface of merozoites (role in the invasion) are good vaccine candidates.However, and probably for host evading, they are encoded by multigene families. In B. canis, the Bc28 multigene family contains the Bc28.1 gene that encodes for a GPI-anchored antigen previously characterized on the merozoite surface. We demonstrated here, that another gene designated Bc28.2, is multicopy and composed of two overlapping open reading frames (Orf1 and Orf2). It allows, though +1 programmed ribosomal frameshift, expression of polymorphic antigens of 28 kDa and 50 kDa. Unexpectedly, these proteins seem localized on the surface of parasitized erythrocytes, suggesting they play a crucial function in evading host through agglutination process of infected erythrocytes.

African trypanosomes are a major plague in sub-Saharan Africa. They cause sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle. These parasites are transmitted between their mammalian hosts by tsetse flies. They are adapting to their different environments through differentiation processes. These processes involve, amongst other things, the expression of different surface coats. These coats are made of procyclin protein at the insect midgut procyclic stage and of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) at the mammalian bloodstream stage. At a given time, one VSG is expressed from a single VSG gene out of a repertoire of more than 1500 VSG genes present in the trypanosomes genome. The expressed VSG gene is always located at one of fifteen telomeric polycistronic transcription units called expression sites (ES). The VSG coat is changed regularly in a process called antigenic variation allowing trypanosomes to escape the immune response. The exact mechanism controlling the selection of the active ES is not yet known and controversies have been raised concerning the ES transcription control. Although several molecular factors involved in the ES monoallelic-expression have been identified, none of them seems to be a critical regulator.<p><p>Thus during my thesis we decided to explore two aspects of ES expression: (A) deciphering the level at which this expression is controlled and (B) fishing for new protein factors controlling this expression.<p>A) It is not even clear at which level the ES transcription control takes place. In particular, there has been debate on whether it is taking place at the transcription initiation or elongation level. Previous experiments generated contradictory conclusions and gave rise to two different models. The first model suggested that transcription initiation takes place in all ESs simultaneously. The second model suggested that transcription is initiated in only two ESs, one being fully active and a second being pre-active. These two models were equally able to account for the finding of transcripts from different ES within a trypanosome population provided the pre-active ES differs between individual cells. In order to decide if a single or multiple ES promoters can initiate transcription in a given cell, single cell RT-PCR targeting the beginning of the ES was required. Thus single cell RT-PCR was performed and an analysis of the obtained transcripts showed that transcription initiation is taking place on many ES while only one VSG is transcribed. This permitted the unambiguous conclusion that the monoallelic expression of VSG is exerted by controls operating downstream from transcription initiation, suggesting transcription elongation or RNA processing as critical control steps. <p>B) We have characterized a new nuclear protein, Tb alba3, involved in the repression of silent VSGs. Its invalidation lead to chromatin opening in the silent expression sites and to a raise in their expression. As this protein is cytoplasmic and binding procyclin mRNAs at the procyclic stage, it could be a new versatile factor, shuttling between the cytoplasm and the nucleus and involved both in the inverse regulation of major surface antigens at different differentiation stages and the control of antigenic variation.<p><p>These results enhance our understanding of ES transcription control and of ES monoallelic expression. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Le trypanosome est le parasite responsable de la maladie du sommeil chez l’homme et de la Nagana chez le bétail. Afin d’échapper au système immunitaire de son hôte mammifère, il remplace périodiquement la protéine VSG (Variant Surface Glycoprotein) présente en 10 millions d’exemplaires à sa surface. Ce mécanisme a pour nom la variation antigénique. <p>Pour être exprimé, le gène de VSG (VSG) doit se trouver en fin d’un site d’expression (ES) particulier. Cet ES est polycistronique, télomérique et transcrit par une ARN polymérase de type ribosomique (Pol I). 20 à 40 ESs similaires et un millier de VSGs sont recensés dans le génome du trypanosome. Cependant, un seul ES est totalement transcrit (actif) et un seul VSG est exprimé. La variation antigénique est donc possible par deux mécanismes: soit l’activation d’un autre ES, soit le remplacement du VSG dans l’ES actif. La base de ce système est l’activation d’un seul ES à la fois (contrôle monoallélique).<p>Au laboratoire, un modèle a été proposé où la transcription s’initie au niveau de tous les ESs mais n’aboutit au VSG que dans le cas de l’ES actif (Vanhamme et al. 2000). Dans ce cas uniquement, le transcrit primaire subit une maturation correcte (épissage et polyadénylation) et est exporté dans le cytoplasme. Etant donné que des transcrits Pol I subissent une maturation identique à des transcrits Pol II, la régulation s’effectuerait par recrutement d’une machinerie d’élongation/maturation de l’ARN de type Pol II (Pol II « RNA factory »). Cette dernière serait uniquement localisée au niveau de l’ES actif dans le compartiment nucléaire appelé ES body (Navarro and Gull, 2001).<p>Durant cette thèse, diverses stratégies ont été élaborées pour tester la validité du modèle. La première visait à comparer l’état de maturation d’un ES en fonction de son activité. Nos résultats ont appuyé l’idée que les transcrits d’ESs ayant subi une maturation correcte provenaient préférentiellement de l’ES actif mais le(s) facteur(s) en quantité limitante ne permettant cette maturation qu’au niveau de l’ES actif doivent encore être identifiés. Le seconde stratégie analysait l’acétylation des histones ainsi qu’un éventuel attachement différentiel à la matrice nucléaire de l’ES suivant son activité. Le niveau d’acétylation d’un ES lorsqu’il est actif n’a pu être étudié. Des résultats préliminaires en faveur d’une association préférentielle de l’ES à la matrice nucléaire lorsqu’il est actif ont été obtenus. Enfin, nous avons cloné deux homologues d’un facteur général de la transcription appelé TFIIS. Ce dernier permet à la Pol de redémarrer lorsqu’elle est bloquée par un site de pause. Individuellement chacun de ces facteurs ne semble pas être essentiel au trypanosome. Cependant, un retard de croissance a été observé lorsque les deux facteurs sont invalidés dans la même lignée cellulaire. Ce phénotype particulier doit être caractérisé. En parallèle, nous avons envisagé de caractériser le complexe de la Pol I du trypanosome. Cette stratégie constituait la manière la plus simple de mettre en évidence un éventuel contact physique et/ou fonctionnel entre la Pol I transcrivant l’ES et la machinerie d’élongation/maturation de l’ARN de type Pol II « RNA factory ». 5 sous-unités du complexe ont été identifiées, associées à une protéine de fonction inconnue ainsi qu’à des histones. L’identification d’autres protéines associées au complexe constitue notre perspective principale. La phosphorylation de la plus grande sous-unité du complexe a été démontrée mais son rôle doit encore être élucidé.<p> / Doctorat en sciences, Spécialisation biologie moléculaire / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished