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Paul A, Roy PK, Babu NK, Singh S. Clotrimazole causes membrane depolarization and induces sub G 0 cell cycle arrest in Leishmania donovani. Acta Trop 2024; 252:107139. [PMID: 38307362 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107139] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Clotrimazole is an FDA approved drug and is widely used as an antifungal agent. An extensive body of research is available about its mechanism of action on various cell types but its mode of killing of Leishmania donovani parasites is unknown. L. donovani causes Visceral Leishmaniasis which is a public health problem with limited treatment options. Its present chemotherapy is expensive, has adverse effects and is plagued with drug resistance issues. In this study we have explored the possibility of repurposing clotrimazole as an antileishmanial drug. We have assessed its efficacy on the parasites and attempted to understand its mode of action. We found that it has a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 35.75 ± 1.06 μM, 12.75 ± 0.35 μM and 73 ± 1.41 μM in promastigotes, intracellular amastigotes and macrophages, respectively. Clotrimazole is 5.73 times more selective for the intracellular amastigotes as compared to the mammalian cell. Effect of clotrimazole was reduced by ergosterol supplementation. It leads to impaired parasite morphology. It alters plasma membrane permeability and disrupts plasma membrane potential. Mitochondrial function is compromised as is evident from increased ROS generation, depolarized mitochondrial membrane and decreased ATP levels. Cell cycle analysis of clotrimazole treated parasites shows arrest at sub-G0 phase suggesting apoptotic mode of cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindita Paul
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Pradyot Kumar Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Neerupudi Kishore Babu
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India
| | - Sushma Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab 160062, India.
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2
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Singh R, Kashif M, Srivastava P, Manna PP. Recent Advances in Chemotherapeutics for Leishmaniasis: Importance of the Cellular Biochemistry of the Parasite and Its Molecular Interaction with the Host. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12050706. [PMID: 37242374 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12050706] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a category 1 neglected protozoan disease caused by a kinetoplastid pathogen called Leishmania, is transmitted through dipteran insect vectors (phlebotomine, sand flies) in three main clinical forms: fatal visceral leishmaniasis, self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Generic pentavalent antimonials have long been the drug of choice against leishmaniasis; however, their success is plagued with limitations such as drug resistance and severe side effects, which makes them redundant as frontline therapy for endemic visceral leishmaniasis. Alternative therapeutic regimens based on amphotericin B, miltefosine, and paromomycin have also been approved. Due to the unavailability of human vaccines, first-line chemotherapies such as pentavalent antimonials, pentamidine, and amphotericin B are the only options to treat infected individuals. The higher toxicity, adverse effects, and perceived cost of these pharmaceutics, coupled with the emergence of parasite resistance and disease relapse, makes it urgent to identify new, rationalized drug targets for the improvement in disease management and palliative care for patients. This has become an emergent need and more relevant due to the lack of information on validated molecular resistance markers for the monitoring and surveillance of changes in drug sensitivity and resistance. The present study reviewed the recent advances in chemotherapeutic regimens by targeting novel drugs using several strategies including bioinformatics to gain new insight into leishmaniasis. Leishmania has unique enzymes and biochemical pathways that are distinct from those of its mammalian hosts. In light of the limited number of available antileishmanial drugs, the identification of novel drug targets and studying the molecular and cellular aspects of these drugs in the parasite and its host is critical to design specific inhibitors targeting and controlling the parasite. The biochemical characterization of unique Leishmania-specific enzymes can be used as tools to read through possible drug targets. In this review, we discuss relevant metabolic pathways and novel drugs that are unique, essential, and linked to the survival of the parasite based on bioinformatics and cellular and biochemical analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjeet Singh
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Mohammad Kashif
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Prateek Srivastava
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Partha Pratim Manna
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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3
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Wang X, Chen J, Zheng J. The roles of COX-2 in protozoan infection. Front Immunol 2023; 14:955616. [PMID: 36875123 PMCID: PMC9978824 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.955616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoan diseases cause great harm in animal husbandry and require human-provided medical treatment. Protozoan infection can induce changes in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. The role played by COX-2 in the response to protozoan infection is complex. COX-2 induces and regulates inflammation by promoting the synthesis of different prostaglandins (PGs), which exhibit a variety of biological activities and participate in pathophysiological processes in the body in a variety of ways. This review explains the roles played by COX-2 in protozoan infection and analyzes the effects of COX-2-related drugs in protozoan diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlei Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingtong Zheng
- Department of Pathogenobiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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4
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Prasad SR, Kumar P, Mandal S, Mohan A, Chaurasia R, Shrivastava A, Nikhil P, Aishwarya D, Ramalingam P, Gajbhiye R, Singh S, Dasgupta A, Chourasia M, Ravichandiran V, Das P, Mandal D. Mechanistic insight into the role of mevalonate kinase by a natural fatty acid-mediated killing of Leishmania donovani. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16453. [PMID: 36180490 PMCID: PMC9525708 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20509-9] [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: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the anti-leishmanial efficacy of different saturated medium-chain fatty acids (FAs, C8–C18) where FA containing C8 chain, caprylic acid (CA), was found to be most potent against Leishmania donovani, the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Different analogs of CA with C8 linear chain, but not higher, along with a carboxyl/ester group showed a similar anti-leishmanial effect. Ergosterol depletion was the major cause of CA-mediated cell death. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies indicated the enzyme mevalonate kinase (MevK) of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway as a possible target of CA. Enzyme assays with purified recombinant MevK and CA/CA analogs confirmed the target with a competitive inhibition pattern. Using biochemical and biophysical studies; strong binding interaction between MevK and CA/CA analogs was established. Further, using parasites with overexpressed MevK and proteomics studies of CA-treated parasites the direct role of MevK as the target was validated. We established the mechanism of the antileishmanial effect of CA, a natural product, against VL where toxicity and drug resistance with current chemotherapeutics demand an alternative. This is the first report on the identification of an enzymatic target with kinetic parameters and mechanistic insights against any organism for a natural medium-chain FA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Rajit Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Saptarshi Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India
| | - Anu Mohan
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Radhika Chaurasia
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Ashish Shrivastava
- Translational Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Research Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, G.B. Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, 201314, India
| | - Pallaprolu Nikhil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Dande Aishwarya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - P Ramalingam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Rahul Gajbhiye
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Shriya Singh
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Rd, Sector-10, Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India
| | - Arunava Dasgupta
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Rd, Sector-10, Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Mukesh Chourasia
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201301, India
| | - V Ravichandiran
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India.,National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Prolay Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India.
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5
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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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6
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Gupta AK, Das S, Kamran M, Ejazi SA, Ali N. The Pathogenicity and Virulence of Leishmania - interplay of virulence factors with host defenses. Virulence 2022; 13:903-935. [PMID: 35531875 PMCID: PMC9154802 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2074130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a group of disease caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Infection by different species of Leishmania results in various host immune responses, which usually lead to parasite clearance and may also contribute to pathogenesis and, hence, increasing the complexity of the disease. Interestingly, the parasite tends to reside within the unfriendly environment of the macrophages and has evolved various survival strategies to evade or modulate host immune defense. This can be attributed to the array of virulence factors of the vicious parasite, which target important host functioning and machineries. This review encompasses a holistic overview of leishmanial virulence factors, their role in assisting parasite-mediated evasion of host defense weaponries, and modulating epigenetic landscapes of host immune regulatory genes. Furthermore, the review also discusses the diagnostic potential of various leishmanial virulence factors and the advent of immunomodulators as futuristic antileishmanial drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Kumar Gupta
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sonali Das
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Mohd Kamran
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
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7
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Buvanesvaragurunathan K, Ganesh J, Nagul Kumar S, Porchezhiyan V, Radha A, Azhahianambi P, Pandikumar P, Ignacimuthu S. In vitro growth inhibitory effect of selected 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid esters on Theileriaannulata. Exp Parasitol 2022; 236-237:108258. [PMID: 35421387 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108258] [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: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is one of the important Pentacyclic Triterpenoids (PT) found in the roots of licorice. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro growth inhibitory effect of 18β-GA (18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid) and C-30 esters against Theileria annulata, the causative agent of Tropical Bovine Theileriosis. C-30 esters of 18β-GA were synthesized and their structures were elucidated using spectroscopy. The pharmacodynamic properties of 18β-GA and its C-30 esters were predicted using DataWarrior and Swiss ADME tools. Cattle isolates of T. annulata schizont-infected bovine lymphoblastoid cells were cultured using standard conditions and the growth inhibitory effect of GA and its esters were evaluated using MTT assay. The isopropyl ester of 18β-GA (GI50- 1.638 μM; R2- 0.818) showed improved anti-theileriosis efficacy than other 18β-GA derivatives. The propyl (GI50 - 5.549 μM), ethyl (GI50 - 5.638 μM), and benzyl (GI50 - 7.431 μM) esters also showed considerable inhibitory effect. The GI50 value for 18β-GA was recorded as 6.829 μM. This study throws light on the usefulness of 18β-GA and its esters for the treatment of Tropical Bovine Theileriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Buvanesvaragurunathan
- PG and Research Department of Botany, Bharathi Women's College, Broadway Road, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600108, India
| | - J Ganesh
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 051, India
| | - S Nagul Kumar
- PG and Research Department of Botany, Bharathi Women's College, Broadway Road, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600108, India
| | - V Porchezhiyan
- PG and Research Department of Botany, Bharathi Women's College, Broadway Road, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600108, India
| | - A Radha
- PG and Research Department of Botany, Bharathi Women's College, Broadway Road, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600108, India
| | - P Azhahianambi
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 051, India.
| | - P Pandikumar
- Xavier Research Foundation, St Xavier's College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, 627 002, India.
| | - S Ignacimuthu
- Xavier Research Foundation, St Xavier's College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, 627 002, India.
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Simvastatin Resistance of Leishmania amazonensis Induces Sterol Remodeling and Cross-Resistance to Sterol Pathway and Serine Protease Inhibitors. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020398. [PMID: 35208853 PMCID: PMC8877030 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020398] [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: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The sterol biosynthesis pathway of Leishmania spp. is used as a pharmacological target; however, available information about the mechanisms of the regulation and remodeling of sterol-related genes is scarce. The present study investigated compensatory mechanisms of the sterol biosynthesis pathway using an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase (simvastatin) and by developing drug-resistant parasites to evaluate the impact on sterol remodeling, cross-resistance, and gene expression. Simvastatin-resistant L. amazonensis parasites (LaSimR) underwent reprogramming of sterol metabolism manifested as an increase in cholestane- and stigmastane-based sterols and a decrease in ergostane-based sterols. The levels of the transcripts of sterol 24-C-methyltransferase (SMT), sterol C14-α-demethylase (C14DM), and protease subtilisin (SUB) were increased in LaSimR. LaSimR was cross-resistance to ketoconazole (a C14DM inhibitor) and remained sensitive to terbinafine (an inhibitor of squalene monooxygenase). Sensitivity of the LaSimR mutant to other antileishmanial drugs unrelated to the sterol biosynthesis pathway, such as trivalent antimony and pentamidine, was similar to that of the wild-type strain; however, LaSimR was cross-resistant to miltefosine, general serine protease inhibitor N-p-tosyl-l-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), subtilisin-specific inhibitor 4-[(diethylamino)methyl]-N-[2-(2-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-N-(3R)-3-pyrrolidinyl-benzamide dihydrochloride (PF-429242), and tunicamycin. The findings on the regulation of the sterol pathway can support the development of drugs and protease inhibitors targeting this route in parasites.
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Sakyi PO, Amewu RK, Devine RNOA, Bienibuor AK, Miller WA, Kwofie SK. Unravelling the myth surrounding sterol biosynthesis as plausible target for drug design against leishmaniasis. J Parasit Dis 2021; 45:1152-1171. [PMID: 34790000 PMCID: PMC8556451 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01390-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mortality rate of leishmaniasis is increasing at an alarming rate and is currently second to malaria amongst the other neglected tropical diseases. Unfortunately, many governments and key stakeholders are not investing enough in the development of new therapeutic interventions. The available treatment options targeting different pathways of the parasite have seen inefficiencies, drug resistance, and toxic side effects coupled with longer treatment durations. Numerous studies to understand the biochemistry of leishmaniasis and its pathogenesis have identified druggable targets including ornithine decarboxylase, trypanothione reductase, and pteridine reductase, which are relevant for the survival and growth of the parasites. Another plausible target is the sterol biosynthetic pathway; however, this has not been fully investigated. Sterol biosynthesis is essential for the survival of the Leishmania species because its inhibition could lead to the death of the parasites. This review seeks to evaluate how critical the enzymes involved in sterol biosynthetic pathway are to the survival of the leishmania parasite. The review also highlights both synthetic and natural product compounds with their IC50 values against selected enzymes. Finally, recent advancements in drug design strategies targeting the sterol biosynthesis pathway of Leishmania are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O. Sakyi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 56, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana
| | - Richard K. Amewu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 56, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Robert N. O. A. Devine
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana
| | - Alfred K. Bienibuor
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Box 214, Sunyani, Ghana
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153 USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153 USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, IL 19104 USA
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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10
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Lipids in Pathophysiology and Development of the Membrane Lipid Therapy: New Bioactive Lipids. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11120919. [PMID: 34940418 PMCID: PMC8708953 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Membranes are mainly composed of a lipid bilayer and proteins, constituting a checkpoint for the entry and passage of signals and other molecules. Their composition can be modulated by diet, pathophysiological processes, and nutritional/pharmaceutical interventions. In addition to their use as an energy source, lipids have important structural and functional roles, e.g., fatty acyl moieties in phospholipids have distinct impacts on human health depending on their saturation, carbon length, and isometry. These and other membrane lipids have quite specific effects on the lipid bilayer structure, which regulates the interaction with signaling proteins. Alterations to lipids have been associated with important diseases, and, consequently, normalization of these alterations or regulatory interventions that control membrane lipid composition have therapeutic potential. This approach, termed membrane lipid therapy or membrane lipid replacement, has emerged as a novel technology platform for nutraceutical interventions and drug discovery. Several clinical trials and therapeutic products have validated this technology based on the understanding of membrane structure and function. The present review analyzes the molecular basis of this innovative approach, describing how membrane lipid composition and structure affects protein-lipid interactions, cell signaling, disease, and therapy (e.g., fatigue and cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, tumor, infectious diseases).
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11
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Sheikhi S, Khamesipour A, Radjabian T, Ghazanfari T, Miramin Mohammadi A. Immunotherapeutic effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Glycyrrhizic Acid on Leishmania major-infection BALB/C mice. Parasite Immunol 2021; 44:e12879. [PMID: 34559893 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12879] [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: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a public health problem in endemic areas. The objective of the current study was to investigate the immunotherapeutic activities of the hydroalcoholic extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra (HEG) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) in the treatment of Leishmania major (L. major)-infected BALB/c mice. In this study, the effect of HEG and GA was checked in vitro on growth of L. major promastigote and amastigote using MTT assay and microscopic counting, respectively. For in vivo experiment, the lesion induced by L. major on BALB/c mice were treated intraperitoneally with HEG, GA, meglumine antimoniate or phosphate buffer saline (negative control) for one month. Then, the lesion development and the parasite burden of the lymph node was assessed, the cytokine response (IFN-γ and IL-4) to Leishmania antigens was evaluated using ELISA method. The results showed that HEG and GA significantly inhibited the growth of L. major promastigotes and amastigotes, the lesion development, parasite burden in the lymph nodes, level of IFN-γ and the ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 in HEG, GA and meglumine antimoniate-treated mice were significantly higher compared with the negative control group, there was no difference between the HEG, GA and meglumine antimoniate group. It is concluded that hydroalcoholic extract of G. glabra and glycyrrhizic acid showed therapeutic and immunomodulatory effects on L. major-infected BALB/c mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Sheikhi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Khamesipour
- Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tayebeh Radjabian
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tooba Ghazanfari
- Immunoregulation Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akram Miramin Mohammadi
- Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Kumar P, Shivam P, Mandal S, Prasanna P, Kumar S, Prasad SR, Kumar A, Das P, Ali V, Singh SK, Mandal D. Synthesis, characterization, and mechanistic studies of a gold nanoparticle-amphotericin B covalent conjugate with enhanced antileishmanial efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. Int J Nanomedicine 2019; 14:6073-6101. [PMID: 31686803 PMCID: PMC6709383 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s196421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amphotericin B (AmB) as a liposomal formulation of AmBisome is the first line of treatment for the disease, visceral leishmaniasis, caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani. However, nephrotoxicity is very common due to poor water solubility and aggregation of AmB. This study aimed to develop a water-soluble covalent conjugate of gold nanoparticle (GNP) with AmB for improved antileishmanial efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. Methods Citrate-reduced GNPs (~39 nm) were functionalized with lipoic acid (LA), and the product GNP-LA (GL ~46 nm) was covalently conjugated with AmB using carboxyl-to-amine coupling chemistry to produce GNP-LA-AmB (GL-AmB ~48 nm). The nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and spectroscopic (ultraviolet–visible and infrared) methods. Experiments on AmB uptake of macrophages, ergosterol depletion of drug-treated parasites, cytokine ELISA, fluorescence anisotropy, flow cytometry, and gene expression studies established efficacy of GL-AmB over standard AmB. Results Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of a covalent amide bond in the conjugate. TEM images showed uniform size with smooth surfaces of GL-AmB nanoparticles. Efficiency of AmB conjugation was ~78%. Incubation in serum for 72 h showed <7% AmB release, indicating high stability of conjugate GL-AmB. GL-AmB with AmB equivalents showed ~5-fold enhanced antileishmanial activity compared with AmB against parasite-infected macrophages ex vivo. Macrophages treated with GL-AmB showed increased immunostimulatory Th1 (IL-12 and interferon-γ) response compared with standard AmB. In parallel, AmB uptake was ~5.5 and ~3.7-fold higher for GL-AmB-treated (P<0.001) macrophages within 1 and 2 h of treatment, respectively. The ergosterol content in GL-AmB-treated parasites was ~2-fold reduced compared with AmB-treated parasites. Moreover, GL-AmB was significantly less cytotoxic and hemolytic than AmB (P<0.01). Conclusion GNP-based delivery of AmB can be a better, cheaper, and safer alternative than available AmB formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, India
| | - Pushkar Shivam
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Saptarshi Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, India
| | - Pragya Prasanna
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, India
| | - Surendra Rajit Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Molecular Biology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Prolay Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, India
| | - Vahab Ali
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Shubhankar Kumar Singh
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, India
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Dumas F, Haanappel E. Lipids in infectious diseases - The case of AIDS and tuberculosis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:1636-1647. [PMID: 28535936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Lipids play a central role in many infectious diseases. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and tuberculosis are two of the deadliest infectious diseases to have struck mankind. The pathogens responsible for these diseases, Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, rely on lipids and on lipid membrane properties to gain access to their host cells, to persist in them and ultimately to egress from their hosts. In this Review, we discuss the life cycles of these pathogens and the roles played by lipids and membranes. We then give an overview of therapies that target lipid metabolism, modulate host membrane properties or implement lipid-based drug delivery systems. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Lipid Therapy: Drugs Targeting Biomembranes edited by Pablo V. Escribá.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Dumas
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, France.
| | - Evert Haanappel
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, France
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