Theileria-mediated constitutive expression of the casein kinase II-alpha subunit in bovine lymphoblastoid cells.
Theileria-infected cells are induced to undergo a transformation that is reversible, since their proliferation is inhibited after elimination of the schizonts by the theilericidal drug buparvaquone. The molecular mechanisms of the transformation remain unknown. The experiments described in the present report deal with the role of casein kinase (CK) II, a serine/threonine protein kinase, in the permanent proliferation of the parasitized cells and show that the CK II-alpha subunit is expressed in both T. annulata- and T. parva-infected cells and that its expression is closely related to the presence of the parasites in the host-cell cytoplasm. Thus, elimination of the schizonts by buparvaquone leads to the inhibition of CK II-alpha subunit mRNA expression without affecting the expression of actin. Cells treated with 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) are inhibited in a dose-dependent manner from under-going DNA synthesis as measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation and from expressing CK II. Furthermore, a host-cell-specific CK II-alpha antisense inhibits DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. In the present study, 6 microM antisense reduced [3H]-thymidine incorporation by Theileria-infected bovine cells to about 50%. Using a primer derived from T. parva CK II, we detected a parasite-specific CK II mRNA in T. parva-infected cell lines. Interestingly. DRB also inhibited the expression of the parasite-specific CK II. However, to date we have not detected a target sequence for this primer in T. annulata schizonts.
Shayan
P
P
Division of Veterinary Infectiology and Immunology, Forschungszentrum Borstel, Germany.
Ahmed
J S
JS
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004004:Dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016796:Theileria annulata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D008934:Mitogens; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C046326:buparvaquone; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004004:Dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole; D004247:DNA; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases