Cloning of SmNCoA-62, a novel nuclear receptor co-activator from Schistosoma mansoni: assembly of a complex with a SmRXR1/SmNR1 heterodimer, SmGCN5 and SmCBP1.

The Schistosoma mansoni nuclear receptors (NR) SmRXR1 and SmNR1 have recently been shown to form a heterodimer and to bind to canonic hormone response DNA elements. Recruitment of co-regulatory proteins to NRs is required for their transcriptional and biological activities. Here, we cloned a novel S. mansoni NR co-activator, SmNCoA-62. SmNCoA-62 is highly homologous to the human Vitamin D receptor co-activator NCoA62/SKIP. SmNCoA-62 contains the SNW nuclear receptor interaction domain and a putative C-terminus transactivation domain. By using in vitro pull-down assays, we fully mapped the interaction domains of S. mansoni NR co-activators, SmNCoA-62, SmGCN5 and SmCBP1 with SmRXR1 and SmNR1, as well as the domains that mediate interactions amongst the co-activators themselves. By mutagenesis analysis, we showed that SmCBP1 LxxLL motif 2 and LxxLL motif 3, but not LxxLL motif 1, were essential to mediate the interactions of SmCBP1 with the EF domains of SmRXR1 and SmNR1. Histone acetyltransferases SmGCN5 and SmCBP1 specifically acetylated the C/D domains of SmRXR1 and SmNR1. In addition, two acetylation sites of SmNR1 were identified. SmGCN5 and SmCBP1 also acetylated SmNCoA-62 but with significant differences in their acetylation activities. Using gel shift analysis, we were able to demonstrate, in vitro, the assembly of the co-activators on the SmRXR1/SmNR1 heterodimer bound to DNA. LxxLL motifs 2 and 3 of SmCBP1 seemed to play a crucial role for the assembly of the co-activators to the DNA-bound SmRXR1/SmNR1 heterodimer.

Cross-reactivity of Schistosoma mansoni cytosolic superoxide dismutase, a protective vaccine candidate, with host superoxide dismutase and identification of parasite-specific B epitopes.

Schistosoma mansoni, an intravascular parasite, has evolved a number of immune evasion mechanisms to establish itself in the host, such as antioxidant enzymes. Our laboratory has demonstrated that the highest levels of certain antioxidant enzymes are found in adult worms, which are the least susceptible to immune killing. Vaccination of mice with naked DNA constructs containing the gene encoding Cu/Zn cytosolic superoxide dismutase (SmCT-SOD) showed significant levels of protection compared to a control group, and our data demonstrate that the adult worms are a target of the immune response that confers resistance in SmCT-SOD DNA-vaccinated mice. Because SmCT-SOD shows significant identity with the human homologue, we evaluated the reactivity of anti-SmCT-SOD antibodies derived from SmCT-SOD-immunized mice and rabbits and from S. mansoni-infected individuals to human superoxide dismutase (hSOD) and SmCT-SOD parasite-specific peptides to assess the potential for autoimmune responses from immunization with the recombinant molecule. In addition, we evaluated the ability of various SmCT-SOD adjuvant-delivered immunizations to induce cross-reactive antibodies. Both mouse and rabbit antibodies generated against SmCT-SOD recognized the denatured form of hSOD. The same antibodies did not recognize nondenatured hSOD. Sera from infected individuals with different clinical forms of schistosomiasis recognized SmCT-SOD but not hSOD. Antibodies from mice immunized with different SmCT-SOD-containing formulations of both DNA and protein were able to recognize SmCT-SOD-derived peptides but not soluble hSOD. All together, these findings serve as a basis for developing a subunit vaccine against schistosomiasis.

Protection against Schistosoma mansoni utilizing DNA vaccination with genes encoding Cu/Zn cytosolic superoxide dismutase, signal peptide-containing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes.

Protection against Schistosoma mansoni infection in C57BL/6 female mice was evaluated by two DNA vaccination strategies. Mice were either vaccinated by intramuscular injection with pcDNAI/Amp constructs encoding either Cu/Zn cytosolic superoxide dismutase (CT-SOD), signal peptide-containing SOD (SP-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX(bb)) or a mutated form of GPX (GPX(m)), or primed with naked DNA constructs and boosted with recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV) containing the same genes. Animals were then challenged with S. mansoni and the level of protection was assessed as the reduction in worm burden. CT-SOD showed significant levels of protection compared to the control group, ranging between 44 and 60%, while SP-SOD exhibited from 22 to 45%. GPX(bb) showed levels of protection (23-55%) higher than GPX(m) (25-34%). The prime-boost strategy gave the same results as naked DNA or recombinant vaccinia virus alone except in the case of GPX, where the protection was 85%.

Cloning of Schistosoma mansoni Seven in Absentia (SmSINA)(+) homologue cDNA, a gene involved in ubiquitination of SmRXR1 and SmRXR2.

Drosophila (SINA) and human Seven in Absentia (SIAH-1 and SIAH-2) have been implicated in ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of different target proteins. Using the Schistosoma mansoni nuclear receptor SmRXR2 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system, we identified a DNA fragment that encodes part of the schistosome homologue of the Seven in Absentia protein (SmSINA). Screening of S. mansoni cDNA expression library resulted in the isolation of a cDNA containing the full-length coding region of SmSINA. SmSINA contains the characteristic structural features of other SINA proteins including a conserved N-terminal RING finger domain and a cysteine-rich C-terminus. We demonstrate that SmSINA associates with SmRXR2 and SmRXR1 both in vivo and in vitro, and define the binding domains in SmRXR2 and SmRXR1 that mediate their interaction. Schistosome SINA co-localizes with SmRXR2 and SmRXR1 in vitelline cells. In addition, we show that SmSINA stimulates the ubiquination of both SmRXR2 and SmRXR1 in vitro. Our findings suggest that SmSINA regulates ubiquitination and ubiquitin-induced degradation of schistosome nuclear receptors (RXR1 and RXR2) via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.