D4: Blockage of glutaminolysis and glycolysis for Cryptosporidium parvum inhibition and One Health study on cryptosporidiosis in Cameroon

Principal Investigator:

Prof. Dr. Sybille Mazurek

Institut für Veterinär-Physiologie und -Biochemie
Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Frankfurter Str. 100
35392 Gießen
Tel.: + 49 (0)641-99 38182
E-Mail Sybille.Mazurek(at)vetmed.uni-giessen(dot)de

Website


Principal Investigator:

Prof. Dr. Carlos Hermosilla

Institut für Parasitologie/Institut für Veterinär-Physiologie und -Biochemie
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Schubertstr. 81/Frankfurter Str. 100
Tel.: +49 (o)641-99 38461/99 38182
E-Mail: Carlos.R.Hermosilla(at)vetmed.uni-giessen(dot)de

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Principal Investigator:

Prof. Dr. Anja Taubert

BFS, Institut für Parasitologie
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Schubertstraße 81
35392 Gießen
Tel.: +49 (0)641-99 38460
Fax: +49 (0)641-99 38469
E-Mail: Anja.Taubert(at)vetmed.uni-giessen(dot)de

Website


Project description:

Cryptosporidium spp. are intestinal parasites which cause severe diarrhoea in humans, especially in HIV patients and young children. Especially in developing countries these protozoan infections induce high morbiditiy and mortality. So far, epidemiological factors contributing to cryptosporidiosis in underdeveloped countries – such as Cameroon – have insufficiently been studied. Currently available therapeutics show insufficient efficacies in the above mentioned risk groups. Cryptosporidium spp. are obligate intracellular protozoa which own minimal metabolic capacities. Consequently, to sustain their intracellular proliferation, these parasites have to modulate the host cellular metabolism. By characterizing metabolic signatures of C. parvum-infected host cells, we recently identified host cell metabolic reactions and pathways that are essential for parasite proliferation.

Cryptosporidium parvum- (yellow) infected host cells (nuclei: blue), tomographic microscopie © Juan Vélez

Inhibition of Cryptosporidium parvum via exemplary metabolic blockers (Vélez et al. 2021c)

 

Scientific goal:

This projects targets specific metabolic pathways of host cells (mainly glycolysis and glutaminolysis) by using new metabolic inhibitors or combinatory treatments. Moreover, a One Health study on several epidemiological factors of cryptosporidiosis in Cameroon is conducted.

 

DRUID Collaboration partners:

E4 Spengler lab


References D4: 1. *Vélez et al. (2021) Pathogens 11(1):49.  2.  * Vélez et al. (2021) Biology 10(10):963 3. ** Vélez et al. (2021) Biology 10(1):60