Novel identification of differences in the kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania isolates by recombinant DNA techniques and in situ hybridisation

Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) was extracted from marker isolates of three 'Old World' cutaneous leishmania, L. tropica, L. aethiopica and L. major. Restriction endonuclease digestion followed by electrophoresis showed that each isolate produced a unique pattern of DNA fragments. The kDNA of each isolate was hybridised to Southern blots of digests of all three kDNAs. This showed that the kDNA of each isolate contained sequences unique to that isolate as well as sequences common to all three isolates. The kDNA sequences of L. tropica and L. aethiopica were more closely related than either were to those of L. major. kDNA of each isolate was cloned and plasmids selected which contained a fragment of DNA unique to the isolate from which the kDNA originated. Whole kDNA was hybridised to organisms fixed on a microscope slide. In each case the kDNA hybridised strongly to the kinetoplast of the organism from which the DNA had been extracted. There was a small amount of cross-hybridisation between L. tropica and L. aethiopica confirming the result of the Southern blot hybridisation. The feasibility of a method of isolate identification using recombinant DNA probes containing sequences unique to a particular isolate or group of isolates is discussed.     

用RAPD技术对利什曼原虫kDNA、nDNA的分析

目的 :用RAPD技术分析利什曼原虫的kDNA及nDNA。方法 :用 7种随机引物扩增L .infantum和L .donovaniGS2的kDNA和nDNA ,分析扩增结果并计算两虫种间kDNA和nDNA共享度F值。结果 :7种随机引物对两虫种的kDNA、nDNA均扩增出各自特有带型。L .infantum和L .donovaniGS2两虫种间kD NA、nDNA扩增片段的F值分别为 0 2 2 7和 0 2。结论 :kDNA和nDNA均可作为利什曼原虫的RAPD扩增模板 ,这 7种引物均可用于对L .infantum和L .donovaniGS2进行RAPD分析。该两虫种kDNA、nDNA的共享度较低 ,说明二者遗传距离较远。在进行RAPD分析时 ,提取全DNA (包括kDNA和nDNA)进行扩增即可     

我国不同流行区内脏利什曼原虫分离株kDNA的PCR-SSCP分析

目的： 分析我国不同类型流行区内脏利什曼原虫 （Ｌ．ｄ．） 分离株ｋＤＮＡ。方法： 应用利什曼原虫属特异引物１３Ａ, １３Ｂ及据杜氏利什曼原虫四川人分离株ｋＤＮＡ 微环特异片段序列设计合成的引物Ⅰ、引物Ⅱ, ＰＣＲ扩增不同流行区利什曼原虫分离株ｋＤＮＡ, 获特定片段, 进行ＳＳＣＰ分析。结果： 用引物Ⅰ和引物ⅡＰＣＲ扩增内脏利什曼原虫分离株ｋＤＮＡ, 在同样试验条件下, 山丘地区和荒漠地区Ｌ．ｄ． 分离株扩增出２９７ ｂｐ 特定片段, 而平原地区Ｌ．ｄ．分离株及新疆皮肤利什曼原虫未扩增出２９７ ｂｐ 特定片段。将上述各虫株的２９７ ｂｐ 特定片段进行ＳＳＣＰ分析, 可见两个山丘地区的Ｌ．ｄ．分离株ｓｓＤＮＡ 迁移率相同, 而与荒漠地区新疆７７１分离株则相差较大。用引物１３Ａ, １３ＢＰＣＲ 扩增平原地区的Ｌ．ｄ．山东分离株和Ｌ．ｄ．江苏分离株、山丘地区的Ｌ．ｄ．汶川分离株、Ｌ．ｄ．甘肃分离株,均扩增出１２０ ｂｐ 特定片段。经ＳＳＣＰ分析,平原地区的Ｌ．ｄ．山东分离株和Ｌ．ｄ．江苏分离株的ｓｓＤＮＡ迁移率完全相同; 山丘地区的Ｌ．ｄ．汶川分离株和Ｌ．ｄ． 甘肃分离株ｓｓＤＮＡ迁移率相同, 但与平原地区者明显不同; 婴儿利什曼ｓｓＤＮＡ迁移     

A dual mechanism of action of the anticancer agent F 11782 on human topoisomerase II alpha

F 11782 is a novel epipodophyllotoxin that targets eukaryotic topoisomerases and inhibits enzyme binding to DNA. While F 11782 has not been found to stabilize either topoisomerase I or topoisomerase II covalent complexes, drug treatment appears to result in DNA damage. F 11782 has also been shown to inhibit the DNA nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Bisdioxopiperazine-resistant small cell lung cancer (SCLC) OC-NYH/Y165S and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) CHO/159-1 cells having functional Y49F and Y165S mutations in the topoisomerase II alpha isoform were both resistant to F 11782. The catalytic activity of purified human Y50F and Y165S mutant topoisomerase II alpha (Y50F in the human protein corresponds to Y49F in the CHO protein) was likewise resistant to the inhibitory action of F 11782. F 11782 was also found to induce a non-covalent salt-stable complex of human topoisomerase II with DNA that was ATP-independent. F 11782 thus displays a dual mechanism of action on human topoisomerase II alpha, reducing its affinity for DNA while also stabilizing the protein bound in the form of a salt-stable complex. Our results suggest that topoisomerase II alpha is a target of F 11782 in vivo, and that F 11782 may act as a novel topoisomerase II poison.     

Inhibition of DNA topoisomerases I and II,and growth inhibition of human cancer cell lines by a marine microalgal polysaccharide

We have previously reported purification of an extracellular polysaccharide GA3P, D-galactan sulfate associated with L-(+)-lactic acid, produced by a toxic marine microalga Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium sp. A(3) (GA3), and induction thereby of apoptosis on human myeloid leukemia K562 cells. In the present report, we show that the GA3P is a potent inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase (topo) I and topo II, irrespective of the presence or absence of the lactate group. Dextran sulfate also showed similar level of inhibition of topo I and topo II. We also demonstrated that, unlike camptothecin (CPT) or teniposide (VM-26), the inhibition of topo I or topo II by the polysaccharide does not involve accumulation of DNA-topo I/II cleavable complexes, clearly showing that they are not topo poisons but catalytic inhibitors with dual activity. Furthermore, the polysaccharide, when added to the reaction mixture with CPT or VM-26, inhibited stabilization of cleavable complex induced by the latter compounds. In addition, when added to the reaction mixture after the formation of the cleavable complexes by topo poisons, CPT for topo I and VM-26 for topo II, either GA3P or dextran sulfate diminished the amount of the complexes already accumulated, i.e. reversal of the reaction. These results suggest that the polysaccharides bind to the enzymes with high affinities, and that, as for topo I/II inhibition, the GA3P shares a common mechanism with dextran sulfate. As examined in vitro with a human cancer cell line panel, GA3P exhibited significant cytotoxicity against a variety of cancer cells. These findings show that the polysaccharide GA3P would prove to be a potential anticancer chemotherapeutic agent with dual activity of topo I and topo II catalytic inhibition.     

Repetitive sequences scattered throughout the genome of Trypanosoma cruzi

A clone bank from Trypanosoma cruzi DNA was constructed in the plasmid vector pBR325 and screened with total labelled DNA from the same parasite. The experimental conditions used enable recombinant clones containing repetitive sequences to be detected. 2% of the clones gave a strong positive signal. Half of them carried mini-circle sequences but the other half contained repetitive sequences from the nuclear genome. 50% of all colonies showed up more weakly suggesting that half of the trypanosome DNA fragments carried few repetitive elements. One family of repeats, present in two clones from different genomic regions, hybridized with a broad range of nuclear DNA fragment sizes. Moreover, one of these clones had at least two kinds of elements with no common sequences. A third clone, detected under the same conditions, hybridized with distinct nuclear DNA bands. The number of copies estimated for the latter was much lower than the number of homologous sequences detected in nuclear DNA with the former two. This third recombinant plasmid proved useful to differentiate among closely related trypanosome stocks. Neither poly(A)+ or poly(A)- RNA, nor the 50 kilobase pair band corresponding to the satellite DNA already described in trypanosomes, contribute to the repeats present within these recombinant DNAs. Sequences with some degree of homology were found in the nuclear genome of T. brucei and Crithidia fasciculata.     

Structural determinants of the catalytic inhibition of human topoisomerase IIα by salicylate analogs and salicylate-based drugs

We previously identified salicylate as a novel catalytic inhibitor of human DNA topoisomerase II (topo II; EC 5.99.1.3) that preferentially targets the alpha isoform by interfering with topo II-mediated DNA cleavage. Many pharmaceuticals and compounds found in foods are salicylate-based. We have now investigated whether these are also catalytic inhibitors of topo II and the structural determinants modulating these effects. We have determined that a number of hydroxylated benzoic acids attenuate doxorubicin-induced DNA damage signaling mediated by the ATM protein kinase and inhibit topo II decatenation activity in vitro with varying potencies. Based on the chemical structures of these and other derivatives, we identified unique properties influencing topo II inhibition, including the importance of substitutions at the 2′- and 5′-positions. We extended our findings to a number of salicylate-based pharmaceuticals including sulfasalazine and diflunisal and found that both were effective at attenuating doxorubicin-induced DNA damage signaling, topo II DNA decatenation and they blocked stabilization of doxorubicin-induced topo II cleavable complexes in cells. In a manner similar to salicylate, we determined that these agents inhibit topo II-mediated DNA cleavage. This was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in topo II-mediated ATP-hydrolysis. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel function for the broader class of salicylate-related compounds and highlight the need for additional studies into whether they may impact the efficacy of chemotherapy regimens that include topo II poisons.     

Detection and chronology of parasitic kinetoplast DNA presence in hair of experimental Leishmania major infected BALB/c mice by Real Time PCR

Hair can accumulate foreign chemical or biological substances. Recently, it has been reported that parasite DNA can also be detected in the hair of Leishmania infantum infected dogs. The aim of this work has been to find out whether parasite DNA incorporates in the hair of Leishmania major experimentally infected animals. For this purpose, a group of 4 BALB/c mice, intradermally inoculated in both ears with 1000 L. major V1 strain promastigote forms, was monitored for parameters associated to the infection during 35 days. Weekly, ear swelling was measured, and hair samples from ears and leg were collected. Blood samples were obtained before challenge and at day 35 post infection, when parasite load was measured in ear, lymph node and spleen by limit dilution. Ear swelling and other parameters observed in the infected mice were consistent with those described for this model. The presence of parasite kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) was detected by Real Time PCR in all ear and leg hair samples at the final timepoint. These data suggests that hair is a specialized tissue in the sequestration and removal of foreign DNA. Detection of DNA in hair could be, therefore, a useful tool to chronologically record the infection process during experimental mice assays.     

三种利什曼原虫和我国新疆皮肤利什曼原虫kDNA分子杂交实验研究

本研究自新疆克拉玛依地区皮肤利什曼病（CL）患者的皮肤病变组织内抽提微量的利什曼原虫kDNA，采用引物13A、13B进行PCR扩增，获120bP扩增区带（CL－PCR－AP），并转移到尼龙膜上，分别与地高辛（Digoxigenin－11－dUTP）标记的L．tropica、L．infantum、L．gerbillikDNA探针进行Southern印迹杂交。结果：病变组织内利什曼原虫kDNA的PCR扩增区带仅与LtropicakDNA探针有明显的杂交信号，而与L.infantum、L.gerbillikDNA探针杂交则呈阴性反应。结论：LtropicakDNA与新疆克拉玛依地区CL患者的CL－PCR－AP之间存在同源关系。     

Occurrence of Leishmania infantum cutaneous leishmaniasis in central Tunisia

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to Leishmania infantum occurs sporadically in Tunisia where its distribution is confined to the northern parts of the country. However, during the past decade there have been occasional repeated reports of cases from areas in central Tunisia, known to be free of CL. Epidemiological, clinical and parasitological data regarding these patients were collected and analysed. Data were very suggestive of the sporadic form of CL due to L. infantum. The parasites contained within the lesions of some of the patients were characterised by two different previously described PCR assays, each having different resolutive powers. The first assay, which amplified complete kDNA minicircles, showed a fragment size characteristic of the L. donovani complex; whilst the second consisted of a PCR-RFLP analysis targeting the gp63 coding sequences that confirmed assignment of the parasites to L. infantum species while illustrating its differences from the reference isolate. These findings confirm the aetiology of CL in the concerned areas in central Tunisia and suggest that L. infantum CL might be more prevalent and widespread than previously thought, or possibly emerging in these areas.