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Gachie B, Thiong'o K, Muriithi B, Chepngetich J, Onchieku N, Gathirwa J, Mwitari P, Magoma G, Kiboi D, Kimani F. Prevalence of mutations in the cysteine desulfurase IscS (Pfnfs1) gene in recurrent Plasmodium falciparum infections following artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) treatment in Matayos, Western Kenya. Malar J 2023; 22:158. [PMID: 37202779 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04587-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria remains a public health concern globally. Resistance to anti-malarial drugs has consistently threatened the gains in controlling the malaria parasites. Currently, artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) are the treatment regimens against Plasmodium falciparum infections in many African countries, including Kenya. Recurrent infections have been reported in patients treated with AL or DP, suggesting the possibility of reinfection or parasite recrudescence associated with the development of resistance against the two therapies. The Plasmodium falciparum cysteine desulfurase IscS (Pfnfs1) K65 selection marker has previously been associated with decreased lumefantrine susceptibility. This study evaluated the frequency of the Pfnfs1 K65 resistance marker and associated K65Q resistant allele in recurrent infections collected from P. falciparum-infected individuals living in Matayos, Busia County, in western Kenya. METHODS Archived dried blood spots (DBS) of patients with recurrent malaria infection on clinical follow-up days after treatment with either AL or DP were used in the study. After extraction of genomic DNA, PCR amplification and sequencing analysis were employed to determine the frequencies of the Pfnfs1 K65 resistance marker and K65Q mutant allele in the recurrent infections. Plasmodium falciparum msp1 and P. falciparum msp2 genetic markers were used to distinguish recrudescent infections from new infections. RESULTS The K65 wild-type allele was detected at a frequency of 41% while the K65Q mutant allele was detected at a frequency of 22% in the recurrent samples. 58% of the samples containing the K65 wild-type allele were AL treated samples and while 42% were DP treated samples. 79% of the samples with the K65Q mutation were AL treated samples and 21% were DP treated samples. The K65 wild-type allele was detected in three recrudescent infections (100%) identified from the AL treated samples. The K65 wild-type allele was detected in two recrudescent DP treated samples (67%) while the K65Q mutant allele was identified in one DP treated (33%) recrudescent sample. CONCLUSIONS The data demonstrate a higher frequency of the K65 resistance marker in patients with recurrent infection during the study period. The study underscores the need for consistent monitoring of molecular markers of resistance in regions of high malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Gachie
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Kelvin Thiong'o
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Brenda Muriithi
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jean Chepngetich
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Noah Onchieku
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jeremiah Gathirwa
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Peter Mwitari
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gabriel Magoma
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000 -00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Kiboi
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000 -00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Francis Kimani
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute, Off Raila Odinga Way, P.O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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Rei Yan SL, Wakasuqui F, Du X, Groves MR, Wrenger C. Lipoic Acid Metabolism as a Potential Chemotherapeutic Target Against Plasmodium falciparum and Staphylococcus aureus. Front Chem 2021; 9:742175. [PMID: 34805091 PMCID: PMC8600131 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.742175] [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: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipoic acid (LA) is an organic compound that plays a key role in cellular metabolism. It participates in a posttranslational modification (PTM) named lipoylation, an event that is highly conserved and that occurs in multimeric metabolic enzymes of very distinct microorganisms such as Plasmodium sp. and Staphylococcus aureus, including pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KDH). In this mini review, we revisit the recent literature regarding LA metabolism in Plasmodium sp. and Staphylococcus aureus, by covering the lipoate ligase proteins in both microorganisms, the role of lipoate ligase proteins and insights for possible inhibitors of lipoate ligases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Liu Rei Yan
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences-ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Wakasuqui
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences-ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Xiaochen Du
- Structural Biology in Drug Design, Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Matthew R Groves
- Structural Biology in Drug Design, Department of Drug Design, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences-ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Repurposing Drugs to Fight Hepatic Malaria Parasites. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25153409. [PMID: 32731386 PMCID: PMC7435416 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most prevalent infectious diseases worldwide, primarily affecting some of the most vulnerable populations around the globe. Despite achievements in the treatment of this devastating disease, there is still an urgent need for the discovery of new drugs that tackle infection by Plasmodium parasites. However, de novo drug development is a costly and time-consuming process. An alternative strategy is to evaluate the anti-plasmodial activity of compounds that are already approved for other purposes, an approach known as drug repurposing. Here, we will review efforts to assess the anti-plasmodial activity of existing drugs, with an emphasis on the obligatory and clinically silent liver stage of infection. We will also review the current knowledge on the classes of compounds that might be therapeutically relevant against Plasmodium in the context of other communicable diseases that are prevalent in regions where malaria is endemic. Repositioning existing compounds may constitute a faster solution to the current gap of prophylactic and therapeutic drugs that act on Plasmodium parasites, overall contributing to the global effort of malaria eradication.
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