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Targeting Artemisinin-Resistant Malaria by Repurposing the Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Drug Alisporivir. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0039222. [PMID: 36374050 PMCID: PMC9765015 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00392-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of Plasmodium falciparum resistance raises an urgent need to find new antimalarial drugs. Here, we report the rational repurposing of the anti-hepatitis C virus drug, alisporivir, a nonimmunosuppressive analog of cyclosporin A, against artemisinin-resistant strains of P. falciparum. In silico docking studies and molecular dynamic simulation predicted strong interaction of alisporivir with PfCyclophilin 19B, confirmed through biophysical assays with a Kd value of 354.3 nM. Alisporivir showed potent antimalarial activity against chloroquine-resistant (PfRKL-9 with resistance index [Ri] 2.14 ± 0.23) and artemisinin-resistant (PfKelch13R539T with Ri 1.15 ± 0.04) parasites. The Ri is defined as the ratio between the IC50 values of the resistant line to that of the sensitive line. To further investigate the mechanism involved, we analyzed the expression level of PfCyclophilin 19B in artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum (PfKelch13R539T). Semiquantitative real-time transcript, Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed the overexpression of PfCyclophilin 19B in PfKelch13R539T. A 50% inhibitory concentration in the nanomolar range, together with the targeting of PfCyclophilin 19B, suggests that alisporivir can be used in combination with artemisinin. Since artemisinin resistance slows the clearance of ring-stage parasites, we performed a ring survival assay on artemisinin-resistant strain PfKelch13R539T and found significant decrease in parasite survival with alisporivir. Alisporivir was found to act synergistically with dihydroartemisinin and increase its efficacy. Furthermore, alisporivir exhibited antimalarial activity in vivo. Altogether, with the rational target-based Repurposing of alisporivir against malaria, our results support the hypothesis that targeting resistance mechanisms is a viable approach toward dealing with drug-resistant parasite.
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Duan M, Bai Y, Deng S, Ruan Y, Zeng W, Li X, Wang X, Zhao W, Zhao H, Sun K, Zhu W, Wu Y, Miao J, Kyaw MP, Yang Z, Cui L. Different In Vitro Drug Susceptibility Profile of Plasmodium falciparum Isolates from Two Adjacent Areas of Northeast Myanmar and Molecular Markers for Drug Resistance. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7120442. [PMID: 36548697 PMCID: PMC9782301 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is the epicenter of antimalarial drug resistance. We determined in vitro susceptibilities to 11 drugs of culture-adapted Plasmodium falciparum isolates from adjacent areas (Laiza and Muse) along the China−Myanmar border. Parasites from this region were highly resistant to chloroquine and pyrimethamine but relatively sensitive to other antimalarial drugs. Consistently, the Dd2-like pfcrt mutations were fixed or almost fixed in both parasite populations, and new mutations mediating piperaquine resistance were not identified. Similarly, several mutations related to pfdhfr and pfdhps were also highly prevalent. Despite their geographical proximity, malaria parasites from Laiza showed significantly higher in vitro resistance to artemisinin derivatives, naphthoquine, pyronaridine, lumefantrine, and pyrimethamine than parasites from Muse. Likewise, the pfdhfr N51I, pfdhps A581G, pfmrp1 H785N, and pfk13 F446I mutations were significantly more frequent in Laiza than in Muse (p < 0.05). For the pfmdr1 mutations, Y184F was found only in Laiza (70%), whereas F1226Y was identified only in Muse (31.8%). Parasite isolates from Laiza showed a median RSA value of 5.0%, significantly higher than the 2.4% in Muse. Altogether, P. falciparum parasite populations from neighboring regions in the GMS may diverge substantially in their resistance to several antimalarial drugs. This information about different parasite populations will guide antimalarial treatment policies to effectively manage drug resistance during malaria elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Duan
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yao Bai
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Shuang Deng
- Department of Pathology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yonghua Ruan
- Department of Pathology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Weilin Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xiaosong Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xun Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Kemin Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Wenya Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yiman Wu
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Jun Miao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | | | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
- Correspondence: (Z.Y.); (L.C.); Tel.: +86-871-68225541 (Z.Y.); +1-(813)-974-9606 (L.C.)
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
- Correspondence: (Z.Y.); (L.C.); Tel.: +86-871-68225541 (Z.Y.); +1-(813)-974-9606 (L.C.)
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Boni MF. Breaking the cycle of malaria treatment failure. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 2:1041896. [PMID: 38455307 PMCID: PMC10910953 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2022.1041896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Treatment of symptomatic malaria became a routine component of the clinical and public health response to malaria after the second world war. However, all antimalarial drugs deployed against malaria eventually generated enough drug resistance that they had to be removed from use. Chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, and mefloquine are well known examples of antimalarial drugs to which resistance did and still does ready evolve. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are currently facing the same challenge as artemisinin resistance is widespread in Southeast Asia and emerging in Africa. Here, I review some aspects of drug-resistance management in malaria that influence the strength of selective pressure on drug-resistant malaria parasites, as well as an approach we can take in the future to avoid repeating the common mistake of deploying a new drug and waiting for drug resistance and treatment failure to arrive. A desirable goal of drug-resistance management is to reduce selection pressure without reducing the overall percentage of patients that are treated. This can be achieved by distributing multiple first-line therapies (MFT) simultaneously in the population for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria, thereby keeping treatment levels high but the overall selection pressure exerted by each individual therapy low. I review the primary reasons that make MFT a preferred resistance management option in many malaria-endemic settings, and I describe two exceptions where caution and additional analyses may be warranted before deploying MFT. MFT has shown to be feasible in practice in many endemic settings. The continual improvement and increased coverage of genomic surveillance in malaria may allow countries to implement custom MFT strategies based on their current drug-resistance profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej F. Boni
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Mairet-Khedim M, Roesch C, Khim N, Srun S, Bouillon A, Kim S, Ke S, Kauy C, Kloeung N, Eam R, Khean C, Kul C, Chy S, Leang R, Ringwald P, Barale JC, Witkowski B. Prevalence and characterization of piperaquine, mefloquine and artemisinin derivatives triple-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Cambodia. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 78:411-417. [PMID: 36508338 PMCID: PMC9890270 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In early 2016, in Preah Vihear, Northern Cambodia, artesunate/mefloquine was used to cope with dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Following this policy, P. falciparum strains harbouring molecular markers associated with artemisinin, piperaquine and mefloquine resistance have emerged. However, the lack of a viable alternative led Cambodia to adopt artesunate/mefloquine countrywide, raising concerns about a surge of triple-resistant P. falciparum strains. OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence of triple-resistant parasites after artesunate/mefloquine implementation countrywide in Cambodia and to characterize their phenotype. METHODS For this multicentric study, 846 samples were collected from 2016 to 2019. Genotyping of molecular markers associated with artemisinin, piperaquine and mefloquine resistance was coupled with phenotypic analyses. RESULTS Only four triple-resistant P. falciparum isolates (0.47%) were identified during the study period. These parasites combined the pfk13 polymorphism with pfmdr1 amplification, pfpm2 amplification and/or pfcrt mutations. They showed significantly higher tolerance to artemisinin, piperaquine and mefloquine and also to the mefloquine and piperaquine combination. CONCLUSIONS The use of artesunate/mefloquine countrywide in Cambodia has not led to a massive increase of triple-resistant P. falciparum parasites. However, these parasites circulate in the population, and exhibit clear resistance to piperaquine, mefloquine and their combination in vitro. This study demonstrates that P. falciparum can adapt to more complex drug associations, which should be considered in future therapeutic designs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nimol Khim
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sreynet Srun
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Anthony Bouillon
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3528, Unité de Microbiologie Structurale, F-75015 Paris, France,Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France
| | - Saorin Kim
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sopheakvatey Ke
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Chhayleang Kauy
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Nimol Kloeung
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Rotha Eam
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Chanra Khean
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Chanvong Kul
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sophy Chy
- Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Rithea Leang
- National Centre for Malariology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Ring-stage growth arrest: Metabolic basis of artemisinin tolerance in Plasmodium falciparum. iScience 2022; 26:105725. [PMID: 36579133 PMCID: PMC9791339 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of artemisinin-tolerant malaria parasites threatens malaria control programmes worldwide. Mutations in the propeller domain of the Kelch13 protein confer Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance (ART-R). ART-R is linked to the reduced susceptibility of temporary growth-arrested ring-stage parasites, but the metabolic mechanisms remain elusive. We generated two PfKelch13 mutant lines via CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing which displayed a reduced susceptibility accompanied by an extended ring stage. The metabolome of ART-induced ring-stage growth arrest parasites carrying PfKelch13 mutations showed significant alterations in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glycolysis, and amino acids metabolism, pointing to altered energy and porphyrin metabolism with metabolic plasticity. The critical role of these pathways was further confirmed by altering metabolic flow or through chemical inhibition. Our findings uncover that the growth arrestment associated with ART-R is potentially attributed to the adaptative metabolic plasticity, indicating that the defined metabolic remodeling turns out to be the trigger for ART-R.
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Chatterjee A, Singh N, Chanu WK, Singh CB, Nagaraj VA. Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity assessment and evaluation of in vitro antiplasmodial and in vivo antimalarial activities of Mentha spicata L. methanolic leaf extract. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 298:115636. [PMID: 35998785 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Malaria causes extensive morbidity and mortality, and the decreasing efficacy of artemisinin and its partner drugs has posed a serious concern. Therefore, it is important to identify new antimalarials, and the natural compounds from plants provide a promising platform. Mentha spicata L. representing the Lamiaceae family has been used in traditional medicine for various diseases including malaria. AIM OF THE STUDY This study was aimed at evaluating the antiplasmodial activity of M. spicata methanolic leaf extract using Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) cultures (Pf3D7 and artemisinin (ART)-resistant PfCam3.IR539T strains) and antimalarial activity using Plasmodium berghei (Pb)-infected mice. Dry leaf powder and methanolic leaf extract were examined for in vivo antimalarial activity and the efficacy of oral versus parenteral administration was compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS Leaves of M. spicata were collected and extracted using 70% methanol in water (v/v). [3H]-hypoxanthine incorporation assays and Giemsa-stained smears were used to assess the in vitro antiplasmodial activity of M. spicata methanolic extract against Pf3D7 and ART-resistant PfCam3.IR539T strains. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in HeLa and HEK-293T cell lines using MTT assays. Hemolysis assays were performed using red blood cells (RBCs). In vivo antimalarial activities of M. spicata dry leaf powder and methanolic leaf extract were examined in P. berghei-infected mice by Rane's curative test and Peters' 4-day suppressive test. RESULTS Phytochemical screening of M. spicata methanolic leaf extract indicated the presence of reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, saponins, alkaloids, coumarins, tannins, carbohydrates, and proteins. In vitro studies carried out using Pf cultures showed that M. spicata methanolic leaf extract had significant antiplasmodial activity against Pf3D7 cultures with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 57.99 ± 2.82 μg/ml. The extract was also effective against ART-resistant PfCam3.IR539T strain with an IC50 of 71.23 ± 3.85 μg/ml. The extract did not show significant in vitro cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and in vivo toxicity. In vivo studies performed using Pb-infected mice treated with M. spicata dry leaf powder and methanolic leaf extract showed ∼50% inhibition in parasite growth at 1500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg doses, respectively. There was also a significant delay in the mortality of treated mice. Parenteral administration was found to be appropriate for the in vivo treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our in vitro and in vivo findings from Pf and Pb parasites suggested the therapeutic potential of M. spicata leaf extract as an antimalarial. M. spicata leaf extract could also inhibit the growth of ART-resistant Pf strain. Further studies on fractionation and active component analysis of M. spicata leaf extract would be required to identify the bioactive phytochemicals having pharmaceutical and therapeutic values. Such efforts would help us in developing new antimalarials to combat malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Chatterjee
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India; School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751024, Odisha, India.
| | - Nalini Singh
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India.
| | - Wahengbam Kabita Chanu
- Plant Bioresources Division, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Imphal, 795001, Manipur, India.
| | - Chingakham Brajakishor Singh
- Plant Bioresources Division, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Imphal, 795001, Manipur, India.
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Zheng S, Liang Y, Wang Z, Liu M, Chen Y, Ai Y, Guo W, Li G, Yuan Y, Xu Z, Wu W, Huang X, Wu Z, Xu Q, Song J, Deng C. Polymorphisms in the K13-Propeller Gene in Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium in Mice. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:6533-6544. [DOI: 10.2147/idr.s383127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Kampoun T, Srichairatanakool S, Prommana P, Shaw PJ, Green JL, Knuepfer E, Holder AA, Uthaipibull C. Apicoplast ribosomal protein S10-V127M enhances artemisinin resistance of a Kelch13 transgenic Plasmodium falciparum. Malar J 2022; 21:302. [PMID: 36303209 PMCID: PMC9615251 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04330-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to artemisinin-based (ART) drugs, the front-line drug family used in artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for treatment of malaria, is of great concern. Mutations in the kelch13 (k13) gene (for example, those resulting in the Cys580Tyr [C580Y] variant) were identified as genetic markers for ART-resistant parasites, which suggests they are associated with resistance mechanisms. However, not all resistant parasites contain a k13 mutation, and clearly greater understanding of resistance mechanisms is required. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) found single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with ART-resistance in fd (ferredoxin), arps10 (apicoplast ribosomal protein S10), mdr2 (multidrug resistance protein 2), and crt (chloroquine resistance transporter), in addition to k13 gene mutations, suggesting that these alleles contribute to the resistance phenotype. The importance of the FD and ARPS10 variants in ART resistance was then studied since both proteins likely function in the apicoplast, which is a location distinct from that of K13. Methods The reported mutations were introduced, together with a mutation to produce the k13-C580Y variant into the ART-sensitive 3D7 parasite line and the effect on ART-susceptibility using the 0−3 h ring survival assay (RSA0−3 h) was investigated. Results and conclusion Introducing both fd-D193Y and arps10-V127M into a k13-C580Y-containing parasite, but not a wild-type k13 parasite, increased survival of the parasite in the RSA0−3 h. The results suggest epistasis of arps10 and k13, with arps10-V127M a modifier of ART susceptibility in different k13 allele backgrounds. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04330-3.
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Duffy S, Avery VM. Naturally Acquired Kelch13 Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum Strains Modulate In Vitro Ring-Stage Artemisinin-Based Drug Tolerance and Parasite Survival in Response to Hyperoxia. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0128221. [PMID: 36094220 PMCID: PMC9602862 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01282-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ring-stage survival assay was utilized to assess the impact of physiological hyperoxic stress on dihydroartemisinin (DHA) tolerance for a panel of Plasmodium falciparum strains with and without Kelch13 mutations. Strains without naturally acquired Kelch13 mutations or the postulated genetic background associated with delayed parasite clearance time demonstrated reduced proliferation under hyperoxic conditions in the subsequent proliferation cycle. Dihydroartemisinin tolerance in three isolates with naturally acquired Kelch13 mutations but not two genetically manipulated laboratory strains was modulated by in vitro hyperoxic stress exposure of early-ring-stage parasites in the cycle before drug exposure. Reduced parasite tolerance to additional derivatives, including artemisinin, artesunate, and OZ277, was observed within the second proliferation cycle. OZ439 and epoxomicin completely prevented parasite survival under both hyperoxia and normoxic in vitro culture conditions, highlighting the unique relationship between DHA tolerance and Kelch13 mutation-associated genetic background. IMPORTANCE Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for treating malaria is under intense scrutiny following treatment failures in the Greater Mekong subregion of Asia. This is further compounded by the potential for extensive loss of life if treatment failures extend to the African continent. Although Plasmodium falciparum has become resistant to all antimalarial drugs, artemisinin "resistance" does not present in the same way as resistance to other antimalarial drugs. Instead, a partial resistance or tolerance is demonstrated, associated with the parasite's genetic profile and linked to a molecular marker referred to as K13. It is suggested that parasites may have adapted to drug treatment, as well as the presence of underlying population health issues such as hemoglobinopathies, and/or environmental pressures, resulting in parasite tolerance to ACT. Understanding parasite evolution and control of artemisinin tolerance will provide innovative approaches to mitigate the development of artemisinin tolerance and thereby artemisinin-based drug treatment failure and loss of life globally to malaria infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vicky M. Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
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Carrasquilla M, Drammeh NF, Rawat M, Sanderson T, Zenonos Z, Rayner JC, Lee MCS. Barcoding Genetically Distinct Plasmodium falciparum Strains for Comparative Assessment of Fitness and Antimalarial Drug Resistance. mBio 2022; 13:e0093722. [PMID: 35972144 PMCID: PMC9600763 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00937-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The repeated emergence of antimalarial drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, including to the current frontline antimalarial artemisinin, is a perennial problem for malaria control. Next-generation sequencing has greatly accelerated the identification of polymorphisms in resistance-associated genes but has also highlighted the need for more sensitive and accurate laboratory tools to profile current and future antimalarials and to quantify the impact of drug resistance acquisition on parasite fitness. The interplay of fitness and drug response is of fundamental importance in understanding why particular genetic backgrounds are better at driving the evolution of drug resistance in natural populations, but the impact of parasite fitness landscapes on the epidemiology of drug resistance has typically been laborious to accurately quantify in the lab, with assays being limited in accuracy and throughput. Here we present a scalable method to profile fitness and drug response of genetically distinct P. falciparum strains with well-described sensitivities to several antimalarials. We leverage CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing and barcode sequencing to track unique barcodes integrated into a nonessential gene (pfrh3). We validate this approach in multiplex competitive growth assays of three strains with distinct geographical origins. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this method can be a powerful approach for tracking artemisinin response as it can identify an artemisinin resistant strain within a mix of multiple parasite lines, suggesting an approach for scaling the laborious ring-stage survival assay across libraries of barcoded parasite lines. Overall, we present a novel high-throughput method for multiplexed competitive growth assays to evaluate parasite fitness and drug response. IMPORTANCE The complex interplay between antimalarial resistance and parasite fitness has important implications for understanding the development and spread of drug resistance alleles and the impact of genetic background on transmission. One limitation with current methodologies to measure parasite fitness is the ability to scale this beyond simple head-to-head competition experiments between a wildtype control line and test line, with a need for a scalable approach that allows tracking of parasite growth in complex mixtures. In our study, we have used CRISPR editing to insert unique DNA barcodes into a safe-harbor genomic locus to tag multiple parasite strains and use next-generation sequencing to read out strain dynamics. We observe inherent fitness differences between the strains, as well as sensitive modulation of responses to challenge with clinically relevant antimalarials, including artemisinin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Carrasquilla
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ndey F. Drammeh
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Mukul Rawat
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Theo Sanderson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zenon Zenonos
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Biologics Engineering, Early Oncology, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus C. S. Lee
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
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Decreased susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to both dihydroartemisinin and lumefantrine in northern Uganda. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6353. [PMID: 36289202 PMCID: PMC9605985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33873-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin partial resistance may facilitate selection of Plasmodium falciparum resistant to combination therapy partner drugs. We evaluated 99 P. falciparum isolates collected in 2021 from northern Uganda, where resistance-associated PfK13 C469Y and A675V mutations have emerged, and eastern Uganda, where these mutations are uncommon. With the ex vivo ring survival assay, isolates with the 469Y mutation (median survival 7.3% for mutant, 2.5% mixed, and 1.4% wild type) and/or mutations in Pfcoronin or falcipain-2a, had significantly greater survival; all isolates with survival >5% had mutations in at least one of these proteins. With ex vivo growth inhibition assays, susceptibility to lumefantrine (median IC50 14.6 vs. 6.9 nM, p < 0.0001) and dihydroartemisinin (2.3 vs. 1.5 nM, p = 0.003) was decreased in northern vs. eastern Uganda; 14/49 northern vs. 0/38 eastern isolates had lumefantrine IC50 > 20 nM (p = 0.0002). Targeted sequencing of 819 isolates from 2015-21 identified multiple polymorphisms associated with altered drug susceptibility, notably PfK13 469Y with decreased susceptibility to lumefantrine (p = 6 × 10-8) and PfCRT mutations with chloroquine resistance (p = 1 × 10-20). Our results raise concern regarding activity of artemether-lumefantrine, the first-line antimalarial in Uganda.
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Zhao W, Li X, Yang Q, Zhou L, Duan M, Pan M, Qin Y, Li X, Wang X, Zeng W, Zhao H, Sun K, Zhu W, Afrane Y, Amoah LE, Abuaku B, Duah-Quashie NO, Huang Y, Cui L, Yang Z. In vitro susceptibility profile of Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates from Ghana to antimalarial drugs and polymorphisms in resistance markers. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1015957. [PMID: 36310880 PMCID: PMC9614232 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1015957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum compromises the effectiveness of antimalarial therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of drug resistance in parasites obtained from international travelers returning from Ghana to guide the management of malaria cases. Eighty-two clinical parasite isolates were obtained from patients returning from Ghana in 2016–2018, of which 29 were adapted to continuous in vitro culture. Their geometric mean IC50 values to a panel of 11 antimalarial drugs, assessed using the standard SYBR Green-I drug sensitivity assay, were 2.1, 3.8, 1.0, 2.7, 17.2, 4.6, 8.3, 8.3, 19.6, 55.1, and 11,555 nM for artemether, artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, lumefantrine, mefloquine, piperaquine, naphthoquine, pyronaridine, chloroquine, quinine, and pyrimethamine, respectively. Except for chloroquine and pyrimethamine, the IC50 values for other tested drugs were below the resistance threshold. The mean ring-stage survival assay value was 0.8%, with four isolates exceeding 1%. The mean piperaquine survival assay value was 2.1%, all below 10%. Mutations associated with chloroquine resistance (pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y) were scarce, consistent with the discontinuation of chloroquine a decade ago. Instead, the pfmdr1 86N-184F-1246D haplotype was predominant, suggesting selection by the extensive use of artemether-lumefantrine. No mutations in the pfk13 propeller domain were detected. The pfdhfr/pfdhps quadruple mutant IRNGK associated with resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reached an 82% prevalence. In addition, five isolates had pfgch1 gene amplification but, intriguingly, increased susceptibilities to pyrimethamine. This study showed that parasites originating from Ghana were susceptible to artemisinins and the partner drugs of artemisinin-based combination therapies. Genotyping drug resistance genes identified the signature of selection by artemether-lumefantrine. Parasites showed substantial levels of resistance to the antifolate drugs. Continuous resistance surveillance is necessary to guide timely changes in drug policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xinxin Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Longcan Zhou
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanglin County People’s Hospital, Guangxi, China
| | - Mengxi Duan
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Maohua Pan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanglin County People’s Hospital, Guangxi, China
| | - Yucheng Qin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanglin County People’s Hospital, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaosong Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xun Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Weilin Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Kemin Sun
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Wenya Zhu
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yaw Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Linda Eva Amoah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Benjamin Abuaku
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Nancy Odurowah Duah-Quashie
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yaming Huang
- Department of Protozoan Diseases, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Zhaoqing Yang, ; Liwang Cui,
| | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Zhaoqing Yang, ; Liwang Cui,
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Cui L, Sattabongkot J, Aung PL, Brashear A, Cao Y, Kaewkungwal J, Khamsiriwatchara A, Kyaw MP, Lawpoolsri S, Menezes L, Miao J, Nguitragool W, Parker D, Phuanukoonnon S, Roobsoong W, Siddiqui F, Soe MT, Sriwichai P, Yang Z, Zhao Y, Zhong D. Multidisciplinary Investigations of Sustained Malaria Transmission in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:138-151. [PMID: 36228909 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In the course of malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), malaria epidemiology has experienced drastic spatiotemporal changes with residual transmission concentrated along international borders and the rising predominance of Plasmodium vivax. The emergence of Plasmodium falciparum parasites resistant to artemisinin and partner drugs renders artemisinin-based combination therapies less effective while the potential spread of multidrug-resistant parasites elicits concern. Vector behavioral changes and insecticide resistance have reduced the effectiveness of core vector control measures. In recognition of these problems, the Southeast Asian International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR) has been conducting multidisciplinary research to determine how human migration, antimalarial drug resistance, vector behavior, and insecticide resistance sustain malaria transmission at international borders. These efforts allow us to comprehensively understand the ecology of border malaria transmission and develop population genomics tools to identify and track parasite introduction. In addition to employing in vivo, in vitro, and molecular approaches to monitor the emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasites, we also use genomic and genetic methods to reveal novel mechanisms of antimalarial drug resistance of parasites. We also use omics and population genetics approaches to study insecticide resistance in malaria vectors and identify changes in mosquito community structure, vectorial potential, and seasonal dynamics. Collectively, the scientific findings from the ICEMR research activities offer a systematic view of the factors sustaining residual malaria transmission and identify potential solutions to these problems to accelerate malaria elimination in the GMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | | | | | - Awtum Brashear
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Lynette Menezes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jun Miao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Daniel Parker
- Department of Epidemiology, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California
| | | | | | - Faiza Siddiqui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Myat Thu Soe
- Myanmar Health Network Organization, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Patchara Sriwichai
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Daibin Zhong
- Program in Public Health, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California
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Ward KE, Fidock DA, Bridgford JL. Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 69:102193. [PMID: 36007459 PMCID: PMC9847095 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites are a major threat to public health in intertropical regions. Understanding the mechanistic basis, origins, and spread of resistance can inform strategies to mitigate its impact and reduce the global burden of malaria. The recent emergence in Africa of partial resistance to artemisinins, the core component of first-line combination therapies, is particularly concerning. Here, we review recent advances in elucidating the mechanistic basis of artemisinin resistance, driven primarily by point mutations in P. falciparum Kelch13, a key regulator of hemoglobin endocytosis and parasite response to artemisinin-induced stress. We also review resistance to partner drugs, including piperaquine and mefloquine, highlighting a key role for plasmepsins 2/3 and the drug and solute transporters P. falciparum chloroquine-resistance transporter and P. falciparum multidrug-resistance protein-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt E Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Jessica L Bridgford
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Hanboonkunupakarn B, Tarning J, Pukrittayakamee S, Chotivanich K. Artemisinin resistance and malaria elimination: Where are we now? Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:876282. [PMID: 36210819 PMCID: PMC9538393 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.876282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of artemisinin resistance is a major obstacle to the global malaria eradication/elimination programs. Artemisinin is a very fast-acting antimalarial drug and is the most important drug in the treatment of severe and uncomplicated malaria. For the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, artemisinin derivatives are combined with long half-life partner drugs and widely used as artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). Some ACTs have shown decreased efficacy in the Southeast Asian region. Fortunately, artemisinin has an excellent safety profile and resistant infections can still be treated successfully by modifying the ACT. This review describes the pharmacological properties of ACTs, mechanisms of artemisinin resistance and the potential changes needed in the treatment regimens to overcome resistance. The suggested ACT modifications are extension of the duration of the ACT course, alternating use of different ACT regimens, and addition of another antimalarial drug to the standard ACTs (Triple-ACT). Furthermore, a malaria vaccine (e.g., RTS,S vaccine) could be added to mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns to enhance the treatment efficacy and to prevent further artemisinin resistance development. This review concludes that artemisinin remains the most important antimalarial drug, despite the development of drug-resistant falciparum malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sasithon Pukrittayakamee
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- The Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- The Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Kesinee Chotivanich,
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66
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Lek D, Rachmat A, Harrison D, Chin G, Chaoratanakawee S, Saunders D, Menard D, Rogers WO. Efficacy of three anti-malarial regimens for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Cambodia, 2009-2011: a randomized controlled trial and brief review. Malar J 2022; 21:259. [PMID: 36071520 PMCID: PMC9450427 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04279-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anti-malarial resistance remains an important public health challenge in Cambodia. The effectiveness of three therapies for uncomplicated falciparum malaria was evaluated in Oddar Meanchey province in Northern Cambodia from 2009 to 2011. METHODS In this randomized, open-label, parallel group-controlled trial, 211 subjects at least 5 years old with uncomplicated falciparum malaria were treated with 3 days of directly observed therapy: 63 received artesunate-mefloquine (AS/MQ), 77 received dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA/PPQ), and 71 received atovaquone-proguanil (ATQ/PG). The subjects were followed for 42 days or until recurrent parasitaemia. Genotyping of msp1, msp2, and glurp among individual parasite isolates distinguished recrudescence from reinfection. Pfmdr1 copy number was measured by real-time PCR and half-maximal parasite inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were measured in vitro by 48-h isotopic hypoxanthine incorporation assay. RESULTS The per-protocol PCR-adjusted efficacy (95% confidence interval) at 42 days was 80.6% (70.8-90.5%) for AS/MQ, 97.2% (93.3-100%) for DHA/PPQ, and 92.9% (86.1-99.6%) for ATQ/PG. On day 3, 57.9% remained parasitaemic in the AS/MQ and DHA/PPQ arms. At baseline, 46.9% had microscopic Plasmodium falciparum gametocytaemia. Both recurrences in the DHA/PPQ arm lost Pfmdr1 copy number amplification at recrudescence. All four recurrences in the ATQ/PG arm were wild-type for cytochrome bc1. One subject withdrew from the ATQ/PG arm due to drug allergy. CONCLUSIONS This study was conducted at the epicentre of substantial multi-drug resistance that emerged soon thereafter. Occurring early in the national transition from AS/MQ to DHA/PPQ, both DHA/PPQ and ATQ/PG had acceptable efficacy against uncomplicated falciparum malaria. However, efficacy of AS/MQ was only 80% with apparent mefloquine resistance based on elevated Pfmdr1 copy number and IC50. By 2009, there was already significant evidence of artemisinin resistance not previously reported at the Northern Cambodia-Thai border. This study suggests the basis for early development of significant DHA/PPQ failures within 3 years of introduction. Artemisinin resistance likely occurred on the Northern border concurrently with that reported along the Western border in Pailin. Trial registration This legacy trial was conducted prior to International Committee of Medical Journal Editors' requirements for preregistration on ClinicalTrials.gov. The full protocol has been provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dysoley Lek
- National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
| | - Agus Rachmat
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit 2, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | - Geoffrey Chin
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - David Saunders
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Portugaliza HP, Natama HM, Guetens P, Rovira-Vallbona E, Somé AM, Millogo A, Ouédraogo DF, Valéa I, Sorgho H, Tinto H, van Hong N, Sitoe A, Varo R, Bassat Q, Cortés A, Rosanas-Urgell A. Plasmodium falciparum sexual conversion rates can be affected by artemisinin-based treatment in naturally infected malaria patients. EBioMedicine 2022; 83:104198. [PMID: 35961203 PMCID: PMC9385555 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Tandoh KZ, Hagan OC, Wilson MD, Quashie NB, Duah-Quashie NO. Transcriptome-module phenotype association study implicates extracellular vesicles biogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:886728. [PMID: 36061874 PMCID: PMC9437462 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.886728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum malaria is still an important disease in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Great strides have been made in its control spear-headed by artemisinin (ART)-based combination therapies (ACTs). However, concerns about the imminent spread of ART-resistant (ARTr) malaria parasites to sSA threaten gains already made. Attempts to mitigate this risk have highlighted the need to discover novel P. falciparum drug targets. Therefore, studies to deepen our understanding of the biology of P. falciparum are needed. The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the biology of malaria parasites is not fully understood. Recently, the ART resistance-associated transcriptional profile has been reported to involve several biological processes connected to vesicular trafficking, proteotoxic stress, erythrocyte remodelling, and mitochondrial metabolism. We explored a role for EVs in developing the P. falciparum ARTr phenotype using bulk RNA sequencing of unsynchronized parasite cultures under untreated, 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide and 700nM dihydroartemisinin treated conditions for six hours. As pathway and gene ontology analysis is limited in its curated knowledge repertoire on EVs biogenesis in P. falciparum, we used a modular (gene set) analysis approach to explore whether an EVs biogenesis module is associated with the ARTr phenotype in P. falciparum. We first generated well-defined EVs modules of interest and used statistical tools to determine differences in their expression among the parasite and treatment conditions. Then we used gene set enrichment analysis to determine the strength of the association between each EVs module of interest and the ARTr phenotype. This transcriptome-module phenotype association study (TMPAS) represents a well-powered approach to making meaningful discoveries out of bulk gene expression data. We identified four EVs module of interest and report that one module representing gene sets with correlated expression to PF3D7_1441800 – involved with EVs biogenesis in P. falciparum - is associated with the ARTr phenotype (R539T_DHA_treated versus R539T_untreated: normalized enrichment score (NES) = 1.1830174, FDR q-value < 0.25; C580R_DHA_treated versus C580R_untreated: NES = 1.2457103, FDR q-value < 0.25). PF3D7_1441800 has been reported to reduce EVs production when knocked out in P. falciparum. Altogether, our findings suggest a role for EVs in developing ART resistance and warrant further studies interrogating this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwesi Z. Tandoh
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- *Correspondence: Nancy O. Duah-Quashie, ; Kwesi Z. Tandoh,
| | - Oheneba C. Hagan
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Neils B. Quashie
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Nancy O. Duah-Quashie
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- *Correspondence: Nancy O. Duah-Quashie, ; Kwesi Z. Tandoh,
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The Plasmodium falciparum Nuclear Protein Phosphatase NIF4 Is Required for Efficient Merozoite Invasion and Regulates Artemisinin Sensitivity. mBio 2022; 13:e0189722. [PMID: 35938722 PMCID: PMC9426563 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01897-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has been associated with a mutation in the NLI-interacting factor-like phosphatase PfNIF4, in addition to the mutations in the Kelch13 protein as the major determinant. We found that PfNIF4 was predominantly expressed at the schizont stage and localized in the nuclei of the parasite. To elucidate the functions of PfNIF4 in P. falciparum, we performed PfNIF4 knockdown (KD) using the inducible ribozyme system. PfNIF4 KD attenuated merozoite invasion and affected gametocytogenesis. PfNIF4 KD parasites also showed significantly increased in vitro susceptibility to artemisinins. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis revealed that PfNIF4 KD led to the downregulation of gene categories involved in invasion and artemisinin resistance (e.g., mitochondrial function, membrane, and Kelch13 interactome) at the trophozoite and/or schizont stage. Consistent with PfNIF4 being a protein phosphatase, PfNIF4 KD resulted in an overall upregulation of the phosphoproteome of infected erythrocytes. Quantitative phosphoproteomic profiling identified a set of PfNIF4-regulated phosphoproteins with functional similarity to FCP1 substrates, particularly proteins involved in chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation. Specifically, we observed increased phosphorylation of Ser2/5 of the tandem repeats in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) upon PfNIF4 KD. Furthermore, using the TurboID-based proteomic approach, we identified that PfNIF4 interacted with the RNAPII components, AP2-domain transcription factors, and chromatin-modifiers and binders. These findings suggest that PfNIF4 may act as the RNAPII CTD phosphatase, regulating the expression of general and parasite-specific cellular pathways during the blood-stage development.
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70
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Goel N, Dhiman K, Kalidas N, Mukhopadhyay A, Ashish F, Bhattacharjee S. Plasmodium falciparum
Kelch13 and its artemisinin‐resistant mutants assemble as hexamers in solution: a SAXS data‐driven modelling study. FEBS J 2022; 289:4935-4962. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nainy Goel
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi India
| | - Kanika Dhiman
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research‐Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh India
| | - Nidhi Kalidas
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research‐Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh India
| | - Anwesha Mukhopadhyay
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi India
| | - Fnu Ashish
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research‐Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh India
| | - Souvik Bhattacharjee
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi India
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Wagner MP, Formaglio P, Gorgette O, Dziekan JM, Huon C, Berneburg I, Rahlfs S, Barale JC, Feinstein SI, Fisher AB, Ménard D, Bozdech Z, Amino R, Touqui L, Chitnis CE. Human peroxiredoxin 6 is essential for malaria parasites and provides a host-based drug target. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110923. [PMID: 35705035 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The uptake and digestion of host hemoglobin by malaria parasites during blood-stage growth leads to significant oxidative damage of membrane lipids. Repair of lipid peroxidation damage is crucial for parasite survival. Here, we demonstrate that Plasmodium falciparum imports a host antioxidant enzyme, peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), during hemoglobin uptake from the red blood cell cytosol. PRDX6 is a lipid-peroxidation repair enzyme with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. Inhibition of PRDX6 with a PLA2 inhibitor, Darapladib, increases lipid-peroxidation damage in the parasite and disrupts transport of hemoglobin-containing vesicles to the food vacuole, causing parasite death. Furthermore, inhibition of PRDX6 synergistically reduces the survival of artemisinin-resistant parasites following co-treatment of parasite cultures with artemisinin and Darapladib. Thus, PRDX6 is a host-derived drug target for development of antimalarial drugs that could help overcome artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Paulus Wagner
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Malaria Parasite Biology and Vaccines Unit, Paris, France
| | - Pauline Formaglio
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Gorgette
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Cell Biology and Infection, Centre for Innovation and Technological Research, Ultrastructural Bioimaging Unit, Paris, France
| | - Jerzy Michal Dziekan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christèle Huon
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Malaria Parasite Biology and Vaccines Unit, Paris, France
| | - Isabell Berneburg
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefan Rahlfs
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jean-Christophe Barale
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, CNRS UMR 3528, Structural Microbiology Unit, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Malaria Translational Research Unit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France
| | | | - Aron B Fisher
- Peroxitech, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA; Institute for Environmental Medicine, Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Didier Ménard
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, INSERM U1201, Malaria Genetics and Resistance Unit, Paris, France; Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions, EA 7292, IPPTS, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit, Paris, France
| | - Lhousseine Touqui
- Cystic Fibrosis, Physiopathology and Phenogenomics, INSERM Unit 938, Saint-Antoine, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Laboratory of Cystic Fibrosis and Chronic Bronchopathies, Paris, France
| | - Chetan E Chitnis
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Malaria Parasite Biology and Vaccines Unit, Paris, France.
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Rawat M, Kanyal A, Choubey D, Deshmukh B, Malhotra R, Mamatharani DV, Rao AG, Karmodiya K. Identification of Co-Existing Mutations and Gene Expression Trends Associated With K13-Mediated Artemisinin Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. Front Genet 2022; 13:824483. [PMID: 35464842 PMCID: PMC9019836 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.824483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum infects millions and kills thousands of people annually the world over. With the emergence of artemisinin and/or multidrug resistant strains of the pathogen, it has become even more challenging to control and eliminate the disease. Multiomics studies of the parasite have started to provide a glimpse into the confounding genetics and mechanisms of artemisinin resistance and identified mutations in Kelch13 (K13) as a molecular marker of resistance. Over the years, thousands of genomes and transcriptomes of artemisinin-resistant/sensitive isolates have been documented, supplementing the search for new genes/pathways to target artemisinin-resistant isolates. This meta-analysis seeks to recap the genetic landscape and the transcriptional deregulation that demarcate artemisinin resistance in the field. To explore the genetic territory of artemisinin resistance, we use genomic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) datasets from 2,517 isolates from 15 countries from the MalariaGEN Network (The Pf3K project, pilot data release 4, 2015) to dissect the prevalence, geographical distribution, and co-existing patterns of genetic markers associated with/enabling artemisinin resistance. We have identified several mutations which co-exist with the established markers of artemisinin resistance. Interestingly, K13-resistant parasites harbor α-ß hydrolase and putative HECT domain-containing protein genes with the maximum number of SNPs. We have also explored the multiple, publicly available transcriptomic datasets to identify genes from key biological pathways whose consistent deregulation may be contributing to the biology of resistant parasites. Surprisingly, glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathways were consistently downregulated in artemisinin-resistant parasites. Thus, this meta-analysis highlights the genetic and transcriptomic features of resistant parasites to propel further exploratory studies in the community to tackle artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukul Rawat
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Abhishek Kanyal
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Deepak Choubey
- Life Science Research Unit, Persistent Systems Limited, Pune, India
| | - Bhagyashree Deshmukh
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Rashim Malhotra
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - D V Mamatharani
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Anjani Gopal Rao
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | - Krishanpal Karmodiya
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
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73
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Boonyalai N, Kirativanich K, Thamnurak C, Praditpol C, Vesely BA, Wojnarski M, Griesenbeck JS, Waters NC. A single point mutation in the Plasmodium falciparum 3'-5' exonuclease does not alter piperaquine susceptibility. Malar J 2022; 21:130. [PMID: 35459163 PMCID: PMC9034581 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04148-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The rise in Plasmodium falciparum resistance to dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine (DHA–PPQ) treatment has been documented in the Greater Mekong Subregion with associations with mutations in the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) and plasmepsin 2 (pfpm2) genes. However, it is unclear whether other genes also play a role with PPQ resistance, such as the E415G mutation in the exonuclease (pfexo) gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of this mutation in PPQ resistance by generating transgenic parasites expressing the pfexo-E415G mutant allele. Methods Transgenic parasite clones carrying the E415G mutation in PfEXO of the B5 isolate were derived by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and verified using PCR and gene sequencing. Polymorphisms of pfkelch-13, pfcrt, and pfexo were examined by PCR while the copy number variations of pfpm2 were examined by both relative quantitative real-time PCR and the duplication breakpoint assay. Drug sensitivity against a panel of antimalarials, the ring-stage survival assay (RSA), the PPQ survival assay (PSA), and bimodal dose-response curves were used to evaluate antimalarial susceptibility. Results The transgenic line, B5-rexo-E415G-B8, was successfully generated. The PPQ-IC90, %PPQ survival, and the bimodal dose-response clearly showed that E415G mutation in PfEXO of B5 isolate remained fully susceptible to PPQ. Furthermore, growth assays demonstrated that the engineered parasites grew slightly faster than the unmodified parental isolates whereas P. falciparum isolates harbouring pfkelch-13, pfcrt, and pfexo mutations with multiple copies of pfpm2 grew much more slowly. Conclusions Insertion of the E415G mutation in PfEXO did not lead to increased PPQ-IC90 and %PPQ survival, suggesting that this mutation alone may not be associated with PPQ resistance, but could still be an important marker if used in conjunction with other markers for monitoring PPQ-resistant parasites. The results also highlight the importance of monitoring and evaluating suspected genetic mutations with regard to parasite fitness and resistance. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04148-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nonlawat Boonyalai
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Kirakarn Kirativanich
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chatchadaporn Thamnurak
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chantida Praditpol
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Brian A Vesely
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mariusz Wojnarski
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - John S Griesenbeck
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Norman C Waters
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
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74
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Brenneman KV, Li X, Kumar S, Delgado E, Checkley LA, Shoue DA, Reyes A, Abatiyow BA, Haile MT, Tripura R, Peto T, Lek D, Button-Simons KA, Kappe SH, Dhorda M, Nosten F, Nkhoma SC, Cheeseman IH, Vaughan AM, Ferdig MT, Anderson TJ. Optimizing bulk segregant analysis of drug resistance using Plasmodium falciparum genetic crosses conducted in humanized mice. iScience 2022; 25:104095. [PMID: 35372813 PMCID: PMC8971943 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical malaria parasite genetic crosses involve isolation, genotyping, and phenotyping of progeny parasites, which is time consuming and laborious. We tested a rapid alternative approach-bulk segregant analysis (BSA)-that utilizes sequencing of bulk progeny populations with and without drug selection for rapid identification of drug resistance loci. We used dihydroartemisinin (DHA) selection in two genetic crosses and investigated how synchronization, cryopreservation, and the drug selection regimen impacted BSA success. We detected a robust quantitative trait locus (QTL) at kelch13 in both crosses but did not detect QTLs at four other candidate loci. QTLs were detected using synchronized, but not unsynchronized progeny pools, consistent with the stage-specific action of DHA. We also successfully applied BSA to cryopreserved progeny pools, expanding the utility of this approach. We conclude that BSA provides a powerful approach for investigating the genetic architecture of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Vendrely Brenneman
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Xue Li
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Delgado
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Lisa A. Checkley
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Douglas A. Shoue
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Ann Reyes
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Biley A. Abatiyow
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Meseret T. Haile
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rupam Tripura
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Tom Peto
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Dysoley Lek
- National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- School of Public Health, National Institute of Public Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Katrina A. Button-Simons
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Stefan H.I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mehul Dhorda
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - François Nosten
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | | | - Ian H. Cheeseman
- Program in Host Pathogen Interactions, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Michael T. Ferdig
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Tim J.C. Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Corresponding author
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Abstract
Emerging resistance to artemisinin (ART) has become a challenge for reducing worldwide malaria mortality and morbidity. The C580Y mutation in Plasmodium falciparum Kelch13 has been identified as the major determinant for ART resistance in the background of other mutations, which include the T38I mutation in autophagy-related protein PfATG18. Increased endoplasmic reticulum phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (ER-PI3P) vesiculation, unfolded protein response (UPR), and oxidative stress are the proteostasis mechanisms proposed to cause ART resistance. While UPR and PI3P are known to stimulate autophagy in higher organisms to clear misfolded proteins, participation of the parasite autophagy machinery in these mechanisms of ART resistance has not yet been experimentally demonstrated. Our study establishes that ART-induced ER stress leads to increased expression of P. falciparum autophagy proteins through induction of the UPR. Furthermore, the ART-resistant K13C580Y isolate shows higher basal expression levels of autophagy proteins than those of its isogenic counterpart, and this magnifies under starvation conditions. The copresence of PfK13 with PfATG18 and PI3P on parasite hemoglobin-trafficking vesicles demonstrate interactions between the autophagy and hemoglobin endocytosis pathways proposed to be involved in ART resistance. Analysis of PfK13 mutations in 2,517 field isolates, revealing an impressive >85% coassociation between PfK13 C580Y and PfATG18 T38I, together with our experimental studies with an ART-resistant P. falciparum strain establishes that parasite autophagy underpins various mechanisms of ART resistance and is a starting point to further explore this pathway for developing antimalarials.
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van Loon W, Oliveira R, Bergmann C, Habarugira F, Ndoli J, Sendegeya A, Bayingana C, Mockenhaupt FP. In Vitro Confirmation of Artemisinin Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum from Patient Isolates, Southern Rwanda, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:852-855. [PMID: 35318931 PMCID: PMC8962885 DOI: 10.3201/eid2804.212269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is conferred by mutations in the kelch 13 (K13) gene. In Rwanda, K13 mutations have increased over the past decade, including mutations associated with delayed parasite clearance. We document artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum patient isolates from Rwanda carrying K13 R561H, A675V, and C469F mutations.
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77
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Kouakou YI, Omorou R, Said IB, Lavoignat A, Bonnot G, Bienvenu AL, Picot S. Assessment of quantitative and semi-quantitative biological test methods of artesunate in vitro. Parasite 2022; 29:18. [PMID: 35348455 PMCID: PMC8962658 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2022019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Artesunate is the current most potent antimalarial drug widely used for the treatment of malaria. Considering the emergence of artemisinin resistance, several situations may require a simple method for artesunate quantification. We thus developed a quantitative and a semi-quantitative biological method for the determination of artesunate in liquid samples. The tests are based on the measurement of samples’ antimalarial activity on Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 using a modified SYBR Green I drug susceptibility test. For the quantitative test, we established a standard curve that resulted from a dose–response curve and evaluated its performances using controls samples. Whereas the linear regression analysis between artesunate concentration and antimalarial activity showed promising results (linearity range 1.5–24.6 ng/mL, r2 = 0.9373), we found that artesunate content of the controls was significantly overestimated (p = 0.0313). For the semi-quantitative test, we compared the antimalarial activities of samples collected during permeation studies of artesunate to that of a reference (artesunate IC50) by statistical analysis. We demonstrated that antimalarial activities of samples from permeation tests using a powder formulation of artesunate were greater than those of samples from tests using a solution formulation. Bioassays can be simple techniques to assess artesunate in liquid samples, particularly in resource-limited settings. Comparison with reference methods is still recommended when accurate drug quantification is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yobouet Ines Kouakou
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France - Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Institut de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Roukayatou Omorou
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Ibrahim Bin Said
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Adeline Lavoignat
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Guillaume Bonnot
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Anne-Lise Bienvenu
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France - Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Service Pharmacie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Stéphane Picot
- Université de Lyon, Malaria Research Unit, ICBMS, UMR 5246 CNRS-INSA-CPE-Université Lyon1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France - Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Institut de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
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78
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von Bredow L, Schäfer TM, Hogenkamp J, Tretbar M, Stopper D, Kraft FB, Schliehe-Diecks J, Schöler A, Borkhardt A, Bhatia S, Held J, Hansen FK. Synthesis, Antiplasmodial, and Antileukemia Activity of Dihydroartemisinin–HDAC Inhibitor Hybrids as Multitarget Drugs. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15030333. [PMID: 35337131 PMCID: PMC8952208 DOI: 10.3390/ph15030333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the gold standard for the treatment of malaria, but the efficacy is threatened by the development of parasite resistance. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are an emerging new class of potential antiplasmodial drugs. In this work, we present the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a mini library of dihydroartemisinin–HDACi hybrid molecules. The screening of the hybrid molecules for their activity against selected human HDAC isoforms, asexual blood stage P. falciparum parasites, and a panel of leukemia cell lines delivered important structure–activity relationships. All synthesized compounds demonstrated potent activity against the 3D7 and Dd2 line of P. falciparum with IC50 values in the single-digit nanomolar range. Furthermore, the hybrid (α)-7c displayed improved activity against artemisinin-resistant parasites compared to dihydroartemisinin. The screening of the compounds against five cell lines from different leukemia entities revealed that all hydroxamate-based hybrids (7a–e) and the ortho-aminoanilide 8 exceeded the antiproliferative activity of dihydroartemisinin in four out of five cell lines. Taken together, this series of hybrid molecules represents an excellent starting point toward the development of antimalarial and antileukemia drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas von Bredow
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.v.B.); (M.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Thomas Martin Schäfer
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany; (T.M.S.); (J.H.)
| | - Julian Hogenkamp
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.-D.); (A.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Maik Tretbar
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.v.B.); (M.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Daniel Stopper
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany; (D.S.); (F.B.K.)
| | - Fabian B. Kraft
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany; (D.S.); (F.B.K.)
| | - Julian Schliehe-Diecks
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.-D.); (A.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Andrea Schöler
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Drug Discovery, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.v.B.); (M.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Arndt Borkhardt
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.-D.); (A.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Sanil Bhatia
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.-D.); (A.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Jana Held
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany; (T.M.S.); (J.H.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Finn K. Hansen
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, 53121 Bonn, Germany; (D.S.); (F.B.K.)
- Correspondence:
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79
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Zhu P, Zhou B. The Antagonizing Role of Heme in the Antimalarial Function of Artemisinin: Elevating Intracellular Free Heme Negatively Impacts Artemisinin Activity in Plasmodium falciparum. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061755. [PMID: 35335120 PMCID: PMC8949904 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The rich source of heme within malarial parasites has been considered to underly the action specificity of artemisinin. We reasoned that increasing intraparasitic free heme levels might further sensitize the parasites to artemisinin. Various means, such as modulating heme synthesis, degradation, polymerization, or hemoglobin digestion, were tried to boost intracellular heme levels, and under several scenarios, free heme levels were significantly augmented. Interestingly, all results arrived at the same conclusion, i.e., elevating heme acted in a strongly negative way, impacting the antimalarial action of artemisinin, but exerted no effect on several other antimalarial drugs. Suppression of the elevated free heme level by introducing heme oxygenase expression effectively restored artemisinin potency. Consistently, zinc protoporphyrin IX/zinc mesoporphyrin, as analogues of heme, drastically increased free heme levels and, concomitantly, the EC50 values of artemisinin. We were unable to effectively mitigate free heme levels, possibly due to an unknown compensating heme uptake pathway, as evidenced by our observation of efficient uptake of a fluorescent heme homologue by the parasite. Our results thus indicate the existence of an effective and mutually compensating heme homeostasis network in the parasites, including an uncharacterized heme uptake pathway, to maintain a certain level of free heme and that augmentation of the free heme level negatively impacts the antimalarial action of artemisinin. Importance: It is commonly believed that heme is critical in activating the antimalarial action of artemisinins. In this work, we show that elevating free heme levels in the malarial parasites surprisingly negatively impacts the action of artemisinin. We tried to boost free heme levels with various means, such as by modulating heme synthesis, heme polymerization, hemoglobin degradation and using heme analogues. Whenever we saw elevation of free heme levels, reduction in artemisinin potency was also observed. The homeostasis of heme appears to be complex, as there exists an unidentified heme uptake pathway in the parasites, nullifying our attempts to effectively reduce intraparasitic free heme levels. Our results thus indicate that too much heme is not good for the antimalarial action of artemisinins. This research can help us better understand the biological properties of this mysterious drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Correspondence:
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80
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Ataba E, Dorkenoo AM, Nguepou CT, Bakai T, Tchadjobo T, Kadzahlo KD, Yakpa K, Atcha-Oubou T. Potential Emergence of Plasmodium Resistance to Artemisinin Induced by the Use of Artemisia annua for Malaria and COVID-19 Prevention in Sub-African Region. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:55-60. [PMID: 34797496 PMCID: PMC8602884 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00489-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium resistance to antimalarial drugs is an obstacle to the elimination of malaria in endemic areas. This situation is particularly dramatic for Africa, which accounts for nearly 92% of malaria cases worldwide. Drug pressure has been identified as a key factor in the emergence of antimalarial drug resistance. Indeed, this pressure is favoured by several factors, including the use of counterfeit forms of antimalarials, inadequate prescription controls, poor adherence to treatment regimens, dosing errors, and the increasing use of other forms of unapproved antimalarials. This resistance has led to the replacement of chloroquine (CQ) by artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) which are likely to become ineffective in the coming years due to the uncontrolled use of Artemisia annua in the sub-Saharan African region for malaria prevention and COVID-19. The use of Artemisia annua for the prevention of malaria and COVID-19 could be an important factor in the emergence of resistance to Artemisinin-based combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essoham Ataba
- Ecole Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA) /Unité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immunomodulation (UR2IM), Université de Lomé, Boulevard Eyadema, 01BP 1515 Lomé, Togo
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
| | - Ameyo M. Dorkenoo
- Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Lomé, Boulevard Eyadema, 01BP 1515 Lomé, Togo
| | - Christèle Tchopba Nguepou
- Ecole Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA) /Unité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immunomodulation (UR2IM), Université de Lomé, Boulevard Eyadema, 01BP 1515 Lomé, Togo
| | - Tchaa Bakai
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
| | - Tchassama Tchadjobo
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
| | - Komla Dovenè Kadzahlo
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
| | - Kossi Yakpa
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
| | - Tinah Atcha-Oubou
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé de l’Hygiène Publique et de l’Accès Universel Aux Soins, Quartier Administratif, 01BP 518 Lomé, Togo
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81
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Murmu LK, Barik TK. An analysis of Plasmodium falciparum-K13 mutations in India. J Parasit Dis 2022; 46:296-303. [PMID: 35299922 PMCID: PMC8901923 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01425-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is one of the deadliest parasitic diseases in human. Currently, Artemisinin-based combination therapy is considered as the gold standard and most common treatment option. However, the origin and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum from the Greater Mekong Subregion, which has decreased artemisinin (ART) sensitivity, has sparked global concern. The reduced ART sensitivity has been associated with mutations in the Atpase6 and Kelch13 propeller domain of Plasmodium falciparum. A molecular marker is critically needed to monitor the spread of artemisinin resistance. In this article, we reviewed the k13 mutations and potential marker for ART resistance in India. There have been fourteen mutations identified, three of which have been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as artemisinin resistance mutations (F446I, R561H/C, and R539T). Among them, the role of F446I and R561H/C in ART resistance is conflicting. R539T and G625R mutation has been identified as an ART- resistance marker in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxman Kumar Murmu
- P.G. Department of Zoology, Berhampur University, Berhampur, Ganjam, 760007 Odisha India
| | - Tapan Kumar Barik
- P.G. Department of Zoology, Berhampur University, Berhampur, Ganjam, 760007 Odisha India
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82
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Assessment of Plasmodium falciparum Artemisinin Resistance Independent of kelch13 Polymorphisms and with Escalating Malaria in Bangladesh. mBio 2022; 13:e0344421. [PMID: 35073756 PMCID: PMC8787467 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03444-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging resistance to artemisinin drugs threatens the elimination of malaria. Resistance is widespread in South East Asia (SEA) and Myanmar. Neighboring Bangladesh, where 90% of infections occur in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), lacks recent assessment. We undertook a prospective study in the sole district-level hospital in Bandarban, a CHT district with low population densities but 60% of reported malaria cases. Thirty patients presented with malaria in 2018. An increase to 68 patients in 2019 correlated with the district-level rise in malaria, rainfall, humidity, and temperature. Twenty-four patients (7 in 2018 and 17 in 2019) with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum monoinfection were assessed for clearing parasites after starting artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). The median (range) time to clear half of the initial parasites was 5.6 (1.5 to 9.6) h, with 20% of patients showing a median of 8 h. There was no correlation between parasite clearance and initial parasitemia, blood cell counts, or mutations of P. falciparum gene Pfkelch13 (the molecular marker of artemisinin resistance [AR]). The in vitro ring-stage survival assay (RSA) revealed one (of four) culture-adapted strains with a quantifiable resistance of 2.01% ± 0.1% (mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]). Regression analyses of in vivo and in vitro measurements of the four CHT strains and WHO-validated K13 resistance mutations yielded good correlation (R2 = 0.7; ρ = 0.9, P < 0.005), strengthening evaluation of emerging AR with small sample sizes, a challenge in many low/moderate-prevalence sites. There is an urgent need to deploy multiple, complementary approaches to understand the evolutionary dynamics of the emergence of P. falciparum resistant to artemisinin derivatives in countries where malaria is endemic. IMPORTANCE Malaria elimination is a Millennium Development Goal. Artemisinins, fast-acting antimalarial drugs, have played a key role in malaria elimination. Emergence of artemisinin resistance threatens the global elimination of malaria. Over the last decade, advanced clinical and laboratory methods have documented its spread throughout South East Asia and Myanmar. Neighboring Bangladesh lies in the historical path of dissemination of antimalarial resistance to the rest of the world, yet it has not been evaluated by combinations of leading methods, particularly in the highland Chittagong Hill Tracts adjacent to Myanmar which contain >90% of malaria in Bangladesh. We show the first establishment of capacity to assess clinical artemisinin resistance directly in patients in the hilltops and laboratory adaptation of Bangladeshi parasite strains from a remote, sparsely populated malaria frontier that is responsive to climate. Our study also provides a generalized model for comprehensive monitoring of drug resistance for countries where malaria is endemic.
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A Phosphoinositide-Binding Protein Acts in the Trafficking Pathway of Hemoglobin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. mBio 2022; 13:e0323921. [PMID: 35038916 PMCID: PMC8764524 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03239-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphoinositide lipids play key roles in a variety of processes in eukaryotic cells, but our understanding of their functions in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is still very much limited. To gain a deeper comprehension of the roles of phosphoinositides in this important pathogen, we attempted gene inactivation for 24 putative effectors of phosphoinositide metabolism. Our results reveal that 79% of the candidates are refractory to genetic deletion and are therefore potentially essential for parasite growth. Inactivation of the gene coding for a Plasmodium-specific putative phosphoinositide-binding protein, which we named PfPX1, results in a severe growth defect. We show that PfPX1 likely binds phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate and that it localizes to the membrane of the digestive vacuole of the parasite and to vesicles filled with host cell cytosol and labeled with endocytic markers. Critically, we provide evidence that it is important in the trafficking pathway of hemoglobin from the host erythrocyte to the digestive vacuole. Finally, inactivation of PfPX1 renders parasites resistant to artemisinin, the frontline antimalarial drug. Globally, the minimal redundancy in the putative phosphoinositide proteins uncovered in our work supports that targeting this pathway has potential for antimalarial drug development. Moreover, our identification of a phosphoinositide-binding protein critical for the trafficking of hemoglobin provides key insight into this essential process. IMPORTANCE Malaria represents an enormous burden for a significant proportion of humanity, and the lack of vaccines and problems with drug resistance to all antimalarials demonstrate the need to develop new therapeutics. Inhibitors of phosphoinositide metabolism are currently being developed as antimalarials but our understanding of this biological pathway is incomplete. The malaria parasite lives inside human red blood cells where it imports hemoglobin to cover some of its nutritional needs. In this work, we have identified a phosphoinositide-binding protein that is important for the transport of hemoglobin in the parasite. Inactivation of this protein decreases the ability of the parasite to proliferate. Our results have therefore identified a potential new target for antimalarial development.
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84
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Potent Antiplasmodial Derivatives of Dextromethorphan Reveal the Ent-Morphinan Pharmacophore of Tazopsine-Type Alkaloids. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020372. [PMID: 35214104 PMCID: PMC8876632 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The alkaloid tazopsine 1 was introduced in the late 2000s as a novel antiplasmodial hit compound active against Plasmodium falciparum hepatic stages, with the potential to develop prophylactic drugs based on this novel chemical scaffold. However, the structural determinants of tazopsine 1 bioactivity, together with the exact definition of the pharmacophore, remained elusive, impeding further development. We found that the antitussive drug dextromethorphan (DXM) 3, although lacking the complex pattern of stereospecific functionalization of the natural hit, was harboring significant antiplasmodial activity in vitro despite suboptimal prophylactic activity in a murine model of malaria, precluding its direct repurposing against the disease. The targeted N-alkylation of nor-DXM 15 produced a small library of analogues with greatly improved activity over DXM 3 against P. falciparum asexual stages. Amongst these, N-2′-pyrrolylmethyl-nor-DXM 16i showed a 2- to 36-fold superior inhibitory potency compared to tazopsine 1 and DXM 3 against P. falciparum liver and blood stages, with respectively 760 ± 130 nM and 2.1 ± 0.4 µM IC50 values, as well as liver/blood phase selectivity of 2.8. Furthermore, cpd. 16i showed a 5- to 8-fold increase in activity relative to DXM 3 against P. falciparum stages I–II and V gametocytes, with 18.5 µM and 13.2 µM IC50 values, respectively. Cpd. 16i can thus be considered a promising novel hit compound against malaria in the ent-morphinan series with putative pan cycle activity, paving the way for further therapeutic development (e.g., investigation of its prophylactic activity in vivo).
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85
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Siddiqui G, Giannangelo C, De Paoli A, Schuh AK, Heimsch KC, Anderson D, Brown TG, MacRaild CA, Wu J, Wang X, Dong Y, Vennerstrom JL, Becker K, Creek DJ. Peroxide Antimalarial Drugs Target Redox Homeostasis in Plasmodium falciparum Infected Red Blood Cells. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:210-226. [PMID: 34985858 PMCID: PMC8762662 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
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Plasmodium
falciparum causes the
most lethal form of malaria. Peroxide antimalarials based on artemisinin
underpin the frontline treatments for malaria, but artemisinin resistance
is rapidly spreading. Synthetic peroxide antimalarials, known as ozonides,
are in clinical development and offer a potential alternative. Here,
we used chemoproteomics to investigate the protein alkylation targets
of artemisinin and ozonide probes, including an analogue of the ozonide
clinical candidate, artefenomel. We greatly expanded the list of proteins
alkylated by peroxide antimalarials and identified significant enrichment
of redox-related proteins for both artemisinins and ozonides. Disrupted
redox homeostasis was confirmed by dynamic live imaging of the glutathione
redox potential using a genetically encoded redox-sensitive fluorescence-based
biosensor. Targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based
thiol metabolomics also confirmed changes in cellular thiol levels.
This work shows that peroxide antimalarials disproportionately alkylate
proteins involved in redox homeostasis and that disrupted redox processes
are involved in the mechanism of action of these important antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghizal Siddiqui
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Carlo Giannangelo
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Amanda De Paoli
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Anna Katharina Schuh
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Kim C. Heimsch
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Dovile Anderson
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Timothy G. Brown
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher A. MacRaild
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Wu
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6125, United States
| | - Xiaofang Wang
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6125, United States
| | - Yuxiang Dong
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6125, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Vennerstrom
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6125, United States
| | - Katja Becker
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Darren J. Creek
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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86
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Assessment
in vitro
of the antimalarial and transmission blocking activities of Cipargamin and Ganaplacide in artemisinin resistant
Plasmodium falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0148121. [DOI: 10.1128/aac.01481-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin resistance in
Plasmodium falciparum
has emerged and spread widely in the Greater Mekong Subregion threatening current first line artemisinin combination treatments. New antimalarial drugs are needed urgently. Cipargamin (KAE609) and ganaplacide (KAF156) are promising novel antimalarial compounds in advanced stages of development. Both compounds have potent asexual blood stage activities, inhibit
P. falciparum
gametocytogenesis and reduce oocyst development in anopheline mosquitoes. In this study, we compared the asexual and sexual stage activities of cipargamin, ganaplacide and artesunate in artemisinin resistant
P. falciparum
isolates (N=7, K13 mutation; C580Y, G449A and R539T) from Thailand and Cambodia. Asexual blood stage antimalarial activity was evaluated in a SYBR-green I based 72h
in vitro
assay, and the effects on male and female mature stage V gametocytes were assessed in the
P. falciparum
dual gamete formation assay. Ganaplacide had higher activities when compared to cipargamin and artesunate, with a mean (SD) IC50 against asexual stages of 5.5 (1.1) nM, 7.8 (3.9) nM for male gametocytes and 57.9 (59.6) nM for female gametocytes. Cipargamin had a similar potency against male and female gametocytes, with a mean (SD) IC50 of 123.1 (80.2) nM for male gametocytes, 88.5 (52.7) nM for female gametocytes and 2.4 (0.6) nM for asexual stages. Both cipargamin and ganaplacide showed significant transmission-blocking activities against artemisinin resistant
P. falciparum
in vitro
.
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87
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Pyronaridine-Artesunate (Pyramax) for Treatment of Artemisinin- and Piperaquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0027621. [PMID: 34570647 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00276-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise in Plasmodium falciparum resistance to dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in Vietnam justifies the need to evaluate alternative artemisinin-based combination therapies. Between July 2018 and October 2019, a single-arm trial of pyronaridine-artesunate (Pyramax, PA) was conducted in Dak Nong province, Vietnam. PA (3-day course) was administered to adults and children infected with P. falciparum. PA was well tolerated by the participants. The proportion of patients with Day 42 PCR-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response was 95.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.3 to 98.8, n = 40/42) for treating falciparum malaria. The median parasite clearance half-life was 6.7 h (range, 2.6 to 11.9) and the median parasite clearance time was 72 h (range, 12 to 132) with 44.9% (22/49) of patients having positive blood films at 72 h. The two patients that recrudesced had comparable Day 7 blood pyronaridine concentrations (39.5 and 39.0 ng/ml) to the 40 patients who did not recrudesce (median 43.4 ng/ml, 95% CI, 35.1 to 54.9). Ring-stage and piperaquine survival assays revealed that of the 29 P. falciparum isolates collected from the patients before PA treatment, 22 (75.9%) had reduced susceptibility to artemisinins and 17 (58.6%) were resistant to piperaquine. Genotyping confirmed that 92.0% (46/50) of falciparum patients were infected with parasites bearing the Pfkelch13 C580Y mutation associated with artemisinin resistance. Of these, 56.0% (28/50) of the isolates also had multiple copies of the plasmepsin 2/3 genes responsible for piperaquine resistance. Overall, PA was effective in treating P. falciparum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. (This study has been registered at AustralianClinicalTrials.gov.au under trial ID ACTRN12618001429246.).
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88
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Lee WC, Russell B, Lee B, Chu CS, Phyo AP, Sriprawat K, Lau YL, Nosten F, Rénia L. Plasmodium falciparum rosetting protects schizonts against artemisinin. EBioMedicine 2021; 73:103680. [PMID: 34749300 PMCID: PMC8586750 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Artemisinin (ART) resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is thought to occur during the early stage of the parasite's erythrocytic cycle. Here, we identify a novel factor associated with the late stage parasite development that contributes to ART resistance. Methods Rosetting rates of clinical isolates pre- and post- brief (one hour) exposure to artesunate (AS, an ART derivative) were evaluated. The effects of AS-mediated rosetting on the post-AS-exposed parasite's replication and survival, as well as the extent of protection by AS-mediated rosetting on different parasite stages were investigated. The rosetting ligands, mechanisms, and gene mutations involved were studied. Findings Brief AS exposure stimulated rosetting, with AS-resistant isolates forming more rosettes in a more rapid manner. AS-mediated rosetting enabled infected erythrocytes (IRBC) to withstand AS exposure for several hours and protected the IRBC from phagocytosis. When their rosetting ability was blocked experimentally, the post-AS exposure survival advantage by the AS-resistant parasites was abrogated. Deletions in two genes coding for PfEMP1 exon 2 (PF3D7_0200300 and PF3D7_0223300) were found to be associated with AS-mediated rosetting, and these mutations were significantly selected through time in the parasite population under study, along with the K13 mutations, a molecular marker of ART-resistance. Interpretation Rapid ART parasite clearance is driven by the direct oxidative damages on IRBC by ART and the phagocytic destruction of the damaged IRBC. Rosetting serves as a rapid ‘buying time’ strategy that allows more parasites to complete schizont maturation, reinvasion and subsequent development into the intrinsically less ART-susceptible ring stage. Funding A*STAR, NMRC-OF-YIRG, HRC e-ASIA, Wellcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenn-Chyau Lee
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR, Singapore.
| | - Bruce Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Bernett Lee
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR, Singapore
| | - Cindy S Chu
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aung Pyae Phyo
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kanlaya Sriprawat
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand
| | - Yee-Ling Lau
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand; Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Rénia
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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89
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Schumann R, Bischoff E, Klaus S, Möhring S, Flock J, Keller S, Remans K, Ganter M, Deponte M. Protein abundance and folding rather than the redox state of Kelch13 determine the artemisinin susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum. Redox Biol 2021; 48:102177. [PMID: 34773836 PMCID: PMC8600086 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.102177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Decreased susceptibilities of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum towards the endoperoxide antimalarial artemisinin are linked to mutations of residue C580 of PfKelch13, a homologue of the redox sensor Keap1 and other vertebrate BTB-Kelch proteins. Here, we addressed whether mutations alter the artemisinin susceptibility by modifying the redox properties of PfKelch13 or by compromising its native fold or abundance. Using selection-linked integration and the glmS ribozyme, efficient down-regulation of PfKelch13 resulted in ring-stage survival rates around 40%. While the loss of the thiol group of C469 or of the potential disulfide bond between residues C580 and C532 had no effect on the artemisinin susceptibility, the thiol group of C473 could not be replaced. Furthermore, we detected two different forms of PfKelch13 with distinct electrophoretic mobilities around 85 and 95 kDa, suggesting an unidentified post-translational modification. We also established a protocol for the production of recombinant PfKelch13 and produced an antibody against the protein. Recombinant PfKelch13 adopted alternative oligomeric states and only two of its seven cysteine residues, C469 and C473, reacted with Ellman's reagent. While common field mutations resulted in misfolded and completely insoluble recombinant PfKelch13, cysteine-to-serine replacements had no effect on the solubility except for residue C473. In summary, in contrast to residues C469, C532, and C580, the surface-exposed thiol group of residue C473 appears to be essential. However, not the redox properties but impaired folding of PfKelch13, resulting in a decreased PfKelch13 abundance, alters the artemisinin susceptibility and is the central parameter for mutant selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Schumann
- Faculty of Chemistry, Comparative Biochemistry, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Eileen Bischoff
- Faculty of Chemistry, Comparative Biochemistry, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Severina Klaus
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophie Möhring
- Faculty of Chemistry, Comparative Biochemistry, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Julia Flock
- Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandro Keller
- Molecular Biophysics, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biosciences (IMB), NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Humboldtstr. 50/III, 8010, Graz, Austria; Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kim Remans
- Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcel Deponte
- Faculty of Chemistry, Comparative Biochemistry, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany.
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90
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The Novel bis-1,2,4-Triazine MIPS-0004373 Demonstrates Rapid and Potent Activity against All Blood Stages of the Malaria Parasite. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0031121. [PMID: 34460304 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00311-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel bis-1,2,4-triazine compounds with potent in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum parasites were recently identified. The bis-1,2,4-triazines represent a unique antimalarial pharmacophore and are proposed to act by a novel but as-yet-unknown mechanism of action. This study investigated the activity of the bis-1,2,4-triazine MIPS-0004373 across the mammalian life cycle stages of the parasite and profiled the kinetics of activity against blood and transmission stage parasites in vitro and in vivo. MIPS-0004373 demonstrated rapid and potent activity against P. falciparum, with excellent in vitro activity against all asexual blood stages. Prolonged in vitro drug exposure failed to generate stable resistance de novo, suggesting a low propensity for the emergence of resistance. Excellent activity was observed against sexually committed ring stage parasites, but activity against mature gametocytes was limited to inhibiting male gametogenesis. Assessment of liver stage activity demonstrated good activity in an in vitro P. berghei model but no activity against Plasmodium cynomolgi hypnozoites or liver schizonts. The bis-1,2,4-triazine MIPS-0004373 efficiently cleared an established P. berghei infection in vivo, with efficacy similar to that of artesunate and chloroquine and a recrudescence profile comparable to that of chloroquine. This study demonstrates the suitability of bis-1,2,4-triazines for further development toward a novel treatment for acute malaria.
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91
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Nsanzabana C. Time to scale up molecular surveillance for anti-malarial drug resistance in sub-saharan Africa. Malar J 2021; 20:401. [PMID: 34645475 PMCID: PMC8513315 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03942-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin resistance has emerged and spread in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), followed by artemisinin-based combination therapy failure, due to both artemisinin and partner drug resistance. More worrying, artemisinin resistance has been recently reported and confirmed in Rwanda. Therefore, there is an urgent need to strengthen surveillance systems beyond the GMS to track the emergence or spread of artemisinin and partner drug resistance in other endemic settings. Currently, anti-malarial drug efficacy is monitored primarily through therapeutic efficacy studies (TES). Even though essential for anti-malarial drug policy change, these studies are difficult to conduct, expensive, and may not detect the early emergence of resistance. Additionally, results from TES may take years to be available to the stakeholders, jeopardizing their usefulness. Molecular markers are additional and useful tools to monitor anti-malarial drug resistance, as samples collected on dried blood spots are sufficient to monitor known and validated molecular markers of resistance, and could help detecting and monitoring the early emergence of resistance. However, molecular markers are not monitored systematically by national malaria control programmes, and are often assessed in research studies, but not in routine surveillance. The implementation of molecular markers as a routine tool for anti-malarial drug resistance surveillance could greatly improve surveillance of anti-malarial drug efficacy, making it possible to detect resistance before it translates to treatment failures. When possible, ex vivo assays should be included as their data could be useful complementary, especially when no molecular markers are validated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Nsanzabana
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland. .,University of Basel, P.O. Box, 4003, Basel, Switzerland.
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92
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Mairet-Khedim M, Nsango S, Ngou C, Menard S, Roesch C, Khim N, Srun S, Iriart X, Lanot T, Otam L, Abega F, Ayong L, Morlais I, Gandia P, Witkowski B, Berry A. Efficacy of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine in patients with non-complicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Yaoundé, Cameroon. J Antimicrob Chemother 2021; 76:3037-3044. [PMID: 34453535 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine is increasingly used for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa. The efficacy of this combination in Cameroon is poorly documented, while resistance to dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine readily spreads in Southeast Asia. OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine in Cameroon, as well as the molecular profile and phenotypic susceptibility of collected isolates to dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine. PATIENTS AND METHODS Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine efficacy in 42 days was followed-up for 138 patients presenting non-complicated falciparum malaria. Piperaquine concentration was determined at day 7 for 124 patients. kelch13 gene polymorphisms (n = 150) and plasmepsin2 gene amplification (n = 148) were determined as molecular markers of resistance to dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine, respectively. Parasite susceptibility to dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine was determined using validated in vitro survival assays. RESULTS The efficacy of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine treatment was 100% after PCR correction. The reinfections were not associated with a variation of piperaquine concentration at day 7. Ninety-six percent (144/150) of the samples presented a WT allele of the kelch13 gene. Two percent (3/150) presented the non-synonymous mutation A578S, which is not associated with resistance to dihydroartemisinin. No duplication of the plasmepsin2 gene was observed (0/148). All the samples tested in vitro by survival assays (n = 87) were susceptible to dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine. CONCLUSIONS Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine has demonstrated excellent therapeutic efficacy with no evidence of emerging artemisinin or piperaquine resistance in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This observation suggests that dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine could be a sustainable therapeutic solution for P. falciparum malaria if implemented in areas previously free of artemisinin- and piperaquine-resistant parasites, unlike Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Mairet-Khedim
- Malaria Translational Research Unit, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France.,Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Université Toulouse, CNRS UMR5051, INSERM UMR1291, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Structural Microbiology Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3528, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris 15, France
| | - Sandrine Nsango
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Université de Douala, Douala, Cameroon.,Malaria Research Unit, Centre Pasteur du Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Christelle Ngou
- Malaria Research Unit, Centre Pasteur du Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon.,MIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sandie Menard
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Université Toulouse, CNRS UMR5051, INSERM UMR1291, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Camille Roesch
- Malaria Translational Research Unit, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France.,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Nimol Khim
- Malaria Translational Research Unit, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France.,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sreynet Srun
- Malaria Translational Research Unit, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France.,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Xavier Iriart
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Université Toulouse, CNRS UMR5051, INSERM UMR1291, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse F-31300, France
| | - Thomas Lanot
- Laboratoire de Pharmacocinétique et Toxicologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse F-31300, France
| | - Laure Otam
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Université Toulouse, CNRS UMR5051, INSERM UMR1291, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Département des Sciences Biomédicales, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
| | | | - Lawrence Ayong
- Malaria Research Unit, Centre Pasteur du Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Peggy Gandia
- Laboratoire de Pharmacocinétique et Toxicologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse F-31300, France.,INTHERES, Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, BP 87614, 31076 Toulouse Cedex 3, France
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Malaria Translational Research Unit, Pasteur International Unit, Pasteur International Network, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Paris, France.,Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Antoine Berry
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Université Toulouse, CNRS UMR5051, INSERM UMR1291, UPS, Toulouse, France.,Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse F-31300, France
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93
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Mutation in Plasmodium falciparum BTB/POZ domain of K13 protein confers artemisinin resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 66:e0132021. [PMID: 34606334 PMCID: PMC8765297 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01320-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Partial artemisinin resistance, defined in patients as a delayed parasite clearance following artemisinin-based treatment, is conferred by non-synonymous mutations in the Kelch beta-propeller domain of the Plasmodium falciparum k13 (pfk13) gene. Here, we carried out in vitro selection over a one-year period on a West African P. falciparum strain isolated from Kolle (Mali) under a dose-escalating artemisinin regimen. After 18 cycles of sequential drug pressure, the selected parasites exhibited enhanced survival to dihydroartemisinin in the ring-stage survival assay (RSA0-3h = 9.2%). Sanger and whole-genome sequence analyses identified the PfK13 P413A mutation, localized in the BTB/POZ domain, upstream of the propeller domain. This mutation was sufficient to confer in vitro artemisinin resistance when introduced into the PfK13 coding sequence of the parasite strain Dd2 by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. These results together with structural studies of the protein demonstrate that the propeller domain is not the sole in vitro mediator of PfK13-mediated artemisinin resistance, and highlight the importance of monitoring for mutations throughout PfK13.
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94
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Kümpornsin K, Loesbanluechai D, de Cozar C, Kotanan N, Chotivanich K, White NJ, Wilairat P, Gomez-Lorenzo MG, Gamo FJ, Sanz LM, Lee MCS, Chookajorn T. Lumefantrine attenuates Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance during the early ring stage. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2021; 17:186-190. [PMID: 34673330 PMCID: PMC8528645 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Emerging artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria has the potential to become a global public health crisis. In Southeast Asia, this phenomenon clinically manifests in the form of delayed parasite clearance following artemisinin treatment. Reduced artemisinin susceptibility is limited to the early ring stage window, which is sufficient to allow parasites to survive the short half-life of artemisinin exposure. A screen of known clinically-implemented antimalarial drugs was performed to identify a drug capable of enhancing the killing activity of artemisinins during this critical resistance window. As a result, lumefantrine was found to increase the killing activity of artemisinin against an artemisinin-resistant clinical isolate harboring the C580Y kelch13 mutation. Isobologram analysis revealed synergism during the early ring stage resistance window, when lumefantrine was combined with artemether, an artemisinin derivative clinically partnered with lumefantrine. These findings suggest that lumefantrine should be clinically explored as a partner drug in artemisinin-based combination therapies to control emerging artemisinin resistance. Artemisinin booster compound screening targeting the early ring resistance window in Plasmodium falciparum was performed. Lumefantrine improves the activity of artesunate against the parasite during the resistance window. Artemether and lumefantrine are synergistic during the early ring stage resistance window.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Duangkamon Loesbanluechai
- Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine Unit (GEM), Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Molecular Medicine Program, Multidisciplinary Unit, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Namfon Kotanan
- Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine Unit (GEM), Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nicholas J White
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Prapon Wilairat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Marcus C S Lee
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
| | - Thanat Chookajorn
- Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine Unit (GEM), Centre of Excellence in Malaria Research, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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95
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Erhunse N, Sahal D. Protecting future antimalarials from the trap of resistance: Lessons from artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) failures. J Pharm Anal 2021; 11:541-554. [PMID: 34765267 PMCID: PMC8572664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Having faced increased clinical treatment failures with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ), Cambodia swapped the first line artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) from DHA-PPQ to artesunate-mefloquine given that parasites resistant to piperaquine are susceptible to mefloquine. However, triple mutants have now emerged, suggesting that drug rotations may not be adequate to keep resistance at bay. There is, therefore, an urgent need for alternative treatment strategies to tackle resistance and prevent its spread. A proper understanding of all contributors to artemisinin resistance may help us identify novel strategies to keep artemisinins effective until new drugs become available for their replacement. This review highlights the role of the key players in artemisinin resistance, the current strategies to deal with it and suggests ways of protecting future antimalarial drugs from bowing to resistance as their predecessors did.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nekpen Erhunse
- Malaria Drug Discovery Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo-State, Nigeria
| | - Dinkar Sahal
- Malaria Drug Discovery Research Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
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96
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Tumwebaze PK, Katairo T, Okitwi M, Byaruhanga O, Orena S, Asua V, Duvalsaint M, Legac J, Chelebieva S, Ceja FG, Rasmussen SA, Conrad MD, Nsobya SL, Aydemir O, Bailey JA, Bayles BR, Rosenthal PJ, Cooper RA. Drug susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum in eastern Uganda: a longitudinal phenotypic and genotypic study. LANCET MICROBE 2021; 2:e441-e449. [PMID: 34553183 PMCID: PMC8454895 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-5247(21)00085-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Treatment and control of malaria depends on artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and is challenged by drug resistance, but thus far resistance to artemisinins and partner drugs has primarily occurred in southeast Asia. The aim of this study was to characterise antimalarial drug susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Tororo and Busia districts in Uganda. Methods In this prospective longitudinal study, P falciparum isolates were collected from patients aged 6 months or older presenting at the Tororo District Hospital (Tororo district, a site with relatively low malaria incidence) or Masafu General Hospital (Busia district, a high-incidence site) in eastern Uganda with clinical symptoms of malaria, a positive Giemsa-stained blood film for P falciparum, and no signs of severe disease. Ex-vivo susceptibilities to ten antimalarial drugs were measured using a 72-h microplate growth inhibition assay with SYBR Green detection. Relevant P falciparum genetic polymorphisms were characterised by molecular methods. We compared results with those from earlier studies in this region and searched for associations between drug susceptibility and parasite genotypes. Findings From June 10, 2016, to July 29, 2019, 361 P falciparum isolates were collected in the Busia district and 79 in the Tororo district from 440 participants. Of 440 total isolates, 392 (89%) successfully grew in culture and showed excellent drug susceptibility for chloroquine (median half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] 20·0 nM [IQR 12·0-26·0]), monodesethylamodiaquine (7·1 nM [4·3-8·9]), pyronaridine (1·1 nM [0·7-2·3]), piperaquine (5·6 nM [3·3-8·6]), ferroquine (1·8 nM [1·5-3·3]), AQ-13 (24·0 nM [17·0-32·0]), lumefantrine (5·1 nM [3·2-7·7]), mefloquine (9·5 nM [6·6-13·0]), dihydroartemisinin (1·5 nM [1·0-2·0]), and atovaquone (0·3 nM [0·2-0·4]). Compared with results from our study in 2010-13, significant improvements in susceptibility were seen for chloroquine (median IC50 288·0 nM [IQR 122·0-607·0]; p<0·0001), monodesethylamodiaquine (76·0 nM [44·0-137]; p<0·0001), and piperaquine (21·0 nM [7·6-43·0]; p<0·0001), a small but significant decrease in susceptibility was seen for lumefantrine (3·0 nM [1·1-7·6]; p<0·0001), and no change in susceptibility was seen with dihydroartemisinin (1·3 nM [0·8-2·5]; p=0·64). Chloroquine resistance (IC50>100 nM) was more common in isolates from the Tororo district (11 [15%] of 71), compared with those from the Busia district (12 [4%] of 320; p=0·0017). We showed significant increases between 2010-12 and 2016-19 in the prevalences of wild-type P falciparum multidrug resistance protein 1 (PfMDR1) Asn86Tyr from 60% (391 of 653) to 99% (418 of 422; p<0·0001), PfMDR1 Asp1246Tyr from 60% (390 of 650) to 90% (371 of 419; p<0·0001), and P falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) Lys76Thr from 7% (44 of 675) to 87% (364 of 417; p<0·0001). Interpretation Our results show marked changes in P falciparum drug susceptibility phenotypes and genotypes in Uganda during the past decade. These results suggest that additional changes will be seen over time and continued surveillance of susceptibility to key ACT components is warranted. Funding National Institutes of Health and Medicines for Malaria Venture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Katairo
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martin Okitwi
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Stephen Orena
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Victor Asua
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Marvin Duvalsaint
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Legac
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sevil Chelebieva
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | - Frida G Ceja
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Rasmussen
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | - Melissa D Conrad
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Ozkan Aydemir
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brett R Bayles
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roland A Cooper
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, USA
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97
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Balikagala B, Fukuda N, Ikeda M, Katuro OT, Tachibana SI, Yamauchi M, Opio W, Emoto S, Anywar DA, Kimura E, Palacpac NMQ, Odongo-Aginya EI, Ogwang M, Horii T, Mita T. Evidence of Artemisinin-Resistant Malaria in Africa. N Engl J Med 2021; 385:1163-1171. [PMID: 34551228 DOI: 10.1056/nejmoa2101746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 122.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the six Southeast Asian countries that make up the Greater Mekong Subregion, Plasmodium falciparum has developed resistance to derivatives of artemisinin, the main component of first-line treatments for malaria. Clinical resistance to artemisinin monotherapy in other global regions, including Africa, would be problematic. METHODS In this longitudinal study conducted in Northern Uganda, we treated patients who had P. falciparum infection with intravenous artesunate (a water-soluble artemisinin derivative) and estimated the parasite clearance half-life. We evaluated ex vivo susceptibility of the parasite using a ring-stage survival assay and genotyped resistance-related genes. RESULTS From 2017 through 2019, a total of 14 of 240 patients who received intravenous artesunate had evidence of in vivo artemisinin resistance (parasite clearance half-life, >5 hours). Of these 14 patients, 13 were infected with P. falciparum parasites with mutations in the A675V or C469Y allele in the kelch13 gene. Such mutations were associated with prolonged parasite clearance half-lives (geometric mean, 3.95 hours for A675V and 3.30 hours for C469Y, vs. 1.78 hours for wild-type allele; P<0.001 and P = 0.05, respectively). The ring-stage survival assay showed a higher frequency of parasite survival among organisms with the A675V allele than among those with the wild-type allele. The prevalence of parasites with kelch13 mutations increased significantly, from 3.9% in 2015 to 19.8% in 2019, due primarily to the increased frequency of the A675V and C469Y alleles (P<0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms flanking the A675V mutation in Uganda were substantially different from those in Southeast Asia. CONCLUSIONS The independent emergence and local spread of clinically artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum has been identified in Africa. The two kelch13 mutations may be markers for detection of these resistant parasites. (Funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and others.).
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty Balikagala
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Naoyuki Fukuda
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Mie Ikeda
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Osbert T Katuro
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Shin-Ichiro Tachibana
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Masato Yamauchi
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Walter Opio
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Sakurako Emoto
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Denis A Anywar
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Eisaku Kimura
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Nirianne M Q Palacpac
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Emmanuel I Odongo-Aginya
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Martin Ogwang
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Toshihiro Horii
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
| | - Toshihiro Mita
- From the Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine (B.B., N.F., M.I., S.-I.T., M.Y., S.E., T.M.), and the Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine (B.B.), Juntendo University, Tokyo, the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki (E.K.), and the Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka (N.M.Q.P., T.H.) - all in Japan; and Mildmay Uganda, Nazibwa Hill, Kampala (O.T.K.), and St. Mary's Hospital Lacor (W.O., M.O.) and the Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University (D.A.A., E.I.O.-A.), Gulu - all in Uganda
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98
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Noreen N, Ullah A, Salman SM, Mabkhot Y, Alsayari A, Badshah SL. New insights into the spread of resistance to artemisinin and its analogues. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2021; 27:142-149. [PMID: 34517141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, has been developing resistance to several drugs worldwide for more than five decades. Initially, resistance was against drugs such as chloroquine, pyrimethamine, sulfadoxine, mefloquine and quinine. Research studies are now reporting parasites with resistance to the most effective and novel drug used against malaria infection worldwide, namely artemisinin. For this reason, the first-line treatment strategy of artemisinin-based combination therapy is becoming unsuccessful in areas where drug resistance is highly prevalent. The increase in artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum strains has threatened international efforts to eliminate malarial infections and to reduce the disease burden. Detection of several phenotypes that display artemisinin resistance, specification of basic genetic factors, the discovery of molecular pathways, and evaluation of its clinical outcome are possible by the current series of research on genomics and transcriptomic levels in Asia and Africa. In artemisinin resistance, slow parasite clearance among malaria-infected patients and enhanced in vitro survival of parasites occurs at the early ring stage. This resistance is due to single nucleotide polymorphisms within the Kelch 13 gene of the parasite and is related to significantly upregulated resistance signalling pathways; thus, the pro-oxidant action of artemisinins can be antagonised. New strategies are required to halt the spread of artemisinin-resistant malarial parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noreen Noreen
- Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan
| | - Asad Ullah
- Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan
| | | | - Yahia Mabkhot
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 960, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Abdulrhman Alsayari
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Lal Badshah
- Department of Chemistry, Islamia College University, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan.
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99
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White NJ, Watson JA. Questioning the Claimed Superiority of Malaria Parasite Ex Vivo Viability Reduction Over Observed Parasite Clearance Rate? J Infect Dis 2021; 224:738-739. [PMID: 34398241 PMCID: PMC8366431 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J White
- Mahidol Oxford Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - James A Watson
- Mahidol Oxford Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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100
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Assefa DG, Yismaw G, Makonnen E. Efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine versus artemether-lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria among children in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Malar J 2021; 20:340. [PMID: 34384431 PMCID: PMC8359548 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03873-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergence of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin and its derivatives poses a threat to the global effort to control malaria. The emergence of anti-malarial resistance has become a great public health challenge and continues to be a leading threat to ongoing malaria control efforts. The aim of this review was to synthesize available evidence on the efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PQ) compared to artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria among children in Africa. METHODS A systematic literature search was done to identify relevant articles from online databases PubMed/ MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials' database (CENTRAL) for retrieving randomized control trials comparing efficacy of DHA-PQ and AL for treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in African children. The search was performed from August 2020 to April 2021. Using Rev-Man software (V5.4.1), R-studio and Comprehensive Meta-analysis software version 3, the extracted data from eligible studies were pooled as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS In this review, 25 studies which involved a total of 13,198 participants were included. PCR-unadjusted treatment failure in children aged between 6 months and 15 years was significantly lower in the DHA-PQ treatment arm on day 28 than that of AL (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.08-0.26; participants = 1302; studies = 4; I2 = 0%, high quality of evidence). Consistently, the PCR-adjusted treatment failure was significantly lower with DHA-PQ treatment group on day 28 (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.29-0.68; participants = 8508; studies = 16; I2 = 51%, high quality of evidence) and on day 42 (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.47-0.78; participants = 5959; studies = 17; I2 = 0%, high quality of evidence). However, the efficacy was ≥ 95% in both treatment groups on day 28. CONCLUSION From this review, it can be concluded that DHA-PQ reduces new infection and recrudescence on days 28 and 42 more than AL. This may trigger DHA-PQ to become a first-line treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawit Getachew Assefa
- Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. .,Department of Nursing, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia.
| | - Gizachew Yismaw
- Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Eyasu Makonnen
- Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.,Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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