Evolution of resistance in vitro reveals a novel mechanism of artemisinin activity in Toxoplasma gondii.

Abstract

Artemisinins are effective against a variety of parasites and provide the first line of treatment for malaria. Laboratory studies have identified several mechanisms for artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, including mutations in Kelch13 that are associated with delayed clearance in some clinical isolates, although other mechanisms are likely involved. To explore other potential mechanisms of resistance in parasites, we took advantage of the genetic tractability of T. gondii, a related apicomplexan parasite that shows moderate sensitivity to artemisinin. Resistant populations of T. gondii were selected by culture in increasing drug concentrations and whole genome sequencing identified several non-conservative point mutations that emerged in the population and were fixed over time. Genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 was used to introduce point mutations conferring amino acids changes in a serine protease homologous to DegP and a serine/threonine protein kinase of unknown function. Single and double mutations conferred a competitive advantage over wild type parasites in the presence of drug, despite not changing EC50 values. Additionally, the evolved resistant lines showed dramatic amplification of the mitochondrial genome, including genes encoding cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I. Consistent with prior studies in yeast and mammalian tumor cells that implicate the mitochondrion as a target of artemisinins, treatment of wild type parasites with artemisinin decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and resistant parasites showed altered morphology and decreased membrane potential. These findings extend the repertoire of mutations associated with artemisinin resistance and suggest that the mitochondrion may be an important target of inhibition in T. gondii.\n\nSignificanceArtemisinins provide important therapeutic agents for treatment of malaria and have potential for use in other infections and in cancer. Their use is threatened by the potential for resistance development, so understanding their mechanism of action and identifying genetic changes that alter sensitivity are important for improving clinical outcomes. Our findings suggest that mutations in novel targets can contribute to the emergence of parasites with increased tolerance to artemisinin treatment and that such mutations can confer a fitness advantage even in the absence of a notable shift in EC50. Our findings also support the idea that inhibition of mitochondrial function may be an important target in T. gondii, as previously suggested by studies in yeast and human cancer cells.