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Koonyosying P, Srichairatanakool S, Tiwananthagorn S, Sthitmatee N. Inhibitory effects on bovine babesial infection by iron chelator, 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)- 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridin-4-one (CM1), and antimalarial drugs. Vet Parasitol 2023; 324:110055. [PMID: 37931475 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110055] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Babesiosis is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the apicomplexan phylum, genus Babesia. It is a malaria-like parasitic disease that can be transmitted via tick bites. The apicomplexan phylum of eukaryotic microbial parasites has had detrimental impacts on human and veterinary medicine. There are only a few drugs currently available to treat this disease; however, parasitic strains that are resistant to these commercial drugs are increasing in numbers. Plasmodium and Babesia are closely related as they share similar biological features including mechanisms for host cell invasion and metabolism. Therefore, antimalarial drugs may be useful in the treatment of Babesia infections. In addition to antimalarials, iron chelators also inhibit parasite growth. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory efficacy of iron chelator and different antimalarials in the treatment of Babesia bovis. METHODS Cytotoxicity of antimalarial drugs; pyrimethamine, artefenomel, chloroquine, primaquine, dihydroarthemisinine, and the iron chelator, 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)- 3-hydroxy-2 methylpyridin-4-one (CM1), were evaluated against Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells and compared to diminazene aceturate, which is the currently available drug for animal babesiosis using an MTT solution. Afterwards, an evaluation of the in vitro growth-inhibitory effects of antimalarial drug concentrations was performed and monitored using a flow cytometer. Half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of each antimalarial and iron chelator were determined and compared to the antibabesial drug, diminazine aceturate, by interpolation using a curve-fitting technique. Subsequently, the effect of the drug combination was assessed by constructing an isobologram. Values of the sum of fractional inhibitions at 50% inhibition were then estimated. RESULTS Results indicate that all drugs tested could safely inhibit babesia parasite growth, as high as 2500 μM were non-toxic to mammalian cells. Although no drugs inhibited B. bovis more effectively than diminazine aceturate in this experiment, in vitro growth inhibition results with IC50 values of pyrimethamine 6.25 ± 2.59 μM, artefenomel 2.56 ± 0.67 μM, chloroquine 2.14 ± 0.76 μM, primaquine 22.61 ± 6.72 μM, dihydroarthemisinine 4.65 ± 0.22 μM, 1-(N-acetyl-6-aminohexyl)- 3-hydroxy-2 methylpyridin-4-one (CM1) 9.73 ± 1.90 μM, and diminazine aceturate 0.42 ± 0.01 μM, confirm that all drugs could inhibit B. bovis and could be used as alternative treatments for bovine babesial infection. Furthermore, the efficacy of a combination of the iron chelator, CM1, in combination with artefenomel dihydroarthemisinin or chloroquine, and artefenomel in combination with the iron chelator, CM1, dihydroarthemisinin or chloroquine, exhibited synergism against B. bovis in vitro. CONCLUSION Our evaluation of the inhibitory efficacy of the iron chelator CM1, antimalarial drugs, and a combination of these drugs against B. bovis could be potentially useful in the development and discovery of a novel drug for the treatment of B. bovis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pongpisid Koonyosying
- Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine and Biological Products, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand; Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Somdet Srichairatanakool
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Saruda Tiwananthagorn
- Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine and Biological Products, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
| | - Nattawooti Sthitmatee
- Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine and Biological Products, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand.
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Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAES, Igarashi I. Diminazene aceturate and imidocarb dipropionate-based combination therapy for babesiosis – A new paradigm. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102145. [PMID: 37011497 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the effect of a combination therapy consisting of diminazene aceturate (DA) and imidocarb dipropionate (ID) on the in vitro growth of several parasitic piroplasmids, and on Babesia microti in BALB/c mice was evaluated using a fluorescence-based SYBR Green I test. We evaluated the structural similarities between the regularly used antibabesial medications, DA and ID, and the recently found antibabesial drugs, pyronaridine tetraphosphate, atovaquone, and clofazimine, using atom pair fingerprints (APfp). The Chou-Talalay approach was used to determine the interactions between the two drugs. A Celltac MEK-6450 computerized hematology analyzer was used to detect hemolytic anemia every 96 hours in mice infected with B. microti and in those treated with either mono- or combination therapy. According to the APfp results, DA and ID have the most structural similarities (MSS). DA and ID had synergistic and additive interactions against the in vitro growth of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis, respectively. Low dosages of DA (6.25 mg kg-1) and ID (8.5 mg kg-1) in conjunction with each other inhibited B. microti growth by 16.5 %, 32 %, and 4.5 % more than 25 mg kg-1 DA, 6.25 mg kg-1 DA, and 8.5 mg kg-1 ID monotherapies, respectively. In the blood, kidney, heart, and lung tissues of mice treated with DA/ID, the B. microti small subunit rRNA gene was not detected. The obtained findings suggest that DA/ID could be a promising combination therapy for treating bovine babesiosis. Also, such combination may overcome the potential problems of Babesia resistance and host toxicity induced by utilizing full doses of DA and ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
| | - Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAES, El-Alfy ES, Igarashi I. Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine: a Highly Potent Therapeutic Agent Clears Piroplasm Infection In Vitro. Acta Parasitol 2023; 68:249-256. [PMID: 36637693 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00655-w] [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: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The imidazo[1,2-a] pyridines have huge applications in medicinal chemistry with potent activity against wide spectrum of infectious agents. The efficacy of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine on the in vitro growth of different piroplasms, including Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and Theileria equi, was investigated in this study. METHODS The anti-piroplasm efficacy of imidazo[1,2-a] pyridines was assessed using a fluorescence-based SYBR Green I assay. Furthermore, efficacy of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine against piroplasms following discontinuation of treatment was also assessed using a viability assay. In vitro cultures of B. bovis and T. equi were used to assess the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and diminazene aceturate (DA) interaction. RESULTS In vitro, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine inhibited the growth of B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. caballi, and T. equi in a dose-dependent manner. The highest inhibitory effects of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine were detected on the growth of B. caballi with IC50 value of 0.47 ± 0.07. Interestingly, the efficacy of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine was higher against B. bigemina (IC50: 1.37 ± 0.15) compared to the positive-control DA (IC50: 2.29 ± 0.06). The viability test findings indicate that imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine had a long-lasting inhibitory effect on bovine Babesia parasites in vitro growth up to 4 days after treatment. Notably, when coupled with DA at 0.75 or 0.50 IC50, a high concentration (0.75 IC50) of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine produced additive suppression of B. bovis growth which suggest that imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine/DA could be a promising combination therapy for the treatment of B. bovis. CONCLUSION The obtained encouraging findings pave the way for in vitro and in vivo efficacy trials of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives against several piroplasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan. .,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
| | - Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan. .,Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt.
| | - El-Sayed El-Alfy
- Parasitology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
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Measurement of Babesia bovis infected red blood cells using flow cytometry. J Microbiol Methods 2023; 204:106641. [PMID: 36460090 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2022.106641] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Rapid and accurate tools are needed for high-throughput in vitro antibabesial drug testing. In this study, flow cytometry for the measuring of Babesia bovis in vitro culture, was developed using SYBR Green I and compared against the results of fluorescence-based assay and microscopic assay. A high correlation of measured parasitemia was observed with high R2 value (R2 = 0.9991) between flow cytometry and microscopic analysis. The degree of antibabesial drug sensitivity against B. bovis determined by flow cytometry was 0.424 ± 0.173 μM. Similar to the results of previously published studies involving fluorescence spectrometry-based assay (0.408 ± 0.011 μM) and microscopy-based assay (0.400 ± 0.017 μM). The outcomes of this present study suggest that flow cytometry assay using SYBR Green I can potentially be useful in determining parasitemia and can serve as a rapid alternative method to antibabesial drug testing.
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Rizk MA, Baghdadi HB, El-Sayed SAES, Eltaysh R, Igarashi I. Repurposing of the Malaria Box for Babesia microti in mice identifies novel active scaffolds against piroplasmosis. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:329. [PMID: 36123705 PMCID: PMC9487043 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05430-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An innovative approach has been introduced for identifying and developing novel potent and safe anti-Babesia and anti-Theileria agents for the control of animal piroplasmosis. In the present study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of Malaria Box (MBox) compounds (n = 8) against the growth of Babesia microti in mice and conducted bioinformatics analysis between the selected hits and the currently used antibabesial drugs, with far-reaching implications for potent combinations. Methods A fluorescence assay was used to evaluate the in vivo inhibitory effects of the selected compounds. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted using hierarchical clustering, distance matrix and molecular weight correlation, and PubChem fingerprint. The compounds with in vivo potential efficacy were selected to search for their target in the piroplasm parasites using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results Screening the MBox against the in vivo growth of the B. microti parasite enabled the discovery of potent new antipiroplasm drugs, including MMV396693 and MMV665875. Interestingly, statistically significant (P < 0.05) downregulation of cysteine protease mRNA levels was observed in MMV665875-treated Theileria equi in vitro culture in comparison with untreated cultures. MMV396693/clofazimine and MMV665875/atovaquone (AV) showed maximum structural similarity (MSS) with each other. The distance matrix results indicate promising antibabesial efficacy of combination therapies consisting of either MMV665875 and AV or MMV396693 and imidocarb dipropionate (ID). Conclusions Inhibitory and hematology assay results suggest that MMV396693 and MMV665875 are potent antipiroplasm monotherapies. The structural similarity results indicate that MMV665875 and MMV396693 have a similar mode of action as AV and ID, respectively. Our findings demonstrated that MBox compounds provide a promising lead for the development of new antibabesial therapeutic alternatives. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05430-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. .,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt.
| | - Hanadi B Baghdadi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.,Basic and Applied Scientific Research Center (BASRC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt
| | - Rasha Eltaysh
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia, Egypt
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
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Pomegranate ( Punica granatum) Peel Inhibits the In Vitro and In Vivo Growth of Piroplasm Parasites. J Parasitol Res 2022; 2022:8574541. [PMID: 35774222 PMCID: PMC9237696 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8574541] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel has seen a rapid surge in attention as a medical and nutritional product over the last decade. The impact of pomegranate peel methanolic extract monotherapy and combination therapy on the in vitro growth of Babesia (B.) bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and Theileria (T.) equi, as well as B. microti in mice, was investigated in this work. Fluorescence-based SYBR green I assay was used for evaluating the inhibitory antibabesial efficacy of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel against the growth of several piroplasm parasites in vitro and in vivo. Celltac α MEK-6450 computerized haematology analyzer was used for monitoring the haematological parameters of treated mice every 4 days. Pomegranate peel inhibited the in vitro growth of B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, T. equi, and B. caballi in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 154.45 ± 23.11, 40.90 ± 9.35, 72.71 ± 14.77, 100 ± 16.20, and 77.27 ± 16.94 μg/ml, respectively. On a B. bovis culture, the in vitro inhibitory effect of pomegranate peel was amplified when it was combined with diminazene aceturate (DA). Combination therapy of pomegranate peel and a low dose of DA (15 mg kg−1) inhibited B. microti growth significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the treatment with the full dose of DA (25 mg kg−1) in B. microti-infected mice. These findings suggest that pomegranate peel might be a potential medicinal plant for babesiosis treatment, especially when combined with a low dosage of DA.
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Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAES, Igarashi I. Ascorbic acid co-administration with a low dose of diminazene aceturate inhibits the in vitro growth of Theileria equi, and the in vivo growth of Babesia microti. Parasitol Int 2022; 90:102596. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Ji S, Liu M, Galon EM, Rizk MA, Tuvshintulga B, Li J, Zafar I, Hasegawa Y, Iguchi A, Yokoyama N, Xuan X. Inhibitory effect of naphthoquine phosphate on Babesia gibsoni in vitro and Babesia rodhaini in vivo. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:10. [PMID: 34991686 PMCID: PMC8740460 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05127-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug resistance and toxic side effects are major challenges in the treatment of babesiosis. As such, new drugs are needed to combat the emergence of drug resistance in Babesia parasites and to develop alternative treatment strategies. A combination of naphthoquine (NQ) and artemisinin is an antimalarial therapy in pharmaceutical markets. The present study repurposed NQ as a drug for the treatment of babesiosis by evaluating the anti-Babesia activity of naphthoquine phosphate (NQP) alone. METHODS An in vitro growth inhibition assay of NQP was tested on Babesia gibsoni cultures using a SYBR Green I-based fluorescence assay. In addition, the in vivo growth inhibitory effect of NQP was evaluated using BALB/c mice infected with Babesia rodhaini. The parasitemia level and hematocrit values were monitored to determine the therapeutic efficacy of NQP and the clinical improvements in NQP-treated mice. RESULTS The half maximal inhibitory concentration of NQP against B. gibsoni in vitro was 3.3 ± 0.5 μM. Oral administration of NQP for 5 consecutive days at a dose of 40 mg/kg of body weight resulted in significant inhibition of B. rodhaini growth in mice as compared with that of the control group. All NQP-treated mice survived, whereas the mice in the control group died between days 6 and 9 post-infection. CONCLUSION This is the first study to evaluate the anti-Babesia activity of NQP in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest that NQP is a promising drug for treating Babesia infections, and drug repurposing may provide new treatment strategies for babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053, China
| | - Eloiza May Galon
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.,Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
| | - Bumduuren Tuvshintulga
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.,College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China
| | - Iqra Zafar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Yae Hasegawa
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Aiko Iguchi
- Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori, 680-8550, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
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Ogata S, Pereira JAC, Jhonny LVA, Carolina HPG, Matsuno K, Orba Y, Sawa H, Kawamori F, Nonaka N, Nakao R. Molecular Survey of Babesia and Anaplasma Infection in Cattle in Bolivia. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8090188. [PMID: 34564582 PMCID: PMC8473379 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8090188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Latin American countries produce more than a quarter of the world's beef and are a major global supplier of livestock protein. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major constraint to the livestock industry worldwide, including in Latin America. The aim of this study was to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens in cattle from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where no detailed epidemiological data are available. Blood samples were collected from 104 cattle. Apicomplexan parasites were detected by nested PCR amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), and Anaplasmataceae was screened by the PCR amplification of 16S rDNA, followed by characterisation based on the heat shock protein and citrate synthase gene sequences. Babesia infection was observed in nine cattle (one Babesia bovis and eight Babesia bigemina), while Anaplasmataceae infection was detected in thirty-two cattle. A sequencing analysis confirmed the presence of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma platys-like. These results provide the first molecular evidence for the four above-mentioned tick-borne pathogens in cattle in Bolivia. This information improves our understanding of the epidemiology of TBDs and will help in formulating appropriate and improved pathogen control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Ogata
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
| | - Juan Antonio Cristian Pereira
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Loza Vega Ariel Jhonny
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Herbas Perez Gladys Carolina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Keita Matsuno
- Division of Risk Analysis and Management, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan;
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan; (Y.O.); (H.S.)
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N 20 W 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Kawamori
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Av. 26 de Febrero Entre Av. Busch y Av. Centenario, Ciudad Universitaria, Modulo 228, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; (J.A.C.P.); (L.V.A.J.); (H.P.G.C.); (F.K.)
| | - Nariaki Nonaka
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Hokkaido University, N 18 W 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; (S.O.); (N.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-5196
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Yamasaki M, Idaka N, Abe M, Takiguchi M. Reduced expression levels of heat shock protein 90 in a diminazene aceturate-resistant Babesia gibsoni isolate. Exp Parasitol 2020; 221:108050. [PMID: 33307095 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.108050] [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: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a molecular chaperon and an essential component for stage differentiation and intracellular growth inside the host cells of many protozoans. HSP90 of Babesia gibsoni (BgHSP90) was suggested to function in the development of diminazene aceturate (DA)-resistance. Therefore, we examined the expression level of BgHSP90 in a DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate. Transcription of the BgHSP90 gene in the DA-resistant isolate and wild-type B. gibsoni was assessed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). As a result, the copy number and relative amount of BgHSP90 transcripts in the DA-resistant isolate were significantly lower than those in the wild-type. Moreover, a rabbit anti-recombinant BgHSP90 antibody was developed, and the protein synthesis of BgHSP90 in the DA-resistant isolate was compared with that in the wild-type by Western blot analysis and indirect fluorescence assay. There was significantly less BgHSP90 protein than in the wild-type. Additionally, the relative intensity of BgHSP70 in DA-resistant isolate was also lower than that in the wild-type. This suggested that the expression of BgHSP90 and BgHSP70 in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate was suppressed and that the reduced amount of BgHSP90 and BgHSP70 might cause the weak proliferation of the DA-resistant isolate. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the function of BgHSP90.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Yamasaki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Small Animal Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka, Iwate 202-8550, Japan.
| | - Natsuki Idaka
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Moeko Abe
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Mitsuyoshi Takiguchi
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
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11
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Silva MG, Bastos RG, Stone Doggett J, Riscoe MK, Pou S, Winter R, Dodean RA, Nilsen A, Suarez CE. Endochin-like quinolone-300 and ELQ-316 inhibit Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, B. caballi and Theileria equi. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:606. [PMID: 33272316 PMCID: PMC7712603 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04487-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The most common apicomplexan parasites causing bovine babesiosis are Babesia bovis and B. bigemina, while B. caballi and Theileria equi are responsible for equine piroplasmosis. Treatment and control of these diseases are usually achieved using potentially toxic chemotherapeutics, such as imidocarb diproprionate, but drug-resistant parasites are emerging, and alternative effective and safer drugs are needed. The endochin-like quinolones (ELQ)-300 and ELQ-316 have been proven to be safe and efficacious against related apicomplexans, such as Plasmodium spp., with ELQ-316 also being effective against Babesia microti, without showing toxicity in mammals. Methods The inhibitory effects of ELQ-300 and ELQ-316 were assessed on the growth of cultured B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. caballi and T. equi. The percentage of parasitized erythrocytes was measured by flow cytometry, and the effect of the ELQ compounds on the viability of horse and bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was assessed by monitoring cell metabolic activity using a colorimetric assay. Results We calculated the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) at 72 h, which ranged from 0.04 to 0.37 nM for ELQ-300, and from 0.002 to 0.1 nM for ELQ-316 among all cultured parasites tested at 72 h. None of the parasites tested were able to replicate in cultures in the presence of ELQ-300 and ELQ-316 at the maximal inhibitory concentration (IC100), which ranged from 1.3 to 5.7 nM for ELQ-300 and from 1.0 to 6.0 nM for ELQ-316 at 72 h. Neither ELQ-300 nor ELQ-316 altered the viability of equine and bovine PBMC at their IC100 in in vitro testing. Conclusions The compounds ELQ-300 and ELQ-316 showed significant inhibitory activity on the main parasites responsible for bovine babesiosis and equine piroplasmosis at doses that are tolerable to host cells. These ELQ drugs may be viable candidates for developing alternative protocols for the treatment of bovine babesiosis and equine piroplasmosis. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta G Silva
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Reginaldo G Bastos
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - J Stone Doggett
- Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97239, USA
| | - Michael K Riscoe
- Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97239, USA
| | - Sovitj Pou
- VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Rolf Winter
- VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Rozalia A Dodean
- VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Aaron Nilsen
- Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97239, USA.,VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Carlos E Suarez
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA. .,Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, WSU, Pullman, WA, USA.
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12
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El-Sayed SAES, Rizk MA, Ringo AE, Li Y, Liu M, Ji S, Li J, Byamukama B, Tumwebaze MA, Xuan X, Igarashi I. Impact of using pyronaridine tetraphosphate- based combination therapy in the treatment of babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis, B. caballi, and B. gibsoni in vitro and B. microti in mice. Parasitol Int 2020; 81:102260. [PMID: 33264674 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The inhibitory efficacies of pyronaridine tetraphosphate (PYR), when used in combination with two novel and potent antibabesial drugs; clofazimine (CF), and MMV396693 were evaluated in the current study against the growth of Babesia bovis, B. caballi, and B. gibsoni in vitro and B. microti in mice. The in vitro study against the selected parasites was performed using combination of PYR with either CF or MMV396693 in ratios ranged from 0.75:0.75 to 0.25:0.25. Combined application of PYR/MMV396693 revealed additive and indifferent interactions against the in vitro growth of all screened Babesia parasites. PYR in combination with CF, achieved indifferent and antagonistic interactions with all used concentration ratios against the in vitro growth of B. bovis and B. caballi. Treatment with PYR-CF combination therapy caused significant inhibition (P < 0.05) of the fluorescence values at days 12, 14, 16, 18, and 22 p.i. in comparison with control mice. Of note, treatment with combination therapy exhibited inhibition in the growth of B. microti (23.16%) greater than those caused by PYR alone. In summary, the obtained results highlight the improvement in the in vivo antibabesial efficacy of PYR when used in combination with CF rather than using PYR alone but such inhibition is still lower than those caused by either DA or CF monotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
| | - Aaron Edmond Ringo
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Zanzibar Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries, P. o. Box. 159, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Yongchang Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Shengwei Ji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Jixu Li
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Benedicto Byamukama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Maria A Tumwebaze
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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13
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Xanthohumol and Gossypol Are Promising Inhibitors against Babesia microti by In Vitro Culture via High-Throughput Screening of 133 Natural Products. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8040613. [PMID: 33081295 PMCID: PMC7711813 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis caused by Babesia microti is an emerging threat for severe illness and even death, with an increasing impact worldwide. Currently, the regimen of atovaquone and azithromycin is considered as the standard therapy for treating human babesiosis, which, however, may result in drug resistance and relapse, suggesting the necessity of developing new drugs to control B. microti. In this regard, natural products are promising candidates for drug design against B. microti due to their active therapeutic efficacy, lower toxicity, and fewer adverse reactions to host. Here, the potential inhibitors against B. microti were preliminarily screened from 133 natural products, and 47 of them were selected for further screening. Gossypol (Gp) and xanthohumol (Xn) were finally shown to effectively inhibit the growth of B. microti with IC50 values of 8.47 μm and 21.40 μm, respectively. The cytotoxicity results showed that Gp and Xn were non-toxic to erythrocytes at a concentration below 100 μm. Furthermore, both of them were confirmed to be non-toxic to different types of cells in previous studies. Our findings suggest the potential of Gp and Xn as effective drugs against B. microti infection.
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14
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Rizk MA, El-Sayed SAES, Nassif M, Mosqueda J, Xuan X, Igarashi I. Assay methods for in vitro and in vivo anti-Babesia drug efficacy testing: Current progress, outlook, and challenges. Vet Parasitol 2019; 279:109013. [PMID: 32070899 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.109013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Absence of an effective high-throughput drug-screening system for Babesia parasites is considered one of the main causes for the presence of a wide gap in the treatment of animal babesiosis when compared with other hemoprotozoan diseases, such as malaria. Recently, a simple, accurate, and automatic fluorescence assay was established for large-scale anti-Babesia (B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi and T. equi) drug screening. Such development will facilitate anti-Babesia drug discovery, especially in the post-genomic era, which will bring new chemotherapy targets with the completion of the Babesia genome sequencing project currently in progress. In this review, we present the current progress in the various assays for in vitro and in vivo anti-Babesia drug testing, as well as the challenges, highlighting new insights into the future of anti-Babesia drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdo Rizk
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Shimaa Abd El-Salam El-Sayed
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan; Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Medhat Nassif
- Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt
| | - Juan Mosqueda
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan; Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias s/n, 76230, Juriquilla, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
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15
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Tuvshintulga B, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I. Development of unstable resistance to diminazene aceturate in Babesia bovis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2019; 9:87-92. [PMID: 30785049 PMCID: PMC6382846 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Diminazene aceturate (DA) is commonly used in the treatment of bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis. In this study, we attempted to develop resistance in B. bovis in vitro to DA and clofazimine (CF, a novel antibabesial agent) using short- and long-term drug pressures. In the short term, we found that 6.7 ± 2 (0.54 ± 0.16 μM)-, 12.9 ± 8.6 (1.05 ± 0.7 μM)-, and 14 ± 5.9 (1.14 ± 0.48 μM)-fold increases in the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DA were demonstrated on B. bovis cultivated with 0.04 μM of DA pressure for 4, 8, and 12 days, respectively, as compared to that on parental culture (0.08 ± 0.0065 μM) before drug pressure was initiated. However, in B. bovis cultivated with 0.04 μM of DA pressure after 16 days, the parasites could not tolerate 0.8 μM of DA. In the long term, 7.6 ± 3.5-, 20.5 ± 0.1-, and 26.8 ± 5.5-fold increases in the IC50 of DA were demonstrated on parasites from subcultures at days 8, 3, and 5 post-cultivation, respectively, in a drug-free medium, where these subcultures were obtained from B. bovis cultivated with DA pressure with changing doses for 30, 60, and 90 days, respectively. However, the second and third times, no increase was demonstrated on B. bovis from these subcultures at days 15 and 30 post-cultivation in a drug-free medium. In addition, in B. bovis cultivated with drug pressure after 90 days, the parasites tolerate up to 0.64 μM DA. All findings demonstrated that DA resistance in B. bovis is unstable and lost within 15 days of drug withdrawal. However, treatment with subtherapeutic doses of DA in cattle might result in the development of resistance in B. bovis, which may not even respond to subsequent treatments with high doses of DA. Thus, if the bovine babesiosis caused by B. bovis is unresponsive to DA, treatment with other antibabesial agents might be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bumduuren Tuvshintulga
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
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