{"title":"High frequency of point mutations in the nitroreductase 4 and 6 genes of Trichomonas vaginalis associated with metronidazole resistance.","authors":"Isabel Iturrieta-Gonzalez, Pamela Olivares-Ferretti, Alejandro Hidalgo, Fabiola Zambrano, Ximena Ossa, Flery Fonseca-Salamanca, Angelica Melo","doi":"10.14411/fp.2024.021","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trichomoniasis, a globally distributed sexually transmitted infection, is caused by the urogenital parasite Trichomonas vaginalis Donné, 1836 affecting both women and men. The treatment of choice is metronidazole (MTZ). In the present study, 15 samples of vaginal discharge and urine were analysed by sequencing nitroreductase genes (ntr4 and ntr6). An in silico model was structured to illustrate the location of point mutations (PM) in the protein. The ntr4 gene presented four PMs: G76C (10/10), C213G (9/10), C318A (5/10) and G424A (1/10), while the ntr6 gene had eight PMs; G593A (13/13) the most frequent, G72T and G627C, both in 8/13. The PM C213G and A438T generated a stop codon causing a truncated nitroreductase 4 and 6 protein. Docking analysis demonstrated that some models had a decrease in binding affinity to MTZ (p < 0.0001). A high frequency of mutations was observed in the samples analysed that could be associated with resistance to MTZ in Chile.</p>","PeriodicalId":55154,"journal":{"name":"Folia Parasitologica","volume":"71 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Folia Parasitologica","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.14411/fp.2024.021","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Trichomoniasis, a globally distributed sexually transmitted infection, is caused by the urogenital parasite Trichomonas vaginalis Donné, 1836 affecting both women and men. The treatment of choice is metronidazole (MTZ). In the present study, 15 samples of vaginal discharge and urine were analysed by sequencing nitroreductase genes (ntr4 and ntr6). An in silico model was structured to illustrate the location of point mutations (PM) in the protein. The ntr4 gene presented four PMs: G76C (10/10), C213G (9/10), C318A (5/10) and G424A (1/10), while the ntr6 gene had eight PMs; G593A (13/13) the most frequent, G72T and G627C, both in 8/13. The PM C213G and A438T generated a stop codon causing a truncated nitroreductase 4 and 6 protein. Docking analysis demonstrated that some models had a decrease in binding affinity to MTZ (p < 0.0001). A high frequency of mutations was observed in the samples analysed that could be associated with resistance to MTZ in Chile.
期刊介绍:
FOLIA PARASITOLOGICA, issued in online versions, is an international journal that covers the whole field of general, systematic, ecological and experimental parasitology. It publishes original research papers, research notes and review articles. Contributions from all branches of animal parasitology, such as morphology, taxonomy, biology, biochemistry, physiology, immunology, molecular biology and evolution of parasites, and host-parasite relationships, are eligible. Novelty and importance in the international (not local or regional) context are required. New geographical records of parasites, records of new hosts, regional parasite and/or host surveys (if they constitute the principal substance of manuscript), local/regional prevalence surveys of diseases, local/regional studies on epidemiology of well known diseases and of parasite impact on human/animal health, case reports, routine clinical studies and testing of established diagnostic or treatment procedures, will not be considered. One species description will also not be considered unless they include more general information, such as new diagnostic characters, host-parasite associations, phylogenetic implications, etc. Manuscripts found suitable on submission will be reviewed by at least two reviewers.