Analysis of the proteinases of representative Trichomonas vaginalis isolates

Abstract

Isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with acrylamide copolymerized with gelatin (substrate-SDS-PAGE) were combined to evaluate the proteinases of both long-term-grown and fresh isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis. This two-dimensional substrate-SDS-PAGE resolved as many as 23 distinct proteinase activities in several isolates, and proteinases had relative molecular masses between 23 and 110 kilodaltons (kDa). Isoelectric points (pl) of proteinases ranged from 5.7 to 7.0. Overall, the various representative proteinase profiles were similar among those of long-term-grown and fresh isolates, although heterogeneity existed among several cysteine proteinase activities. Pattern changes were detected in fresh isolates passaged over several weeks, showing the ability of proteinases to be differentially * Corresponding author.

Iron regulates growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and the expression of immunogenic trichomonad proteins

“…Our discovery of the general property of phenotypic variation, defined on the basis of surface expression and/or synthesis of several repertoires of trichomonad proteins (Aiderete et al, 1985;Aiderete, 1987;Neale and Aiderete, 1990) and including the iron-regulated proteins shown here, continues to define and clarify the molecular basis of antigenic heterogeneity. The data in this report and an earlier study by us, which demonstrates the ability of T. vaginalis to respond to specific environmental signals with concomitant induction of protein immunogens (Lehker and Aiderete, 1990), and the human serum antibody response depending on a multiplicity of variables, such as in vivo expression of the phenotypically varying trichomonad proteins, which include prominent immunogens (Aiderete, 1987), proteinases (Neale and Aiderete, 1990), erythrocyte-binding proteins (Lehker etal., 1990), and now the iron-regulated proteins (Fig. 6), contribute to this parasite's overall antigenic diversity and complexity.…”

The regulation by iron of the synthesis of adhesins and cytoadherence levels in the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis.

“…Parasite Growth and Radiolabeling ofProteins. T. vaginalis isolates used in this study were described previously (8,9) and were culti-vated in a normal growth medium of trypticase-yeast extract-maltose (TYM)' supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated horse serum (10) . Low-iron medium was prepared by the addition of 2,2-dipyridal (Sigma Chemical Co., St .…”

A 39‐kDa Cysteine Proteinase CP39 from Trichomonas vaginalis, Which Is Negatively Affected by Iron May Be Involved in Trichomonal Cytotoxicity

“…It is responsible for trichomonosis, one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) [26]. Patients with this chronic infection are at a higher risk for HIV seroconversion [18,24], exhibit adverse outcomes during pregnancy [lo], and may be more susceptible for cervical cancer [28].This parasite has many proteinases; most of them are cysteine proteinases (CPs) [7,9,23]. At least 23 different CPs were identified by two-dimensional (2-D) substrate gel electrophoresis [23].…”

“…Patients with this chronic infection are at a higher risk for HIV seroconversion [18,24], exhibit adverse outcomes during pregnancy [lo], and may be more susceptible for cervical cancer [28].This parasite has many proteinases; most of them are cysteine proteinases (CPs) [7,9,23]. At least 23 different CPs were identified by two-dimensional (2-D) substrate gel electrophoresis [23]. Some of them are involved in cytotoxicity [3,5], hemolysis [11,13], immune response evasion [27] or cytoadherence [4,5,22].Previously, we identified a 30-and a 65-kDa 7: vaginalis proteinases that bound to HeLa and vaginal epithelial cells surfaces…”