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Kumari D, Jamwal V, Singh A, Singh SK, Mujwar S, Ansari MY, Singh K. Repurposing FDA approved drugs against Sterol C-24 methyltransferase of Leishmania donovani: A dual in silico and in vitro approach. Acta Trop 2024; 258:107338. [PMID: 39084482 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani affecting populations belonging to developing countries. The present study explores drug repurposing as an innovative strategy to identify new uses for approved clinical drugs, reducing the time and cost required for drug discovery. The three-dimensional structure of Leishmania donovani Sterol C-24 methyltransferase (LdSMT) was modeled and 1615 FDA-approved drugs from the ZINC database were computationally screened to identify the potent leads. Fulvestrant, docetaxel, indocyanine green, and iohexol were shortlisted as potential leads with the highest binding affinity and fitness scores for the concerned pathogenic receptor. Molecular dynamic simulation studies showed that the macromolecular complexes of indocyanine green and iohexol with LdSMT remained stable throughout the simulation and can be further evaluated experimentally for developing an effective drug. The proposed leads have further demonstrated promising safety profiles during cytotoxicity analysis on the J774.A1 macrophage cell line. Mechanistic analysis with these two drugs also revealed significant morphological alterations in the parasite, along with reduced intracellular parasitic load. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of drug repurposing in identifying new treatments for leishmaniasis and other diseases affecting developing countries, highlighting the importance of considering approved clinical drugs for new applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Kumari
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Vishwani Jamwal
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Ajeet Singh
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India; Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India
| | - Shashank K Singh
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India; Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India
| | - Somdutt Mujwar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, 140401, Punjab, India
| | - Md Yousuf Ansari
- M.M. College of Pharmacy, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, 133207, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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Sheikh SY, Hassan F, Shukla D, Bala S, Faruqui T, Akhter Y, Khan AR, Nasibullah M. A review on potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Parasitol Int 2024; 100:102863. [PMID: 38272301 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Leishmania, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for the occurrence of leishmaniasis, a disease that is prevalent in tropical regions. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar in Asian countries, is one of the most significant forms of VL, along with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) and Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis (ML). Management of this condition typically entails the use of chemotherapy as the sole therapeutic option. The current treatments for leishmaniasis present several drawbacks, including a multitude of side effects, prolonged treatment duration, disparate efficacy across different regions, and the emergence of resistance. To address this urgent need, it is imperative to identify alternative treatments that are both safer and more effective. The identification of appropriate pharmacological targets in conjunction with biological pathways constitutes the initial stage of drug discovery. In this review, we have addressed the key metabolic pathways that represent potential pharmacological targets as well as prominent treatment options for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabahat Yasmeen Sheikh
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Firoj Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Deepanjali Shukla
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Shashi Bala
- Department of Chemistry, Lucknow University, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Tabrez Faruqui
- Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Yusuf Akhter
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow 226025, India
| | - Abdul Rahman Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Malik Nasibullah
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India.
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Silva AR, Costa AM, Jain S, Severino P, Scher R, Nunes RS, Souto EB, Dolabella SS. 3-Carene-loaded poloxamer micelles against Leishmania: Development, characterization and in vitro proof-of-concept. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2023.104376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
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Dinc R. Leishmania Vaccines: the Current Situation with Its Promising Aspect for the Future. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2022; 60:379-391. [PMID: 36588414 PMCID: PMC9806502 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2022.60.6.379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a serious parasitic disease caused by Leishmania spp. transmitted through sandfly bites. This disease is a major public health concern worldwide. It can occur in 3 different clinical forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral Leishmaniasis (CL, MCL, and VL, respectively), caused by different Leishmania spp. Currently, licensed vaccines are unavailable for the treatment of human Leishmaniasis. The treatment and prevention of this disease rely mainly on chemotherapeutics, which are highly toxic and have an increasing resistance problem. The development of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for all forms of vector-borne disease is urgently needed to block transmission of the parasite between the host and vector. Immunological mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Leishmaniasis are complex. IL-12-driven Th1-type immune response plays a crucial role in host protection. The essential purpose of vaccination is to establish a protective immune response. To date, numerous vaccine studies have been conducted using live/attenuated/killed parasites, fractionated parasites, subunits, recombinant or DNA technology, delivery systems, and chimeric peptides. Most of these studies were limited to animals. In addition, standardization has not been achieved in these studies due to the differences in the virulence dynamics of the Leishmania spp. and the feasibility of the adjuvants. More studies are needed to develop a safe and effective vaccine, which is the most promising approach against Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasit Dinc
- INVAMED RD Global, Mutlukent Mah, 1961 Cd. No.27 Cankaya, Ankara 06810,
Turkey
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Cutaneous/Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis Treatment for Wound Healing: Classical versus New Treatment Approaches. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres13040059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (ML) show clinical spectra that can range from a localized lesion (with a spontaneous healing process) to cases that progress to a generalized systemic disease with a risk of death. The treatment of leishmaniasis is complex since most of the available drugs show high toxicity. The development of an effective topical drug formulation for CL and ML treatment offers advantages as it will improve patient’s compliance to the therapy given the possibility for self-administration, as well as overcoming the first pass metabolism and the high costs of currently available alternatives. The most common dosage forms include solid formulations, such as membranes and semi-solid formulations (e.g., ointments, creams, gels, and pastes). Topical treatment has been used as a new route of administration for conventional drugs against leishmaniasis and its combinations, as well as to exploit new substances. In this review, we discuss the advantages and limitations of using topical drug delivery for the treatment of these two forms of leishmaniasis and the relevance of combining this approach with other pharmaceutical dosage forms. Emphasis will also be given to the use of nanomaterials for site-specific delivery.
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Jain S, Sahu U, Kumar A, Khare P. Metabolic Pathways of Leishmania Parasite: Source of Pertinent Drug Targets and Potent Drug Candidates. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14081590. [PMID: 36015216 PMCID: PMC9416627 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by a protozoan parasite Leishmania that is transmitted via infected female sandflies. At present, leishmaniasis treatment mainly counts on chemotherapy. The currently available drugs against leishmaniasis are costly, toxic, with multiple side effects, and limitations in the administration route. The rapid emergence of drug resistance has severely reduced the potency of anti-leishmanial drugs. As a result, there is a pressing need for the development of novel anti-leishmanial drugs with high potency, low cost, acceptable toxicity, and good pharmacokinetics features. Due to the availability of preclinical data, drug repurposing is a valuable approach for speeding up the development of effective anti-leishmanial through pointing to new drug targets in less time, having low costs and risk. Metabolic pathways of this parasite play a crucial role in the growth and proliferation of Leishmania species during the various stages of their life cycle. Based on available genomics/proteomics information, known pathways-based (sterol biosynthetic pathway, purine salvage pathway, glycolysis, GPI biosynthesis, hypusine, polyamine biosynthesis) Leishmania-specific proteins could be targeted with known drugs that were used in other diseases, resulting in finding new promising anti-leishmanial therapeutics. The present review discusses various metabolic pathways of the Leishmania parasite and some drug candidates targeting these pathways effectively that could be potent drugs against leishmaniasis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Jain
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal 462026, Madhya Pradesh, India; (S.J.); (U.S.)
| | - Utkarsha Sahu
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal 462026, Madhya Pradesh, India; (S.J.); (U.S.)
- Division of Synthetic Biology, Absolute Foods, Plot 68, Sector 44, Gurugram 122003, Haryana, India
| | - Awanish Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur 492010, Chhattisgarh, India
- Correspondence: or (A.K.); (P.K.)
| | - Prashant Khare
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal 462026, Madhya Pradesh, India; (S.J.); (U.S.)
- Division of Synthetic Biology, Absolute Foods, Plot 68, Sector 44, Gurugram 122003, Haryana, India
- Correspondence: or (A.K.); (P.K.)
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Segarra S. Nutritional Modulation of the Immune Response Mediated by Nucleotides in Canine Leishmaniosis. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2601. [PMID: 34946204 PMCID: PMC8703464 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an emerging, uncontrolled, and neglected zoonotic disease. Climate change is contributing to its ongoing global expansion. The dog is the main reservoir; hence the importance of implementing effective treatment, prevention, and control measures in this animal species to protect public health. However, although the standard treatment for canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is effective, it does not provide full parasitological clearance, and side effects and drug resistance have been described. The host's immune system plays a key role in the establishment and evolution of leishmaniasis. Dietary nucleotides modulate the immune response and, given their reported efficacy and safety in sick and clinically healthy Leishmania-infected dogs and because they represent a sustainable option with no associated side effects or resistance, they could be included within the prevention, treatment, and control strategies for leishmaniasis. This article briefly summarizes the scientific literature on CanL management, including unresolved issues, and reviews the scientific evidence on immunomodulatory effects of dietary nucleotides in different animal species. It also proposes a CanL management algorithm, including nucleotides. It is concluded that nutritional modulation of the immune response with nucleotides can contribute to better management of leishmaniasis following a One Health approach, especially in the COVID-19 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Segarra
- R&D Bioiberica S.A.U., 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
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