Trichomonas vaginalis-secreted-cysteinyl leukotrienes promote migration, degranulation, and MCP-1 production in mast cells.

Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated extracellular protozoan parasite that infects the human genitourinary tract, is usually transmitted by sexual contact. Our previous study showed that the leukotriene B4 (LTB4 ), a T vaginalis-secreted lipid mediator, induces interleukin (IL)-8 production and promotes mast cell degranulation and migration via BLT1 in human. In this study, we investigated whether T vaginalis produces another leukotrienes and whether it causes increased MCP-1 production, mast cell migration and degranulation by activating mast cells. We found that cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) were contained in T vaginalis-derived secretory product (TvSP) by ELISA. The TvSP-stimulated human mast cell line (HMC-1) exhibited significantly increased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) secretion compared to the unstimulated cells. Inhibition of NOX2 activation of cells by treatment of NOX inhibitor or NOX2 siRNA reduced TvSP-stimulated MCP-1 production in HMC-1 cells. It was also confirmed that the receptor for CysLTs is expressed in mast cells. The CysLT receptor (CysLTR) antagonist inhibited TvSP-stimulated MCP-1 production of mast cells, as well as ROS production, migration and degranulation of mast cells, and reduced phospho-NF-kB expression. These results suggest that T vaginalis-secreted CysLTs promote migration, degranulation and MCP-1 production in human mast cells through CysLT receptor-mediated NOX2 activation.