Human babesiosis: Indication of a molecular mimicry between thrombospondin domains from a novel Babesia microti BmP53 protein and host platelets molecules

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 17;12(10):e0185372. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185372. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Human babesiosis is caused by the apicomplexan parasite Babesia microti, which is of major public health concern in the United States and elsewhere, resulting in malaise and fatigue, followed by a fever and hemolytic anemia. In this paper we focus on the characterization of a novel B. microti thrombospondin domain (TSP1)-containing protein (BmP53) from the new annotation of the B. microti genome (locus 'BmR1_04g09041'). This novel protein (BmP53) had a single TSP1 and a transmembrane domain, with a short cytoplasmic tail containing a sub-terminal glutamine residue, but no signal peptide and Von Willebrand factor type A domains (VWA), which are found in classical thrombospondin-related adhesive proteins (TRAP). Co-localization assays of BmP53 and Babesia microti secreted antigen 1 (BmSA1) suggested that BmP53 might be a non-secretory membranous protein. Molecular mimicry between the TSP1 domain from BmP53 and host platelets molecules was indicated through different measures of sequence homology, phylogenetic analysis, 3D structure and shared epitopes. Indeed, hamster isolated platelets cross-reacted with mouse anti-BmP53-TSP1. Molecular mimicry are used to help parasites to escape immune defenses, resulting in immune evasion or autoimmunity. Furthermore, specific host reactivity was also detected against the TSP1-free part of BmP53 in infected hamster sera. In conclusion, the TSP1 domain mimicry might help in studying the mechanisms of parasite-induced thrombocytopenia, with the TSP1-free truncate of the protein representing a potential safe candidate for future vaccine studies.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Protozoan / chemistry
  • Antigens, Protozoan / genetics
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology*
  • Babesia microti / genetics
  • Babesia microti / immunology*
  • Babesia microti / isolation & purification
  • Babesiosis / immunology
  • Babesiosis / parasitology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Blood Platelets / parasitology*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cricetulus
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Glutathione Transferase / genetics
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion*
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Mimicry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protozoan Proteins / chemistry
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / immunology*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Thrombospondin 1 / chemistry
  • Thrombospondin 1 / genetics
  • Thrombospondin 1 / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Thrombospondin 1
  • Glutathione Transferase

Grants and funding

This study was funded by a grant from Ministry of Higher Education- scholarship and mission sector- Egypt, for a post-doctoral fellowship at University of Montpellier, France, and a grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. DR and EC were supported by the ANR (Investissements d’avenir/Bioinformatique): ANR-11-BINF-0002 (Institut de Biologie Computationnelle).