Up-regulated expression of spherical body protein 2 truncated copy 11 in Babesia bovis is associated with reduced cytoadhesion to vascular endothelial cells. Issue 2 (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gallego-Lopez, Gina M.; Lau, Audrey O.T.; O'Connor, Roberta M.; Ueti, Massaro W.; Cooke, Brian M.; Laughery, Jacob M.; Graça, Telmo; Madsen-Bouterse, Sally A.; Oldiges, Daiane P.; Allred, David R.; Suarez, Carlos E.
• Is Part Of: International journal for parasitology. Volume 49:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 137
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: Babesia bovis -- Spherical body protein -- Stable transfection -- Cytoadhesion -- BBEC; Parasitology -- Periodicals; Parasitology -- Periodicals; Parasitologie -- Périodiques; Parasitology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.999
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.05.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7519

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: A stably transfected Babesia bovis line with one extra copy of the sbp2t11 gene was generated and denominated 'sbp2t11up'. Five derived clonal lines of the sbp2t11up line were generated and characterised. The transfected line sbp2t11up mimics the up-regulation of sbp2t11 in attenuated B. bovis strains. Up-regulation of sbp2t11 is consistently associated with a reduction in cytoadhesion to bovine brain endothelial cells. Abstract: The factors involved in gain or loss of virulence in Babesia bovis are unknown. Spherical body protein 2 truncated copy 11 ( sbp2t11 ) transcripts in B. bovis were recently reported to be a marker of attenuation for B. bovis strains. Increased cytoadhesion of B. bovis -infected red blood cells (iRBC) to vascular endothelial cells is associated with severe disease outcomes and an indicator of parasite virulence. Here, we created a stable B. bovis transfected line over-expressing sbp2t11 to determine whether up-regulation of sbp2t11 is associated with changes in cytoadhesion. This line was designated sbp2t11up and five B. bovis clonal lines were derived from the sbp2t11up line by limiting dilution for characterisation. We compared the ability of iRBCs from the sbp2t11up line and its five derivative clonal lines to adhere to bovine brain endothelial cells, using an in vitro cytoadhesion assay. The same lines were selected for in vitro cytoadhesion and the levels of sbp2t11 transcripts in each selected line were quantified. Our results demonstrate that up-regulation of sbp2t11 is accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in cytoadhesion. Confirmed up-regulation of sbp2t11 in B. bovis concomitant with the reduction of iRBC in vitro cytoadhesion to bovine brain endothelial cell is consistent with our previous finding that up-regulation of sbp2t11 is an attenuation marker in B. bovis and suggests the involvement of sbp2t11 transcription in B. bovis virulence.