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Borges-Pereira L, Dias BKM, Singh MK, Garcia CRS. Malaria parasites and circadian rhythm: New insights into an old puzzle. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2021; 2:100017. [PMID: 34841309 PMCID: PMC8610328 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2020.100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Discuss molecular components for the coordination of circadian rhythm of malaria parasites inside the vertebrate host. Synthetic indole compounds show antimalarial activity in vitro against P.falciparum 3D7. Plasmodium falciparum synchronizes in cell culture upon melatonin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Borges-Pereira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bárbara K M Dias
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Parasitology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maneesh Kumar Singh
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Celia R S Garcia
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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2
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Szewczyk-Golec K, Pawłowska M, Wesołowski R, Wróblewski M, Mila-Kierzenkowska C. Oxidative Stress as a Possible Target in the Treatment of Toxoplasmosis: Perspectives and Ambiguities. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115705. [PMID: 34071892 PMCID: PMC8198901 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite causing toxoplasmosis, a common disease, which is most typically asymptomatic. However, toxoplasmosis can be severe and even fatal in immunocompromised patients and fetuses. Available treatment options are limited, so there is a strong impetus to develop novel therapeutics. This review focuses on the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology and treatment of T. gondii infection. Chemical compounds that modify redox status can reduce the parasite viability and thus be potential anti-Toxoplasma drugs. On the other hand, oxidative stress caused by the activation of the inflammatory response may have some deleterious consequences in host cells. In this respect, the potential use of natural antioxidants is worth considering, including melatonin and some vitamins, as possible novel anti-Toxoplasma therapeutics. Results of in vitro and animal studies are promising. However, supplementation with some antioxidants was found to promote the increase in parasitemia, and the disease was then characterized by a milder course. Undoubtedly, research in this area may have a significant impact on the future prospects of toxoplasmosis therapy.
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3
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Machado NI, Dos Santos TAT, de Souza W, DaMatta RA, Seabra SH. Treatment with melatonin induces a reduction of Toxoplasma gondii development in LLC-MK2 cells. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2703-2711. [PMID: 32537718 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06766-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
It is known that the current treatment for toxoplasmosis causes side effects. Thus, it is essential to develop new therapies with reduced adverse effects while concurrently maintaining broad coverage and prophylactic therapy. Melatonin is a hormone that participates in the circadian cycle in vertebrates and has antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antitumoral functions. In addition, it has been shown that melatonin can modulate immune responses and parasitic development during infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. Furthermore, studies indicate that melatonin increases the number of lymphocytes in rats infected by Toxoplasma gondii. However, there is no information on the possible effects of melatonin in T. gondii-infected host cells in vitro. This study analyzed the effects of melatonin treatment in the monkey kidney cell epithelial cell line, LLC-MK2, after infection with T. gondii. LLC-MK2 cells were infected and treated/not treated with melatonin, and the infection index was then quantified. Melatonin treatment did not alter host cell viability and was able to reduce parasite proliferation in LLC-MK2 cells at 24 and 48 h and at 6 days. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy confirmed reduction of parasite proliferation and alterations of tachyzoite shapes. Transmission electron microscopy images showed parasites with ruptured plasma membranes and cytoplasmic leakage. After treatment, parasites showed positive staining for apoptotic-like cell death. These results suggest that the use of melatonin as the lead compound for the synthesis of new compounds may constitute an alternative treatment for toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayara Inocencio Machado
- Laboratório de Tecnologia em Cultura de Células, Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste, Av. Manuel Caldeira de Alvarenga, 1203, Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 23070-200, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Thiago Alves Teixeira Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Tecnologia em Cultura de Células, Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste, Av. Manuel Caldeira de Alvarenga, 1203, Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 23070-200, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil
- Centro Universitário IBMR, Avenida das Américas, 2603, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 22631-002, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem and Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 21941-170, Brazil
| | - Renato Augusto DaMatta
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil.
| | - Sergio Henrique Seabra
- Laboratório de Tecnologia em Cultura de Células, Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste, Av. Manuel Caldeira de Alvarenga, 1203, Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 23070-200, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil.
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4
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Kuklina EM. [Melatonin as an inducing factor for multiple sclerosis]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2016; 116:102-105. [PMID: 27437545 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro201611651102-105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is one of the most multifunctional regulators in the organism. It plays a key role in the control of nerve, endocrine, and immune systems. Due to hormone neuroprotective activity, the possibility is now discussed on its clinical usage in treating neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis. At the same time, melatonin is an effective regulator of immune reactions, in part, the reactions toward autoantigens. In this respect, the subset ofT lymphocytes producing IL-17 (Th17) is of special interest. As the Th17 subset plays a key role iri multiple sclerosis pathogenesis, the immunomodulating hormone effects toward Th17, may, in theory, nullify its positive neuroprotective activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Kuklina
- Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia
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5
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Guimarães DSM, Fonseca ALD, Batista R, Comar Junior M, Oliveira ABD, Taranto AG, Varotti FDP. Structure-based drug design studies of the interactions of ent-kaurane diterpenes derived from Wedelia paludosa with the Plasmodium falciparum sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase PfATP6. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:255-8. [PMID: 25946251 PMCID: PMC4489458 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760140415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is responsible for more deaths around the world than any other parasitic
disease. Due to the emergence of strains that are resistant to the current
chemotherapeutic antimalarial arsenal, the search for new antimalarial drugs remains
urgent though hampered by a lack of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of
artemisinin resistance. Semisynthetic compounds derived from diterpenes from the
medicinal plant Wedelia paludosa were tested in silico against
the Plasmodium falciparum Ca2+-ATPase, PfATP6. This
protein was constructed by comparative modelling using the three-dimensional
structure of a homologous protein, 1IWO, as a scaffold. Compound 21 showed the best
docking scores, indicating a better interaction with PfATP6 than that of
thapsigargin, the natural inhibitor. Inhibition of PfATP6 by diterpene compounds
could promote a change in calcium homeostasis, leading to parasite death. These data
suggest PfATP6 as a potential target for the antimalarial
ent-kaurane diterpenes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda Luisa da Fonseca
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Ronan Batista
- Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brasil
| | - Moacyr Comar Junior
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Alaíde Braga de Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Alex Gutterres Taranto
- Laboratório de Química Farmacêutica Medicinal, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Fernando de Pilla Varotti
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
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Koyama FC, Azevedo MF, Budu A, Chakrabarti D, Garcia CRS. Melatonin-induced temporal up-regulation of gene expression related to ubiquitin/proteasome system (UPS) in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:22320-30. [PMID: 25479077 PMCID: PMC4284710 DOI: 10.3390/ijms151222320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Revised: 09/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing understanding that melatonin and the ubiquitin/ proteasome system (UPS) interact to regulate multiple cellular functions. Post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination are important modulators of signaling processes, cell cycle and many other cellular functions. Previously, we reported a melatonin-induced upregulation of gene expression related to ubiquitin/proteasome system (UPS) in Plasmodium falciparum, the human malaria parasite, and that P. falciparum protein kinase 7 influences this process. This implies a role of melatonin, an indolamine, in modulating intraerythrocytic development of the parasite. In this report we demonstrate by qPCR analysis, that melatonin induces gene upregulation in nine out of fourteen genes of the UPS, consisting of the same set of genes previously reported, between 4 to 5 h after melatonin treatment. We demonstrate that melatonin causes a temporally controlled gene expression of UPS members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda C Koyama
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Mauro F Azevedo
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil.
| | - Alexandre Budu
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil.
| | - Debopam Chakrabarti
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32826, USA.
| | - Célia R S Garcia
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil.
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7
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Kuklina EM. Melatonin as potential inducer of Th17 cell differentiation. Med Hypotheses 2014; 83:404-6. [PMID: 25064379 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The subset of T lymphocytes producing IL-17 (Th17) plays a key role in the immune system. It has been implicated in host defense, inflammatory diseases, tumorigenesis, autoimmune diseases, and transplant rejection. Careful analysis of the data available holds that Th17 cell subpopulation should be under the direct control of pineal hormone melatonin: the key Th17 differentiation factor RORα serves in the meantime as a high-affinity melatonin receptor. Since the levels of melatonin have diurnal and seasonal variation, as well as substantial deviations in some physiological or pathological conditions, melatonin-dependent regulation of Th17 cells should implicate multiform manifestation, such as influencing the outcome of infectious challenge or determining predisposition, etiology and progression of immune-related morbidities. Another important reason to raise a point of the new melatonin effects is current considering the possibilities of its clinical trials. Especially, the differentiation of Th17 upon melatonin treatment must aggravate the current recession in autoimmune diseases or induce serious complications in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Kuklina
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Goleva Str. 13, Perm, Russian Federation.
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8
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Elmahallawy EK, Jiménez-Aranda A, Martínez AS, Rodriguez-Granger J, Navarro-Alarcón M, Gutiérrez-Fernández J, Agil A. Activity of melatonin against Leishmania infantum promastigotes by mitochondrial dependent pathway. Chem Biol Interact 2014; 220:84-93. [PMID: 24973643 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2014.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis, a potentially fatal disease, remains a major international health problem. Only a limited number of effective antileishmanial agents are available for chemotherapy, and many of them are expensive with severe side effects or have a markedly reduced effectiveness due to the development of drug resistance. Hence, there is a genuine need to develop a novel effective and less toxic antileishmanial drug. Melatonin, a neurohormone found in animals, plants, and microbes, can participate in various biological and physiological functions. Several in vitro or in vivo studies have reported the inhibitory effect of melatonin against many parasites via various mechanisms, including modulation of intracellular concentrations of calcium in the parasite and/or any other suggested mechanism. Importantly, many of available antileishmanial drugs have been reported to exert their effects by disrupting calcium homeostasis in the parasite. The objective of the present study was to test the efficacy of exogenous melatonin against Leishmania infantum promastigotes in vitro. Interestingly, melatonin not only demonstrated a significant antileishmanial activity of against promastigote viability in tested cultures but was also accompanied by an alteration of the calcium homeostasis of parasite mitochondrion, represented by earlier mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and by changes in some mitochondrial parameters are critical to parasite survival. These pioneering findings suggest that melatonin may be a candidate for the development of novel effective antileishmanial agents either alone or in associations with other drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehab Kotb Elmahallawy
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Zoonotic diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Aroa Jiménez-Aranda
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurosciences Institute (CIBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Javier Rodriguez-Granger
- Service of Microbiology and Parasitology, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel Navarro-Alarcón
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Ahmad Agil
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurosciences Institute (CIBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
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Synthetic indole and melatonin derivatives exhibit antimalarial activity on the cell cycle of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Eur J Med Chem 2014; 78:375-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.03.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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10
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Melatonin: buffering the immune system. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:8638-83. [PMID: 23609496 PMCID: PMC3645767 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14048638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 435] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Revised: 04/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin modulates a wide range of physiological functions with pleiotropic effects on the immune system. Despite the large number of reports implicating melatonin as an immunomodulatory compound, it still remains unclear how melatonin regulates immunity. While some authors argue that melatonin is an immunostimulant, many studies have also described anti-inflammatory properties. The data reviewed in this paper support the idea of melatonin as an immune buffer, acting as a stimulant under basal or immunosuppressive conditions or as an anti-inflammatory compound in the presence of exacerbated immune responses, such as acute inflammation. The clinical relevance of the multiple functions of melatonin under different immune conditions, such as infection, autoimmunity, vaccination and immunosenescence, is also reviewed.
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11
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Koyama FC, Ribeiro RY, Garcia JL, Azevedo MF, Chakrabarti D, Garcia CRS. Ubiquitin proteasome system and the atypical kinase PfPK7 are involved in melatonin signaling in Plasmodium falciparum. J Pineal Res 2012; 53:147-53. [PMID: 22348509 PMCID: PMC3360131 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.2012.00981.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that melatonin modulates the Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic cycle by increasing schizont stage population as well as diminishing ring stage population. In addition, the importance of calcium and cAMP in melatonin signaling pathway in P. falciparum was also demonstrated. Nevertheless, the molecular effectors of the indoleamine signaling pathway remain elusive. We now demonstrate by real-time PCR that melatonin treatment up-regulates genes related to ubiquitin/proteasome system (UPS) components and that luzindole, a melatonin receptor antagonist, inhibits UPS transcription modulation. We also show that protein kinase PfPK7, a P. falciparum orphan kinase, plays a crucial role in the melatonin transduction pathway, since following melatonin treatment of P. falciparum parasites where pfpk7 gene is disrupted (pfpk7(-) parasites) (i) the ratio of asexual stages remain unchanged, (ii) the increase in cytoplasmatic calcium in response to melatonin was strongly diminished and (iii) up-regulation of UPS genes did not occur. The wild-type melatonin-induced alterations in cell cycle features, calcium rise and UPS gene transcription were restored by re-introduction of a functional copy of the pfpk7 gene in the pfpk7(-) parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda C Koyama
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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12
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Generation of second messengers in Plasmodium. Microbes Infect 2012; 14:787-95. [PMID: 22584103 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2012.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2011] [Revised: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 04/18/2012] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Signalling in malaria parasites is a field of growing interest as its components may prove to be valuable drug targets, especially when one considers the burden of a disease that is responsible for up to 500 million infections annually. The scope of this review is to discuss external stimuli in the parasite life cycle and the upstream machinery responsible for translating them into intracellular responses, focussing particularly on the calcium signalling pathway.
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