Two internal type II NADH dehydrogenases of Toxoplasma gondii are both required for optimal tachyzoite growth.

In many apicomplexan parasites the entry of electrons from NADH into the electron transport chain is governed by type II NADH dehydrogenases (NDH2s) instead of a canonical complex I. Toxoplasma gondii expresses two NDH2 isoforms, TgNDH2-I and TgNDH2-II with no indication for stage-specific regulation. We dissected the orientation of both isoforms by using a split GFP assay and a protease protection assay after selective membrane permeabilization. The two approaches revealed that both TgNDH2 isoforms are internal enzymes facing with their active sites to the mitochondrial matrix. Single knockout mutants displayed a decreased replication rate and a reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, which were both more severe in the Tgndh2-II-deleted than in the Tgndh2-I-deleted mutant. Complementation with a myc-tagged, ectopic copy of the deleted gene restored the growth rate and the mitochondrial membrane potential. However, an overexpression of the remaining intact isoform could not restore the phenotype, suggesting that the two TgNDH2 isoforms are non-redundant and possess functional differences. Together, our studies indicate that although TgNDH2-I and TgNDH2-II are individually non-essential, the expression of both internal isoforms is required to maintain the mitochondrial physiology in T. gondii tachyzoites.

Extracellular Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites do not require carbon source uptake for ATP maintenance, gliding motility and invasion in the first hour of their extracellular life.

Apicomplexan parasites undergo metabolic shifts in adaptation to environmental changes. Here, we investigate the metabolic requirements which are responsible for ATP homeostasis in the extracellular stage of Toxoplasma gondii. Surprisingly, we found that freshly released tachyzoites are able to maintain a constant ATP level during the first hour of extracellular incubation without the acquisition of external carbon sources. We further demonstrated that the extent of gliding motility and that of host cell invasion is independent from the availability of external carbon sources during this one hour extracellular period. The ATP level and the invasion efficiency of extracellular parasites were severely decreased by treatment with the glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-d-glucose, but not by the F(0)F(1)-ATPase inhibitor, oligomycin. This suggests that although the uptake of glucose itself is not required during the 1h incubation period, extracellular parasites depend on the activity of the glycolytic pathway for ATP homeostasis. Furthermore, active glycolysis was evident by the secretion of lactate into the culture medium, even in the absence of external carbon sources. Together, our studies suggest that tachyzoites are independent from external carbon sources within the first hour of their extracellular life, which is the most relevant time span for finding a new host cell, but rely on the glycolytic metabolisation of internal carbon sources for ATP maintenance, gliding motility and host cell invasion.

A role for protein kinase PKR in the mediation of Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1-induced IL-6 and IL-10 expression.

Expression of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded oncogenic latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) has been substantially associated with tumorigenic transformation in the virus-infected cells. The pathogenic complexity of LMP1 is partly due to the cytokine dysregulation including IL-6 and IL-10 in perturbing the host immune responses. Here we have identified an important signaling event mediated by a dsRNA-dependent serine/threonine protein kinase, PKR, in regulating LMP1-induced IL-6 and IL-10 expression. We first demonstrated that PKR plays a significant role in mediating LMP1-induced cytokine expression by using a PKR inhibitor 2-aminopurine, and the specific role of PKR involved was confirmed by the use of siRNA oligos targeting PKR and/or a dominant-negative PKR mutant. We next revealed that PKR activity mediates LMP1-enhanced NF-kappaB nuclear translocation resulting in cytokine induction. We further demonstrated at the chromatin level that LMP1 can significantly elevate the phosphorylation of histone H3 on serine 10 (Ser 10), and the process was dependent on PKR activity. Our findings thus suggest that PKR plays an important role in mediating the cytokine gene expression induced by LMP1 through NF-kappaB activation and histone H3 Ser 10 phosphorylation.

The toxoplasma apicoplast phosphate translocator links cytosolic and apicoplast metabolism and is essential for parasite survival.

Apicomplexa are unicellular eukaryotic pathogens that carry a vestigial algal endosymbiont, the apicoplast. The physiological function of the apicoplast and its integration into parasite metabolism remain poorly understood and at times controversial. We establish that the Toxoplasma apicoplast membrane-localized phosphate translocator (TgAPT) is an essential metabolic link between the endosymbiont and the parasite cytoplasm. TgAPT is required for fatty acid synthesis in the apicoplast, but this may not be its most critical function. Further analyses demonstrate that TgAPT also functions to supply the apicoplast with carbon skeletons for additional pathways and, indirectly, with energy and reduction power. Genetic ablation of the transporter results in rapid death of parasites. The dramatic consequences of loss of its activity suggest that targeting TgAPT could be a viable strategy to identify antiparasitic compounds.

Type II NADH dehydrogenase inhibitor 1-hydroxy-2-dodecyl-4(1H)quinolone leads to collapse of mitochondrial inner-membrane potential and ATP depletion in Toxoplasma gondii.

The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii expresses type II NADH dehydrogenases (NDH2s) instead of canonical complex I at the inner mitochondrial membrane. These non-proton-pumping enzymes are considered to be promising drug targets due to their absence in mammalian cells. We recently showed by inhibition kinetics that T. gondii NDH2-I is a target of the quinolone-like compound 1-hydroxy-2-dodecyl-4(1H)quinolone (HDQ), which inhibits T. gondii replication in the nanomolar range. In this study, the cationic fluorescent probes Mitotracker and DiOC(6)(3) (3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodine) were used to monitor the influence of HDQ on the mitochondrial inner membrane potential (Delta Psi m) in T. gondii. Real-time imaging revealed that nanomolar HDQ concentrations led to a Delta Psi m collapse within minutes, which is followed by severe ATP depletions of 30% after 1 h and 70% after 24 h. Delta Psi m depolarization was attenuated when substrates for other dehydrogenases that can donate electrons to ubiquinone were added to digitonin-permeabilized cells or when infected cultures were treated with the F(o)-ATPase inhibitor oligomycin. A prolonged treatment with sublethal concentrations of HDQ induced differentiation into bradyzoites. This dormant stage is likely to be less dependent on the Delta Psi m, since Delta Psi m-positive parasites were found at a significantly lower frequency in alkaline-pH-induced bradyzoites than in tachyzoites. Together, our studies reveal that oxidative phosphorylation is essential for maintaining the ATP level in the fast-growing tachyzoite stage and that HDQ interferes with this pathway by inhibiting the electron transport chain at the level of ubiquinone reduction.

HIV-1 transactivator protein induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 contributes to dysregulation of IFN{gamma} signaling.

HIV infection remains a worldwide threat. HIV-1 transactivator protein Tat is one of the retroviral proteins identified as a key immunomodulator in AIDS pathogenesis. Although the primary function of Tat is to regulate HIV-1 replication in the infected cell, it also dysregulates cytokine production resulting in perturbation of the host immune response and enhancement of the retrovirus survival. Because interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) is a pleiotropic cytokine with potent antiviral and immunoregulatory effects, we investigated whether Tat interferes with the IFNgamma signal transduction in primary monocytes. We demonstrated that Tat impaired the IFNgamma-receptor signaling pathway at the level of STAT1 activation, possibly via Tat-dependent induction of suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 (SOCS-2) activity. We delineated the inhibitory role of SOCS-2 in IFNgamma signaling pathway by overexpression of exogenous SOCS-2 in HEK293 cell. The results showed that SOCS-2 suppressed the IFNgamma-activated STAT1 phosphorylation and consequent IFNgamma-regulated transcription of specific genes. To confirm the role of SOCS2 in the Tat-induced process, we demonstrated that SOCS-2 siRNA in human blood monocytes abrogated the Tat-dependent inhibition of IFNgamma signaling. Our data suggested a possible mechanism implicating the role of SOCS-2 in mediating HIV-1-induced immune evasion and dysregulation of IFNgamma signaling in primary human monocytes.

The Toxoplasma gondii type-II NADH dehydrogenase TgNDH2-I is inhibited by 1-hydroxy-2-alkyl-4(1H)quinolones.

The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii does not possess complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, but has two genes encoding rotenone-insensitive, non-proton pumping type-II NADH dehydrogenases (NDH2s). The absence of such "alternative" NADH dehydrogenases in the human host defines these enzymes as potential drug targets. TgNDH2-I and TgNDH2-II are constitutively expressed in tachyzoites and bradyzoites and are localized to the mitochondrion as shown by epitope tagging. Functional expression of TgNDH2-I in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica as an internal enzyme, with the active site facing the mitochondrial matrix, permitted growth in the presence of the complex I inhibitor DQA. Bisubstrate kinetics of TgNDH2-I measured within Y. lipolytica mitochondrial membrane preparations were in accordance with a ping-pong mechanism. Using inhibition kinetics we demonstrate here that 1-hydroxy-2-alkyl-4(1)quinolones with long alkyl chains of C(12) (HDQ) and C(14) are high affinity inhibitors for TgNDH2-I, while compounds with shorter side chains (C(5) and C(6)) displayed significantly higher IC(50) values. The efficiency of the various quinolone derivatives to inhibit TgNDH2-I enzyme activity mirrors their inhibitory potency in vivo, suggesting that a long acyl site chain is critical for the inhibitory potential of these compounds.

Effect of a diet and exercise intervention on oxidative stress, inflammation and monocyte adhesion in diabetic men.

Diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease. We examined the effects of lifestyle modification on key contributing factors to atherogenesis, including oxidative stress, inflammation and cell adhesion. Diabetic men (N=13) were placed on a high-fiber, low-fat diet in a 3-week residential program where food was provided ad libitum and daily aerobic exercise was performed. In each subject, pre- and post-intervention fasting blood was drawn for circulating levels of serum lipids, glucose and insulin, oxidative stress marker 8-isoprostaglandin F2alpha (8-iso-PGF2alpha), the inflammatory protein C-reactive protein (CRP), and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1 and sE-selectin as indicators of endothelial activation. Using subject sera and human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC) culture systems, serum-induced monocyte adhesion, ICAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and cell surface abundance, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) production were determined. Nitric oxide (NO), superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide production were measured in vitro by fluorometric detection. After 3 weeks, significant reductions (p<0.05) in BMI, all serum lipids including total cholesterol (pre: 188.9+/-10.1 mg/dL versus post: 146.3+/-3.8 mg/dL) and low-density lipoprotein (103.1+/-10.2 mg/dL versus 76.4+/-4.3 mg/dL), fasting serum glucose (157.5+/-10.1 mg/dL versus 126.7+/-8.7 mg/dL), insulin (33.8+/-4.0 microU/ml versus 23.8+/-3.4 microU/ml), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, 8-iso-PGF2alpha, CRP, sICAM-1, and sE-selectin were noted. In vitro, serum-stimulated monocyte adhesion, cellular ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression (p<0.05), and fluorometric detection of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production decreased, while a concomitant increase in NO production was noted (all p<0.01). A combination of diet and exercise ameliorates oxidative stress, inflammation, and monocyte-endothelial interaction. Intensive lifestyle modification may improve novel CAD risk factors in men with diabetes.

Substrate spectrum of tyrocidine thioesterase probed with randomized peptide N-acetylcysteamine thioesters.

Apparent kinetic constants k(cat) and K(m) were determined for tyrocidine thioesterase (TycC TE) using randomized peptide N-acetylcysteamine thioesters as substrate analogues. The enzyme has been found to be adequately active for the synthesis of positional-scanning libraries for novel antibiotic screening with reduced k(cat)/K(m) in the range of 2 to 82 folds lower than that of the wild-type sequence