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Sissoko S, Kone A, Dara A, Oboh MA, Fofana B, Sangare CO, Dembele D, Haidara AS, Diallo N, Toure S, Haidara K, Sanogo K, Doumbo OK, Ouattar A, Amambua-Ngwa A, Djimde AA. Complexity of Plasmodium falciparum infection and genetic variations associated with differences in parasite clearance time in two Malian villages. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3083860. [PMID: 37461533 PMCID: PMC10350111 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3083860/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Effective approaches to fight against malaria include disease prevention, an early diagnosis of malaria cases, and rapid management of confirmed cases by treatment with effective antimalarials. Artemisinin-based combination therapies are first-line treatments for uncomplicated malaria in endemic areas. However, cases of resistance to artemisinin have already been described in South-East Asia resulting in prolonged parasite clearance time after treatment. In Mali, though mutations in the K13 gene associated with delayed clearance in Asia are absent, a significant difference in parasite clearance time following treatment with artesunate was observed between two malaria endemic sites, Bougoula-Hameau and Faladje. Hypothetically, differences in complexity of Plasmodium falciparum infections may be accounted for this difference. Hence, the aims of this study were to assess the complexity of infection (COI) and genetic diversity of P. falciparum parasites during malaria treatment in Bougoula-Hameau and Faladje in Mali. Methods Thirty (30) patients per village were randomly selected from 221 patients enrolled in a prospective artesunate monotherapy study conducted in Faladje and Bougoula-Hameau in 2016. All parasitemic blood samples of patients from enrollment to last positive slide were retained to assess malaria parasite COI and polymorphisms. DNA were extracted with a Qiagen kit and Pfcsp and Pfama1 encoding gene were amplified by nested PCR and sequenced using the Illumina platform. The parasite clearance time (PCT) was determined using the parasite clearance estimator of Worldwide Antimarial Resistance Network (WWARN). Data were analyzed with R®. Results The median number of genetically distinct parasite clones was similar at enrollment, 7 (IQR of 5-9) in Faladje and 6 (IQR of 4-10) in Bougoula-Hameau (p-value = 0.1). On the first day after treatment initiation, the COI was higher in Faladje (6; CI:4-8) than in Bougoula-Hameau (4; CI:4-6) with a p-value =0. 02. Overall, COI was high with higher PCT. Finally, there was a low genetic diversity between Faladje and Bougoula-Hameau. Conclusion This study demonstrated that the difference in PCT observed between the two villages could be due to differences in the complexity of infection of these two villages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sekou Sissoko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Aminatou Kone
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Antoine Dara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Mary Aigbiremo Oboh
- Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical
| | - Bakary Fofana
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Cheick O Sangare
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Demba Dembele
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Aboubecrine Sedhigh Haidara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Nouhoum Diallo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Sekou Toure
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Kadidia Haidara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Kassim Sanogo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | - Ogobara K Doumbo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
| | | | - Alfred Amambua-Ngwa
- Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical
| | - Abdoulaye A Djimde
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako
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Singh K, Tripathi RP. Carbohydrate derivatives fight against malaria parasite as anti-plasmodial agents. Carbohydr Res 2023; 531:108887. [PMID: 37399772 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2023.108887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, a prevalent fatal disease around the world is caused by Plasmodium sp. and is transmitted by the bite of female Anopheles mosquito. It is leading cause of death in this century among most infectious diseases. Drug resistance was reported for almost every front-line drug against the deadliest species of the malarial parasite, i.e., Plasmodium falciparum. In the evolutionary arms race between parasite and existing arsenals of drugs new molecules having novel mechanism of action is urgently needed to overcome the drug resistance. In this review, we have discussed the importance of carbohydrate derivatives of different class of compounds as possible antimalarials with emphasis on mode of action, rational design, and SAR with improved efficacy. Carbohydrate-protein interactions are increasingly important for medicinal chemists and chemical biologists to understand the pathogenicity of the parasite. Less is known about the carbohydrate-protein interactions and pathogenicity in the Plasmodium parasite. With the increased knowledge on protein-sugar interaction and glycomics of Plasmodium parasites, carbohydrate derivatives can surpass the existing biochemical pathways responsible for drug resistance. The new candidates with novel mode of action will prove to be a potent antimalarial drug candidate without any parasitic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartikey Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, United States.
| | - Rama Pati Tripathi
- CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Fonte M, Fontinha D, Moita D, Caño-Prades O, Avalos-Padilla Y, Fernàndez-Busquets X, Prudêncio M, Gomes P, Teixeira C. New 4-(N-cinnamoylbutyl)aminoacridines as potential multi-stage antiplasmodial leads. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115575. [PMID: 37390511 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
A novel family of 4-aminoacridine derivatives was obtained by linking this heteroaromatic core to different trans-cinnamic acids. The 4-(N-cinnamoylbutyl)aminoacridines obtained exhibited in vitro activity in the low- or sub-micromolar range against (i) hepatic stages of Plasmodium berghei, (ii) erythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum, and (iii) early and mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum. The most active compound, having a meta-fluorocinnamoyl group linked to the acridine core, was 20- and 120-fold more potent, respectively, against the hepatic and gametocyte stages of Plasmodium infection than the reference drug, primaquine. Moreover, no cytotoxicity towards mammalian and red blood cells at the concentrations tested was observed for any of the compounds under investigation. These novel conjugates represent promising leads for the development of new multi-target antiplasmodials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Fonte
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Omar Caño-Prades
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yunuen Avalos-Padilla
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Spain; Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; Gyros Protein Technologies Inc., Tucson, AZ, USA
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Dobrescu I, Hammam E, Dziekan JM, Claës A, Halby L, Preiser P, Bozdech Z, Arimondo PB, Scherf A, Nardella F. Plasmodium falciparum Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3 is Stabilized by Quinazoline-Quinoline Bisubstrate Inhibitors. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1257-1266. [PMID: 37216290 PMCID: PMC10262199 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Malaria drug resistance is hampering the fight against the deadliest parasitic disease affecting over 200 million people worldwide. We recently developed quinoline-quinazoline-based inhibitors (as compound 70) as promising new antimalarials. Here, we aimed to investigate their mode of action by using thermal proteome profiling (TPP). The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (EIF3i) subunit I was identified as the main target protein stabilized by compound 70 in Plasmodium falciparum. This protein has never been characterized in malaria parasites. P. falciparum parasite lines were generated expressing either a HA tag or an inducible knockdown of the PfEIF3i gene to further characterize the target protein. PfEIF3i was stabilized in the presence of compound 70 in a cellular thermal shift Western blot assay, pointing that PfEIF3i indeed interacts with quinoline-quinazoline-based inhibitors. In addition, PfEIF3i-inducible knockdown blocks intra-erythrocytic development in the trophozoite stage, indicating that it has a vital function. We show that PfEIF3i is mostly expressed in late intra-erythrocytic stages and localizes in the cytoplasm. Previous mass spectrometry reports show that PfEIF3i is expressed in all parasite life cycle stages. Further studies will explore the potential of PfEIF3i as a target for the design of new antimalarial drugs active all along the life cycle of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Dobrescu
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Elie Hammam
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Jerzy M. Dziekan
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Aurélie Claës
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Ludovic Halby
- Epigenetic
Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry,
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité,
UMR n3523 Chem4Life, CNRS, 28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Peter Preiser
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Paola B. Arimondo
- Epigenetic
Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry,
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité,
UMR n3523 Chem4Life, CNRS, 28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Flore Nardella
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
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Salimo ZM, Barros AL, Adrião AAX, Rodrigues AM, Sartim MA, de Oliveira IS, Pucca MB, Baia-da-Silva DC, Monteiro WM, de Melo GC, Koolen HHF. Toxins from Animal Venoms as a Potential Source of Antimalarials: A Comprehensive Review. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:375. [PMID: 37368676 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15060375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium spp. and it is mainly transmitted to humans by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. Malaria is an important global public health problem due to its high rates of morbidity and mortality. At present, drug therapies and vector control with insecticides are respectively the most commonly used methods for the treatment and control of malaria. However, several studies have shown the resistance of Plasmodium to drugs that are recommended for the treatment of malaria. In view of this, it is necessary to carry out studies to discover new antimalarial molecules as lead compounds for the development of new medicines. In this sense, in the last few decades, animal venoms have attracted attention as a potential source for new antimalarial molecules. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize animal venom toxins with antimalarial activity found in the literature. From this research, 50 isolated substances, 4 venom fractions and 7 venom extracts from animals such as anurans, spiders, scorpions, snakes, and bees were identified. These toxins act as inhibitors at different key points in the biological cycle of Plasmodium and may be important in the context of the resistance of Plasmodium to currently available antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeca M Salimo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - André L Barros
- Setor de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
| | - Asenate A X Adrião
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - Aline M Rodrigues
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
| | - Marco A Sartim
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
| | - Isadora S de Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências BioMoleculares, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Manuela B Pucca
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Boa Vista 69317-810, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Roraima, Boa Vista 69317-810, Brazil
| | - Djane C Baia-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus 69058-030, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manaus 69057-070, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus 69080-900, Brazil
| | - Wuelton M Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
| | - Gisely C de Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
| | - Hector H F Koolen
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69040-000, Brazil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Metabolômica e Espectrometria de Massas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia-Rede BIONORTE, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus 69065-001, Brazil
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Tadele G, Jawara A, Oboh M, Oriero E, Dugassa S, Amambua-Ngwa A, Golassa L. Clinical isolates of uncomplicated falciparum malaria from high and low malaria transmission areas show distinct pfcrt and pfmdr1 polymorphisms in western Ethiopia. Malar J 2023; 22:171. [PMID: 37270589 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04602-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pfcrt gene has been associated with chloroquine resistance and the pfmdr1 gene can alter malaria parasite susceptibility to lumefantrine, mefloquine, and chloroquine. In the absence of chloroquine (CQ) and extensive use of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) from 2004 to 2020 to treat uncomplicated falciparum malaria, pfcrt haplotype, and pfmdr1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined in two sites of West Ethiopia with a gradient of malaria transmission. METHODS 230 microscopically confirmed P. falciparum isolates were collected from Assosa (high transmission area) and Gida Ayana (low transmission area) sites, of which 225 of them tested positive by PCR. High-Resolution Melting Assay (HRM) was used to determine the prevalence of pfcrt haplotypes and pfmdr1 SNPs. Furthermore, the pfmdr1 gene copy number (CNV) was determined using real-time PCR. A P-value of less or equal to 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS Of the 225 samples, 95.5%, 94.4%, 86.7%, 91.1%, and 94.2% were successfully genotyped with HRM for pfcrt haplotype, pfmdr1-86, pfmdr1-184, pfmdr1-1042 and pfmdr1-1246, respectively. The mutant pfcrt haplotypes were detected among 33.5% (52/155) and 80% (48/60) of isolates collected from the Assosa and Gida Ayana sites, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum with chloroquine-resistant haplotypes was more prevalent in the Gida Ayana area compared with the Assosa area (COR = 8.4, P = 0.00). Pfmdr1-N86Y wild type and 184F mutations were found in 79.8% (166/208) and 73.4% (146/199) samples, respectively. No single mutation was observed at the pfmdr1-1042 locus; however, 89.6% (190/212) of parasites in West Ethiopia carry the wild-type D1246Y variants. Eight pfmdr1 haplotypes at codons N86Y-Y184F-D1246Y were identified with the dominant NFD 61% (122/200). There was no difference in the distribution of pfmdr1 SNPs, haplotypes, and CNV between the two study sites (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Plasmodium falciparum with the pfcrt wild-type haplotype was prevalent in high malaria transmission site than in low transmission area. The NFD haplotype was the predominant haplotype of the N86Y-Y184F-D1246Y. A continuous investigation is needed to closely monitor the changes in the pfmdr1 SNPs, which are associated with the selection of parasite populations by ACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geletta Tadele
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Aminata Jawara
- Medical Research Council Unit the Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Mary Oboh
- Medical Research Council Unit the Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Eniyou Oriero
- Medical Research Council Unit the Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Sisay Dugassa
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Alfred Amambua-Ngwa
- Medical Research Council Unit the Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Lemu Golassa
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Duay SS, Yap RCY, Gaitano AL, Santos JAA, Macalino SJY. Roles of Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulations in Discovering and Understanding Antimalarial Drugs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119289. [PMID: 37298256 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria continues to be a global health threat, with approximately 247 million cases worldwide. Despite therapeutic interventions being available, patient compliance is a problem due to the length of treatment. Moreover, drug-resistant strains have emerged over the years, necessitating urgent identification of novel and more potent treatments. Given that traditional drug discovery often requires a great deal of time and resources, most drug discovery efforts now use computational methods. In silico techniques such as quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) can be used to study protein-ligand interactions and determine the potency and safety profile of a set of candidate compounds to help prioritize those tested using assays and animal models. This paper provides an overview of antimalarial drug discovery and the application of computational methods in identifying candidate inhibitors and elucidating their potential mechanisms of action. We conclude with the continued challenges and future perspectives in the field of antimalarial drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Searle S Duay
- Department of Chemistry, De La Salle University, Manila 0922, Philippines
| | - Rianne Casey Y Yap
- Department of Chemistry, De La Salle University, Manila 0922, Philippines
| | - Arturo L Gaitano
- Chemistry Department, Adamson University, Manila 1000, Philippines
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Previti S, Ettari R, Di Chio C, Legac J, Bogacz M, Zimmer C, Schirmeister T, Rosenthal PJ, Zappalà M. Influence of amino acid size at the P3 position of N-Cbz-tripeptide Michael acceptors targeting falcipain-2 and rhodesain for the treatment of malaria and human african trypanosomiasis. Bioorg Chem 2023; 137:106587. [PMID: 37163812 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, several structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies provided potent inhibitors of the cysteine proteases falcipain-2 (FP-2) and rhodesain (RD) from Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, respectively. Whilst the roles of the warhead and residues targeting the P1 and P2 pockets of the proteases were extensively investigated, the roles of the amino acids occupying the S3 pocket were not widely assessed. Herein we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a set of novel Michael acceptors bearing amino acids of increasing size at the P3 site (1a-g/2a-g, SPR20-SPR33) against FP-2, RD, P. falciparum, and T. brucei. Overall, the Michael acceptors bearing small amino acids at the P3 site exhibited the most potent inhibitory properties towards FP-2. In contrast, analogues with bulky residues at the P3 position were very potent rhodesain inhibitors. In cell based assays, single-digit micromolar EC50 values against the two protozoa were observed. These findings can be a starting point for the development of peptide-based FP-2 and RD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santo Previti
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy.
| | - Roberta Ettari
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Carla Di Chio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Jenny Legac
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States
| | - Marta Bogacz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry & Macromolecular Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Collin Zimmer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Philip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, United States
| | - Maria Zappalà
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
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Nair SC, Munro JT, Mann A, Llinás M, Prigge ST. The mitochondrion of Plasmodium falciparum is required for cellular acetyl-CoA metabolism and protein acetylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2210929120. [PMID: 37068227 PMCID: PMC10151609 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210929120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis is an excellent target for antimalarial intervention. While most studies have focused on the use of CoA to produce acetyl-CoA in the apicoplast and the cytosol of malaria parasites, mitochondrial acetyl-CoA production is less well understood. In the current study, we performed metabolite-labeling experiments to measure endogenous metabolites in Plasmodium falciparum lines with genetic deletions affecting mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity. Our results show that the mitochondrion is required for cellular acetyl-CoA biosynthesis and identify a synthetic lethal relationship between the two main ketoacid dehydrogenase enzymes. The activity of these enzymes is dependent on the lipoate attachment enzyme LipL2, which is essential for parasite survival solely based on its role in supporting acetyl-CoA metabolism. We also find that acetyl-CoA produced in the mitochondrion is essential for the acetylation of histones and other proteins outside of the mitochondrion. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the mitochondrion is required for cellular acetyl-CoA metabolism and protein acetylation essential for parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sethu C. Nair
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| | - Justin T. Munro
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
- Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
| | - Alexis Mann
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| | - Manuel Llinás
- Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
- Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
| | - Sean T. Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
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Deshmukh R. Exploring the potential of antimalarial nanocarriers as a novel therapeutic approach. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 122:108497. [PMID: 37149980 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease that affects millions of people worldwide, especially in developing countries. Despite advances in conventional therapies, drug resistance in malaria parasites has become a significant concern. Hence, there is a need for a new therapeutic approach. To combat the disease effectively means eliminating vectors and discovering potent treatments. The nanotechnology research efforts in nanomedicine show promise by exploring the potential use of nanomaterials that can surmount these limitations occurring with antimalarial drugs, which include multidrug resistance or lack of specificity when targeting parasites directly. Utilizing nanomaterials would possess unique advantages over conventional chemotherapy systems by increasing the efficacy levels while reducing side effects significantly by delivering medications precisely within the diseased area. It also provides cheap yet safe measures against Malaria infections worldwide-ultimately improving treatment efficiency holistically without reinventing new methods therapeutically. This review is an effort to provide an overview of the various stages of malaria parasites, pathogenesis, and conventional therapies, as well as the treatment gap existing with available formulations. It explores different types of nanocarriers, such as liposomes, ethosomal cataplasm, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, polymeric nanocarriers, and metallic nanoparticles, which are frequently employed to boost the efficiency of antimalarial drugs to overcome the challenges and develop effective and safe therapies. The study also highlights the improved pharmacokinetics, enhanced drug bioavailability, and reduced toxicity associated with nanocarriers, making them a promising therapeutic approach for treating malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohitas Deshmukh
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, 281406, India.
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Kale S, Uplekar SM, Bandyopadhyay N, Rao PN, Ali SZ, Sharma S, Tandel N, Patel A, Singh R, Dank A, Ravishankaran S, Lakshmi Priya GS, Asokan A, Eapen A, Singh OP, Carlton JM, Mallick PK. Antimalarial Drug Resistance Profiling of Plasmodium falciparum Infections in India Using Next-Generation Sequencing. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.08.23288321. [PMID: 37066213 PMCID: PMC10104178 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.08.23288321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Background Tracking the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance has become critical to sustaining progress towards the control and eventual elimination of malaria in South Asia, especially India. Methods An amplicon sequencing protocol was used for high-throughput molecular surveillance of antimalarial drug resistance in a total of 158 isolates at three sites in India: Chennai, Nadiad and Rourkela. Five genes of the Plasmodium falciparum implicated in antimalarial resistance were investigated here; Pfcrt for chloroquine resistance, Pfdhfr for pyrimethamine resistance, Pfdhps for sulfadoxine resistance, Pfk13 for artemisinin resistance and Pfmdr1 for resistance to multiple antimalarials. Results Mutations in the propeller domain of PfK13 were observed in two samples only, however these mutations are not validated for artemisinin resistance. A high proportion of parasites from the P. falciparum dominant site Rourkela showed wild-type Pfcrt and Pfdhfr haplotypes, while mutant Pfcrt and Pfdhfr haplotypes were fixed at the P. vivax dominant sites Chennai and Nadiad. The wild-type PfDHPS haplotype was predominant across all study sites. Finally, we observed the largest proportion of suspected multi-clonal infections at Rourkela, which has the highest transmission of P. falciparum among our study sites. Conclusion This is the first simultaneous high-throughput next generation sequencing of five complete P. falciparum genes from infected patients in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal Kale
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Swapna M. Uplekar
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nabamita Bandyopadhyay
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| | - Pavitra N. Rao
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Syed Z. Ali
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Sector 1 Health Center, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - S.K. Sharma
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Sector 1 Health Center, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Nikunj Tandel
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Civil Hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat, India
| | - Ankita Patel
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Civil Hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat, India
| | - Ranvir Singh
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Civil Hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat, India
| | - Aaron Dank
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Civil Hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat, India
| | - Sangamithra Ravishankaran
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology Campus, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - G Sri Lakshmi Priya
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology Campus, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Aswin Asokan
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology Campus, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Alex Eapen
- National Institute of Malaria Research Field Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology Campus, Ayapakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Om. P. Singh
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| | - Jane M. Carlton
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Prashant K. Mallick
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
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Patra J, Rana D, Arora S, Pal M, Mahindroo N. Falcipains: Biochemistry, target validation and structure-activity relationship studies of inhibitors as antimalarials. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115299. [PMID: 36996716 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a tropical disease with significant morbidity and mortality burden caused by Plasmodium species in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. Pathogenic Plasmodium species have lately become increasingly resistant to approved chemotherapeutics and combination therapies. Therefore, there is an emergent need for identifying new druggable targets and novel chemical classes against the parasite. Falcipains, cysteine proteases required for heme metabolism in the erythrocytic stage, have emerged as promising drug targets against Plasmodium species that infect humans. This perspective discusses the biology, biochemistry, structural features, and genetics of falcipains. The efforts to identify selective or dual inhibitors and their structure-activity relationships are reviewed to give a perspective on the design of novel compounds targeting falcipains for antimalarial activity evaluating reasons for hits and misses for this important target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeevan Patra
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Devika Rana
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Bajhol, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Smriti Arora
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Mintu Pal
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, Punjab, 151001, India
| | - Neeraj Mahindroo
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India; School of Health Sciences and Technology, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, 124 Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra, 411038, India.
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63
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Kouriba B, Arama C, Ouologuem DT, Cissoko Y, Diakite M, Beavogui AH, Wele M, Tekete M, Fofana B, Dama S, Maiga H, Kone A, Niangaly A, Diarra I, Daou M, Guindo A, Traore K, Coulibaly D, Kone AK, Dicko A, Clark TG, Doumbo OK, Djimde A. IFNγ, TNFα polymorphisms and IFNγ serum levels are associated with the clearance of drug-resistant P. falciparum in Malian children. Cytokine 2023; 164:156137. [PMID: 36773528 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Host immunity has been suggested to clear drug-resistant parasites in malaria-endemic settings. However, the immunogenetic mechanisms involved in parasite clearance are poorly understood. Characterizing the host's immunity and genes involved in controlling the parasitic infection can inform the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines. This study investigates host regulatory cytokines and immunogenomic factors associated with the clearance of Plasmodium falciparum carrying a chloroquine resistance genotype. Biological samples from participants of previous drug efficacy trials conducted in two Malian localities were retrieved. The P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) gene was genotyped using parasite DNA. Children carrying parasites with the mutant allele (Pfcrt-76T) were classified based on their ability to clear their parasites. The levels of the different cytokines were measured in serum. The polymorphisms of specific human genes involved in malaria susceptibility were genotyped using human DNA. The prevalence of the Pfcrt-76T was significantly higher in Kolle than in Bandiagara (81.6 % vs 38.6 %, p < 10-6). The prevalence of children who cleared their mutant parasites was significantly higher in Bandiagara than in Kolle (82.2 % vs 67.4 %, p < 0.05). The genotyping of host genes revealed that IFN-γ -874 T and TNF-α -308A alleles were positively associated with parasite clearance. Cytokine profiling revealed that IFN-γ level was positively associated with parasite clearance (p = 0.04). This study highlights the role of host's immunity and immunogenetic factors to clear resistant parasites, suggesting further characterization of these polymorphisms may help to develop novel approaches to antiparasitic treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bourema Kouriba
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali; Centre d'Infectiologie Charles Mérieux-Mali, Mali.
| | - Charles Arama
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Dinkorma T Ouologuem
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Yacouba Cissoko
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Point G Teaching Hospital, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mahamadou Diakite
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoul Habib Beavogui
- Maferinyah National Training and Research Center in Rural Health, Forecariah, Guinea
| | - Mamadou Wele
- Institute of Applied Sciences, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mamadou Tekete
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Bakary Fofana
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Souleymane Dama
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Hamma Maiga
- Institut National de Santé Publique, Bamako, Mali
| | - Aminatou Kone
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Amadou Niangaly
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Issa Diarra
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Modibo Daou
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Ando Guindo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Karim Traore
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Drissa Coulibaly
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye K Kone
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Alassane Dicko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Taane G Clark
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St., London WC1E 7HT, UK; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Ogobara K Doumbo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye Djimde
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali.
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James S, Santos M. The Promise and Challenge of Genetic Biocontrol Approaches for Malaria Elimination. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:201. [PMID: 37104327 PMCID: PMC10140850 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains an ongoing public health challenge, with over 600,000 deaths in 2021, of which approximately 96% occurred in Africa. Despite concerted efforts, the goal of global malaria elimination has stalled in recent years. This has resulted in widespread calls for new control methods. Genetic biocontrol approaches, including those focused on gene-drive-modified mosquitoes (GDMMs), aim to prevent malaria transmission by either reducing the population size of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes or making the mosquitoes less competent to transmit the malaria parasite. The development of both strategies has advanced considerably in recent years, with successful field trials of several biocontrol methods employing live mosquito products and demonstration of the efficacy of GDMMs in insectary-based studies. Live mosquito biocontrol products aim to achieve area-wide control with characteristics that differ substantially from current insecticide-based vector control methods, resulting in some different considerations for approval and implementation. The successful field application of current biocontrol technologies against other pests provides evidence for the promise of these approaches and insights into the development pathway for new malaria control agents. The status of technical development as well as current thinking on the implementation requirements for genetic biocontrol approaches are reviewed, and remaining challenges for public health application in malaria prevention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie James
- Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, North Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
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Wang C, Yu L, Zhang J, Zhou Y, Sun B, Xiao Q, Zhang M, Liu H, Li J, Li J, Luo Y, Xu J, Lian Z, Lin J, Wang X, Zhang P, Guo L, Ren R, Deng D. Structural basis of the substrate recognition and inhibition mechanism of Plasmodium falciparum nucleoside transporter PfENT1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1727. [PMID: 36977719 PMCID: PMC10050424 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37411-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
By lacking de novo purine biosynthesis enzymes, Plasmodium falciparum requires purine nucleoside uptake from host cells. The indispensable nucleoside transporter ENT1 of P. falciparum facilitates nucleoside uptake in the asexual blood stage. Specific inhibitors of PfENT1 prevent the proliferation of P. falciparum at submicromolar concentrations. However, the substrate recognition and inhibitory mechanism of PfENT1 are still elusive. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of PfENT1 in apo, inosine-bound, and inhibitor-bound states. Together with in vitro binding and uptake assays, we identify that inosine is the primary substrate of PfENT1 and that the inosine-binding site is located in the central cavity of PfENT1. The endofacial inhibitor GSK4 occupies the orthosteric site of PfENT1 and explores the allosteric site to block the conformational change of PfENT1. Furthermore, we propose a general "rocker switch" alternating access cycle for ENT transporters. Understanding the substrate recognition and inhibitory mechanisms of PfENT1 will greatly facilitate future efforts in the rational design of antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Leiye Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Warshal Institute of Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518172, China
| | - Jiying Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yanxia Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bo Sun
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qingjie Xiao
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Minhua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huayi Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jinhong Li
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jialu Li
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yunzi Luo
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of MOE, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhong Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jingwen Lin
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Li Guo
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Ruobing Ren
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
- Shanghai Qi Zhi Institute, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Dong Deng
- Department of Obstetrics, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children of MOE, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- NHC key Laboratory of Chronobiology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Development and Related Diseases of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Chaorattanakawee S, Kosaisavee V, Bunsermyos W, Aonsri C, Imaram W, Suwannasin K, Kunasol C, Thamnurak C, Boonyalai N, Saunders D, Dondorp AM, Mungthin M, Imwong M. In vitro activity of rhinacanthin analogues against drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Northeast Thailand. Malar J 2023; 22:105. [PMID: 36959593 PMCID: PMC10035203 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04532-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New anti-malarial drugs are needed urgently to address the increasing challenges of drug-resistant falciparum malaria. Two rhinacanthin analogues containing a naphthoquinone moiety resembling atovaquone showed promising in-vitro activity against a P. falciparum laboratory reference strain (K1). The anti-malarial activity of these 2 compounds was further evaluated for P. falciparum field isolates from an area of multi-drug resistance in Northeast Thailand. METHODS Using a pLDH enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, four P. falciparum isolates from Northeast Thailand in 2018 were tested for in vitro sensitivity to the two synthetic rhinacanthin analogues 1 and 2 as well as established anti-malarials. Mutations in the P. falciparum cytochrome b gene, a marker for atovaquone (ATQ) resistance, were genotyped in all four field isolates as well as 100 other clinical isolates from the same area using PCR-artificial Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms. Pfkelch13 mutations, a marker for artemisinin (ART) resistance, were also examined in all isolates. RESULTS The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of P. falciparum field isolates for rhinacanthin analogue 1 was 321.9-791.1 nM (median = 403.1 nM). Parasites were more sensitive to analogue 2: IC50 48.6-63.3 nM (median = 52.2 nM). Similar results were obtained against P. falciparum reference laboratory strains 3D7 and W2. The ART-resistant IPC-5202 laboratory strain was more sensitive to these compounds with a median IC50 45.9 and 3.3 nM for rhinacanthin analogues 1 and 2, respectively. The ATQ-resistant C2B laboratory strain showed high-grade resistance towards both compounds (IC50 > 15,000 nM), and there was a strong positive correlation between the IC50 values for these compounds and ATQ (r = 0.83-0.97, P < 0.001). There were no P. falciparum cytochrome b mutations observed in the field isolates, indicating that P. falciparum isolates from this area remained ATQ-sensitive. Pfkelch13 mutations and the ring-stage survival assay confirmed that most isolates were resistant to ART. CONCLUSIONS Two rhinacanthin analogues showed parasiticidal activity against multi-drug resistant P. falciparum isolates, although less potent than ATQ. Rhinacanthin analogue 2 was more potent than analogue 1, and can be a lead compound for further optimization as an anti-malarial in areas with multidrug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwanna Chaorattanakawee
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Varakorn Kosaisavee
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Watanyu Bunsermyos
- Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chaiyawat Aonsri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Witcha Imaram
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanokon Suwannasin
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chanon Kunasol
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chatchadaporn Thamnurak
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nonlawat Boonyalai
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Science (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - David Saunders
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- 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, UK
| | - Mathirut Mungthin
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, 317 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Song X, Cheng W, Zhu H, Li Y, Li J. Additive Therapy of Plasmodium berghei-Induced Experimental Cerebral Malaria via Dihydroartemisinin Combined with Rapamycin and Atorvastatin. Microbiol Spectr 2023:e0231722. [PMID: 36946739 PMCID: PMC10101104 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02317-22] [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: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral malaria (CM), caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is the primary cause of death from severe malaria. Even after immediate parenteral therapy with antimalarial drugs, the mortality rate remains 15 to 25%. Currently, no effective therapeutic agents are available for the radical treatment of CM. Thus, further in-depth explorations of adjuvant therapies in combination with antimalarial drugs are urgently needed. The experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) model was established by infecting C57BL/6 mice with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. Subsequently, infected mice were continuously treated with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) in combination with rapamycin (RAP) and atorvastatin (AVA) for 5 days at different time points, including day 0, day 3, and day 6 postinfection (p.i.). Treatment efficacy was evaluated by comparing behavioral scores, body weight, parasitemia, survival rate, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, and histopathology. The optimal combination therapy of DHA, RAP, and AVA on day 3 p.i. was selected for ECM. This strategy significantly improved survival rate, reduced parasitemia, improved the rapid murine coma and behavioral scale scores and permeability of the BBB, attenuated cerebrovascular and hepatic central venous obstruction and hemozoin deposition in the liver, and decreased the red pulp area of the spleen, which effectively ameliorated neurological damage in ECM. It also improved histopathology and neurological damage caused by ECM. In this study, the optimal therapeutic strategy for ECM was selected, which is expected to be a potential therapy for human CM. IMPORTANCE Although artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have greatly improved the clinical outcome of cerebral malaria (CM) as a fatal disease that can permanently disable a significant proportion of children even if they survive, new treatment options are needed as Plasmodium falciparum develops resistance to antimalarial drugs. Recent reports suggest that basal treatment with artemisinin derivatives often fails to protect against cell death, neurological damage, and cognitive deficits. In this study, the combination of dihydroartemisinin with rapamycin and atorvastatin improved the current antimalarial outcomes by overcoming the limitations of current antimalarials for CM morbidity and neurological sequelae. This combination offers a new adjunctive treatment for the clinical treatment of human CM in susceptible populations, including children under 5 years old and pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Song
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Weijia Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Huiyin Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Yuting Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Jian Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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Maniga JN, Samuel M, John O, Rael M, Muchiri JN, Bwogo P, Martin O, Sankarapandian V, Wilberforce M, Albert O, Onkoba SK, Adebayo IA, Adeyemo RO, Akinola SA. Novel Plasmodium falciparum k13 gene polymorphisms from Kisii County, Kenya during an era of artemisinin-based combination therapy deployment. Malar J 2023; 22:87. [PMID: 36894982 PMCID: PMC9996564 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04517-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, chemotherapy stands out as the major malaria intervention strategy, however, anti-malarial resistance may hamper global elimination programs. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) stands as the drug of choice for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Plasmodium falciparum kelch13 gene mutations are associated with artemisinin resistance. Thus, this study was aimed at evaluating the circulation of P. falciparum k13 gene polymorphisms from Kisii County, Kenya during an era of ACT deployment. METHODS Participants suspected to have malaria were recruited. Plasmodium falciparum was confirmed using the microscopy method. Malaria-positive patients were treated with artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Blood from participants who tested positive for parasites after day 3 was kept on filter papers. DNA was extracted using chelex-suspension method. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted and the second-round products were sequenced using the Sanger method. Sequenced products were analysed using DNAsp 5.10.01 software and then blasted on the NCBI for k13 propeller gene sequence identity using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). To assess the selection pressure in P. falciparum parasite population, Tajima' D statistic and Fu & Li's D test in DnaSP software 5.10.01 was used. RESULTS Out of 275 enrolled participants, 231 completed the follow-up schedule. 13 (5.6%) had parasites on day 28 hence characterized for recrudescence. Out of the 13 samples suspected of recrudescence, 5 (38%) samples were positively amplified as P. falciparum, with polymorphisms in the k13-propeller gene detected. Polymorphisms detected in this study includes R539T, N458T, R561H, N431S and A671V, respectively. The sequences have been deposited in NCBI with bio-project number PRJNA885380 and accession numbers SAMN31087434, SAMN31087433, SAMN31087432, SAMN31087431 and SAMN31087430 respectively. CONCLUSIONS WHO validated polymorphisms in the k13-propeller gene previously reported to be associated with ACT resistance were not detected in the P. falciparum isolates from Kisii County, Kenya. However, some previously reported un-validated k13 resistant single nucleotide polymorphisms were reported in this study but with limited occurrences. The study has also reported new SNPs. More studies need to be carried out in the entire country to understand the association of reported mutations if any, with ACT resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephat Nyabayo Maniga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.
| | | | - Odda John
- School of Pharmacy, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, King Caesor University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Masai Rael
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya
| | | | - Pacifica Bwogo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kisii University, Kisii, Kenya
| | - Odoki Martin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, King Ceasor University, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Applied Sciences, School of Sciences, Nkumba University, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Vidya Sankarapandian
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda
| | - Mfitundinda Wilberforce
- School of Pharmacy, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, King Caesor University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ochweri Albert
- School of Pharmacy, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda
| | - Sarah Kemuma Onkoba
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Kampala International University Western Campus, Bushenyi, Uganda
| | - Ismail Abiola Adebayo
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Rasheed Omotayo Adeyemo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Saheed Adekunle Akinola
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
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Recent approaches in the drug research and development of novel antimalarial drugs with new targets. ACTA PHARMACEUTICA (ZAGREB, CROATIA) 2023; 73:1-27. [PMID: 36692468 DOI: 10.2478/acph-2023-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a serious worldwide medical issue that results in substantial annual death and morbidity. The availability of treatment alternatives is limited, and the rise of resistant parasite types has posed a significant challenge to malaria treatment. To prevent a public health disaster, novel antimalarial agents with single-dosage therapies, extensive curative capability, and new mechanisms are urgently needed. There are several approaches to developing antimalarial drugs, ranging from alterations of current drugs to the creation of new compounds with specific targeting abilities. The availability of multiple genomic techniques, as well as recent advancements in parasite biology, provides a varied collection of possible targets for the development of novel treatments. A number of promising pharmacological interference targets have been uncovered in modern times. As a result, our review concentrates on the most current scientific and technical progress in the innovation of new antimalarial medications. The protein kinases, choline transport inhibitors, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors, isoprenoid biosynthesis inhibitors, and enzymes involved in the metabolism of lipids and replication of deoxyribonucleic acid, are among the most fascinating antimalarial target proteins presently being investigated. The new cellular targets and drugs which can inhibit malaria and their development techniques are summarised in this study.
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70
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Lusardi M, Basilico N, Rotolo C, Parapini S, Spallarossa A. Antimalarial Activity of Tri- and Tetra-Substituted Anilino Pyrazoles. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041712. [PMID: 36838701 PMCID: PMC9964722 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pyrazole core represents a privilege scaffold in medicinal chemistry; a number of pyrazole compounds are endowed with various pharmacological activities in different therapeutic areas including antimalarial treatment. Supported by this evidence, a series of 5-anilino-3-(hetero)arylpyrazoles were evaluated for their antiplasmodial activity in in vitro assays. The compounds were synthesized according to regioselective and versatile protocols that combine active methylene reagents, aryl isothiocyanates and (substituted)hydrazines. The considered derivatives 2 allowed the definition of consistent structure-activity relationships and compounds 2b,e,k,l were identified as the most interesting derivatives of the series showing micromolar IC50 values against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium strains. Additionally, the most active anilino-pyrazoles did not show any cytotoxicity against tumor and normal cells and were predicted to have favorable drug-like and pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Lusardi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Basilico
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche e Odontoiatriche, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Rotolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Parapini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Spallarossa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Entomopathogenic Fungi as a Potential Management Tool for the Control of Urban Malaria Vector, Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae). J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9020223. [PMID: 36836337 PMCID: PMC9966075 DOI: 10.3390/jof9020223] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) is the vector of urban malaria in India and has a significant impact in transmitting infection in cities and towns. Further, WHO has also alarmed its invasive nature as a threat to African countries. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae have been found to be highly effective in controlling vector mosquito populations and therefore could be used in integrated vector control programs. Before employing the entomopathogenic fungi into the control programs, an effective isolate must be selected. Two separate experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Bb5a and Bb-NBAIR) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma4 and Ma-NBAIR) isolates against An. stephensi. Cement and mud panels were treated with fungal conidia with the concentration of 1 × 107 conidia/mL and adult An. stephensi mosquitoes were exposed to the treated panels (24 h after conidia were applied) by conducting WHO cone bioassay tests. The survival of the mosquitoes was monitored daily until the 10th day. In the second experiment, second instar larvae of An. stephensi were treated with fungal (Bb5a, Bb-NBAIR, Ma4 and Ma-NBAIR) conidia and blastospores with the spore concentration of 1 × 107 spores/mL. The survival of larvae was monitored until pupation. All the fungal isolates tested caused mortality in the adult mosquitoes, with varying median survival times. The Bb5a isolate reported lesser median survival times on both cement and mud panels (6 days). The treated mosquitoes showed similar survival rates for each fungal isolate irrespective of the panel type. There was no mortality in the treated larvae; however, a delay in larval development to pupae was observed compared with the untreated control larvae. Ma4-treated larvae took 11 days (95% CI = 10.7-11.2) to become pupae when compared with the untreated control larvae (6 days [95% CI = 5.6-6.3]). The findings of this study will be useful to consider EPF as a tool for the management of vector mosquitoes.
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72
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Quebrachitol from Putranjiva roxburghii Wall. (Putranjivaceae) a potent antimalarial: Pre-clinical efficacy and its interaction with PfLDH. Parasitol Int 2023; 92:102675. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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73
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Guzmán-Mejía F, Godínez-Victoria M, Molotla-Torres DE, Drago-Serrano ME. Lactoferrin as a Component of Pharmaceutical Preparations: An Experimental Focus. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:214. [PMID: 37259362 PMCID: PMC9961256 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactoferrin is an 80 kDa monomeric glycoprotein that exhibits multitask activities. Lactoferrin properties are of interest in the pharmaceutical field for the design of products with therapeutic potential, including nanoparticles and liposomes, among many others. In antimicrobial preparations, lactoferrin has been included either as a main bioactive component or as an enhancer of the activity and potency of first-line antibiotics. In some proposals based on nanoparticles, lactoferrin has been included in delivery systems to transport and protect drugs from enzymatic degradation in the intestine, favoring the bioavailability for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. Moreover, nanoparticles loaded with lactoferrin have been formulated as delivery systems to transport drugs for neurodegenerative diseases, which cannot cross the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system. This manuscript is focused on pharmaceutical products either containing lactoferrin as the bioactive component or formulated with lactoferrin as the carrier considering its interaction with receptors expressed in tissues as targets of drugs delivered via parenteral or mucosal administration. We hope that this manuscript provides insights about the therapeutic possibilities of pharmaceutical Lf preparations with a sustainable approach that contributes to decreasing the resistance of antimicrobials and enhancing the bioavailability of first-line drugs for intestinal chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Guzmán-Mejía
- Unidad Xochimilco, Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México CP 04960, Mexico
| | - Marycarmen Godínez-Victoria
- Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México CP 11340, Mexico
| | - Daniel Efrain Molotla-Torres
- Unidad Xochimilco, Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México CP 04960, Mexico
| | - Maria Elisa Drago-Serrano
- Unidad Xochimilco, Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México CP 04960, Mexico
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74
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Oduselu GO, Afolabi R, Ademuwagun I, Vaughan A, Adebiyi E. Structure-based pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, and molecular dynamics simulation studies for identification of Plasmodium falciparum 5-aminolevulinate synthase inhibitors. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:1022429. [PMID: 36714108 PMCID: PMC9877529 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1022429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (5-ALAS) is an essential enzyme with high selectivity during liver stage development, signifying its potential as a prophylactic antimalarial drug target. The aim of this study was to identify important potential lead compounds which can serve as inhibitors of Pf 5-ALAS using pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, qualitative structural assessment, in silico ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) evaluation and molecular dynamics simulation. The best model of the tertiary structure of Pf 5-ALAS was obtained using MolProbity, while the following databases were explored for the pharmacophore-based virtual screening: CHEMBL, ChemDiv, ChemSpace, MCULE, MCULE-ULTIMATE, MolPort, NCI Open Chemical Repository, LabNetwork and ZINC databases. 2,621 compounds were screened against the modeled Pf 5-ALAS using AutoDock vina. The post-screening analysis was carried out using Discovery Studio while molecular dynamics simulation was performed on the best hits using NAMD-VMD and Galaxy Europe platform. Compound CSMS00081585868 was observed as the best hit with a binding affinity of -9.9 kcal/mol and predicted Ki of 52.10 nM, engaging in seven hydrogen bonds with the target's active site amino acid residues. The in silico ADMET prediction showed that all ten best hits possessed relatively good pharmacokinetic properties. The qualitative structural assessment of the best hit, CSMS00081585868, revealed that the presence of two pyridine scaffolds bearing hydroxy and fluorine groups linked by a pyrrolidine scaffold contributed significantly to its ability to have a strong binding affinity with the receptor. The best hit also showed stability in the active site of Pf 5-ALAS as confirmed from the RMSD obtained during the MD simulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gbolahan O. Oduselu
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Department of Chemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Rufus Afolabi
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Ibitayo Ademuwagun
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Ashley Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Ezekiel Adebiyi
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communications ACE (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Nardella F, Dobrescu I, Hassan H, Rodrigues F, Thiberge S, Mancio-Silva L, Tafit A, Jallet C, Cadet-Daniel V, Goussin S, Lorthiois A, Menon Y, Molinier N, Pechalrieu D, Long C, Sautel F, Matondo M, Duchateau M, Médard G, Witkowski B, Scherf A, Halby L, Arimondo PB. Hemisynthetic alkaloids derived from trilobine are antimalarials with sustained activity in multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. iScience 2023; 26:105940. [PMID: 36718363 PMCID: PMC9883252 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria eradication requires the development of new drugs to combat drug-resistant parasites. We identified bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids isolated from Cocculus hirsutus that are active against Plasmodium falciparum blood stages. Synthesis of a library of 94 hemi-synthetic derivatives allowed to identify compound 84 that kills multi-drug resistant clinical isolates in the nanomolar range (median IC50 ranging from 35 to 88 nM). Chemical optimization led to compound 125 with significantly improved preclinical properties. 125 delays the onset of parasitemia in Plasmodium berghei infected mice and inhibits P. falciparum transmission stages in vitro (culture assays), and in vivo using membrane feeding assay in the Anopheles stephensi vector. Compound 125 also impairs P. falciparum development in sporozoite-infected hepatocytes, in the low micromolar range. Finally, by chemical pull-down strategy, we characterized the parasite interactome with trilobine derivatives, identifying protein partners belonging to metabolic pathways that are not targeted by the actual antimalarial drugs or implicated in drug-resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flore Nardella
- Biology of Host-Parasite Interaction, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Irina Dobrescu
- Biology of Host-Parasite Interaction, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Haitham Hassan
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Fabien Rodrigues
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Sabine Thiberge
- Biology of Host-Parasite Interaction, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France,Center for Production and Infection of Anopheles (CEPIA), Center for Animal Resources and Research, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Liliana Mancio-Silva
- Biology of Host-Parasite Interaction, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Ambre Tafit
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Corinne Jallet
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Véronique Cadet-Daniel
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Goussin
- Center for Production and Infection of Anopheles (CEPIA), Center for Animal Resources and Research, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Audrey Lorthiois
- Center for Production and Infection of Anopheles (CEPIA), Center for Animal Resources and Research, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Yoann Menon
- USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France
| | - Nicolas Molinier
- USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France
| | - Dany Pechalrieu
- USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France
| | - Christophe Long
- USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France
| | - François Sautel
- USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France
| | - Mariette Matondo
- Proteomics Platform, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS USR 2000, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Magalie Duchateau
- Proteomics Platform, Mass Spectrometry for Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS USR 2000, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Médard
- Chair of Proteomics and Bioanalytics, TUM School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Pasteur Institute in Cambodia, Phnom Penh 12201, Cambodia
| | - Artur Scherf
- Biology of Host-Parasite Interaction, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France,Corresponding author
| | - Ludovic Halby
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Paola B. Arimondo
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR n°3523, CNRS, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France,USR CNRS-Pierre Fabre No. 3388 ETaC, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, 3 Avenue Hubert Curien, 31035 Toulouse Cedex 01, France,Corresponding author
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Escala N, Pineda LM, Ng MG, Coronado LM, Spadafora C, del Olmo E. Antiplasmodial activity, structure-activity relationship and studies on the action of novel benzimidazole derivatives. Sci Rep 2023; 13:285. [PMID: 36609676 PMCID: PMC9822940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27351-z] [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: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria cases and deaths keep being excessively high every year. Some inroads gained in the last two decades have been eroded especially due to the surge of resistance to most antimalarials. The search for new molecules that can replace the ones currently in use cannot stop. In this report, the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives guided by structure-activity parameters is presented. Thirty-six molecules obtained are analyzed according to their activity against P. falciparum HB3 strain based on the type of substituent on rings A and B, their electron donor/withdrawing, as well as their dimension/spatial properties. There is a preference for electron donating groups on ring A, such as Me in position 5, or better, 5, 6-diMe. Ring B must be of the pyridine type such as picolinamide, other modifications are generally not favorable. Two molecules, 1 and 33 displayed antiplasmodial activity in the high nanomolar range against the chloroquine sensitive strain, with selectivity indexes above 10. Activity results of 1, 12 and 16 on a chloroquine resistance strain indicated an activity close to chloroquine for compound 1. Analysis of some of their effect on the parasites seem to suggest that 1 and 33 affect only the parasite and use a route other than interference with hemozoin biocrystallization, the route used by chloroquine and most antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Escala
- grid.452531.4Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas: Química Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, CIETUS, IBSAL, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Laura M. Pineda
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Apartado 0816-02852, Panama City, Panama
| | - Michelle G. Ng
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Apartado 0816-02852, Panama City, Panama
| | - Lorena M. Coronado
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Apartado 0816-02852, Panama City, Panama
| | - Carmenza Spadafora
- Center of Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología, City of Knowledge, Clayton, Apartado 0816-02852, Panama City, Panama.
| | - Esther del Olmo
- grid.452531.4Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas: Química Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, CIETUS, IBSAL, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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77
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Mohon AN, Toppings N, Castañeda-Mogollón D, Kamaliddin C, Pillai DR. Ultrasensitive Reverse Transcriptase Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (US-LAMP)-Based Detection of Malaria Infection from Dried Blood Spots. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2621:325-337. [PMID: 37041454 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2950-5_19] [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: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Submicroscopic malaria diagnosis requires highly sensitive tools instead of the conventional microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is more sensitive than RDTs and microscopy, the required capital cost and technical expertise hinder implementation of PCR in low- and middle-income countries. This chapter describes an ultrasensitive reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (US-LAMP) test for malaria with a high sensitivity and specificity, while also being practical to implement in low-complexity laboratory settings. The workflow combines a silica spin column-based total nucleic extraction from dried blood spots (DBS) with US-LAMP amplifying the Plasmodium (Pan-LAMP) target and subsequent identification Plasmodium falciparum (Pf-LAMP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Abu Naser Mohon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Noah Toppings
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Daniel Castañeda-Mogollón
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Claire Kamaliddin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Dylan R Pillai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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78
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Gupta MK, Gouda G, Sultana S, Punekar SM, Vadde R, Ravikiran T. Structure-related relationship: Plant-derived antidiabetic compounds. STUDIES IN NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY 2023:241-295. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-91294-5.00008-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
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79
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Disparate selection of mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase gene (dhfr) of Plasmodium ovale curtisi and P. o. wallikeri in Africa. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010977. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri are both endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Molecular surveillance data for drug resistance in P. ovale spp. is limited at present. We analysed polymorphisms in the podhfr, pocrt and pocytb genes of P. ovale spp. in 147 samples collected from travelers returning to China from Africa. Two podhfr mutations, S58R and S113N/T were detected in P. ovale curtisi with high/moderate frequencies of 52.17% and 17.39%, respectively. Evidence of positive selection (dN/dS = 2.41) was found for podhfr in P. ovale curtisi and decreased diversity (He) of microsatellite markers flanking the mutant alleles suggests that selective sweeps have occurred for both. Mutations E34G (1.50%) and L43V (1.50%) in pocrt of P. ovale curtisi, and E34G (3.70%), I102M (1.80%) and V111F (1.80%) of P. ovale wallikeri were found at low frequencies. Mutations R66K (6.20%), R75K (11.63%) and R95K (3.88%) of pocytb were found in both P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri. These results suggest that the podhfr gene of P. ovale curtisi may be subject to drug selection in Africa, warranting further attention. We observed significant differences in the prevalence and distribution of podhfr mutations between the two P. ovale species, suggestive of fundamental biological differences between them.
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80
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Trinh TTT, Kim YA, Hong H, Le LTT, Jang H, Kim SA, Park H, Kim HS, Yeo SJ. In Vitro Evaluation of Two Novel Antimalarial Derivatives of SKM13: SKM13-MeO and SKM13-F. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2022; 60:401-407. [PMID: 36588416 PMCID: PMC9806497 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2022.60.6.401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Antimalarial drugs play an important role in the control and treatment of malaria, a deadly disease caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium spp. The development of novel antimalarial agents effective against drug-resistant malarial parasites is urgently needed. The novel derivatives, SKM13-MeO and SKM13-F, were designed based on an SKM13 template by replacing the phenyl group with electron-donating (-OMe) or electron-withdrawing groups (-F), respectively, to reverse the electron density. A colorimetric assay was used to quantify cytotoxicity, and in vitro inhibition assays were performed on 3 different blood stages (ring, trophozoite, and schizonts) of P. falciparum 3D7 and the ring/mixed stage of D6 strain after synchronization. The in vitro cytotoxicity analysis showed that 2 new SKM13 derivatives reduced the cytotoxicity of the SKM13 template. SKM13 maintained the IC50 at the ring and trophozoite stages but not at the schizont stage. The IC50 values for both the trophozoite stage of P. falciparum 3D7 and ring/mixed stages of D6 demonstrated that 2 SKM13 derivatives had decreased antimalarial efficacy, particularly for the SKM13-F derivative. SKM13 may be comparably effective in ring and trophozoite, and electron-donating groups (-OMe) may be better maintain the antimalarial activity than electron-withdrawing groups (-F) in SKM13 modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy-Tien Thi Trinh
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Medical Research Center, Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea
| | - Young-ah Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538,
Korea
| | - Hyelee Hong
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea
| | - Linh Thi Thuy Le
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea
| | - Hayoung Jang
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea
| | - Soon-Ai Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538,
Korea
| | - Hyun Park
- Zoonosis Research Center, Department of Infection Biology, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538,
Korea
| | - Hak Sung Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Wonkwang University, Iksan 54538,
Korea,Corresponding authors (; )
| | - Seon-Ju Yeo
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Medical Research Center, Institute of Endemic Diseases, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea,Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080,
Korea,Corresponding authors (; )
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81
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Periferakis A, Periferakis K, Badarau IA, Petran EM, Popa DC, Caruntu A, Costache RS, Scheau C, Caruntu C, Costache DO. Kaempferol: Antimicrobial Properties, Sources, Clinical, and Traditional Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315054. [PMID: 36499380 PMCID: PMC9740324 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids are a category of plant-derived compounds which exhibit a large number of health-related effects. One of the most well-known and studied flavonoids is kaempferol, which can be found in a wide variety of herbs and plant families. Apart from their anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects, kaempferol and its associated compounds also exhibit antibacterial, antifungal, and antiprotozoal activities. The development of drugs and treatment schemes based on these compounds is becoming increasingly important in the face of emerging resistance of numerous pathogens as well as complex molecular interactions between various drug therapies. In addition, many of the kaempferol-containing plants are used in traditional systems all over the world for centuries to treat numerous conditions. Due to its variety of sources and associated compounds, some molecular mechanisms of kaempferol antimicrobial activity are well known while others are still under analysis. This paper thoroughly documents the vegetal and food sources of kaempferol as well as the most recent and significant studies regarding its antimicrobial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Argyrios Periferakis
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Periferakis
- Akadimia of Ancient Greek and Traditional Chinese Medicine, 16675 Athens, Greece
- Pan-Hellenic Organization of Educational Programs (P.O.E.P), 17236 Athens, Greece
- Orasis Acupuncture Institute, 11526 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioana Anca Badarau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Elena Madalina Petran
- Department of Biochemistry, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Toxicology, Grigore Alexandrescu Emergency Children’s Hospital, 011743 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Delia Codruta Popa
- Department of Biochemistry, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Hematology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (D.C.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Ana Caruntu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Simona Costache
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Clinic, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Scheau
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence: (D.C.P.); (C.S.)
| | - Constantin Caruntu
- Department of Physiology, The “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Prof. N.C. Paulescu’ National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 011233 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Daniel Octavian Costache
- Department of Dermatology, ‘Dr. Carol Davila’ Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
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82
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Selection of an Aptamer against the Enzyme 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate Reductoisomerase from Plasmodium falciparum. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14112515. [PMID: 36432706 PMCID: PMC9695703 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112515] [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: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The methyl erythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis is essential for malaria parasites and also for several human pathogenic bacteria, thus representing an interesting target for future antimalarials and antibiotics and for diagnostic strategies. We have developed a DNA aptamer (D10) against Plasmodium falciparum 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR), the second enzyme of this metabolic route. D10 binds in vitro to recombinant DXR from P. falciparum and Escherichia coli, showing at 10 µM a ca. 50% inhibition of the bacterial enzyme. In silico docking analysis indicates that D10 associates with DXR in solvent-exposed regions outside the active center pocket. According to fluorescence confocal microscopy data, this aptamer specifically targets in P. falciparum in vitro cultures the apicoplast organelle where the MEP pathway is localized and is, therefore, a highly specific marker of red blood cells parasitized by Plasmodium vs. naïve erythrocytes. D10 is also selective for the detection of MEP+ bacteria (e.g., E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) vs. those lacking DXR (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis). Based on these results, we discuss the potential of DNA aptamers in the development of ligands that can outcompete the performance of the well-established antibody technology for future therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.
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83
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Ali IM, Kom Tchuenkam PV, Tagomo SS, Hornela M, Moyeh MN, Nfor EN, Nji AM, Fomboh CT, Nana WD, Chedjou Kengne JP, Ngwa Niba PT, Ekoyol GE, Achu DF, Bigoga JD, Mbacham WF. Allelic Frequencies of Mutants of the Plasmodium falciparum, Quinoline and Folate Metabolizing genes in the West Region of Cameroon. Heliyon 2022; 8:e11861. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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84
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Chaves JB, Portugal Tavares de Moraes B, Regina Ferrarini S, Noé da Fonseca F, Silva AR, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF. Potential of nanoformulations in malaria treatment. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:999300. [PMID: 36386185 PMCID: PMC9645116 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.999300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium sp and affects millions of people worldwide. Its clinical form ranges from asymptomatic to potentially fatal and severe. Current treatments include single drugs such as chloroquine, lumefantrine, primaquine, or in combination with artemisinin or its derivatives. Resistance to antimalarial drugs has increased; therefore, there is an urgent need to diversify therapeutic approaches. The disease cycle is influenced by biological, social, and anthropological factors. This longevity and complexity contributes to the records of drug resistance, where further studies and proposals for new therapeutic formulations are needed for successful treatment of malaria. Nanotechnology is promising for drug development. Preclinical formulations with antimalarial agents have shown positive results, but only a few have progressed to clinical phase. Therefore, studies focusing on the development and evaluation of antimalarial formulations should be encouraged because of their enormous therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina Braga Chaves
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bianca Portugal Tavares de Moraes
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stela Regina Ferrarini
- Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology Laboratory, Federal University of Mato Grosso of Sinop Campus—UFMT, Cuiabá, Brazil
| | - Francisco Noé da Fonseca
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Parque Estação Biológica—PqEB, EMBRAPA, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Adriana Ribeiro Silva
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cassiano Felippe Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Immunopharmacology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ—UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Cassiano Felippe Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque,
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85
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Bouzón-Arnáiz I, Avalos-Padilla Y, Biosca A, Caño-Prades O, Román-Álamo L, Valle J, Andreu D, Moita D, Prudêncio M, Arce EM, Muñoz-Torrero D, Fernàndez-Busquets X. The protein aggregation inhibitor YAT2150 has potent antimalarial activity in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro cultures. BMC Biol 2022; 20:197. [PMID: 36271358 PMCID: PMC9587658 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01374-4] [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: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background By 2016, signs of emergence of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs were detected in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Recently, the independent evolution of artemisinin resistance has also been reported in Africa and South America. This alarming scenario calls for the urgent development of new antimalarials with novel modes of action. We investigated the interference with protein aggregation, which is potentially toxic for the cell and occurs abundantly in all Plasmodium stages, as a hitherto unexplored drug target in the pathogen. Results Attempts to exacerbate the P. falciparum proteome’s propensity to aggregation by delivering endogenous aggregative peptides to in vitro cultures of this parasite did not significantly affect their growth. In contrast, protein aggregation inhibitors clearly reduced the pathogen’s viability. One such compound, the bis(styrylpyridinium) salt YAT2150, exhibited potent antiplasmodial activity with an in vitro IC50 of 90 nM for chloroquine- and artemisinin-resistant lines, arresting asexual blood parasites at the trophozoite stage, as well as interfering with the development of both sexual and hepatic forms of Plasmodium. At its IC50, this compound is a powerful inhibitor of the aggregation of the model amyloid β peptide fragment 1-40, and it reduces the amount of aggregated proteins in P. falciparum cultures, suggesting that the underlying antimalarial mechanism consists in a generalized impairment of proteostasis in the pathogen. YAT2150 has an easy, rapid, and inexpensive synthesis, and because it fluoresces when it accumulates in its main localization in the Plasmodium cytosol, it is a theranostic agent. Conclusions Inhibiting protein aggregation in Plasmodium significantly reduces the parasite’s viability in vitro. Since YAT2150 belongs to a novel structural class of antiplasmodials with a mode of action that potentially targets multiple gene products, rapid evolution of resistance to this drug is unlikely to occur, making it a promising compound for the post-artemisinin era. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01374-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Bouzón-Arnáiz
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yunuen Avalos-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Biosca
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Omar Caño-Prades
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Román-Álamo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Valle
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Pompeu Fabra University, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Pompeu Fabra University, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Fac. Medicina Univ. Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Fac. Medicina Univ. Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elsa M Arce
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (CSIC Associated Unit), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego Muñoz-Torrero
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (CSIC Associated Unit), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain. .,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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86
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Genome-wide functional screening of drug-resistance genes in Plasmodium falciparum. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6163. [PMID: 36257944 PMCID: PMC9579134 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33804-w] [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: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The global spread of drug resistance is a major obstacle to the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The identification of drug-resistance genes is an essential step toward solving the problem of drug resistance. Here, we report functional screening as a new approach with which to identify drug-resistance genes in P. falciparum. Specifically, a high-coverage genomic library of a drug-resistant strain is directly generated in a drug-sensitive strain, and the resistance gene is then identified from this library using drug screening. In a pilot experiment using the strain Dd2, the known chloroquine-resistant gene pfcrt is identified using the developed approach, which proves our experimental concept. Furthermore, we identify multidrug-resistant transporter 7 (pfmdr7) as a novel candidate for a mefloquine-resistance gene from a field-isolated parasite; we suggest that its upregulation possibly confers the mefloquine resistance. These results show the usefulness of functional screening as means by which to identify drug-resistance genes.
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87
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Zhao X, Hu Y, Zhao Y, Wang L, Wu Z, Soe MT, Kyaw MP, Cui L, Zhu X, Cao Y. Genetic diversity in the transmission-blocking vaccine candidate Plasmodium vivax gametocyte protein Pvs230 from the China-Myanmar border area and central Myanmar. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:371. [PMID: 36253843 PMCID: PMC9574792 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05523-0] [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: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual stage surface antigens are potential targets of transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). The gametocyte and gamete surface antigen P230, a leading TBV candidate, is critical for red blood cell binding during exflagellation and subsequent oocyst development. Here, the genetic diversity of Pvs230 was studied in Plasmodium vivax parasite isolates from the China-Myanmar border (CMB) and central Myanmar. METHODS Plasmodium vivax isolates were collected in clinics from malaria-endemic areas of the CMB (143 samples) and Myanmar (23 samples). The interspecies variable part (IVP, nucleotides 1-807) and interspecies conserved part (ICP, 808-2862) of Pvs230 were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Molecular evolution studies were conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity, signature of selection, population differentiation, haplotype network, and population structure of the study parasite populations and publicly available Pvs230 sequences from six global P. vivax populations. RESULTS Limited genetic diversity was observed for the CMB (π = 0.002) and Myanmar (π = 0.001) isolates. Most amino acid substitutions were located in the IVP and cysteine-rich domain of Pvs230. Evidence of positive selection was observed for IVP and purifying selection for ICP. Codon-based tests identified specific codons under natural selection in both IVP and ICP. The fixation index (FST) showed low genetic differentiation between East and Southeast Asian populations, with FST ranging from 0.018 to 0.119. The highest FST value (FST = 0.503) was detected between the Turkey and Papua New Guinea populations. A total of 92 haplotypes were identified in global isolates, with the major haplotypes 2 and 9 being the most abundant and circulating in East and Southeast Asia populations. Several detected non-synonymous substitutions were mapped in the predicted structure and B-cell epitopes of Pvs230. CONCLUSIONS We detected low levels of genetic diversity of Pvs230 in global P. vivax populations. Geographically specific haplotypes were identified for Pvs230. Some mutations are located within a potential B-cell epitope region and need to be considered in future TBV designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Yubing Hu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.,Central Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Zifang Wu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Myat Thu Soe
- Myanmar Health Network Organization, Yangon, Myanmar
| | | | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
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88
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Lê HG, Naw H, Kang JM, Võ TC, Myint MK, Htun ZT, Lee J, Yoo WG, Kim TS, Shin HJ, Na BK. Molecular Profiles of Multiple Antimalarial Drug Resistance Markers in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in the Mandalay Region, Myanmar. Microorganisms 2022; 10:2021. [PMID: 36296297 PMCID: PMC9612053 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10102021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emergence and spreading of antimalarial drug resistant malaria parasites are great hurdles to combating malaria. Although approaches to investigate antimalarial drug resistance status in Myanmar malaria parasites have been made, more expanded studies are necessary to understand the nationwide aspect of antimalarial drug resistance. In the present study, molecular epidemiological analysis for antimalarial drug resistance genes in Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax from the Mandalay region of Myanmar was performed. Blood samples were collected from patients infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax in four townships around the Mandalay region, Myanmar in 2015. Partial regions flanking major mutations in 11 antimalarial drug resistance genes, including seven genes (pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr-1, pfcrt, pfk13, pfubp-1, and pfcytb) of P. falciparum and four genes (pvdhfr, pvdhps, pvmdr-1, and pvk12) of P. vivax were amplified, sequenced, and overall mutation patterns in these genes were analyzed. Substantial levels of mutations conferring antimalarial drug resistance were detected in both P. falciparum and P. vivax isolated in Mandalay region of Myanmar. Mutations associated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance were found in pfdhfr, pfdhps, pvdhfr, and pvdhps of Myanmar P. falciparum and P. vivax with very high frequencies up to 90%. High or moderate levels of mutations were detected in genes such as pfmdr-1, pfcrt, and pvmdr-1 associated with chloroquine resistance. Meanwhile, low frequency mutations or none were found in pfk13, pfubp-1, pfcytb, and pvk12 of the parasites. Overall molecular profiles for antimalarial drug resistance genes in malaria parasites in the Mandalay region suggest that parasite populations in the region have substantial levels of mutations conferring antimalarial drug resistance. Continuous monitoring of mutations linked with antimalarial drug resistance is necessary to provide useful information for policymakers to plan for proper antimalarial drug regimens to control and eliminate malaria in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hương Giang Lê
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Haung Naw
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Jung-Mi Kang
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Tuấn Cường Võ
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Moe Kyaw Myint
- Department of Medical Research Pyin Oo Lwin Branch, Pyin Oo Lwin 05062, Myanmar
| | - Zaw Than Htun
- Department of Medical Research Pyin Oo Lwin Branch, Pyin Oo Lwin 05062, Myanmar
| | - Jinyoung Lee
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha Research Institute for Medical Sciences, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon 22212, Korea
| | - Won Gi Yoo
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
| | - Tong-Soo Kim
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Inha Research Institute for Medical Sciences, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon 22212, Korea
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University College of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
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89
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Krombauer GC, Guedes KDS, Banfi FF, Nunes RR, Fonseca ALD, Siqueira EPD, Bellei JCB, Scopel KKG, Varotti FDP, Sanchez BAM. In vitro and in silico assessment of new beta amino ketones with antiplasmodial activity. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2022; 55:e0590. [PMID: 36169491 PMCID: PMC9549944 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0590-2022] [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: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on the current need for new drugs against malaria, our study evaluated eight beta amino ketones in silico and in vitro for potential antimalarial activity. METHODS Using the Brazilian Malaria Molecular Targets (BraMMT) and OCTOPUS® software programs, the pattern of interactions of beta-amino ketones was described against different proteins of P. falciparum and screened to evaluate their physicochemical properties. The in vitro antiplasmodial activities of the compounds were evaluated using a SYBR Green-based assay. In parallel, in vitro cytotoxic data were obtained using the MTT assay. RESULTS Among the eight compounds, compound 1 was the most active and selective against P. falciparum (IC50 = 0.98 µM; SI > 60). Six targets were identified in BraMMT that interact with compounds exhibiting a stronger binding energy than the crystallographic ligand: P. falciparum triophosphate phosphoglycolate complex (1LYX), P. falciparum reductase (2OK8), PfPK7 (2PML), P. falciparum glutaredoxin (4N0Z), PfATP6, and PfHT. CONCLUSIONS The physicochemical properties of compound 1 were compatible with the set of criteria established by the Lipinski rule and demonstrated its potential as a drug prototype for antiplasmodial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Camila Krombauer
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Karla de Sena Guedes
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Felipe Fingir Banfi
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Renata Rachide Nunes
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Amanda Luisa da Fonseca
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Jéssica Côrrea Bezerra Bellei
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Centro de Pesquisas em Parasitologia, Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Kézia Katiani Gorza Scopel
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Centro de Pesquisas em Parasitologia, Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Fernando de Pilla Varotti
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Bruno Antônio Marinho Sanchez
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
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90
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Kumar P, Kumar P, Mandal D, Velayutham R. The emerging role of Deubiquitinases (DUBs) in parasites: A foresight review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:985178. [PMID: 36237424 PMCID: PMC9552668 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.985178] [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: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Before the discovery of the proteasome complex, the lysosomes with acidic proteases and caspases in apoptotic pathways were thought to be the only pathways for the degradation of damaged, unfolded, and aged proteins. However, the discovery of 26S and 20S proteasome complexes in eukaryotes and microbes, respectively, established that the degradation of most proteins is a highly regulated ATP-dependent pathway that is significantly conserved across each domain of life. The proteasome is part of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), where the covalent tagging of a small molecule called ubiquitin (Ub) on the proteins marks its proteasomal degradation. The type and chain length of ubiquitination further determine whether a protein is designated for further roles in multi-cellular processes like DNA repair, trafficking, signal transduction, etc., or whether it will be degraded by the proteasome to recycle the peptides and amino acids. Deubiquitination, on the contrary, is the removal of ubiquitin from its substrate molecule or the conversion of polyubiquitin chains into monoubiquitin as a precursor to ubiquitin. Therefore, deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) can maintain the dynamic state of cellular ubiquitination by releasing conjugated ubiquitin from proteins and controlling many cellular pathways that are essential for their survival. Many DUBs are well characterized in the human system with potential drug targets in different cancers. Although, proteasome complex and UPS of parasites, like plasmodium and leishmania, were recently coined as multi-stage drug targets the role of DUBs is completely unexplored even though structural domains and functions of many of these parasite DUBs are conserved having high similarity even with its eukaryotic counterpart. This review summarizes the identification & characterization of different parasite DUBs based on in silico and a few functional studies among different phylogenetic classes of parasites including Metazoan (Schistosoma, Trichinella), Apicomplexan protozoans (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Eimeria, Cryptosporidium), Kinetoplastidie (Leishmania, Trypanosoma) and Microsporidia (Nosema). The identification of different homologs of parasite DUBs with structurally similar domains with eukaryotes, and the role of these DUBs alone or in combination with the 20S proteosome complex in regulating the parasite survival/death is further elaborated. We propose that small molecules/inhibitors of human DUBs can be potential antiparasitic agents due to their significant structural conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Pawan Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
- *Correspondence: Ravichandiran Velayutham, ; Debabrata Mandal,
| | - Ravichandiran Velayutham
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
- *Correspondence: Ravichandiran Velayutham, ; Debabrata Mandal,
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91
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Kuaprasert B, Chitnumsub P, Leartsakulpanich U, Suginta W, Leelayoova S, Mungthin M, Sitthichot N, Rattanabunyong S, Kiriwan D, Choowongkomon K. Dual role of azo compounds in inhibiting Plasmodium falciparum adenosine deaminase and hemozoin biocrystallization. Exp Parasitol 2022; 243:108384. [PMID: 36154837 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein-ligand (GOLD) docking of the NCI compounds into the ligand-binding site of Plasmodium falciparum adenosine deaminase (PfADA) identified three most active azo compounds containing 4-[(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1H-quinolin-3-yl) moiety. These compounds showed IC50 of 3.7-15.4 μM against PfADA, as well as inhibited the growth of P. falciparum strains 3D7 (chloroquine (CQ)-sensitive) and K1 (CQ-resistant) with IC50 of 1.8-3.1 and 1.7-3.6 μM, respectively. The identified compounds have structures similar to the backbone structure (4-N-(7-chloroquinolin-4-yl)) in CQ, and NSC45545 could mimic CQ by inhibiting the bioformation of hemozoin in parasitic food vacuole. The amount of in situ hemozoin in the ring-stage parasite was determined using a combination of synchrotron transmission Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis. Stretching of the C-O bond of hemozoin propionate group measured at 1220-1210 cm-1 in untreated intraerythrocytic P. falciparum strains 3D7 and K1 was disappeared following treatment with 1.85 and 1.74 μM NSC45545, similar to those treated with 0.02 and 0.13 μM CQ, respectively. These findings indicate a novel dual function of 4-[(4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1H-quinolin-3-yl) azo compounds in inhibiting both PfADA and in situ hemozoin biocrystallization. These lead compounds hold promise for further development of new antimalarial therapeutics that could delay the onset of parasitic drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buabarn Kuaprasert
- Research and Facility Department, Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization), 111 University Avenue, Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima, 30000, Thailand.
| | - Penchit Chitnumsub
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Phahon Yothin Road, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Ubolsree Leartsakulpanich
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Phahon Yothin Road, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Wipa Suginta
- School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering (BSE), Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), 555 Payupnai, Wangchan, Rayong, 21210, Thailand
| | - Saovanee Leelayoova
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, 317 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Mathirut Mungthin
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, 317 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Naruemon Sitthichot
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, 317 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Siriluk Rattanabunyong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Road, Ladyaow, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Duangnapa Kiriwan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Road, Ladyaow, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Kiattawee Choowongkomon
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Road, Ladyaow, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand; Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology for Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries, KU Institute for Advanced Studies, 50 Ngam Wong Wan Road, Ladyaow, Chatuchak, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
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92
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Kaur D, Sinha S, Sehgal R. Global scenario of Plasmodium vivax occurrence and resistance pattern. J Basic Microbiol 2022; 62:1417-1428. [PMID: 36125207 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202200316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is comparatively less virulent than Plasmodium falciparum, which can also lead to severe disease and death. It shows a wide geographical distribution. Chloroquine serves as a drug of choice, with primaquine as a radical cure. However, with the appearance of resistance to chloroquine and treatment has been shifted to artemisinin combination therapy followed by primaquine as a radical cure. Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, mefloquine, and atovaquone-proguanil are other drugs of choice in chloroquine-resistant areas, and later resistance was soon reported for these drugs also. The emergence of drug resistance serves as a major hurdle to controlling and eliminating malaria. The discovery of robust molecular markers and regular surveillance for the presence of mutations in malaria-endemic areas would serve as a helpful tool to combat drug resistance. Here, in this review, we will discuss the endemicity of P. vivax, a historical overview of antimalarial drugs, the appearance of drug resistance and molecular markers with their global distribution along with different measures taken to reduce malaria burden due to P. vivax infection and their resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davinder Kaur
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shweta Sinha
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rakesh Sehgal
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
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93
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Tye MA, Payne NC, Johansson C, Singh K, Santos SA, Fagbami L, Pant A, Sylvester K, Luth MR, Marques S, Whitman M, Mota MM, Winzeler EA, Lukens AK, Derbyshire ER, Oppermann U, Wirth DF, Mazitschek R. Elucidating the path to Plasmodium prolyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors that overcome halofuginone resistance. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4976. [PMID: 36008486 PMCID: PMC9403976 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32630-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of next-generation antimalarials that are efficacious against the human liver and asexual blood stages is recognized as one of the world's most pressing public health challenges. In recent years, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, including prolyl-tRNA synthetase, have emerged as attractive targets for malaria chemotherapy. We describe the development of a single-step biochemical assay for Plasmodium and human prolyl-tRNA synthetases that overcomes critical limitations of existing technologies and enables quantitative inhibitor profiling with high sensitivity and flexibility. Supported by this assay platform and co-crystal structures of representative inhibitor-target complexes, we develop a set of high-affinity prolyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors, including previously elusive aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase triple-site ligands that simultaneously engage all three substrate-binding pockets. Several compounds exhibit potent dual-stage activity against Plasmodium parasites and display good cellular host selectivity. Our data inform the inhibitor requirements to overcome existing resistance mechanisms and establish a path for rational development of prolyl-tRNA synthetase-targeted anti-malarial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Tye
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - N Connor Payne
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catrine Johansson
- Botnar Research Centre, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kritika Singh
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sofia A Santos
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lọla Fagbami
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Akansha Pant
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Madeline R Luth
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sofia Marques
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Malcolm Whitman
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Udo Oppermann
- Botnar Research Centre, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dyann F Wirth
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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94
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Crispim M, Verdaguer IB, Silva SF, Katzin AM. Suitability of methods for Plasmodium falciparum cultivation in atmospheric air. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e210331. [PMID: 35857970 PMCID: PMC9296140 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760210331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most controversial factors about malaria parasite culture is the
gaseous composition used. The most commonly used one consists of a mixture
poor in O2 and rich in CO2. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to share standard methods from our research group
simplifying Plasmodium falciparum cultures by employing
atmospheric air (ATM) and reusable glass bottles under agitation. METHODS Here, it was compared the parasite viability, free oxygen in media, and drug
sensitivity between different strains and isolates maintained for long
periods under ATM or classic conditions. FINDINGS The oxygen concentration in media under ATM was slightly superior to that
observed in human blood and the media under the classic gaseous mixture.
However, ATM or the use of glass bottles did not affect parasitic
proliferation after several years of culture. Noticeably, the introduction
of ATM altered reversibly the efficacy of several antimalarials. This
influence was different between the strains and isolate. CONCLUSIONS ATM conditions and shaken flasks could be used as a standard method
condition for culture manutention since they do not differ greatly from
classical 5% O2 gas mixtures in terms of parasite proliferation
and do not impose non-reversible changes to P. falciparum
physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcell Crispim
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Ignasi Bofill Verdaguer
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Sofia Ferreira Silva
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Alejandro Miguel Katzin
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Abstract
Given the stagnating progress in the fight against malaria, there is an urgent need for area-wide integrated vector management strategies to complement existing intra-domiciliary tools, i.e., insecticide-treated bednets and indoor residual spraying. In this study, we describe a pilot trial using drones for aerial application of Aquatain Mosquito Formulation (AMF), a monomolecular surface film with larvicidal activity, against the African malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensis in an irrigated rice agro-ecosystem in Unguja island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Nine rice paddies were randomly assigned to three treatments: (a) control (drone spraying with water only), (b) drone spraying with 1 mL/m2, or (c) drone spraying with 5 mL/m2 of AMF. Compared to control paddies, AMF treatments resulted in highly significant (p < 0.001) reductions in the number of larvae and pupae and >90% fewer emerging adults. The residual effect of AMF treatment lasted for a minimum of 5 weeks post-treatment, with reductions in larval densities reaching 94.7% in week 5 and 99.4% in week 4 for the 1 and 5 mL/m2 AMF treatments, respectively. These results merit a review of the WHO policy regarding larval source management (LSM), which primarily recommends its use in urban environments with ‘few, fixed, and findable’ breeding sites. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can rapidly treat many permanent, temporary, or transient mosquito breeding sites over large areas at low cost, thereby significantly enhancing the role of LSM in contemporary malaria control and elimination efforts.
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96
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Sangaré I, Ouattara CA, Soma DD, Soma D, Assogba BS, Namountougou M, Tougri G, Savadogo LB. Spatial-temporal pattern of malaria in Burkina Faso from 2013 to 2020. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2022; 18:e00261. [PMID: 35859938 PMCID: PMC9289732 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the implementation of different strategies to fight against malaria in Burkina Faso since 2005, it remains today the leading cause of hospitalization and death. Adapting interventions to the spatial and temporal distribution of malaria could help to reduce this burden. This study aims to determine the structure and stability of malaria hotspots in Burkina Faso, with the objective of adapting interventions at small geographical scales. Data on malaria cases from 2013 to 2020 were acquired at municipalities level. Municipality-wise malaria endemicity levels were mapped through geographical information system (GIS) tools. Spatial statistical analysis using Kulldoff sweeps were carried out to identify malaria hotspots. Then we mapped the monthly malaria risk. Malaria is endemic in all the municipalities of Burkina Faso. However, two stable main spatial clusters (South-Western and Eastern part of the country) are emerging with seasonal reinforcement. Interventions targeting the identified clusters could significantly reduce the incidence of malaria in Burkina Faso. This also prompts for further studies to identify the local determinants of this high transmission for the future success of malaria control.
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Parasite Viability as a Measure of In Vivo Drug Activity in Preclinical and Early Clinical Antimalarial Drug Assessment. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0011422. [PMID: 35727057 PMCID: PMC9295577 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00114-22] [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: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The rate at which parasitemia declines in a host after treatment with an antimalarial drug is a major metric for assessment of antimalarial drug activity in preclinical models and in early clinical trials. However, this metric does not distinguish between viable and nonviable parasites. Thus, enumeration of parasites may result in underestimation of drug activity for some compounds, potentially confounding its use as a metric for assessing antimalarial activity in vivo. Here, we report a study of the effect of artesunate on Plasmodium falciparum viability in humans and in mice. We first measured the drug effect in mice by estimating the decrease in parasite viability after treatment using two independent approaches to estimate viability. We demonstrate that, as previously reported in humans, parasite viability declines much faster after artesunate treatment than does the decline in parasitemia (termed parasite clearance). We also observed that artesunate kills parasites faster at higher concentrations, which is not discernible from the traditional parasite clearance curve and that each subsequent dose of artesunate maintains its killing effect. Furthermore, based on measures of parasite viability, we could accurately predict the in vivo recrudescence of infection. Finally, using pharmacometrics modeling, we show that the apparent differences in the antimalarial activity of artesunate in mice and humans are partly explained by differences in host removal of dead parasites in the two hosts. However, these differences, along with different pharmacokinetic profiles, do not fully account for the differences in activity. (This study has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry under identifier ACTRN12617001394336.)
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98
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High-Throughput Screening Platform To Identify Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis with Potential for the Treatment of Malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0023722. [PMID: 35647647 PMCID: PMC9211397 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00237-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin-based combination therapies have been crucial in driving down the global burden of malaria, the world’s largest parasitic killer. However, their efficacy is now threatened by the emergence of resistance in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop new antimalarials with diverse mechanisms of action. One area of Plasmodium metabolism that has recently proven rich in exploitable antimalarial targets is protein synthesis, with a compound targeting elongation factor 2 now in clinical development and inhibitors of several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in lead optimization. Given the promise of these components of translation as viable drug targets, we rationalized that an assay containing all functional components of translation would be a valuable tool for antimalarial screening and drug discovery. Here, we report the development and validation of an assay platform that enables specific inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum translation (PfIVT) to be identified. The primary assay in this platform monitors the translation of a luciferase reporter in a P. falciparum lysate-based expression system. Hits identified in this primary assay are assessed in a counterscreen assay that enables false positives that directly interfere with the luciferase to be triaged. The remaining hit compounds are then assessed in an equivalent human IVT assay. This platform of assays was used to screen MMV’s Pandemic and Pathogen Box libraries, identifying several selective inhibitors of protein synthesis. We believe this new high-throughput screening platform has the potential to greatly expedite the discovery of antimalarials that act via this highly desirable mechanism of action.
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Assessing the Roles of Molecular Markers of Antimalarial Drug Resistance and the Host Pharmacogenetics in Drug-Resistant Malaria. J Trop Med 2022; 2022:3492696. [PMID: 35620049 PMCID: PMC9129956 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3492696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria caused by the Plasmodium parasites is a major public health concern in malaria-endemic regions with P. falciparum causing the most severe form of the disease. The use of antimalarial drugs for the management of the disease proves to be one of the best methods to manage the disease. Unfortunately, P. falciparum has developed resistance to almost all the current in-use antimalarial drugs. Parasite development of resistance is primarily caused by both parasite and host genetic factors. The parasite genetic factors involve undergoing mutation in the drug target sites or increasing the drug target gene copy number to prevent the intended action of the antimalarial drugs. The host pharmacogenetic factors which determine how a particular antimalarial drug is metabolized could result in variations of drug plasma concentration and consequently contribute to variable treatment outcomes and the emergence or propagation of resistant parasites. Since both host and parasite genomes play a role in antimalarial drug action, a key question often asked is, “which of the two strongly drives or controls antimalarial drug resistance?” A major finding in our recent study published in the Malaria Journal indicates that the parasite's genetic factors rather than the host are likely to energize resistance to an antimalarial drug. However, others have reported contrary findings suggesting that the host genetic factors are the force behind resistance to antimalarial drugs. To bring clarity to these observations, there is the need for deciphering the major driving force behind antimalarial drug resistance through optimized strategies aimed at alleviating the phenomenon. In this direction, literature was systematically reviewed to establish the role and importance of each of the two factors aforementioned in the etiology of drug-resistant malaria. Using Internet search engines such as Pubmed and Google, we looked for terms likely to give the desired information which we herein present. We then went ahead to leverage the obtained information to discuss the globally avid aim of combating antimalarial drug resistance.
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100
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Nkemngo FN, Mugenzi LMJ, Tchouakui M, Nguiffo-Nguete D, Wondji MJ, Mbakam B, Tchoupo M, Ndo C, Wanji S, Wondji CS. Xeno-monitoring of molecular drivers of artemisinin and partner drug resistance in P. falciparum populations in malaria vectors across Cameroon. Gene 2022; 821:146339. [PMID: 35183684 PMCID: PMC8942117 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146339] [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] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
High Plasmodium infection rate in the major Anopheles vectors across Cameroon. Emerging signal of the R575I polymorphism in the k13 propeller domain backbone. Dominance of the N86F184mdr1 variants in natural P. falciparum populations. Low k13 and mdr1 genetic diversity in P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes.
Background Monitoring of drug resistance in Plasmodium populations is crucial for malaria control. This has primarily been performed in humans and rarely in mosquitoes where parasites genetic recombination occurs. Here, we characterized the Plasmodium spp populations in wild Anopheles vectors by analyzing the genetic diversity of the P. falciparum kelch13 and mdr1 gene fragments implicated in artemisinin and partner drug resistance across Cameroon in three major malaria vectors. Methods Anopheles mosquitoes were collected across nine localities in Cameroon and dissected into the head/thorax (H/T) and abdomen (Abd) after species identification. A TaqMan assay was performed to detect Plasmodium infection. Fragments of the Kelch 13 and mdr1 genes were amplified in P. falciparum positive samples and directly sequenced to assess their drug resistance polymorphisms and genetic diversity profile. Results The study revealed a high Plasmodium infection rate in the major Anopheles vectors across Cameroon. Notably, An. funestus vector recorded the highest sporozoite (8.0%) and oocyst (14.4%) infection rates. A high P. falciparum sporozoite rate (80.08%) alongside epidemiological signatures of significant P. malariae (15.9%) circulation were recorded in these vectors. Low genetic diversity with six (A578S, R575I, G450R, L663L, G453D, N458D) and eight (H53H, V62L, V77E, N86Y, G102G, L132I, H143H, Y184F) point mutations were observed in the k13 and mdr1 backbones respectively. Remarkably, the R575I (4.4%) k13 and Y184F (64.2%) mdr1 mutations were the predominant variants in the P. falciparum populations. Conclusion The emerging signal of the R575I polymorphism in the Pfk13 propeller backbone entails the regular surveillance of molecular markers to inform evidence-based policy decisions. Moreover, the high frequency of the 86N184F allele highlights concerns on the plausible decline in efficacy of artemisinin-combination therapies (ACTs); further implying that parasite genotyping from mosquitoes can provide a more relevant scale for quantifying resistance epidemiology in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis N Nkemngo
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
| | - Leon M J Mugenzi
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Magellan Tchouakui
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Daniel Nguiffo-Nguete
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Murielle J Wondji
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom.
| | - Bertrand Mbakam
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Micareme Tchoupo
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Cyrille Ndo
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
| | - Samuel Wanji
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon; Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, Cameroon.
| | - Charles S Wondji
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), P.O. Box 13591, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom.
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