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Pathogens
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Trichomonas vaginalis Infection
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Trichomonas vaginalis Infection

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 March 2024) | Viewed by 10218

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tiana Tasca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Grupo de Pesquisa em Tricomonas, Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre 90610-000, RS, Brazil
Interests: Trichomonas vaginalis; anti-Trichomonas vaginalis activity; pathogenicity; parasite–host interaction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the urogenital pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis being discovered in 1836 by Alfred Donné, there is still a lot to understand about how this parasite is responsible for the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Outstanding studies have contributed with genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data on T. vaginalis–host interaction. However, gaps on drug resistance detection, the role of endosymbionts in trichomonads biology and even an approved and feasible in vivo model of infection remain to be answered. The purpose of this Special Issue on “Trichomonas vaginalis infection” is to publish the current state of recent research on topics related to this parasitic infection: pathogenesis mechanisms, parasite–host interaction, the role of endosymbionts, cell death, and drug resistance mechanisms. We are looking forward to your contributions.

Dr. Tiana Tasca
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Trichomonas vaginalis–host interaction
  • endosymbionts
  • pathogenesis
  • cell death
  • drug resistance

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 6852 KiB  
Article
Trichomonas vaginalis Legumain-2, TvLEGU-2, Is an Immunogenic Cysteine Peptidase Expressed during Trichomonal Infection
by Esly Alejandra Euceda-Padilla, Miriam Guadalupe Mateo-Cruz, Leticia Ávila-González, Claudia Ivonne Flores-Pucheta, Jaime Ortega-López, Daniel Talamás-Lara, Beatriz Velazquez-Valassi, Lidia Jasso-Villazul and Rossana Arroyo
Pathogens 2024, 13(2), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13020119 - 27 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1217
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, the most prevalent nonviral, neglected sexually transmitted disease worldwide. T. vaginalis has one of the largest degradomes among unicellular parasites. Cysteine peptidases (CPs) are the most abundant peptidases, constituting 50% of the degradome. Some CPs [...] Read more.
Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, the most prevalent nonviral, neglected sexually transmitted disease worldwide. T. vaginalis has one of the largest degradomes among unicellular parasites. Cysteine peptidases (CPs) are the most abundant peptidases, constituting 50% of the degradome. Some CPs are virulence factors recognized by antibodies in trichomoniasis patient sera, and a few are found in vaginal secretions that show fluctuations in glucose concentrations during infection. The CPs of clan CD in T. vaginalis include 10 genes encoding legumain-like peptidases of the C13 family. TvLEGU-2 is one of them and has been identified in multiple proteomes, including the immunoproteome obtained with Tv (+) patient sera. Thus, our goals were to assess the effect of glucose on TvLEGU-2 expression, localization, and in vitro secretion and determine whether TvLEGU-2 is expressed during trichomonal infection. We performed qRT-PCR assays using parasites grown under different glucose conditions. We also generated a specific anti-TvLEGU-2 antibody against a synthetic peptide of the most divergent region of this CP and used it in Western blot (WB) and immunolocalization assays. Additionally, we cloned and expressed the tvlegu-2 gene (TVAG_385340), purified the recombinant TvLEGU-2 protein, and used it as an antigen for immunogenicity assays to test human sera from patients with vaginitis. Our results show that glucose does not affect tvlegu-2 expression but does affect localization in different parasite organelles, such as the plasma membrane, Golgi complex, hydrogenosomes, lysosomes, and secretion vesicles. TvLEGU-2 is secreted in vitro, is present in vaginal secretions, and is immunogenic in sera from Tv (+) patients, suggesting its relevance during trichomonal infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trichomonas vaginalis Infection)
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20 pages, 6160 KiB  
Article
Trichomonas vaginalis: Monolayer and Cluster Formation—Ultrastructural Aspects Using High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy
by Sharmila Fiama das Neves Ortiz, Raphael Verdan, Fabio da Silva de Azevedo Fortes and Marlene Benchimol
Pathogens 2023, 12(12), 1381; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12121381 - 23 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2948
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is an extracellular protozoan parasite that causes human trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that affects approximately 270 million people worldwide. The phenomenon of T. vaginalis adhesion to inert substrates has been described in several reports. Still, very few studies on [...] Read more.
Trichomonas vaginalis is an extracellular protozoan parasite that causes human trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that affects approximately 270 million people worldwide. The phenomenon of T. vaginalis adhesion to inert substrates has been described in several reports. Still, very few studies on cluster formation have been conducted, and more detailed analyses of the contact regions between the parasites’ membranes in these aggregate formations have not been carried out. The present study aims to show that T. vaginalis forms a tight monolayer, similar to an epithelium, with parasites firmly adhered to the culture flask bottom by interdigitations and in the absence of host cells. In addition, we analyzed and compared the formation of the clusters, focusing on parasite aggregates that float in the culture flasks. We employed various imaging techniques, including high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cytochemistry, TEM tomography, and dye injection. We analyzed whether the monolayer behaves as an epithelium, analyzing cell junctions, cell communication, and ultrastructural aspects, and concluded that monolayer formation differs from cluster formation in many aspects. The monolayers form strong adhesion, whereas the clusters have fragile attachments. We did not find fusion or the passage of molecules between neighbor-attached cells; there is no need for different strains to form filopodia, cytonemes, and extracellular vesicles during cluster and monolayer formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trichomonas vaginalis Infection)
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18 pages, 1915 KiB  
Article
Peptidases Are Potential Targets of Copper(II)-1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-dione Complex, a Promising and Potent New Drug against Trichomonas vaginalis
by Graziela Vargas Rigo, Fernanda Gomes Cardoso, Matheus Mendonça Pereira, Michael Devereux, Malachy McCann, André L. S. Santos and Tiana Tasca
Pathogens 2023, 12(5), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12050745 - 22 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1318
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is responsible for 156 million new cases per year worldwide. When present asymptomatically, the parasite can lead to serious complications, such as development of cervical and prostate cancer. As infection increases the acquisition and transmission of HIV, the control of trichomoniasis [...] Read more.
Trichomonas vaginalis is responsible for 156 million new cases per year worldwide. When present asymptomatically, the parasite can lead to serious complications, such as development of cervical and prostate cancer. As infection increases the acquisition and transmission of HIV, the control of trichomoniasis represents an important niche for the discovery and development of new antiparasitic molecules. This urogenital parasite synthesizes several molecules that allow the establishment and pathogenesis of infection. Among them, peptidases occupy key roles as virulence factors, and the inhibition of these enzymes has become an important mechanism for modulating pathogenesis. Based on these premises, our group recently reported the potent anti-T. vaginalis action of the metal-based complex [Cu(phendione)3](ClO4)2.4H2O (Cu-phendione). In the present study, we evaluated the influence of Cu-phendione on the modulation of proteolytic activities produced by T. vaginalis by biochemical and molecular approaches. Cu-phendione showed strong inhibitory potential against T. vaginalis peptidases, especially cysteine- and metallo-type peptidases. The latter revealed a more prominent effect at both the post-transcriptional and post-translational levels. Molecular Docking analysis confirmed the interaction of Cu-phendione, with high binding energy (−9.7 and −10.7 kcal·mol−1, respectively) at the active site of both TvMP50 and TvGP63 metallopeptidases. In addition, Cu-phendione significantly reduced trophozoite-mediated cytolysis in human vaginal (HMVII) and monkey kidney (VERO) epithelial cell lineages. These results highlight the antiparasitic potential of Cu-phendione by interaction with important T. vaginalis virulence factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trichomonas vaginalis Infection)
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12 pages, 2309 KiB  
Article
Identification of Trichomonas vaginalis 5-Nitroimidazole Resistance Targets
by Keonte J. Graves, Colin Reily, Hemant K. Tiwari, Vinodh Srinivasasainagendra, William Evan Secor, Jan Novak and Christina A. Muzny
Pathogens 2023, 12(5), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12050692 - 10 May 2023
Viewed by 2032
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection. 5-nitroimidazoles are the only FDA-approved medications for T. vaginalis treatment. However, 5-nitroimidazole resistance has been increasingly recognized and may occur in up to 10% of infections. We aimed to delineate mechanisms of T. [...] Read more.
Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection. 5-nitroimidazoles are the only FDA-approved medications for T. vaginalis treatment. However, 5-nitroimidazole resistance has been increasingly recognized and may occur in up to 10% of infections. We aimed to delineate mechanisms of T. vaginalis resistance using transcriptome profiling of metronidazole (MTZ)-resistant and sensitive T. vaginalis clinical isolates. In vitro, 5-nitroimidazole susceptibility testing was performed to determine minimum lethal concentrations (MLCs) for T. vaginalis isolates obtained from women who had failed treatment (n = 4) or were successfully cured (n = 4). RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and biostatistical analyses were performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the MTZ-resistant vs. sensitive T. vaginalis isolates. RNA sequencing identified 304 DEGs, 134 upregulated genes and 170 downregulated genes in the resistant isolates. Future studies with more T. vaginalis isolates with a broad range of MLCs are needed to determine which genes may represent the best alternative targets in drug-resistant strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trichomonas vaginalis Infection)
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Review

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12 pages, 1180 KiB  
Review
Mycoplasma hominis and Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii in Trichomonas vaginalis: Peaceful Cohabitants or Contentious Roommates?
by Valentina Margarita, Antonella Congiargiu, Nicia Diaz, Pier Luigi Fiori and Paola Rappelli
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091083 - 25 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1725
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is a pathogenic protozoan diffused worldwide capable of infecting the urogenital tract in humans, causing trichomoniasis. One of its most intriguing aspects is the ability to establish a close relationship with endosymbiotic microorganisms: the unique association of T. vaginalis with the [...] Read more.
Trichomonas vaginalis is a pathogenic protozoan diffused worldwide capable of infecting the urogenital tract in humans, causing trichomoniasis. One of its most intriguing aspects is the ability to establish a close relationship with endosymbiotic microorganisms: the unique association of T. vaginalis with the bacterium Mycoplasma hominis represents, to date, the only example of an endosymbiosis involving two true human pathogens. Since its discovery, several aspects of the symbiosis between T. vaginalis and M. hominis have been characterized, demonstrating that the presence of the intracellular guest strongly influences the pathogenic characteristics of the protozoon, making it more aggressive towards host cells and capable of stimulating a stronger proinflammatory response. The recent description of a further symbiont of the protozoon, the newly discovered non-cultivable mycoplasma Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii, makes the picture even more complex. This review provides an overview of the main aspects of this complex microbial consortium, with particular emphasis on its effect on protozoan pathobiology and on the interplays among the symbionts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trichomonas vaginalis Infection)
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