The Genome of the Zoonotic Malaria Parasite Plasmodium simium Reveals Adaptions to Host-switching

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The genome of the zoonotic malaria parasite Plasmodium simium reveals adaptations to host switching

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium simium, a malaria parasite of non-human primates (NHP), was recently shown to cause zoonotic infections in humans in Brazil. We sequenced the P. simium genome to investigate its evolutionary history and to identify any genetic adaptions that may underlie the ability of this parasite to switch between host species. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analyses based on whole genome sequences of P. simium from humans and NHPs reveals that P. simium is monophyletic within the broader diversity of South American Plasmodium vivax, suggesting P. simium first infected NHPs as a result of a host switch of P. vivax from humans. The P. simium isolates show the closest relationship to Mexican P. vivax isolates. Analysis of erythrocyte invasion genes reveals differences between P. vivax and P. simium, including large deletions in the Duffy-binding protein 1 (DBP1) and reticulocyte-binding protein 2a genes of P. simium. Analysis of P. simium isolated from NHPs and humans revealed a deletion of 38 amino acids in DBP1 present in all human-derived isolates, whereas NHP isolates were multi-allelic. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the P. simium genome confirmed a close phylogenetic relationship between P. simium and P. vivax, and suggests a very recent American origin for P. simium. The presence of the DBP1 deletion in all human-derived isolates tested suggests that this deletion, in combination with other genetic changes in P. simium, may facilitate the invasion of human red blood cells and may explain, at least in part, the basis of the recent zoonotic infections

Haptoglobin study in myasthenia gravis Estudo sobre a haptoglobina na miastenia grave

OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional study of haptoglobin (Hp) in myasthenia gravis (MG) was designed, with the objective to identify its values and correlate them with different disease status. METHOD: 46 patients were enrolled in the study, all having disease severity established according to the quantitative myasthenia gravis strength scores (QMGSS). Based on the functional scale determined by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) recommendations, patients were classified as having: complete stable remission (CSR; n=10); minimal manifestations-0 (MM0; n=6), minimal manifestations-1 (MM1; n=4); pharmacological remission (PR; n=6). Two other groups participated: thymomatous patients (T; n=10) and patients without imunosuppression or thymectomy, until the assessment for Hp (WIT; n=10). Hp dosage was done by immunonephelometry, blindly to clinical data. Student's t-test, Anova test and linear regression were employed for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences occurred between CSR+MM0xWIT groups (86.62x157.57, pOBJECTIVO: Desenhou-se estudo transversal sobre a haptoglobina (Hp) na miastenia grave (MG) com o objetivo de identificar seus valores e correlacioná-los a diferentes condições na doença. MÉTODO: 46 pacientes foram incluídos, todos tendo a gravidade da doença estabelecida segundo escores internacionais (QMGSS). Os pacientes tiveram seu estado funcional determinado de acordo com a Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of América (MGFA) e classificados em: remissão completa estável (CSR; n=10); mínima manifestação-0 (MM0; n=6), mínima manifestação-1 (MM1; n=4); remissão farmacológica (PR; n=6). Dois outros grupos participaram: pacientes timomatosos (T; n=10) e pacientes sem imunossupressão ou timectomia, até o momento da inclusão no estudo (WIT; n=10). A dosagem de Hp foi realizada por imunonefelometria, de modo cego quanto à clínica. As análises estatísticas incluíram o teste de Student, Anova e regressão linear. RESULTADOS: Observou-se diferença significativa entre os grupos CSR+MM0xWIT (86,62x157,57, p<0,001) e entre PR+MM1xWIT (73,93x157,57, p<0,001). A regressão linear mostrou correlação positiva entre os valores de Hp e os escores QMGSS (r=0,759, p<0,001). CONCLUSÃO: O estudo sugere que valores altos de Hp se correlacionaram a maior gravidade da MG

Investigating Alpha-globin Structural Variants: A Retrospective Review Of 135,000 Brazilian Individuals.

Brazil has a multiethnic population with a high diversity of hemoglobinopathies. While screenings for beta-globin mutations are far more common, alterations affecting alpha-globin genes are usually more silent and less well known. The aim of this study was to describe the results of a screening program for alpha-globin gene mutations in a representative sample of the Southeastern Brazilian population. A total of 135,000 individuals, including patients with clinical suspicion of hemoglobinopathies and their family members, randomly chosen individuals submitted to blood tests and blood donors who were abnormal hemoglobin carriers were analyzed. The variants were screened by alkaline and acid electrophoreses, isoelectric focusing and cation-exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the abnormal chains were investigated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Mutations were identified by molecular analyses, and the oxygen affinity, heme-heme cooperativity and Bohr effect of the variants were evaluated by functional tests. Four new and 22 rare variants were detected in 98 families. Some of these variants were found in co-inheritance with other hemoglobinopathies. Of the rare hemoglobins, Hasharon, Stanleyville II and J-Rovigo were the most common, the first two being S-like and associated with alpha-thalassemia. The variability of alpha-globin alterations reflects the high degree of racial miscegenation and an intense internal migratory flow between different Brazilian regions. This diversity highlights the importance of programs for diagnosing hemoglobinopathies and preventing combinations that may lead to important clinical manifestations in multiethnic populations.37103-10

Prevalence of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

&#945;-Thalassemia, arising from a defect in a-globin chain synthesis, is often caused by deletions involving one or both of the a-genes on the same allele. With the aim of investigating the prevalence of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, 713 unrelated individuals, between 18 and 59 years-of-age, were analyzed. Red blood cell indices were electronically determined, and A2 and F hemoglobins evaluated by HPLC. PCR was applied to the molecular investigation of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion. Eighty (11.2%) of the 713 individuals investigated presented &#945;-thalassemia, of which 79 (11.1%) were heterozygous (-&#945;3.7/&#945;&#945;) deletions and 1 (0.1%) homozy- gous (-&#945;3.7/-&#945;3.7). Ethnically, heterozygous deletions were higher (24.8%) in Afro-Brazilians. Comparison of hemato- logical parameters between individuals with normal genotype and those with heterozygous &#945;+-thalassemia showed a statistically significant difference in the number of erythrocytes (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.001), MCH (p < 0.001) and Hb A2 (p = 0.007). This study is one of the first dedicated to investigating &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the population of the State Rio Grande do Norte state. Results obtained demonstrate the importance of investigating this condition in order to elucidate the causes of microcytosis and hypochromia

Prevalence of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

α-Thalassemia, arising from a defect in a-globin chain synthesis, is often caused by deletions involving one or both of the a-genes on the same allele. With the aim of investigating the prevalence of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, 713 unrelated individuals, between 18 and 59 years-of-age, were analyzed. Red blood cell indices were electronically determined, and A2 and F hemoglobins evaluated by HPLC. PCR was applied to the molecular investigation of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion. Eighty (11.2%) of the 713 individuals investigated presented α-thalassemia, of which 79 (11.1%) were heterozygous (-α3.7/αα) deletions and 1 (0.1%) homozy- gous (-α3.7/-α3.7). Ethnically, heterozygous deletions were higher (24.8%) in Afro-Brazilians. Comparison of hemato- logical parameters between individuals with normal genotype and those with heterozygous α+-thalassemia showed a statistically significant difference in the number of erythrocytes (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.001), MCH (p < 0.001) and Hb A2 (p = 0.007). This study is one of the first dedicated to investigating α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the population of the State Rio Grande do Norte state. Results obtained demonstrate the importance of investigating this condition in order to elucidate the causes of microcytosis and hypochromia

Prevalence of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

&#945;-Thalassemia, arising from a defect in a-globin chain synthesis, is often caused by deletions involving one or both of the a-genes on the same allele. With the aim of investigating the prevalence of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, 713 unrelated individuals, between 18 and 59 years-of-age, were analyzed. Red blood cell indices were electronically determined, and A2 and F hemoglobins evaluated by HPLC. PCR was applied to the molecular investigation of &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion. Eighty (11.2%) of the 713 individuals investigated presented &#945;-thalassemia, of which 79 (11.1%) were heterozygous (-&#945;3.7/&#945;&#945;) deletions and 1 (0.1%) homozy- gous (-&#945;3.7/-&#945;3.7). Ethnically, heterozygous deletions were higher (24.8%) in Afro-Brazilians. Comparison of hemato- logical parameters between individuals with normal genotype and those with heterozygous &#945;+-thalassemia showed a statistically significant difference in the number of erythrocytes (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.001), MCH (p < 0.001) and Hb A2 (p = 0.007). This study is one of the first dedicated to investigating &#945;-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the population of the State Rio Grande do Norte state. Results obtained demonstrate the importance of investigating this condition in order to elucidate the causes of microcytosis and hypochromia.594598Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Simian malaria in the Brazilian Atlantic forest: first description of natural infection of capuchin monkeys (Cebinae subfamily) by Plasmodium simium

Submitted by Nuzia Santos ([email protected]) on 2016-01-28T15:30:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Simian malaria in the Brazilian Atlantic forest.pdf: 6404673 bytes, checksum: 862ebb7bc5da699db4452fc750085236 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Nuzia Santos ([email protected]) on 2016-01-28T15:37:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Simian malaria in the Brazilian Atlantic forest.pdf: 6404673 bytes, checksum: 862ebb7bc5da699db4452fc750085236 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-28T15:37:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Simian malaria in the Brazilian Atlantic forest.pdf: 6404673 bytes, checksum: 862ebb7bc5da699db4452fc750085236 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa René Rachou. Laboratório de Malária. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia. Ambulatório de Doenças Febris Agudas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. . Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa René Rachou. Laboratório de Malária. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil/Centro Universitário Serra dos Órgãos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho. Laboratório de Virologia Molecular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Transmissores de Hematozoários. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia. Ambulatório de Doenças Febris Agudas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa, Diagnóstico e Treinamento em Malária. . Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Malária. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa René Rachou. Laboratório de Malária. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Methods: Blood samples from 30 non-human primates belonging to nine species kept in the Primate Centre of Rio de Janeiro were collected. Fragments of spleen and liver from one dead monkey found in the neighborhoods of the Primate Centre were also analysed. Molecular diagnosis was performed by nested PCR (18SSU rRNA) and the amplified fragment was sequenced. Results: Thirty per cent of the captive animals were infected with P. simium and/or P. brasilianum. The dead monkey tested positive for DNA of P. simium. For the first time, Cebinae primates (two specimens of genus Cebus and two of genus Sapajos) were found naturally infected by P. simium. The infection was confirmed by sequencing a small fragment of 18SSU rRNA. Conclusion: The results highlight the possibility of infection by P. simium in other species of non-human primates whose impact could be significant for the malaria epidemiology among non-human primates and, if it becomes clear that this P. simium is able to infect monkeys and, eventually, man, also for the maintenance of transmission of human malaria in the context of a zoonosis in areas under influence of the Atlantic Forest