title: Resistance to normal human serum reveals Trypanosoma lewisi as an underestimated human pathogen.
abstract: Human-infectious trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei rhodesiense, and T. b. gambiense can be discriminated from those only infecting animals by their resistance to normal human serum (NHS). These parasites are naturally resistant to trypanolysis induced by the human-specific pore-forming serum protein apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL-1). T. lewisi, a worldwide distributed parasite, has been considered as rat-specific and non-pathogenic to the natural hosts. Here we provide evidence that 19 tested T. lewisi isolates from Thailand and China share resistance to NHS. Further investigation on one selected isolate CPO02 showed that it could resist at least 90% NHS or 30 μg/ml recombinant human ApoL-1 (rhApoL-1) in vitro, in contrast to T. b. brucei which could not survive in 0.0001% NHS and 0.1 μg/ml rhApoL-1. In vivo tests in rats also demonstrated that this parasite is fully resistant to lysis by NHS. Together with recent reports of atypical human infection by T. lewisi, these data allow the conclusion that T. lewisi is potentially an underestimated and thus a neglected human pathogen.
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China. Electronic address: lsslzr@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors: Zhao-Rong
authors: ZR
authors: Lun
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: Yan-Zi
authors: YZ
authors: Wen
authors: Laboratoire de Médecine Expérimentale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CHU Charleroi, 706 Route de Gozée, B-6110 Montigny-le-Tilleuil, Belgium.
authors: Pierrick
authors: P
authors: Uzureau
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, IBMM, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium.
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Lecordier
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: De-Hua
authors: DH
authors: Lai
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: You-Gen
authors: YG
authors: Lan
authors: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR 177 Intertryp, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Desquesnes
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: Guo-Qing
authors: GQ
authors: Geng
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: Ting-Bao
authors: TB
authors: Yang
authors: Center for Parasitic Organisms, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease and Control of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
authors: Wen-Liang
authors: WL
authors: Zhou
authors: World Health Organization, Innovative and Intensified Disease Management, Neglected Tropical Diseases Control, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Jean G
authors: JG
authors: Jannin
authors: World Health Organization, Innovative and Intensified Disease Management, Neglected Tropical Diseases Control, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Pear P
authors: PP
authors: Simarro
authors: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR 177 Intertryp, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Truc
authors: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 177 Intertryp, Bordeaux, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Vincendeau
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, IBMM, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 12 rue des Professeurs Jeener et Brachet, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium. Electronic address: epays@ulb.ac.be.
authors: Etienne
authors: E
authors: Pays
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000075944:Apolipoprotein L1; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D044967:Serum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D013785:Thailand; D014350:Trypanosoma lewisi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C108666:APOL1 protein, human; D000075944:Apolipoprotein L1; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL
keywords: Apolipoprotein L-1; Normal human serum; Trypanolysis; Trypanosoma lewisi