1
|
Sifontes-Rodríguez S, Escalona-Montaño AR, Sánchez-Almaraz DA, Pérez-Olvera O, Aguirre-García MM. Detergent-free parasite transformation and replication assay for drug screening against intracellular Leishmania amastigotes. J Microbiol Methods 2023; 215:106847. [PMID: 37871728 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2023.106847] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoan species in the genera Leishmania and Endotrypanum. Current antileishmanial drugs are limited due to adverse effects, variable efficacy, the development of resistant parasites, high cost, parenteral administration and lack of availability in endemic areas. Therefore, active searching for new antileishmanial drugs has been done for years, mainly by academia. Drug screening techniques have been a challenge since the intracellular localization of Leishmania amastigotes implies that the host cell may interfere with the quantification of the parasites and the final estimation of the effect. One of the procedures to avoid host cell interference is based on its detergent-mediated lysis and subsequent transformation of viable amastigotes into promastigotes, their proliferation and eventual quantification as an axenic culture of promastigotes. However, the use of detergent involves additional handling of cultures and variability. In the present work, cultures of intracellular amastigotes were incubated for 72 h at 26 °C after exposure to the test compounds and the transformation and proliferation of parasites took place without need of adding any detergent. The assay demonstrated clear differentiation of negative and positive controls (average Z´ = 0.75) and 50% inhibitory concentrations of compounds tested by this method and by the gold standard enumeration of Giemsa-stained cultures were similar (p = 0.5002) and highly correlated (r = 0.9707). This simplified procedure is less labor intensive, the probability of contamination and the experimental error are reduced, and it is appropriate for the automated high throughput screening of compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Sifontes-Rodríguez
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico
| | - Alma Reyna Escalona-Montaño
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico
| | - Daniel Andrés Sánchez-Almaraz
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico
| | - Ofelia Pérez-Olvera
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico
| | - María Magdalena Aguirre-García
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080 Tlalpan, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Travi BL. Current status of antihistamine drugs repurposing for infectious diseases. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2022.100140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
|
4
|
Gontijo VS, Colombo FA, Ferreira Espuri P, Freitas PGD, Nunes JB, Alves LB, Veloso MP, Alves RB, Freitas RP, Marques MJ. In vivo evaluation of anti-Leishmania activity of alkyltriazoles and alkylphosphocholines by oral route. Exp Parasitol 2021; 226-227:108123. [PMID: 34144040 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2021.108123] [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: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The failures in the treatment of leishmaniasis is an increasing problem around the world, especially related to resistance. Thus, we describe the synthesis and in vivo anti-Leishmania activity of alkylphosphocholine and alkyltriazoles; besides, their likely action mechanisms stem from some eventual inhibition of parasite enzymes using computational tools. These compounds were tested in an in vivo hamster model infected with Leishmania Leishmania infantum chagasi. Fifty days after parasite inoculation, the two compounds 12-azidedodecylphosphocholine (3) and 3-(1-(12-fluorododecyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)propano-1-ol (9), were separately administered once a day as oral suspensions (25 and 12.5 mg/kg/day, respectively) during ten days, and their efficacy was compared to the reference compound pentavalent antimonial Glucantime (GLU). Compound 3 significantly reduced the number of parasites in the spleen (4.93 × 102 amastigotes/g) and liver (4.52 × 103 amastigotes/g). Compound 9 reduced the number of amastigotes in the spleen to 1.30 × 104 and 1.36 × 103 amastigotes/g in the liver. GLU was the most effective overall treatment (7.50 × 101 and 2.28 × 102 amastigotes/g in the spleen and liver, respectively). The high activity levels of these compounds in vivo may stem from their high in vitro leishmanicidal activity and lipophilicity. The in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies also showed some anti-Leishmania potential. Compound 9 had more lipophilic characteristics than those of compound 3. In silico studies of the nine enzymes of compounds 3 and 9 showed significant evidence of interactions with nicotimidase and tyrosine aminotransferase, demonstrating possible inhibition enzymes present in L. (L.) infantum chagasi. These compounds could be a promising template for developing a new class of leishmanicidal agents, by oral route, and deserve further investigation to explore different therapeutic regimens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Silva Gontijo
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, UFMG, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Fabio Antônio Colombo
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Ferreira Espuri
- Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Poliany Graziella de Freitas
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular e Simulação Computacional, MolMod-CS, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Juliana Barbosa Nunes
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455. Cerqueira César, São Paulo, 01246-903, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Levy Bueno Alves
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular e Simulação Computacional, MolMod-CS, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Márcia Paranho Veloso
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular e Simulação Computacional, MolMod-CS, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil
| | - Rosemeire Brondi Alves
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, UFMG, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Rossimiriam Pereira Freitas
- Departamento de Química, ICEx, UFMG, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Marcos José Marques
- Departamento de Patologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Rua Gabriel Monteiro da Silva, 700- Centro, 37130-001, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sarouey LA, Rahimi-Moghaddam P, Tabatabaie F, Khanaliha K. Evaluating the Effect of Cinnarizine on Promastigotes and Amastigotes forms of Leishmania major. Infect Disord Drug Targets 2021; 20:550-555. [PMID: 30421686 DOI: 10.2174/1871526518666181113114820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
As an important global disease, cutaneous leishmaniasis is associated with complications such as secondary infections and atrophic scars. The first line treatment with antimonials is expensive and reported to have serious side effects and enhance resistance development. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cinnarizine on standard strains of Leishmania major because of paucity of information on this subject. METHODS In this experimental study, four concentrations of the drug (5, 10, 15 and 20 μg/ml) were added to Leishmania major cultures at 24, 48 and 72 hours intervals. MTT assays were performed to determine parasite viability and drug toxicity. Leishmania major promastigotes were augmented to the in vitro cultured macrophages (J774 cells) and then incubated for 72 hours. Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was ascertained by counting parasites. The inhibitory effect of the drug was compared with that of Glucantime. Flow-cytometry was performed to investigate apoptosis. Each test was repeated thrice. RESULTS The IC50 values of Cinnarizine after 72 hours were calculated to be 34.76 μg/ml and 23.73 μg/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes, respectively. The results of MTT assays showed 48 % promastigote viability after 72 hour-exposure to Cinnarizine at 20 μg/ml concentration. Programmed cell death in promastigote- and amastigote-infected macrophages was quantified to be 13.66 % and 98.7 %, respectively. Flow- cytometry analysis indicated that Cinnarizine induced early and late apoptosis in parasites. All treatments produced results which differed significantly from control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Cinnarizine showed low toxicity with anti-leishmanial and apoptosis effects on both promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms. Therefore, we may suggest further assessment on animal models of this drug as candidates for cutaneous leishmaniasis therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lima Asgharpour Sarouey
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Tabatabaie
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Khanaliha
- Research Center of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Peniche AG, Osorio EY, Melby PC, Travi BL. Efficacy of histamine H1 receptor antagonists azelastine and fexofenadine against cutaneous Leishmania major infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008482. [PMID: 32776923 PMCID: PMC7449455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Current drug therapies for cutaneous leishmaniasis are often difficult to administer and treatment failure is an increasingly common occurrence. The efficacy of anti-leishmanial therapy relies on a combination of anti-parasite activity of drugs and the patient’s immune response. Previous studies have reported in vitro antimicrobial activity of histamine 1-receptor antagonists (H1RAs) against different pathogens. We used an ex vivo explant culture of lymph nodes from mice infected with Leishmania major to screen H1RAs compounds. Azelastine (AZ) and Fexofenadine (FX) showed remarkable ex vivo efficacy (EC50 = 0.05 and 1.50 μM respectively) and low in vitro cytotoxicity yielding a high therapeutic index. AZ significantly decreased the expression of H1R and the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1ẞ in the ex vivo system, which were shown to be augmented by histamine addition. The anti-leishmanial efficacy of AZ was enhanced in the presence of T cells from infected mice suggesting an immune-modulatory mechanism of parasite suppression. L. major infected BALB/c mice treated per os with FX or intralesionally with AZ showed a significant reduction of lesion size (FX = 69%; AZ = 52%). Furthermore, there was significant parasite suppression in the lesion (FX = 82%; AZ = 87%) and lymph nodes (FX = 81%; AZ = 36%) with no observable side effects. AZ and FX and potentially other H1RAs are good candidates for assessing efficacy in larger studies as monotherapies or in combination with current anti-leishmanial drugs to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease present in more than 90 countries. Different species of Leishmania produce skin ulcers upon infection through the bite of infected sand fly vectors. There are several drugs used to treat CL but most of them are toxic or difficult to administer and there is increasing drug resistance leading to treatment failure. Therefore, new drugs are needed for treating CL. The objective of this study was to determine the anti-leishmanial efficacy of antihistamine drugs. Using cell cultures of lymph nodes obtained from Leishmania major infected mice, we evaluated the parasiticidal activity of the antihistamine drugs azelastine and fexofenadine. Both drugs showed high efficacy against L. major and low toxicity for a human cell line. Treatment of mice infected in the skin with L. major indicated that both azelastine and fexofenadine significantly reduced the size of the lesions and suppressed parasite multiplication. Consequently, these two drugs are good candidates to further evaluate their efficacy as monotherapies or in combination with other anti-leishmanial drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex G. Peniche
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - E. Yaneth Osorio
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter C. Melby
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bruno L. Travi
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sayé M, Gauna L, Valera-Vera E, Reigada C, Miranda MR, Pereira CA. Crystal violet structural analogues identified by in silico drug repositioning present anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity through inhibition of proline transporter TcAAAP069. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007481. [PMID: 31961864 PMCID: PMC6994103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crystal violet (CV) was used for several years in blood banks to eliminate the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi in endemic areas in order to prevent transfusion-transmitted Chagas disease. One mechanism of action described for CV involves inhibition of proline uptake. In T. cruzi, proline is essential for host cell infection and intracellular differentiation among other processes, and can be obtained through the proline permease TcAAAP069. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS CV inhibited proline transporter TcAAAP069 and parasites overexpressing this permease were 47-fold more sensitive to this compound than control parasites. Using CV as reference molecule, loratadine, cyproheptadine, olanzapine and clofazimine were identified as structurally related compounds to CV (structural analogues) by in silico drug repurposing through a similarity-based virtual screening protocol. All these already-approved drugs for clinical use inhibited TcAAAP069 activity with different efficacies and also presented trypanocidal action in epimastigotes, trypomastigotes and amastigotes of the Y, CL Brener and Dm28c T. cruzi strains. Finally, a synergistic effect between benznidazole and the CV chemical analogues was evidenced by combination and dose-reduction indexes values in epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of the Y strain. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Loratadine, cyproheptadine and clofazimine inhibit TcAAAP069 proline transporter and also present trypanocidal effect against all T. cruzi life stages in strains from three different DTUs. These CV structural analogues could be a starting point to design therapeutic alternatives to treat Chagas disease by finding new indications for old drugs. This approach, called drug repurposing is a recommended strategy by the World Health Organization to treat neglected diseases, like Chagas disease, and combination therapy may improve the possibility of success of repositioned drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melisa Sayé
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia Gauna
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Edward Valera-Vera
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Chantal Reigada
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana R. Miranda
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudio A. Pereira
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
de Melo Mendes V, Tempone AG, Treiger Borborema SE. Antileishmanial activity of H1-antihistamine drugs and cellular alterations in Leishmania (L.) infantum. Acta Trop 2019; 195:6-14. [PMID: 31002807 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are infectious diseases caused by protozoan parasites Leishmania and transmitted by sand flies. Drug repurposing is a therapeutic approach that has shown satisfactory results in their treatment. Analyses of antihistaminic drugs have revealed their in vitro and in vivo activity against trypanosomatids. In this way, this study evaluated the antileishmanial activity of H1-antihistamines and identified the cellular alterations in Leishmania (L.) infantum. Cinnarizine, cyproheptadine, and meclizine showed activity against promastigotes with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 10-29 μM. These drugs also demonstrated activity and selectivity against intracellular amastigotes, with IC50 values between 20-35 μM. Fexofenadine and cetirizine lacked antileishmanial activity against both forms. Mammalian cytotoxicity studies revealed 50% cytotoxic concentration values between 52 - >200 μM. These drugs depolarized the mitochondria membrane of parasites and caused morphological alterations, including mitochondrial damage, disorganization of the intracellular content, and nuclear membrane detachment. In conclusion, the L. infantum death may be ascribed by the subcellular alterations followed by a pronounced decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating dysfunction in the respiratory chain upon H1-antihistamine treatment. These H1-antihistamines could be used to explore new routes of cellular death in the parasite and the determination of the targets at a molecular level, would contribute to understanding the potential of these drugs as antileishmanial.
Collapse
|
9
|
In vitro Effects of Ketotifen and Cromolyn Sodium on Promastigote and Amastigotes of Leishmania major. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2018. [DOI: 10.5812/jjm.82389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
|
10
|
Pinto EG, Tempone AG. Activity of the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone against Leishmania ( L.) infantum: an in vitro and in vivo approach. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:29. [PMID: 30386379 PMCID: PMC6203271 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0166-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Considering the high toxicity and limited therapies available for treating visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the drug repositioning approach represents a faster way to deliver new therapies to the market. Methods In this study, we described for the first time the activity of a potent antiarrhythmic, amiodarone (AMD), against L. (L.) infantum and its in vitro and in vivo activity. Results The evaluation against promastigotes has shown that amiodarone presents leishmanicidal effect against the extracellular form, with an IC50 value of 10 μM. The activity was even greater against amastigotes in comparison with promastigotes with an IC50 value of 0.5 μM. The selectivity index in relation to the intracellular form demonstrated that the antiparasitic activity was approximately 56 times higher than its toxicity to mammalian cells. Investigation of the in vivo AMD activity in the L. infantum-infected hamster model showed that 51 days after the initial infection, amiodarone was unable to reduce the parasite burden in the spleen and liver when treated for 10 consecutive days, intraperitoneally, at 50 mg/kg/day, as determined by qPCR. Although not statistically significant, AMD was able to reduce the parasite burden by 20% in the liver when treated for 10 consecutive days, orally, at 100 mg/kg/day; no reduction in the spleen was found by qPCR. Conclusions Our findings may help further drug design studies seeking new AMD derivatives that may provide new candidates with an in vitro selectivity close to or even greater than that observed in the prototype delivering effectiveness in the experimental model of VL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika G Pinto
- 1Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Andre G Tempone
- 2Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 351, 8°, Andar. Cerqueira César, São Paulo, SP CEP 01246-902 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Charlton RL, Rossi-Bergmann B, Denny PW, Steel PG. Repurposing as a strategy for the discovery of new anti-leishmanials: the-state-of-the-art. Parasitology 2018; 145:219-236. [PMID: 28805165 PMCID: PMC5964475 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania for which there is a paucity of effective viable non-toxic drugs. There are 1·3 million new cases each year causing considerable socio-economic hardship, best measured in 2·4 million disability adjusted life years, with greatest impact on the poorest communities, which means that desperately needed new antileishmanial treatments have to be both affordable and accessible. Established medicines with cheaper and faster development times may hold the cure for this neglected tropical disease. This concept of using old drugs for new diseases may not be novel but, with the ambitious target of controlling or eradicating tropical diseases by 2020, this strategy is still an important one. In this review, we will explore the current state-of-the-art of drug repurposing strategies in the search for new treatments for leishmaniasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Charlton
- Department of Chemistry,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
| | - Bartira Rossi-Bergmann
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro,Ilha do Fundão,CEP 21·949-900 Rio de Janeiro,RJ,Brazil
| | - Paul W Denny
- Department of Biosciences,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
| | - Patrick G Steel
- Department of Chemistry,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abdel-Fattah MM, Messiha BAS, Salama AAA. Assessment of the Mechanistic Role of Cinnarizine in Modulating Experimentally-Induced Bronchial Asthma in Rats. Pharmacology 2015; 96:167-74. [PMID: 26304475 DOI: 10.1159/000438705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Calcium influx, inflammatory infiltration, cytokine production, immunoglobulin E activation and oxidative stress play coordinated roles in bronchial asthma pathogenesis. We aim to assess the protective effect of cinnarizine against experimentally induced bronchial asthma. METHODS Bronchial asthma was induced by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. Rats were allocated into a normal control, an asthma control, a dexamethasone (standard) treatment, and 2 cinnarizine treatment groups. The respiratory functions tidal volume (TV) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) in lung tissue, the allergic immunoglobulin IgE in serum, the absolute eosinophil count (AEC) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), as well as the oxidative and nitrosative markers glutathione reduced (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in lung tissue and nitric oxide end products (NOx) in BALF were assessed, followed by a histopathological study. RESULTS Cinnarizine administration significantly restored TV, PEFR, TNF-α, IL-5, IgE, AEC, GSH, SOD and NOx values back to normal levels, and significantly decreased perivascular and peribronchiolar inflammatory scores. CONCLUSION Cinnarizine may protect against experimental bronchial asthma. Suppressant effect of cinnarizine on pro-inflammatory cytokines release, IgE antibody production, eosinophil infiltration as well as oxidative and nitrosative stress may explain its anti-asthmatic potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maha M Abdel-Fattah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | | | | |
Collapse
|