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Robledo SM, Pérez-Silanes S, Fernández-Rubio C, Poveda A, Monzote L, González VM, Alonso-Collado P, Carrión J. Neglected Zoonotic Diseases: Advances in the Development of Cell-Penetrating and Antimicrobial Peptides against Leishmaniosis and Chagas Disease. Pathogens 2023; 12:939. [PMID: 37513786 PMCID: PMC10383258 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2020, the WHO established the road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030, which aims to control and eradicate 20 diseases, including leishmaniosis and Chagas disease. In addition, since 2015, the WHO has been developing a Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. In this context, the achievement of innovative strategies as an alternative to replace conventional therapies is a first-order socio-sanitary priority, especially regarding endemic zoonoses in poor regions, such as those caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. infections. In this scenario, it is worth highlighting a group of natural peptide molecules (AMPs and CPPs) that are promising strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy against these neglected zoonoses, as they avoid the development of toxicity and resistance of conventional treatments. This review presents the novelties of these peptide molecules and their ability to cross a whole system of cell membranes as well as stimulate host immune defenses or even serve as vectors of molecules. The efforts of the biotechnological sector will make it possible to overcome the limitations of antimicrobial peptides through encapsulation and functionalization methods to obtain approval for these treatments to be used in clinical programs for the eradication of leishmaniosis and Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Robledo
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
| | - Silvia Pérez-Silanes
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Chemistry, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, IdiSNA, Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Celia Fernández-Rubio
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, ISTUN Instituto de Salud Tropical, IdiSNA, Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ana Poveda
- DNA Replication and Genome Instability Unit, Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Zoonosis y Salud Pública (GIBCIZ), Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis-CIZ, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito 170521, Ecuador
| | - Lianet Monzote
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí", Apartado Postal No. 601, Marianao 13, La Habana 10400, Cuba
| | - Víctor M González
- Grupo de Aptámeros, Departamento de Bioquímica-Investigación, IRYCIS-Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Carretera de Colmenar Viejo Km. 9.100, 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Alonso-Collado
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Carrión
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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2
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Almeida JR, Gomes A, Mendes B, Aguiar L, Ferreira M, Brioschi MBC, Duarte D, Nogueira F, Cortes S, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Miguel DC, Teixeira C, Gameiro P, Gomes P. Unlocking the potential of snake venom-based molecules against the malaria, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis triad. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124745. [PMID: 37150376 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124745] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are vector-borne protozoal infections with a disproportionately high impact on the most fragile societies in the world, and despite malaria-focused research gained momentum in the past two decades, both trypanosomiases and leishmaniases remain neglected tropical diseases. Affordable effective drugs remain the mainstay of tackling this burden, but toxicicty, inneficiency against later stage disease, and drug resistance issues are serious shortcomings. One strategy to overcome these hurdles is to get new therapeutics or inspiration in nature. Indeed, snake venoms have been recognized as valuable sources of biomacromolecules, like peptides and proteins, with antiprotozoal activity. This review highlights major snake venom components active against at least one of the three aforementioned diseases, which include phospholipases A2, metalloproteases, L-amino acid oxidases, lectins, and oligopeptides. The relevance of this repertoire of biomacromolecules and the bottlenecks in their clinical translation are discussed considering approaches that should increase the success rate in this arduous task. Overall, this review underlines how venom-derived biomacromolecules could lead to pioneering antiprotozoal treatments and how the drug landscape for neglected diseases may be revolutionized by a closer look at venoms. Further investigations on poorly studied venoms is needed and could add new therapeutics to the pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Rafael Almeida
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150150, Ecuador.
| | - Ana Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Bruno Mendes
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150150, Ecuador
| | - Luísa Aguiar
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Ferreira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | | | - Denise Duarte
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil.
| | - Fátima Nogueira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL, Rua Junqueira 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Sofia Cortes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL, Rua Junqueira 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - David Salazar-Valenzuela
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb) e Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Indoamérica, Quito 170103, Ecuador.
| | - Danilo C Miguel
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb) e Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Indoamérica, Quito 170103, Ecuador.
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gameiro
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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3
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Osipov AV, Cheremnykh EG, Ziganshin RH, Starkov VG, Nguyen TTT, Nguyen KC, Le DT, Hoang AN, Tsetlin VI, Utkin YN. The Potassium Channel Blocker β-Bungarotoxin from the Krait Bungarus multicinctus Venom Manifests Antiprotozoal Activity. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041115. [PMID: 37189733 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041115] [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: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoal infections are a world-wide problem. The toxicity and somewhat low effectiveness of the existing drugs require the search for new ways of protozoa suppression. Snake venom contains structurally diverse components manifesting antiprotozoal activity; for example, those in cobra venom are cytotoxins. In this work, we aimed to characterize a novel antiprotozoal component(s) in the Bungarus multicinctus krait venom using the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis as a model organism. To determine the toxicity of the substances under study, surviving ciliates were registered automatically by an original BioLaT-3.2 instrument. The krait venom was separated by three-step liquid chromatography and the toxicity of the obtained fractions against T. pyriformis was analyzed. As a result, 21 kDa protein toxic to Tetrahymena was isolated and its amino acid sequence was determined by MALDI TOF MS and high-resolution mass spectrometry. It was found that antiprotozoal activity was manifested by β-bungarotoxin (β-Bgt) differing from the known toxins by two amino acid residues. Inactivation of β-Bgt phospholipolytic activity with p-bromophenacyl bromide did not change its antiprotozoal activity. Thus, this is the first demonstration of the antiprotozoal activity of β-Bgt, which is shown to be independent of its phospholipolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey V Osipov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | | | - Rustam H Ziganshin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Vladislav G Starkov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | | | - Khoa Cuu Nguyen
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Dung Tien Le
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Anh Ngoc Hoang
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Victor I Tsetlin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Yuri N Utkin
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
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4
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Cutaneous/Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis Treatment for Wound Healing: Classical versus New Treatment Approaches. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres13040059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (ML) show clinical spectra that can range from a localized lesion (with a spontaneous healing process) to cases that progress to a generalized systemic disease with a risk of death. The treatment of leishmaniasis is complex since most of the available drugs show high toxicity. The development of an effective topical drug formulation for CL and ML treatment offers advantages as it will improve patient’s compliance to the therapy given the possibility for self-administration, as well as overcoming the first pass metabolism and the high costs of currently available alternatives. The most common dosage forms include solid formulations, such as membranes and semi-solid formulations (e.g., ointments, creams, gels, and pastes). Topical treatment has been used as a new route of administration for conventional drugs against leishmaniasis and its combinations, as well as to exploit new substances. In this review, we discuss the advantages and limitations of using topical drug delivery for the treatment of these two forms of leishmaniasis and the relevance of combining this approach with other pharmaceutical dosage forms. Emphasis will also be given to the use of nanomaterials for site-specific delivery.
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5
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Santana ÉSD, Belmiro VBDS, de Siqueira LBDO, do Nascimento T, Santos-Oliveira R, dos Santos Matos AP, Júnior ER. Nanotechnology as an alternative to improve the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: A systematic review of the literature. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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6
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Kumari D, Perveen S, Sharma R, Singh K. Advancement in leishmaniasis diagnosis and therapeutics: An update. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174436. [PMID: 34428435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is regarded as a neglected tropical disease by World Health Organization (WHO) and is ranked next to malaria as the deadliest protozoan disease. The primary causative agents of the disease comprise of diverse leishmanial species sharing clinical features ranging from skin abrasions to lethal infection in the visceral organs. As several Leishmania species are involved in infection, the role of accurate diagnosis becomes pivotal in adding new dimensions to anti-leishmanial therapy. Diagnostic methods must be fast, reliable, easy to perform, highly sensitive, and specific to differentiate among similar parasitic diseases. Herein, we present the conventional and recent approaches impended for the disease diagnosis and their sensitivity, specificity, and clinical application in parasite detection. Furthermore, we have also elaborated various new methods to cure leishmaniasis, which include host-directed therapies, drug repurposing, nanotechnology, and combinational therapy. This review addresses novel techniques and innovations in leishmaniasis, which can aid in unraveling new strategies to fight against the deadly infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Kumari
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Summaya Perveen
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Rashmi Sharma
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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7
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Briones Nieva CA, Cid AG, Romero AI, García-Bustos MF, Villegas M, Bermúdez JM. An appraisal of the scientific current situation and new perspectives in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Acta Trop 2021; 221:105988. [PMID: 34058160 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a Neglected Tropical Diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. It is a major health problem in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world and can produce three different clinical manifestations, among which cutaneous leishmaniasis has a higher incidence in the world than the other clinical forms. There are no recognized and reliable means of chemoprophylaxis or vaccination against infections with different forms of leishmaniasis. In addition, chemotherapy, unfortunately, remains, in many respects, unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is a continuing and urgent need for new therapies against leishmaniasis that are safe and effective in inducing a long-term cure. This review summarizes the latest advances in currently available treatments and improvements in the development of drug administration. In addition, an analysis of the in vivo assays was performed and the challenges facing promising strategies to treat CL are discussed. The treatment of leishmaniasis will most likely evolve into an approach that uses multiple therapies simultaneously to reduce the possibility of developing drug resistance. There is a continuous effort to discover new drugs to improve the treatment of leishmaniasis, but this is mainly at the level of individual researchers. Undoubtedly, more funding is needed in this area, as well as greater participation of the pharmaceutical industry to focus efforts on the development of chemotherapeutic agents and vaccines for this and other neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Briones Nieva
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Bolivia 5150, (4400) Salta, Argentina
| | - Alicia Graciela Cid
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Bolivia 5150, (4400) Salta, Argentina
| | - Analía Irma Romero
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Bolivia 5150, (4400) Salta, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda García-Bustos
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Salta, Argentina
| | - Mercedes Villegas
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Bolivia 5150, (4400) Salta, Argentina
| | - José María Bermúdez
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química, Universidad Nacional de Salta - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Bolivia 5150, (4400) Salta, Argentina.
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8
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Teixeira SC, da Silva MS, Gomes AAS, Moretti NS, Lopes DS, Ferro EAV, Rodrigues VDM. Panacea within a Pandora's box: the antiparasitic effects of phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2s) from snake venoms. Trends Parasitol 2021; 38:80-94. [PMID: 34364805 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases affect millions of individuals worldwide, mainly in low-income regions. There is no cure for most of these diseases, and the treatment relies on drugs that have side effects and lead to drug resistance, emphasizing the urgency to find new treatments. Snake venom has been gaining prominence as a rich source of molecules with antiparasitic potentials, such as phospholipases A2 (PLA2s). Here, we compile the findings involving PLA2s with antiparasitic activities against helminths, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, and trypanosomatids. We indicate their molecular features, highlighting the possible antiparasitic mechanisms of action of these proteins. We also demonstrate interactions between PLA2s and some parasite membrane components, shedding light on potential targets for drug design that may provide better treatment for the illnesses caused by parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Cota Teixeira
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia (UFU), MG, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Santos da Silva
- DNA Replication and Repair Laboratory (DRRL), Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Nilmar Silvio Moretti
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Patógenos (LBMP), Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daiana Silva Lopes
- Multidisciplinary Institute of Health, Anísio Teixeira Campus, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
| | - Eloisa Amália Vieira Ferro
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia (UFU), MG, Brazil
| | - Veridiana de Melo Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Animal Toxins, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
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9
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Valentim Silva JR, de Barros NB, Aragão Macedo SR, Ferreira ADS, Moreira Dill LS, Zanchi FB, do Nascimento JR, Fernandes do Nascimento FR, Lourenzoni MR, de Azevedo Calderon L, Soares AM, Nicolete R. A natural cell-penetrating nanopeptide combined with pentavalent antimonial as experimental therapy against cutaneous leishmaniasis. Exp Parasitol 2020; 217:107934. [PMID: 32698075 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.107934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The inadequacy of available treatments for leishmaniasis has presented up to 40% therapeutic failure. This fact suggests an urgency in the discovery of new drugs or alternative approaches for treating this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of combined therapy between crotamine (CTA) from Crotalus durissus terrificus and the pentavalent antimonial Glucantime® (GLU). The assays were in vitro performed measuring the inhibition of Leishmania amazonensis amastigotes, followed by the evaluation of cellular production of cytokines and nitrites. After that, analytical methods were performed in order to characterize the molecules involved in the study by Mass Spectrometry, molecular affinity through an in silico assay and Surface Plasmon Resonance. In vivo experiments with BALB/c mice were performed by analyzing parasitemia, lesion size and immunological mediators. In the in vitro experiments, the pharmacological association improved the inhibition of the amastigotes, modulated the production of cytokines and nitric oxide. The therapy improved the effectiveness of the GLU, demonstrating a decreased parasitemia in the infected tissues. Altogether, the results suggest that the combined approach with CTA and GLU may be a promising alternative for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Rafael Valentim Silva
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Physical Education Department of Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Physical Education Department of University Center UNINORTE, Rio Branco, AC, Brazil
| | - Neuza Biguinati de Barros
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Sharon Rose Aragão Macedo
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz - Rondônia e Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Amália Dos Santos Ferreira
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Leandro Soares Moreira Dill
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz - Rondônia e Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Fernando Berton Zanchi
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz - Rondônia e Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Johnny Ramos do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Immunophysiology, Department of Pathology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Flávia Raquel Fernandes do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Immunophysiology, Department of Pathology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | | | - Leonardo de Azevedo Calderon
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz - Rondônia e Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Andreimar Martins Soares
- Centro de Estudos de Biomoléculas Aplicadas à Saúde (CEBio), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz - Rondônia e Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; eCentro Universitário São Lucas (UniSL), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Roberto Nicolete
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Aplicada à Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Ceará), Eusébio, CE, Brazil.
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10
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Mendes B, Almeida JR, Vale N, Gomes P, Gadelha FR, Da Silva SL, Miguel DC. Potential use of 13-mer peptides based on phospholipase and oligoarginine as leishmanicidal agents. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019; 226:108612. [PMID: 31454702 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.108612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Phospholipase A2 toxins present in snake venoms interact with biological membranes and serve as structural models for the design of small peptides with anticancer, antibacterial and antiparasitic properties. Oligoarginine peptides are capable of increasing cell membrane permeability (cell penetrating peptides), and for this reason are interesting delivery systems for compounds of pharmacological interest. Inspired by these two families of bioactive molecules, we have synthesized two 13-mer peptides as potential antileishmanial leads gaining insights into structural features useful for the future design of more potent peptides. The peptides included p-Acl, reproducing a natural segment of a Lys49 PLA2 from Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus snake venom, and its p-AclR7 analogue where all seven lysine residues were replaced by arginines. Both peptides were active against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and L. (L.) infantum, while displaying low cytotoxicity for primary murine macrophages. Spectrofluorimetric studies suggest that permeabilization of the parasite's cell membrane is the probable mechanism of action of these biomolecules. Relevantly, the engineered peptide p-AclR7 was more active in both life stages of Leishmania and induced higher rates of ethidium bromide incorporation than its native template p-Acl. Taken together, the results suggest that short peptides based on phospholipase toxins are potential scaffolds for development of antileishmanial candidates. Moreover, specific amino acid substitutions, such those herein employed, may enhance the antiparasitic action of these cationic peptides, encouraging their future biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mendes
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José R Almeida
- Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Km 7 Via Muyuna, Tena, Napo, Ecuador
| | - Nuno Vale
- Laboratório de Farmacologia, Departamento de Ciências do Medicamento, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal; IPATIMUP/Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernanda R Gadelha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Saulo L Da Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Cuenca, Cuenca/Azuay, Ecuador.; Centro de Innovación de la Salud - EUS/EP, Cuenca/Azuay, Ecuador
| | - Danilo C Miguel
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Drug-containing hydrophobic dressings as a topical experimental therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis. J Parasit Dis 2019; 44:79-87. [PMID: 32174708 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-019-01162-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a clinical condition caused mainly by Leishmania amazonensis in Brazil, is characterized by topical, painless ulcers. The current treatment, based on intravenous administration of pentavalent antimonials, presents low adherence by patients and may cause serious adverse effects, leading to the need for searching new therapeutic options. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating a topical administration of "intelligent dressings" as an alternative treatment for CL. BALB/c mice were infected with L. amazonensis promastigotes. Afterward, lesions were treated with hydrophobic dressings incorporated with clinically used drugs. After lesion development, the following analyses were carried out: measurement of lesion diameters, biochemical analyses of serum, evaluation of the recovery of amastigote forms and histological analyses. No significant clinical changes in serum parameters were observed. The group that was treated with dressings impregnated with Glucantime® displayed the lowest number of amastigotes recovered from tissues (parasite load). Conventional treatment with Glucantime® (i.p.) was also able to reduce parasite load. After 6 weeks from the measurement of the lesions mice treated with dressings impregnated with Pentamidine displayed the smallest values. Representative histological aspects of the lesions showed the absence or few amastigotes inside the macrophages when mice were treated with dressings impregnated with Glucantime® and Pentamidine, respectively. The findings presented here indicate that the topical treatments may constitute an alternative treatment option for CL.
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12
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Abstract
Parasitic infections are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Management strategies rely primarily on antiparasitic drugs that have side effects and risk of drug resistance. Therefore, novel strategies are needed for treatment of parasitic infections. Host-directed therapy (HDT) is a viable alternative, which targets host pathways responsible for parasite invasion/survival/pathogenicity. Recent innovative combinations of genomics, proteomics and computational biology approaches have led to discovery of several host pathways that could be promising targets for HDT for treating parasitic infections. Herein, we review major advances in HDT for parasitic disease with regard to core regulatory pathways and their interactions.
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Varikuti S, Jha BK, Volpedo G, Ryan NM, Halsey G, Hamza OM, McGwire BS, Satoskar AR. Host-Directed Drug Therapies for Neglected Tropical Diseases Caused by Protozoan Parasites. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2655. [PMID: 30555425 PMCID: PMC6284052 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by protozoan parasites are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current treatments using anti-parasitic drugs are toxic and prolonged with poor patient compliance. In addition, emergence of drug-resistant parasites is increasing worldwide. Hence, there is a need for safer and better therapeutics for these infections. Host-directed therapy using drugs that target host pathways required for pathogen survival or its clearance is a promising approach for treating infections. This review will give a summary of the current status and advances of host-targeted therapies for treating NTDs caused by protozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Varikuti
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Bijay Kumar Jha
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Greta Volpedo
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Nathan M Ryan
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Gregory Halsey
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Omar M Hamza
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Bradford S McGwire
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Abhay R Satoskar
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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