2-Octadecynoic acid as a dual life stage inhibitor of Plasmodium infections and plasmodial FAS-II enzymes

Fe-S cluster biosynthesis and maturation: Mass spectrometry-based methods advancing the field

Iron‑sulfur (FeS) clusters are inorganic protein cofactors that perform essential functions in many physiological processes. Spectroscopic techniques have historically been used to elucidate details of FeS cluster type, their assembly and transfer, and changes in redox and ligand binding properties. Structural probes of protein topology, complex formation, and conformational dynamics are also necessary to fully understand these FeS protein systems. Recent developments in mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation and methods provide new tools to investigate FeS cluster and structural properties. With the unique advantage of sampling all species in a mixture, MS-based methods can be utilized as a powerful complementary approach to probe native dynamic heterogeneity, interrogate protein folding and unfolding equilibria, and provide extensive insight into protein binding partners within an entire proteome. Here, we highlight key advances in FeS protein studies made possible by MS methodology and contribute an outlook for its role in the field.

Mediterranean Diet: Lipids, Inflammation, and Malaria Infection

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria affects millions of people around the globe. The parasite Plasmodium causes the disease. The metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the severe forms have damaging consequences to the host. The lipid content in the MedDiet holds anti-inflammatory and pro-resolutive features in the host and have detrimental effects on the Plasmodium. The lipids from the diet impact the balance of pro- and anti-inflammation, thus, lipids intake from the diet is critical to parasite elimination and host tissue damage caused by an immune response. Herein, we go into the cellular and molecular mechanisms and targets of the MedDiet fatty acids in the host and the parasite, reviewing potential benefits of the MedDiet, on inflammation, malaria infection progression, and clinical outcome.

Screening Marine Natural Products for New Drug Leads against Trypanosomatids and Malaria

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) represent a serious threat to humans, especially for those living in poor or developing countries. Almost one-sixth of the world population is at risk of suffering from these diseases and many thousands die because of NTDs, to which we should add the sanitary, labor and social issues that hinder the economic development of these countries. Protozoan-borne diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths every year. Visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease or sleeping sickness are among the most lethal NTDs. Despite not being considered an NTD by the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria must be added to this sinister group. Malaria, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for thousands of deaths each year. The treatment of this disease has been losing effectiveness year after year. Many of the medicines currently in use are obsolete due to their gradual loss of efficacy, their intrinsic toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance or a lack of adherence to treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent and global need for new drugs. Despite this, the scant interest shown by most of the stakeholders involved in the pharmaceutical industry makes our present therapeutic arsenal scarce, and until recently, the search for new drugs has not been seriously addressed. The sources of new drugs for these and other pathologies include natural products, synthetic molecules or repurposing drugs. The most frequent sources of natural products are microorganisms, e.g., bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and plants, which are able to synthesize many drugs that are currently in use (e.g. antimicrobials, antitumor, immunosuppressants, etc.). The marine environment is another well-established source of bioactive natural products, with recent applications against parasites, bacteria and other pathogens which affect humans and animals. Drug discovery techniques have rapidly advanced since the beginning of the millennium. The combination of novel techniques that include the genetic modification of pathogens, bioimaging and robotics has given rise to the standardization of High-Performance Screening platforms in the discovery of drugs. These advancements have accelerated the discovery of new chemical entities with antiparasitic effects. This review presents critical updates regarding the use of High-Throughput Screening (HTS) in the discovery of drugs for NTDs transmitted by protozoa, including malaria, and its application in the discovery of new drugs of marine origin.

Antimalarials with Benzothiophene Moieties as Aminoquinoline Partners

Malaria is a severe and life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are spread to humans through bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Here, we report on the efficacy of aminoquinolines coupled to benzothiophene and thiophene rings in inhibiting Plasmodium falciparum parasite growth. Synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antimalarial activity and toxicity, in vitro and in mice. Benzothiophenes presented in this paper showed improved activities against a chloroquine susceptible (CQS) strain, with potencies of IC₅₀ = 6 nM, and cured 5/5 Plasmodium berghei infected mice when dosed orally at 160 mg/kg/day × 3 days. In the benzothiophene series, the examined antiplasmodials were more active against the CQS strain D6, than against strains chloroquine resistant (CQR) W2 and multidrug-resistant (MDR) TM91C235. For the thiophene series, a very interesting feature was revealed: hypersensitivity to the CQR strains, resistance index (RI) of <1. This is in sharp contrast to chloroquine, indicating that further development of the series would provide us with more potent antimalarials against CQR strains.

A structure guided drug-discovery approach towards identification of Plasmodium inhibitors

This article provides a comprehensive review of inhibitors from natural, semisynthetic or synthetic sources against key targets ofPlasmodium falciparum.