Oxygen detoxifying enzymes in parasites: a review.

This review focuses on parasite enzymes which are involved in the detoxification of oxygen radicals, and covers the following enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase. These enzymes are crucial for parasites to evade oxygen-mediated attack by host leukocytes, both intracellularly and extracellularly. In addition, the newly defined parasite system involving trypanothione, trypanothione peroxidase and trypanothione reductase is discussed.

Parasite defense mechanisms for evasion of host attack; a review.

This review covers some of the basic mechanisms whereby parasites evade host responses. These mechanisms include; antigenic variation, repeated antigenic determinants, induction of suppressor cells, acquisition of host proteins or molecular mimicry, proteinase destruction of host effector molecules, proteinase inhibitor-mediated inhibition of humoral and cellular immune effector arms and immunosuppressive products of parasite arachidonic acid metabolism. Vet. Parasitol.

Inhibition of equine neutrophil chemotaxis and chemokinesis by a Taenia taeniaeformis proteinase inhibitor, taeniaestatin.

Taeniaestatin, a recently isolated Taenia taeniaeformis proteinase inhibitor, was used to inhibit equine neutrophil migration. Taeniaestatin itself was not chemotactic when used as a chemotactic factor but taeniaestatin did inhibit neutrophil chemokinesis when tested in a Zigmond-Hirsch checkerboard assay. A dose-dependent inhibition of both chemokinesis and chemotaxis was observed when zymosan activated bovine sera (ZABS) was used as the chemotactic factor. This inhibition was greater than 95% when 5 mu of taeniaestatin was present on both the cell and chemotactic factor side of the chambers. Equine neutrophils gave dose- and time-dependent migration responses to purified bovine C5a with an ED50 of 1.04 X 10(-7)M. Taeniaestatin inhibited the C5a-mediated chemotactic and chemokinetic neutrophil responses (51% using 1 mu and greater than 95% with 5 mu of taeniaestatin). The inhibition of leucocyte motility by taeniaestatin was reversible and without cytotoxicity at the highest doses of taeniaestatin tested.

Interleukin inhibition by a parasite proteinase inhibitor, taeniaestatin.

A proteinase inhibitor, taeniaestatin, isolated from the larval stage of the cestode Taenia taeniaeformis inhibits endogenous IL 2 generation in murine lymphocytes and IL 1 induced proliferation of murine thymocytes in a dose-dependent manner. However, taeniaestatin does not inhibit exogenous IL 2-induced proliferation of an IL 2-dependent cell line at any dose tested. These data indicate that the lack of IL 2 generation may be due in part to inhibition of a crucial cell-associated proteinase subsequent to cellular activation, or the lack of an effective IL 2 signal for differentiation. Our results are novel findings concerning molecular pathways for parasite inhibition of host immune responses, and suggest that selected proteinase inhibitors may be useful in clinical situations in which IL 1 or IL 2 are elevated.

A superoxide dismutase of metacestodes of Taenia taeniaeformis.

Superoxide dismutase was purified from Taenia taeniaeformis metacestodes by sequential ion exchange chromatography on quaternary-amino-ethyl-cellulose, gel filtration chromatography on ACA 44 and ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, followed by chromatofocusing on polybuffer exchanger 94. This isolation procedure resulted in the detection of a single protein-staining band on alkaline gels, coincident with enzyme activity. We have, however, detected what appear to be two peaks of enzyme activity within this single protein-staining band. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using gradient slab gels and analysis under reducing conditions, resulted in the detection of only one protein at an apparent Mr of 16,600, while analysis under non-reducing conditions, gave a single protein of an apparent Mr of 64,000. The isoelectric point of the purified protein is 6.6. Boiling for 3 min completely destroyed the enzyme, whereas incubation for 2 h at 37 degrees C resulted in the loss of 56% of the enzymic activity. Incubation with 10 mM KCN resulted in 83% inhibition of the enzyme. We have detected up to 168 U ml-1 of enzyme activity in the cyst fluid surrounding the parasite in situ. This is the first instance in which any parasite superoxide dismutase has been purified to apparent homogeneity. Parasite-mediated enzymic destruction of superoxide anion can not only protect against oxygen toxicity as a result of normal parasite respiratory processes but also may serve as yet another mechanism used by tissue-dwelling parasites to evade host immunologic attack.

Inhibition of antigen- and lectin-induced proliferation of rat spleen cells by a Taenia taeniaeformis proteinase inhibitor.

Rat splenic lymphocytes, cultured in vitro for 3 days in the presence of a larval cestode proteinase inhibitor, exhibited a marked suppression of proliferation when stimulated with Con A, PHA, PWM and ovalbumin. Reduced responsiveness was observed over a full range of concentrations of Con A (16-fold), PHA (50-fold), PWM (four-fold) and ovalbumin (16-fold). These results indicated that the inhibitory action could not be overcome by increasing the mitogen or antigen doses beyond optimal levels. This suppressive effect disappeared when the Taenia taeniaeformis proteinase inhibitor was added 20 h after the initiation of culture, suggesting that the inhibitor affects lymphocyte blastogenesis during the early stages of lymphocyte activation.

Aggregation of equine platelets by PAF (platelet-activating factor).

Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a lipid released as a result of immediate allergic reactions from basophils and mast cells as well as by a variety of other cell types and stimuli, is one of the most potent platelet agonists and hypotensive agents known. Equine platelets stimulated over a wide range of PAF concentrations aggregated in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Maximum aggregation was observed at concentrations of PAF as low as 3.58 x 10(-14) M with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and 3.58 x 10(-16) M with washed platelets. Furthermore, the aggregation observed did not appear to be breed-dependent. Finally, the platelet arachidonate pathway appeared to play no role in PAF-induced aggregation as exogenous arachidonate did not enhance the reaction, nor were equine platelets pretreated with 38 microM aspirin inhibited in their response to PAF. This level of aspirin totally inhibited the equine platelet aggregation response to arachidonate.