Membrane associated proteins of two Trichomonas gallinae clones vary with the virulence

PLoS One. 2019 Oct 24;14(10):e0224032. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224032. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Oropharyngeal avian trichomonosis is mainly caused by Trichomonas gallinae, a protozoan parasite that affects the upper digestive tract of birds. Lesions of the disease are characterized by severe inflammation which may result in fatality by starvation. Two genotypes of T. gallinae were found to be widely distributed in different bird species all over the world. Differences in the host distribution and association with lesions of both genotypes have been reported. However, so far no distinct virulence factors of this parasite have been described and studies might suffer from possible co-infections of different genotypes. Therefore, in this paper, we analyzed the virulence capacity of seven clones of the parasite, established by micromanipulation, representing the two most frequent genotypes. Clones of both genotypes caused the maximum score of virulence at day 3 post-inoculation in LMH cells, although significant higher cytopathogenic score was found in ITS-OBT-Tg-1 genotype clones at days 1 and 2, as compared to clones with ITS-OBT-Tg-2. By using one representative clone of each genotype, a comparative proteomic analysis of the membrane proteins enriched fraction has been carried out by a label free approach (Data available via ProteomeXchange: PXD013115). The analysis resulted in 302 proteins of varying abundance. In the clone with the highest initial virulence, proteins related to cell adhesion, such as an immuno-dominant variable surface antigen, a GP63-like protein, an armadillo/beta-catenin-like repeat protein were found more abundant. Additionally, Ras superfamily proteins and calmodulins were more abundant, which might be related to an increased activity in the cytoskeleton re-organization. On the contrary, in the clone with the lowest initial virulence, larger numbers of the identified proteins were related to the carbohydrate metabolism. The results of the present work deliver substantial differences between both clones that could be related to feeding processes and morphological changes, similarly to the closely related pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology*
  • Chickens
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / virology*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteome / analysis*
  • Trichomonas / growth & development
  • Trichomonas / metabolism*
  • Trichomonas Infections / metabolism
  • Trichomonas Infections / pathology
  • Trichomonas Infections / virology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Virulence
  • Virulence Factors / genetics
  • Virulence Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Proteome
  • Virulence Factors

Grants and funding

This research has been partially financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Grant AGL2011-29442), the University CEU Cardenal Herrera (Grants PRCEU-UCH 27/10 and 41/11) and Banco de Santander (Santander-PRCEU-UCH 23/23). María del Carmen Martínez Herrero has a predoctoral fellowship from the Conselleria of Education, Culture and Sport of the Valencia Community (Grant ACIF/2013/055, engagement of predoctoral research personnel VALi+D) and fellowships for research stays (BEFPI/2014/060, BEFPI/2015/037 and BEFPI/2016/025). The proteomic analysis was performed in the Proteomics Facility of UCM that belongs to ProteoRed network, PRB2-ISCIII, supported by grant PT13/0001. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.