Evolution of self-organisation in Dictyostelia by adaptation of a non-selective phosphodiesterase and a matrix component for regulated cAMP degradation.

Dictyostelium discoideum amoebas coordinate aggregation and morphogenesis by secreting cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pulses that propagate as waves through fields of cells and multicellular structures. To retrace how this mechanism for self-organisation evolved, we studied the origin of the cAMP phosphodiesterase PdsA and its inhibitor PdiA, which are essential for cAMP wave propagation. D. discoideum and other species that use cAMP to aggregate reside in group 4 of the four major groups of Dictyostelia. We found that groups 1-3 express a non-specific, low affinity orthologue of PdsA, which gained cAMP selectivity and increased 200-fold in affinity in group 4. A low affinity group 3 PdsA only partially restored aggregation of a D. discoideum pdsA-null mutant, but was more effective at restoring fruiting body morphogenesis. Deletion of a group 2 PdsA gene resulted in disruption of fruiting body morphogenesis, but left aggregation unaffected. Together, these results show that groups 1-3 use a low affinity PdsA for morphogenesis that is neither suited nor required for aggregation. PdiA belongs to a family of matrix proteins that are present in all Dictyostelia and consist mainly of cysteine-rich repeats. However, in its current form with several extensively modified repeats, PdiA is only present in group 4. PdiA is essential for initiating spiral cAMP waves, which, by organising large territories, generate the large fruiting structures that characterise group 4. We conclude that efficient cAMP-mediated aggregation in group 4 evolved by recruitment and adaptation of a non-selective phosphodiesterase and a matrix component into a system for regulated cAMP degradation.

Human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells respond to interaction with Entamoeba histolytica by changes in morphology, integrin signalling and cell death.

Invasive infection with Entamoeba histolytica causes intestinal and hepatic amoebiasis. In liver, parasites cross the endothelial barrier before abscess formation in the parenchyma. We focussed on amoebae interactions with human hepatic endothelial cells, the latter potentially playing a dual role in the infection process: as a barrier and as modulators of host defence responses. We characterized early responses of a human liver sinusoidal endothelial cell line to virulent and virulence-attenuated E. histolytica. Within the first minutes human cells start to retract, enter into apoptosis and die. In the presence of virulent amoebae, expression of genes related to cell cycle, cell death and integrin-mediated adhesion signalling was modulated, and actin fibre, focal adhesion kinase and paxillin localizations changed. Effects of inhibitors and amoeba strains not expressing pathogenic factors amoebapore A and cysteine protease A5 indicated that cell death and cytoskeleton disorganization depend upon parasite adhesion and amoebic cysteine proteinase activities. The data establish a relation between cytotoxic effects of E. histolytica and altered human target cell adhesion and suggest that interference with adhesion signalling triggers endothelial cell retraction and death. Understanding the roles of integrin signalling in endothelial cells will provide clues to unravel host-pathogen interactions during amoebic liver infection.

A proteomic and cellular analysis of uropods in the pathogen Entamoeba histolytica.

Exposure of Entamoeba histolytica to specific ligands induces cell polarization via the activation of signalling pathways and cytoskeletal elements. The process leads to formation of a protruding pseudopod at the front of the cell and a retracting uropod at the rear. In the present study, we show that the uropod forms during the exposure of trophozoites to serum isolated from humans suffering of amoebiasis. To investigate uropod assembly, we used LC-MS/MS technology to identify protein components in isolated uropod fractions. The galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine lectin, the immunodominant antigen M17 (which is specifically recognized by serum from amoeba-infected persons) and a few other cells adhesion-related molecules were primarily involved. Actin-rich cytoskeleton components, GTPases from the Rac and Rab families, filamin, α-actinin and a newly identified ezrin-moesin-radixin protein were the main factors found to potentially interact with capped receptors. A set of specific cysteine proteases and a serine protease were enriched in isolated uropod fractions. However, biological assays indicated that cysteine proteases are not involved in uropod formation in E. histolytica, a fact in contrast to the situation in human motile immune cells. The surface proteins identified here are testable biomarkers which may be either recognized by the immune system and/or released into the circulation during amoebiasis.