Steroid hormones alter AMP hydrolysis in intact trophozoites of Trichomonas vaginalis

Abstract

Trichomonas vaginalis infection may be influenced by the vaginal concentrations of estrogens. We have investigated the effects of 17beta-estradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) on the ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity in fresh clinical (VP60) and in long-term-grown (30236 ATCC) isolates of T. vaginalis. In vitro exposure to DHEAS and 17beta-estradiol did not induce any changes in adenosine monophosphate (AMP) hydrolysis in these isolates. The treatment of parasites in the presence of DHEAS (0.01-1.0 microM) for 2 h inhibited AMP hydrolysis in VP60 isolate, whereas there were no significant changes in nucleotide hydrolysis in the presence of 17beta-estradiol. DHEAS and 17beta-estradiol (0.01-1.0 microM) for 2 h inhibited AMP hydrolysis in 30236 isolate. The 12 treatment with 0.1 microM DHEAS inhibited AMP hydrolysis, whereas 17beta-estradiol did not alter the nucleotide hydrolysis in VP60 isolate. Our findings have shown that the complex effect of steroid hormones and their receptors on T. vaginalis may promote changes in ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity during exposure to these hormones.

Global epidemiology ofTrichomonas vaginalis

“…These effects may be mediated through immunological or direct influences of exogenous sex hormones on the parasite. Ecto-5′-nucluetidase, a neutralising enzyme that hydrolyses adenosine monophosphate to adenosine required for parasite growth, may be decreased by oestrogen 26. This effect, in turn, could serve to attenuate TV pathogenesis.…”

E-NTPDases: Possible Roles on Host-Parasite Interactions and Therapeutic Opportunities

“…Thus, Tv NTPDAse and 5’NT activities carry out an important role in adenosine production, triggering an efficient purinergic-signaling cascade, which allows the parasite to escape the host immune response ( Petró-Silveira et al., 2020 ). In addition, the treatment of trophozoites of T. vaginalis freshly isolated with hormones, especially steroids, also inhibited Tv NTPDase activity, and this inhibition seems to be associated with the decreased gene expression of the Tv NTPDases ( Rückert et al., 2009 ; Rückert et al., 2010 ).…”