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Rios-Valencia DG, Estrada K, Calderón-Gallegos A, Tirado-Mendoza R, Bobes RJ, Laclette JP, Cabrera-Bravo M. Effect of Hydroxyurea on Morphology, Proliferation, and Protein Expression on Taenia crassiceps WFU Strain. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6061. [PMID: 38892261 PMCID: PMC11172544 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116061] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Flatworms are known for their remarkable regenerative ability, one which depends on totipotent cells known as germinative cells in cestodes. Depletion of germinative cells with hydroxyurea (HU) affects the regeneration of the parasite. Here, we studied the reduction and recovery of germinative cells in T. crassiceps cysticerci after HU treatment (25 mM and 40 mM of HU for 6 days) through in vitro assays. Viability and morphological changes were evaluated. The recovery of cysticerci's mobility and morphology was evaluated at 3 and 6 days, after 6 days of treatment. The number of proliferative cells was evaluated using EdU. Our results show morphological changes in the size, shape, and number of evaginated cysticerci at the 40 mM dose. The mobility of cysticerci was lower after 6 days of HU treatment at both concentrations. On days 3 and 6 of recovery after 25 mM of HU treatment, a partial recovery of the proliferative cells was observed. Proteomic and Gene Ontology analyses identified modifications in protein groups related to DNA binding, DNA damage, glycolytic enzymes, cytoskeleton, skeletal muscle, and RNA binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana G. Rios-Valencia
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.G.R.-V.); (R.T.-M.)
| | - Karel Estrada
- Unit for Massive Sequencing and Bioinformatics, Biotechnology Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
| | - Arturo Calderón-Gallegos
- Department of Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.C.-G.); (R.J.B.)
| | - Rocío Tirado-Mendoza
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.G.R.-V.); (R.T.-M.)
| | - Raúl J. Bobes
- Department of Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.C.-G.); (R.J.B.)
| | - Juan P. Laclette
- Department of Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.C.-G.); (R.J.B.)
| | - Margarita Cabrera-Bravo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.G.R.-V.); (R.T.-M.)
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Panesso MP, Cancela M, Corá RK, Paes JA, Paludo GP, Ferreira HB. Ribonucleotide reductase as a therapeutic target for drug repurposing as anthelmintics. Exp Parasitol 2023; 255:108641. [PMID: 37949425 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108641] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Visceral cestodiases, like echinococcoses and cysticercoses, are zoonoses of worldwide distribution and are responsible for public health problems in many countries, especially in underdeveloped regions. Current treatments have low efficiency and there are few drugs currently in use for chemotherapy, making the development of new anthelmintics an urgent matter. The nucleotide salvage pathways are the only ones available for nucleotide synthesis in cestodes and other parasitic helminths, and, here, we used in silico approaches to assess the potential of the enzymes in these pathways as targets for drug repurposing as anthelminthics. First, a genomic survey allowed to identify a repertoire of 28 enzymes of the purine and pyrimidine salvage pathways from the cestode Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto. Regarding purines, the parasite relies on salvaging free bases rather than salvaging nucleosides. Pyrimidines, on the other hand, can be salvaged from both bases and nucleosides. Druggability of the parasite enzymes was assessed, as well as the availability of commercial inhibitors for them. Druggable enzymes were then ranked according to their potential for drug repurposing and the 17 most promising enzymes were selected for evolutionary analyses. The constructed phylogenetic trees allowed to assess the degree of conservation among ortholog enzymes from parasitic helminths and their mammalian hosts. Positive selection is absent in all assessed flatworm enzymes. A potential target enzyme for drug repurposing, ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), was selected for further assessment. RNR 3D-modelling showed structural similarities between the E. granulosus and the human orthologs suggesting that inhibitors of the human RNR should be effective against the E. granulosus enzyme. In line with that, E. granulosus protoscolices treated in vitro with the inhibitor hydroxyurea had their viability and DNA synthesis reduced. These results are consistent with nucleotide synthesis inhibition and confirm the potential of a nucleotide salvage inhibitors for repurposing as an anthelmintic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Pasa Panesso
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Martin Cancela
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renato Kulakowski Corá
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Andrade Paes
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Prado Paludo
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Henrique Bunselmeyer Ferreira
- Laboratôrio de Genômica Estrutural e Funcional, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Cestódeos, Centro de Biotecnologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biociências, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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El-Zahed MM, Baka ZA, Abou-Dobara MI, El-Sayed AK, Aboser MM, Hyder A. In vivo toxicity and antitumor activity of newly green synthesized reduced graphene oxide/silver nanocomposites. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2021; 8:44. [PMID: 38650286 PMCID: PMC10992821 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-021-00400-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A novel biosynthesis of dual reduced graphene oxide/silver nanocomposites (rGO/AgNC) using the crude metabolite of Escherichia coli D8 (MF06257) strain and sunlight is introduced in this work. Physicochemical analysis of these rGO/AgNC revealed that they are sheet-like structures having spherically shaped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with an average particle size of 8 to 17 nm, and their absorption peak ranged from 350 to 450 nm. The biosynthesized rGO/AgNC were characterized by UV-vis and FT-IR spectra, X-ray diffraction, Zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy. After the injection of these nanocomposites to mice, their uptake by the kidney and liver has been proven by the ultrastructural observation and estimation of the hepatic and renal silver content. These nanocomposites caused a moderate toxicity for both organs. Changes in the liver and kidney functions and histopathological effects had been observed. The rGO/AgNC revealed a remarkable antitumor effect. They showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in vitro. Treatment of mice bearing EAC tumors intraperitoneally with 10 mg/kg rGO/AgNC showed an antiproliferative effect on EAC cells, reduced ascites volume, and maintained mice survival. The results indicate that this green synergy of silver nanoparticles with reduced graphene oxide may have a promising potential in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed M El-Zahed
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt.
| | - Zakaria A Baka
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Mohamed I Abou-Dobara
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Ahmed K El-Sayed
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Magy M Aboser
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Ayman Hyder
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
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